1. Introduction

In intensive whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) farming using bottom-lined ponds, farmers often focus on managing pond bottom conditions, toxic gases, and disease pathogens, while underestimating the serious risks posed by suspended solids (TSS – Total Suspended Solids) in the water column.

Field production experience shows that many crop failures are not caused by dirty pond bottoms, but by “dirty suspended water.” High levels of suspended solids reduce dissolved oxygen, foul shrimp gills, impair hepatopancreas function, and create favorable conditions for pathogenic bacteria to proliferate. Therefore, controlling suspended solids must be considered a mandatory component of environmental management in lined ponds, especially under high stocking densities.

2. How Are Suspended Solids Formed in Lined Ponds?

Unlike earthen ponds, lined ponds do not have natural soil bottoms to retain and biologically decompose organic matter. As a result, suspended solids mainly originate from:

  • Uneaten feed and fine feed particles

  • Shrimp feces and metabolic waste

  • Dead algae and algal crashes

  • Bacteria and undecomposed organic debris

  • Intake water containing fine silt or suspended particles

Due to strong water circulation and the smooth liner surface, these particles do not easily settle and remain suspended in the water column, accumulating over time.

3. Impacts of Suspended Solids on Lined Shrimp Ponds

3.1. Gill Damage and Respiratory Stress

  • Suspended particles adhere to shrimp gills, causing gill darkening and tissue damage.

  • Shrimp increase respiration, leading to higher energy consumption and reduced feeding.

3.2. Reduction of Dissolved Oxygen at Night

  • Decomposition of suspended organic matter consumes oxygen.

  • This increases the risk of shrimp surfacing or crowding along pond edges at night.

3.3. Favorable Environment for Pathogenic Bacteria

  • Suspended solids act as “mobile substrates” for Vibrio spp.

  • They contribute to underlying conditions that lead to white feces syndrome and hepatopancreatic necrosis.

3.4. Reduced Efficiency of Water Treatments

  • Minerals, probiotics, and treatment chemicals are adsorbed onto suspended particles.

  • This increases treatment costs while reducing effectiveness.

4. Principles of Sustainable Suspended Solids Management

Effective solutions should not merely aim to clarify the water, but must follow four fundamental principles:

  1. Reduce the generation of suspended solids

  2. Stabilize the water environment

  3. Aggregate and remove suspended solids from the system

  4. Biologically decompose remaining organic matter

These principles form the core approach of Sitto Vietnam’s suspended solids control strategy for lined shrimp ponds.

5. Sitto Vietnam’s Solutions for Controlling Suspended Solids in Lined Ponds

5.1. Reducing Suspended Solids at the Source

a) Feed and digestive management

  • Feed at appropriate rates to avoid feed wastage

  • Use feeding trays and regular bottom siphoning

  • Apply Sitto Vietnam’s gut health support products to:

    • Improve feed digestion

    • Reduce fecal waste released into the environment

5.2. Rapid Aggregation and Removal of Suspended Solids

a) Environmental stabilization and stress reduction – using SITTO THIO 500

  • Reduces stress and stabilizes water conditions

  • Breaks down accumulated toxins in the pond

  • Limits algal crashes and organic debris that generate suspended solids

b) Combined use of SITTO ZEOLITE – natural flocculant

  • SITTO ZEOLITE acts as a natural binding agent to:

    • Aggregate suspended particles

    • Facilitate waste collection at the siphon pit

    • Adsorb toxic gases

  • Avoid overuse of strong chemical flocculants that may stress shrimp

c) Supporting management practices for stable water quality

  • Siphon pond bottoms regularly, 2–3 times per day

  • Adjust paddlewheel aerators to create waste-collecting circulation patterns

5.3. Biological Decomposition – Root-Cause Treatment

Enhance organic matter degradation using BACILLUS SUBTILIS 1090 probiotics

  • Apply regularly in the early morning

  • Low-dose molasses can be added to activate microbial activity

  • Decomposes residual organic matter remaining in the pond

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6. Conclusion

Suspended solids in lined shrimp ponds are a “silent enemy” of shrimp production. If farmers rely solely on chemical water clarifiers, the results are only temporary.

Sitto Vietnam’s solution focuses on:

  • Reducing suspended solids generation

  • Stabilizing water quality

  • Aggregating and removing suspended solids from the system

  • Biologically decomposing organic matter

This integrated approach helps maintain stable pond water, healthy shrimp, lower production risks, and improved farming efficiency—especially suitable for high-density lined pond systems.