For a shrimp farm, clean water is not simply a nice-to-have. It is an important part of daily production. An American shrimp farmer learned this firsthand when sediment gradually accumulated in one of the farm’s reservoirs. At the beginning, the problem did not seem serious. A thin layer of mud settled on the bottom every season. But after several years, the sediment became much thicker. The reservoir began to lose effective water-storage capacity, water circulation became more difficult, and cleaning the bottom manually was becoming increasingly expensive.
The owner needed a solution that could enter the reservoir, work on soft and muddy ground, and remove accumulated sediment without bringing large excavation equipment directly into the water. After comparing several options, he decided to try a YG small dredger machine. What started as a solution for one reservoir eventually changed the way the farm handled routine dredging and cleaning work.
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YG Small Dredger Machine Parameters
| Model | YG-500 | YG-600 | YG-700 | YG-800 | YG-900 | YG-1200 |
| Robot dimensions | 1500*500*650mm | 1500*600*650mm | 1600*700*650mm | 1600*850*700mm | 1650*960*750mm | 1900*1200*750mm |
| Dredging width | 500mm | 600mm | 700mm | 800mm | 900mm | 1200mm |
| Track travel speed | 3-15m/s | 3-15m/s | 3-15m/s | 3-15m/s | 3-15m/s | 3-15m/s |
| Robot weight | 320kg | 350kg | 380kg | 400kg | 420kg | 500kg |
| Pump output diameter | 3inch | 3inch | 4inch | 4inch | 4inch | 4inch |
| Pump flow rate(cubic meters/ hour) | 100 m³ | 100m³ | 200m³ | 200m³ | 200m³ | 200m³ |
| Hydraulic station dimensions(mm) | 2200*1200*1700 | 2200*1200*1700 | 2200*1200*1700 | 2200*1200*1700 | 2200*1200*1700 | 2120*1240*1200 |
| Main motor power | 22kw | 22kw | 30kw | 30kw | 30kw | 45kw |
| Hydraulic system pressure | 0-16Mpa | |||||
| Particle size | 15mm | 15mm | 38mm | 38mm | 38mm | 60mm |
| Reeling system speed | 0-10r/min | |||||
| Hydraulic hoses | 50m (Standard configuration) | |||||
| Control system | Wireless remote control | |||||
| Lighting system | Underwater LED lights *2 | |||||
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Meet the Customer: An American Shrimp Farm with a Growing Operation
The customer was a medium-sized aquaculture company in the United States. The farm operated several shrimp production areas, including ponds, water-storage reservoirs, and supporting facilities. Its main business included shrimp farming, aquaculture water management, reservoir maintenance, feed management, harvesting and processing, and water circulation and treatment. The farm relied heavily on its reservoirs to store and manage water. The owner explained that maintaining the reservoirs was becoming more difficult as the farm expanded. Sediment was one of the biggest long-term problems. Every year, organic matter, soil particles, sand, and other materials gradually accumulated at the bottom. Eventually, the owner realized that simply increasing water pumping was not enough. The reservoir itself needed to be cleaned.
Too Much Mud, Too Little Useful Water
The farm’s main reservoir had been used for several years. Over time, sediment had accumulated across a large part of the bottom. The customer faced several practical problems.
- The Reservoir Was Losing Capacity. Sediment occupied space that should have been available for water storage. The owner estimated that the usable capacity had fallen by approximately 15%–20%.
- Manual Cleaning Was Extremely Slow. Workers could not simply walk into the soft reservoir bottom and remove large amounts of sediment manually. The work was physically demanding and inefficient.
- Conventional Excavators Were Difficult to Use. A conventional excavator could provide strong digging power, but bringing heavy equipment into soft or water-filled areas created additional challenges. There was also a risk of disturbing finished areas around the reservoir.
- Hiring External Dredging Services Was Expensive. The farm had previously considered hiring specialized contractors. However, repeated external dredging would create ongoing costs. The owner wanted equipment that could be used whenever necessary.
Could the Machine Work on Soft Ground?
The customer’s biggest concern before operation was simple: Would the machine remain stable on the soft reservoir bottom? This was a reasonable concern. Soft mud can make heavy machinery difficult to operate. The customer did not want the machine to become stuck or create unnecessary damage. The solution was to plan the working route carefully. The team first inspected the reservoir depth, bottom condition, access points, sediment thickness, working area, and discharge route. Instead of immediately sending the machine into the deepest section, the team started from a more accessible area. This allowed the operator to become familiar with the machine’s behavior.
