Potential Role of Zeolite on Improvement of Aquaculture Sector

Aquaculture, which is very important in many regions of the world, attracts attention as the fastest\rgrowing sector in the livestock sector in our country. The share of our country's aquaculture\rproduction in the production of total aquatic products is increasing day by day. Studies have been\rcarried out to solve feed problems and importance has been attached to additives that reduce cost\rand feed conversion ratio (FCR) to contribute to feed quality. Zeolites came to the forefront as feed\radditives. Due to the gap between 20 and 50 % in the structure, the molecules can be taken into the\rstructures and they are named as molecular sieves. Zeolites are used for purposes such as controlling\rthe pollution in pools in the aquaculture sector, increasing the growth parameters of the fish by\rincubation, fish transport and removal of nitrogen compounds from aquarium water, increasing\rambient oxygen in aquarium and fish transport, and as feed additive. In Turkey, billions of tons of\rzeolite have been detected and clinoptilolite type zeolite is found mostly in the beds of AnkaraPolatlı-Mülk-Oğlakçı Region and Bigadiç, Şaphane, Gediz, Emet and Gördes Districts. We believe\rthat the use of zeolites produced in Turkey as a local and natural product as feed additive substance\rin the aquaculture industry in the aquaculture sector will contribute to the production of lower cost\rfish as well as contribute to the development of 2 different sectors (aquaculture and mining) in\rinteraction with each other.