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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Stuttgart, Arkansas » Harry K. Dupree Stuttgart National Aquaculture Research Cntr » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #225948
Title: Design and performance characteristics of a low-head recirculating aquaculture tank system for low salinity finfish production

Author
item Pfeiffer, Tim
item WEBB, JAMES - HBOI

Submitted to: Book of Abstracts Aquaculture America
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/15/2006
Publication Date: 2/26/2007
Citation: Pfeiffer, T.J., Webb, J. 2007. Design and performance characteristics of a low-head recirculating aquaculture tank system for low salinity finfish production [abstract]. Book of Abstracts Aquaculture America. p. 709.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Water treatment components of a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) consist mainly of: solid removal devices, biofiltration, aeration, degassing units, and water distribution. For each component, multiple options are available and the selection is based on system volume, system hydrodynamics, fish feeding rates, and the fish biomass in the culture system. One goal of the Sustainable Marine Aquaculture Systems collaborative project between USDA/ARS and Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute is evaluating recirculating system components for the cost-effective development of recirculating technology for the land-based development marine finfish. A three-tank culture system with a system volume of approximately 35 m3 was utilized for the low-salinity culture of pompano fingerlings to market size. The fiberglass tanks were 3.0 m in diameter and 1.2 m in height. Tanks were stocked with approximately 300 forty gram pompano fingerlings and cultured at a salinity of 7 ppt. Filtration and solids removal components of the low head RAS consisted of a microscreen drum filter (40 microns), 1.4 m3 moving bead biofilters with kaldness™ media, and 0.6 m3 swirl separators for large particulate removal. Supplemental oxygen was provided directly in the tanks with ultra-fine pore bubble diffusers. Fish were provided between 2-3% body weight of a 42% crude protein floating pelleted feed. After 300 days of culture 0.6 kg average weight fish were harvested with a fillet percentage of approximately 40%.