- Inspect the Reservoir. The team identified the areas with the thickest sediment.
- Plan the Cleaning Route. Rather than moving randomly, the operator divided the reservoir into several working sections.
- Enter the Working Area. The compact tracked structure allowed the machine to approach the sediment area.
- Start Dredging. The machine began removing accumulated sediment from the reservoir bottom.
- Transfer the Material. The removed sediment was transported away from the working zone according to the farm’s site arrangement.
- Move to the Next Section. Once one section was completed, the machine moved to another area.
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Benefits Of Using YG Small Dredger Machine For Customers
1. Reservoir Cleaning Became More Manageable
Before purchasing the equipment, the farm estimated that cleaning the reservoir would take approximately 20 working days using its previous approach. With the new equipment and a better-organized workflow, the project was completed in approximately 14 working days. That represented a saving of around 6 working days. For a working farm, this mattered. The reservoir could return to normal operation sooner. The team also spent less time organizing outside equipment and temporary labor.
2. Dredging Productivity Increased by About 35%
Based on the customer’s internal project comparison, the farm estimated that its dredging productivity improved by approximately 35%. The improvement came from several factors: less manual sediment removal, continuous machine operation, easier movement between work zones, better work planning, reduced equipment changeover, and more organized sediment handling. The machine did not eliminate human involvement. Operators were still needed to control the equipment, inspect conditions, manage discharge, and monitor safety. But the machine took over much of the physically demanding dredging work.
3. The Farm Also Reduced Its Cleaning Costs
The customer compared the cost of the project with previous external-service estimates. The farm estimated that the overall reservoir cleaning cost was reduced by approximately 20%. The main savings came from lower external contractor expenses, reduced manual labor, shorter project duration, less equipment mobilization, and reusable equipment for future maintenance.
4. The Machine Became More Than a One-Time Investment
Originally, the customer planned to use the machine for one reservoir. After the first project, the farm began considering additional applications. The machine could potentially support reservoir cleaning, aquaculture pond maintenance, sediment removal, drainage area cleaning, mud removal, water-storage area maintenance, and certain confined-area cleaning projects. This changed the owner’s calculation. He no longer viewed the equipment simply as a project expense. He viewed it as a maintenance tool that could be used repeatedly.
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What Did the American Customer Say?
After completing the project, the customer shared several comments about his experience.
“The Machine Saved Us Time”
“We expected the cleaning work to take around twenty days. We finished the main project in about fourteen working days.”
“It Was Easier to Control the Work”
“Instead of waiting for an outside contractor, we could organize the work according to our own farm schedule.”
“Mobility Was Important”
“The crawler design was one of the features we liked most because the reservoir bottom was soft and difficult to work on.”
“It Was Not Just for One Project”
“We originally bought the machine for the reservoir, but now we are considering using it for other water-management areas.”
“It Changed Our Maintenance Strategy”
“We don’t want to wait several years and deal with a huge amount of sediment again. Regular cleaning is much easier to manage.”
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A Practical Buying Checklist for YG Small Dredger Machine
If you are searching for a small dredge for sale, consider these questions before placing an order.
- What Is the Reservoir or Pond Size? Give the supplier accurate dimensions.
- How Thick Is the Sediment? Sediment thickness directly affects the cleaning workload.
- What Is the Ground Condition? Soft mud, water, sand, and uneven surfaces can affect machine operation.
- How Will the Machine Enter the Site? Check access roads, slopes, entrances, and working space.
- Where Will the Removed Sediment Go? Plan the discharge or transportation route before starting.
- How Frequently Will You Use the Machine? If you plan to use it for regular maintenance, durability and service support become more important.
- What Applications Do You Have in the Future? Consider reservoirs, ponds, drainage areas, and other potential cleaning tasks.
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For this American customer, the biggest benefit was not simply removing mud. It was gaining greater control over an important part of the farm’s operation.
A reservoir is a long-term asset. When sediment gradually reduces its useful capacity, the problem can affect the entire water-management system. The customer found that a compact YG small dredger machine gave the farm another option for dealing with sediment. For shrimp farms, reservoirs, ponds, and other confined water-management areas, a compact dredging solution may be worth considering when its capacity, mobility, and working method match the site conditions.
Have a similar reservoir or pond cleaning project? Tell us your reservoir size, water depth, sediment thickness, working environment, and expected cleaning volume. YG can help you evaluate a practical equipment recommendation.