In order to maintain optimal water quality parameters, specifically with dissolved nitrogen waste products, an aquatic system must have a functioning biofilter. A biofilter is a specific unit within the system’s process flow where water is directed and treated using beneficial microorganisms intentionally grown on specific media. It can be a challenge to jump-start and cycle a biofilter in a new aquatic system.
What do we do with the ozone once it's been made? The possibilities are endless. The effectiveness of ozone correlates directly with the amount of ozone over a period of contact time, usually expressed as mg/L x CT. An example is 1mg/L for 2 minutes contact time. In this column we will discuss some of the most common options for ozone contact and injection.
Dissolved oxygen levels in water are dependent on several environmental factors, including temperature, altitude (barometric pressure), salinity. There are a variety of meter types available for use in the field these days, from the simple dissolved oxygen and temperature to the all-inclusive multi-parameter units.
No matter how well a system is designed or installed, there will always be times when water quality will have challenges. It is critical to be able to test the water to understand the actual challenge.
As things continue to heat up and Aquaculture Industry it is becoming more and more important to understand the key pieces to success. One piece to be in successful is to avoid waste. As we all know, the lower the production cost, the more possible profit there is to be had and a quicker return on investment.
When deciding to either enter the RAS world or modify existing systems, it is important to consider several things. Here’s the caveat: to be clear, this article is not exhaustive nor am I willing to make the statement that it includes everything. Now that we have dispensed with that, these are the items that consistently crop up during discussions with colleagues and customers.
Reacting to news of Pentair's departure from the industry, the executives at Aquatic Equipment and Design (AED) gave assurance to the aquaculture industry it still has "a partner in aquaculture supplies and design."
"Huy and I are proud to have been able to learn from Bob and continue his mission and values today," Riedel-Stone said in a statement.
This is an often talked about topic that has a rather polarized following. In terms of system filtration components that can sterilize water, the most common methods in our industry are UV and ozone. We have already covered UV and its complexities so this time we will cover ozone.
This issue’s column is focused on centrifugal pumps. They are the most widely used water mover in our industry and in most cases the most misunderstood. In theory, a 2hp pump is supposed to draw 2 HP to operate properly regardless of who manufactures it. However, not all pumps are equal. Many pump manufacturers “play” with the HP number by not adding in the efficiency of the motor to obtain wire-to-water HP.
One of the most important components of a system and in many cases, the least understood is biofiltration. While the calculations for biofilters are published in several textbooks and a multitude of professionally reviewed papers exist on the sizing of them, there is still a lot of fuzzy logic that gets used in the industry. The challenge is understanding the pitfalls of improperly sized biofiltration.
Instead of focusing on a particular type of equipment, I thought it might be good to get back to basics and discuss electricity and the power options we have when we are putting together our facilities. It is important to review both capital expenses and operating expenses when selecting equipment. The cost of installing different power supplies varies by location and type. One of the most frequent comments I hear is that every application should be with three-phase power. The reason I am consistently given is that it is cheaper. Let’s examine this closer.
