Now you can grow pearls in a tank

Jitender is a computer science graduate who comes from an agricultural background and says his desire to try something new led him to pearl farming. Jitender started with an initial investment of Rs 20,000 in 2009, but now that pearl farming has progressed, he thinks an initial investment of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 is enough.

There are a variety of ways to produce pearls, from ponds to cement tanks or even an aquarium. Jitender’s method of culturing pearls is called a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS).

How does the RAS method work?

Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) filter water from aquariums and reuse it in the aquarium. This greatly decreases the amount of water and land needed to intensively farm various seafoods. processed when the RAS technique is used,” says Jitender. It is a method that is used all over the world and is far superior to ponds and other reservoirs.

“There are many aspects that need to be considered when pearl farming is done in a pond,” says Jintender. “It must be of a minimum size, temperature management is not possible, and the pond where the pearl is grown must be at least six months old, if not more.” Because the environment in an aquarium can be regulated, it is possible to feed the right amount of algae, monitor growth, and other aspects.

The quantity of pearls

If a mussel is tiny, it can hold between 2 and 8 pearls, according to Jitender. If the mussel is bigger, you can get up to 28 beads, 14 on each side. Jitender also adds that molds should be handled with care: “Always get your molds from a well-known source, and when you have them for about six days, they are stored in a setup called an intensive care unit.” The mussels are moved to the aquarium once their health status has been determined.

When the quality of the mussels is determined, a unique feeding table is created based on the quality. “Special feeds and minerals are provided for poor quality mussels for 65 days, followed by the pearl extraction technique.” If the molds are of excellent quality, the extraction technique can be completed in 20 days,” he explains.

How to grow pearls at home?

• The first step is to have the water tested to see if it is suitable for aquaculture, which can be done at a government laboratory. Jitender also mentions that having the test performed at a private lab is an option, although the cost may be higher.

• After that, Jitender suggests getting formal training at one of the institutes that provide the course. It will help you learn the many varieties of pearls and how to harvest them correctly.

• If you want to start with a modest setup, you will need at least two aquariums. The aquariums should be stacked on top of each other so that the water from the upper tank flows into the lower tank. This will require drilling a hole in the tank which will be placed on top.

• An air pump, a venturi pump to control water flow and a water pump to control water temperature will be installed in the tanks.

• Once all these components have been repaired, the system must operate for seven days, a few hours each morning and each evening.

• 3 feet in length, 2.5 feet in width and 1.5 feet in depth are possible tank measurements. Jitender claims that around 50 mussels can be kept in a tank of this size.

• In terms of time investment, you will need to set up around 2.5 hours per day to follow this setup.

• Make sure the seaweed fed to the mussels is of good quality, as this will affect the quality of the pearl it generates. Mussels are also supplied with vitamins and minerals.

• If you plan to produce pearls for commercial purposes, be sure to meet all licensing requirements.

First published: May 21, 2022, 02:33 IST