Haematococcus　pluvialis　is　considered　as　the　best　source　of　natural　astaxanthin,　while　its　application　is　limited　due　to　the　high　production　cost.　Exploring　cost-effective　culture　systems　can　be　an　efficient　way　to　improve　economic　feasibility.　In　this　study,　it　was　found　that　biomass　concentration　and　astaxanthin　content　of　H.　pluvialis　QLD　with　ammonium　as　nitrogen　source　and　pH　control　were　similar　to　the　treatment　with　nitrate　as　nitrogen　source,　indicating　that　the　low-cost　ammonium　can　be　appropriately　utilized　when　pH　is　well　controlled.　Subsequently,　the　concentration　of　CO2　was　optimized,　and　1%　CO2　was　found　to　be　desirable　for　cell　growth　and　astaxanthin　accumulation.　Further,　a　pH　steady　NaHCO3-CO2-C/NH4Cl-N　culture　system　was　explored　to　improve　cell　growth　and　astaxanthin　production　in　H.　pluvialis　QLD.　The　results　showed　that　pH　was　stabilized　at　7　to　8　with　enhanced　biomass　concentration　and　astaxanthin　content　under　a　bicarbonate-C/ammonium-N　ratio　of　2.5:1　and　1%　CO2.　Besides,　optimal　ammonium　concentration　was　assessed,　and　maximal　biomass　concentration　was　obtained　at　4.50　mM　NH4Cl.　Moreover,　light　intensity　was　optimized　to　enhance　astaxanthin　production　in　the　culture　system.　Maximal　biomass　concentration　(3.77　g/L),　astaxanthin　content　(56.87　mg/g),　astaxanthin　production　(216.56　mg/L),　and　astaxanthin　productivity　(12.63　mg/L/d)　were　obtained　under　a　light　intensity　of　480　mu　mol/m2/s.　The　performance　of　this　study　was　greater　than　most　reports　under　phototrophic　batch　cultivation,　indicating　that　the　NaHCO3-CO2-C/NH4Cl-N　culture　system　is　promising　for　cost-effective　astaxanthin　production.