Range of Good Shrimp TOM Values for Shrimp Ponds

One of the water chemistry parameters that you as a farmer must pay attention to is value Optimal shrimp TOM in ponds. TOM or excess organic matter in aquaculture waters is toxic to shrimp and can cause stress symptoms, reduce appetite, trigger disease growth, and even trigger mass death.

There are certain numbers used to describe the number of TOM in shrimp ponds. Let's read further to find out the good TOM values for shrimp ponds and how to control TOM in shrimp ponds!

What is TOM in Shrimp Ponds?

Total Organic Matter (TOM) is an illustration of the amount of dissolved, suspended, and colloidal organic matter in shrimp pond waters. Good organic matter content is 20 ppm, while the maximum limit for organic matter content is 80 ppm (indicating poor water quality). 

Physically, the high TOM value can be seen from the condition of the waters. If it is cloudy and smells bad, it means bad water conditions. And vice versa, if the water conditions are relatively clear and odorless, it means that the water conditions are good.

Things That Affect Changes in Shrimp TOM Values

The high and low TOM values in a water are caused by an increase in the accumulation of organic matter that has accumulated at the bottom of pond waters. This worsens the water quality of shrimp ponds. The following things affect the TOM value in a shrimp pond waters:

1. Overfeeding (a lot of leftover feed accumulates at the bottom of the pond) 
2. Biota feces 
3. Dead organisms (plankton, shrimp, etc.) 
4. Fertilization that accumulates at the bottom of the pond
5. The high turbidity of pond waters
6. Increased ammonia in ponds
7. Excess klekap (woven-shaped algae that are on the surface of pond water).

How to Get TOM Value in Shrimp Cultivation Ponds

How to Control TOM Value

Some efforts that can be made to control the TOM value are as follows: 

1. Do feed management, so it doesn't happen overfeeding when there is a decrease in appetite. 
2. Do siphoning periodically to remove silt and sediment at the bottom of the pond. 
3. Do a water change when the organic matter content is too high. The amount of water replaced for large ponds is 25-30% of the pool volume, while the amount of water that needs to be replaced for small ponds is 10-20% of the pond volume. 
4. Increase pond aeration. Optimizing the oxygen concentration in the pond needs to be done to help the decomposition process that occurs at the bottom of the pond. The goal is that the decomposition of organic matter is not hampered and the DO value in the pond can be maintained at > 5 ppm.
5. Add probiotics to help decompose organic matter (feed scraps, dead plankton, etc.) at the bottom of the pond. 

Calculate and Control Shrimp TOM Value with eFarm!

Total organic matter content or Total Organic Matter (TOM) can be a benchmark in controlling organic matter in pond waters. TOM values can be used to evaluate shrimp cultivation harvest plans so that pond quality is maintained even better.