kamiagronusantara.com, indonesia–Usup SupriyatnaUsup Supriyatna, a pioneer in seaweed-based biostimulant production in Indonesia, initially struggled with maintaining water quality in his biofloc tilapia aquaculture system. Despite trying various prebiotics, the results remained unsatisfactory. Finally, Usup met Prof. Jasmal Basmal, a Senior Researcher at the BRIN Marine and Terrestrial Bioindustry Research Center. From this meeting, an idea emerged to utilize the gracilaria seaweed cultivated by Usup as a raw material for a biostimulant that also functions as a prebiotic

According to Usup, this biostimulant has two primary functions: clarifying the pond water and promoting fish growth. After applying it to his biofloc pond, within just three days, the water quality, which had been murky due to undigested feed residue, improved significantly. This biostimulant has also proven effective for shrimp aquaculture.

Prof. Jasmal added that this seaweed-based biostimulant acts as a prebiotic, aiding fish in digesting feed more efficiently. As a result, the amount of feces produced decreases, ammonia levels drop, and fish growth becomes more optimal. Testing in Usup's biofloc pond showed that the water was completely ammonia-free, with test results indicating a yellowish-brown color, which signifies the absence of ammonia.

The success of this biostimulant was also experienced by milkfish farmer, Mursin. After using the seaweed-based biostimulant, his cultured milkfish grew faster and larger, with reduced feed requirements

Currently, Usup's biostimulant production reaches 1,000 liters per month, which requires 60 kg of fresh gracilaria seaweed. This biostimulant product is not only used for milkfish and shrimp but can also be applied to seaweed itself. Usup hopes that this innovation will continue to develop and have a positive impact on aquaculture in Indonesia.