Seaweed Cultivation

A. BACKGROUND

Seaweed was first recognized by the Chinese about - about the year 2700 BC. At the time of seaweed are widely used for vegetable and medicine. In 65 BC, the Romans use it as basic material for cosmetics. But with the time, knowledge about seaweed growing. Spain, France, and England made the seaweed as the raw material for making glass.

B. The content of
Seaweed is widely used is of a type of red algae (Rhodophyceae) for containing jelly, Yeast, porpiran, furcelaran or pigment fikobilin (consisting of fikoeretrin and phycocyanin) which is a provision of foods that contain lots of carbohydrates. But there are also utilizing the type of brown algae (Phaeophyceae). The brown algae are rich in pigment chlorophyll a and c, beta carotene, violasantin and fukosantin, pirenoid, and sheets of photosynthesis (filakoid). Besides that brown algae also contain food reserves in the form of laminarin, cellulose, and Algin. Besides the material before, red and brown algae contains many jodium.

C. Benefits

1. Jelly
The people generally recognize jelly  in the form of flour used for making pudding. But people do not know exactly what jelly  was. Jelly is sulfanik acid which is an ester of a linear galakto and obtained by extracting the algae types Agarophytae. Jelly is in character soluble in hot water and insoluble in cold water. Now is the use of jelly  is growing, that were once only for the food alone is now being used in textiles, cosmetics, and others. Its main function is as a stabilizer and emulsifier, thickeners, fillers, and material for gel. In the industry, jelly  is widely used in the food industry such as for making bread, soups, sauces, ice cream, jelly, candy, sherbet, cheese, pudding, jam, beer, wine, coffee, and chocolate. In the pharmaceutical industry as a purgative or laxative, packing capsule, and mixed materials printer samples tooth. In the textile industry can be used to protect the sheen of silk. In the cosmetics industry, jelly useful in the manufacture of ointments, creams, lotions, lipstick and soap. In addition there are many other benefits of jelly, such as for making the film plates, toothpaste, shoe polish, paper, and canning of fish and meat.

2. Yeast
Yeast is a polysaccharide compound composed of units of D-galactose and L-galactose 3.6 anhidrogalaktosa linked by ties 1-4 glikosilik. Characteristic of the yeast is any unit lactose binds sulfate groups, the amount of sulfates approximately 35.1%. The usefulness of yeast is similar to jelly, among others as stabilizers, thickeners, gelling and emulsifying. Yeast is widely used in the food industry for the manufacture of cakes, breads, Makroni, jam, jelly, fruit juice, beer, ice cream, and gel coating of meat products. In the pharmaceutical industry commonly used for toothpaste and drugs - drugs. It can also be used in textiles, paints and cosmetics.

3. Algin (Alginate)
Algin is derived from brown algae seaweed. Algin is a polymer of uronat acids arranged in the form of long linear chains. Form of algin in the market are often found in powder natrium, kalium or ammonium alginate is water soluble.
Alginate in the industrial usefulness is as thickeners, stabilizers, emulsifiers, and forming a thin layer that is resistant to oil. Alginate in the industry are widely used in the food industry for the manufacture of ice cream, sherbet, ice milk, bread, cake, candy, butter, sauces, meat canning, jams, syrups, and pudding. In the pharmaceutical industry commonly used for tablets, ointments, capsules, patches, and filter. Cosmetics industry for cream, lotion, shampoo, hair dye. And in other industries such as textiles, paper, photography, insecticides, pesticides and wood preservatives.

E. Ecology Seaweed
Seaweed was first found living naturally not cultivated. They are scattered in the waters in accordance with environmental needs. Seaweed need a stick to support life. In nature this can be a sticking point of dead coral, shells of mollusks, and can also be sand and mud.
Additionally seaweed in dire need sunlight to carry out photosynthesis. The amount of sunlight is heavily influenced by the sea water transparency. So that the needs of sunlight available in the optimal amount it must set the depth of the cultivate them. Depth ideally be 30-50 cm from the surface of the water.
The process of photosynthesis of seaweed is not only influenced by sunlight alone, but also require nutrients in sufficient quantities both macro and micro. This nutrient is obtained a lot of environmental water is absorbed directly by the whole plant. To supply nutrient fertilization is usually done during cultivation. To help provide some nutrients in optimal amounts and so quickly absorbed by the seaweed, then it must be provided nutrients that are already in a state ready for use (ionic).
Seaweed growth was also influenced by the amount of dissolved oxygen (DO), salinity (salt content) and temperature. The content of oxygen in addition affected by the water movement is also influenced by the availability of nutrients. The ideal temperature for growing seaweed is around 200-280 C.

E. Seaweed Cultivation
In running the seaweed cultivation, the first to be considered in the selection of farms. We recommend cultivated farms in waters that are not fluctuating salinity (salt content) were great and free from pollution industry and households. In addition the site selection should also consider the economic aspects and labor.
Seaweed cultivation can be done in the area off the coast and in the ponds. For the cultivation of the waters off the divided into several methods, are:
* Basic Release Method
Where is the way this is done by tying the rope seaweed seedlings are set in rows in the sea waters with a depth of 30-60 cm. Seaweed planted in bottom waters.
* Raft Method
This Method is done in waters deeper than 60 cm. Working with a binding grass seed on ropes tied to peg in a position like floating in the middle of the water depth.
* Hanging rope Method
If the above two methods seaweed seed position in a horizontal position (horizontal), then the method is done with the hanging rope tying seaweed seedlings in a vertical position (perpendicular) to the rope arranged in rows.

F. Harvest
At stage of harvesting must be considered the way and the right time in order to obtain results in accordance with market demand in terms of quality and quantity.
Plants can be harvested after the age of 6-8 weeks after planting. Way of harvesting is to remove the entire plant seaweed ashore. If seaweed is harvested at the age of about one month, it will usually be obtained ratio of wet weight and dry weight of 8: 1, and if harvested at two months of age will usually be obtained ratio of 6: 1. To types gracilaria usually obtained yields of about 1500-2000 kg in one hectare dried seaweed.