A strategic leap forward in precision aquaculture with wireless connectivity in shrimp feeding and acoustic monitoring to help farmers boost feed efficiency, and optimise pond performance.
At AQ1, innovation begins with listening. Over the years, we have worked closely with shrimp farmers, gathering feedback and conducting extensive field research to better understand shrimp feeding behaviour and the operational challenges faced in real-world pond environments. Now, that commitment to listening has inspired our next leap forward: AQ1’s next-generation smart feeding ecosystem begins with the Smart Hydrophone—a breakthrough device for shrimp farmers, built to integrate with future AQ1 technologies for unmatched performance.
Designed with farmers in mind Traditional hydrophones have been limited by 90m cables, restricting placement and often requiring compromises in pond layout. The Smart Hydrophone changes that. With a wireless connectivity range of up to 250m, farmers can now position hydrophones exactly where they are most effective, whether in large extensive ponds (up to 10ha)or complex intensive systems (Figure 1). This flexibility not only improves feeding accuracy but also reduces infrastructure complexity, minimises interference, and lowers maintenance requirements by removing long datacables from the equation.
The Smart Hydrophone features a novel built-in self-diagnostic system. This proactive monitoring helps farmers detect issues early, reducing downtime and ensuring consistent feeding performance.
Our decision to move away from cabled hydrophones is grounded in years of field data and direct customer feedback. Research has shown that the effective listening range of a hydrophone varies significantly depending on pond conditions. To optimise detection of shrimp feeding activity, we recommend limiting each hydrophone to a maximum of three feeders per zone, a configuration that improves acoustic signal clarity and feeding response accuracy.
Optimising feeding with multiple zones
Feeding efficiency is a cornerstone of successful shrimp farming, and AQ1’s research has shown that multiple feeding zones with fewer feeders per zone offer a more effective and responsive approach to feed delivery. This configuration allows the sonic algorithm to accurately detect and respond to shrimp feeding behaviour, resulting in better feed utilisation and more uniform growth.
Shrimp feeding sounds can be masked by background noise or diluted across large areas. By limiting the number of feeders per hydrophone to a maximum of three, farmer scan ensure that the hydrophone receives a clear and concentrated acoustic signal. This improves the accuracy of the system’s response and helps avoid overfeeding or underfeeding in any zone.
The Smart Hydrophone’s wireless design also brings major benefits to intensive pond systems, where space is limited and infrastructure is dense. In these environments, the presence of numerous electrical cables can cause interference, which may affect the sensitivity and accuracy of sonic feeding detection. By eliminating the need for long data cables, the SM1 reduces this interference risk and simplifies installation.
How does shrimp benefit from multiple feeding zones?
At AQ1, we have spent years observing shrimp feeding behaviour across ponds and discovered a key insight: feeding activity is not uniform. Shrimp tend to feed more intensely at specific times of day and show a clear preference for certain areas within the pond.
To help farmers respond to this variability, we have expanded our feeding zone capability from two zones(wired connection to SF200, limited to 90m) to four zones (wireless connection to SF200, up to 250m).This upgrade reflects our behavioural insights and offers a seamless pathway for existing AQ1 controllers to scale; enabling more precise, responsive feeding aligned with shrimp behaviour.
Shrimp thrive when food is accessible, delivered where and when it is needed, and aligned with their natural rhythms. Implementing multiple feeding zones, especially when paired with AQ1’s sonic feeding technology, offers a range of biological and operational benefits:
•Reduced competition and stress: Distributing feed across zones reduces crowding and aggressive behavior, improving shrimp welfare.
•More uniform growth: Equal access to feed minimises size variation, leading to better harvest consistency and pricing.
•Optimum feed conversion ratios (FCR): Feed is delivered only when shrimp are actively feeding, reducing waste and improving efficiency.
•Enhanced water quality: Even feed distribution and real-time control help prevent overfeeding and maintain better pond conditions.
•Adaptability to pond conditions: Multiple zones allow feeding strategies to be tailored to pond shape, depth, and water flow.
“At AQ1, we have spent years observing shrimp feeding behaviour across ponds and discovered a key insight: feeding activity is not uniform.”
How does the smart hydrophone help farmers expand and manage feeding zones? The Smart Hydrophone is designed to make multi-zone feeding practical and scalable (Figure 3). Here is how item powers farmers:
•Wireless flexibility: Hydrophones can be placed exactly where needed, up to 250m from the controller, without cable constraints.
•Zone expansion: Each SF200 controller can now manage four Smart Hydrophones, doubling the number of feeding zones from two to four.
•Improved accuracy: With fewer feeders per hydrophone and better placement, the system can more precisely detect feeding activity.
•Simplified infrastructure: Especially in intensive systems, removing cables reduces installation complexity and interference.
•Ready for the future: The Smart Hydrophone is designed to integrate with upcoming AQ1 innovations for even greater performance
The Smart Hydrophone is more than just a new product; it is strategic leap forward in precision aquaculture. By enabling flexible, cable-free deployment and supporting more feeding zones per controller, it helps farmers improve efficiency, shrimp health, and operational scalability.
Therefore, whether managing a 10ha extensive pond ora high-density intensive system, the Smart Hydrophone offers the tools to optimise feeding. Backed by AQ1’sdeep commitment to research and innovation, the Smart Hydrophone is setting a new standard for smart, sustainable shrimp farming.
This article was first published in Aqua Culture Asia Pacific January/February page 18-20
