Title
Advances in Circular Culture Tank Engineering to Enhance Hydraulics, Solids Removal, and Fish Management
Date
1997
Keywords
design, engineering, fish production, food, hydraulics, inlet, mechanisms, production, productivity, strategy, structures, tank
Summary
Large economies have been achieved in the production of food fish with the use of larger systems and enhanced production management strategies. These trends have also included use of larger circular culture tanks because of their many advantages for food fish production. Circular tanks make good culture vessels because they can provide a uniform culture environment, can be operated under a wide range of rotational velocities to optimize fish health and condition, and can be used to rapidly concentrate and remove settleable solids. However, the flow inlet and outlet structures and fish grading and/or removal mechanisms must be properly engineered to reduce the labor requirement to handle fish and to obtain effective tank rotational characteristics, mixing, and solids flushing. This paper reviews and discusses the rationale and criteria needed to design circular culture tanks. In addition, the implementation of continuous production and satiation feeding strategies within circular culture tanks is discussed because of their large and often under-emphasized effect on overall system productivity.