There is additional support equipment required for recirculating systems.  These include alarms, feeding equipment, water quality analysis and other lab equipment, harvesting equipment and feed storage.

With fish systems we usually heat the incoming water supply and may also have alternative heat through forced air, in floor, or in tank heat exchangers.

Along with good insulation an efficient heating system is an important part to keeping expenses to a mininum.

In the shrimp system we use heat exchangers inside the shrimp pump and underneath the nursery tanks to maintain optimal temperature.

Back up electrical generation is a necessity.   Recirculating systems generally have fish a high densities and the their life support system is dependant on electricity.  Automatic switches are desirable to ensure adequate aeration for the aquatic life.

Most systems require regenerative blowers to provide air for various aspects of the system.  These blowers are efficient at producing large volumes of air at low pressure.

Along with the recirculating aquaculture systems, you will also need a variety of support equipment.

A couple of pole style barns used for fish and shrimp production.

The ideal new construction are pole style buildings.  These buildings are relatively inexpensive and fast to assemble.  Existing buildings can be used with adequate remodeling to ensure good insulation, floor drainage, and in appropriate condition.

Access to electricity is essential.  3 phase electric is preferred, but most operations can get by with single phase if necessary.

New construction in agricultural locations, with plenty of room for wastewater disposal and expansion, is preferred.

One of the advantages to recirculating systems is that they can be put about anywhere from urban warehouses to pole barns in agricultural areas.  Existing farm building are possible sites for aquaculture facilities.

The heterotrophic shrimp system has very little discharge.  The floc water is continually reused, and the heterotrophic bacteria breakdown nearly all the waste.

In an agricultural environment, lagoons can be used to treat the water or store it for future field application.  Urban farms can use the municipal wastewater systems, but this is an added expense.  The lagoons shown here were also used to raise freshwater prawns in summer months.

 You should also determine the amount of effluent you will have from your facility and how that will be handled.  Local authorities will have different regulations on waste disposal.

All water sources should be checked prior to starting an operation.   Samples should be submitted to a testing lab to check for heavy metal, pesticide or other contaminants.

These are the amounts we recommend you should have for fish or shrimp culture.  If you do not have a large capacity you should have plenty of water storage to fill or flush tanks in problem situations.

The best source for aquaculture water is good quality ground water.  Many times good ground water can be used without any filtering.  Municipal water can be used, but there is added expense  for the water and its treatment to remove chemicals and add back necessary elements.  Reservoir water can also be used, but seasonal changes in temperature and disease organisms from endemic populations can be problematic.

The most important site requirement is an adequate water supply of suitable quantity and quality.

Site considerations for recirculation aquaculture facilities.  Indoor aquaculture operations have the advantage of being placed about anywhere, due to the relatively small amount of water and space they require compared to traditional aquaculture.