Constructed wetlands for water pollution management of aquaculture farms conducting earthen pond culture.

This study established farm-scale constructed wetlands integrated to shrimp ponds, using existing earthern pond areas, with a wetland-to-pond ratio of only 0.086 for shrimp culture. The constructed wetlands were used as practice for aquaculture water and wastewater treatment, to regulate the water quality of shrimp ponds and manage pollution from pond effluents. The results of water quality monitoring for influent and effluent showed that constructed wetlands significantly reduced total suspended solids (59 to 72%), turbidity (55 to 65%), chlorophyll a (58 to 72%), 5-day biochemical oxygen demand (29 to 40%), and chemical oxygen demand (13 to 24%) from pond water. The wetland treatment sufficiently regulated water quality of the recirculating shrimp pond, which was significantly (p < 0.05) better than that in a control shrimp pond, without the connection of constructed wetlands. Furthermore, the wetland-treated effluent satisfied the national effluent standards for aquaculture farms (R.O.C. Environmental Protection Administration, 2007). Accordingly, wetland treatment applications were proposed to implement the best management practices to reduce pollution from aquaculture farms in Taiwan.