Matching the right aerator to your fish farming operation produces results

  • February 18, 2013

Water quality and health are important components for aquaculture facilities to successfully raise good quality fish. But simply aerating the water does not guarantee that the waterway is properly and efficiently oxygenated.

Air-O-Lator Corporation recently worked with two hatcheries to modify their water aeration programs bringing about increased productivity and fish quality, while saving energy and money.

The Colorado Division of Wildlife operates the Monte Vista Hatchery. Last year, Chris Crowder contacted Air-O-Lator to discuss an issue the facility was experiencing with the Air-O-Lator Aquarian Aquaculture aerators. The aerators were installed in concrete waterways that were narrow allowing water to splash onto the walkway causing a safety issue.

Air-O-Lator President Roy Watkins proposed converting the units to the Commercial models because the spray pattern of the units in place was too high and wide for the waterways.

Originally designed and engineered for tough wastewater lagoon environments, the Aquarian Commercial has become a go-to solution for industrial point source applications. It produces a large volume of water as a column from 1700gpm for a two-horsepower aerator up to 2700gpm for a three-horsepower aerator. The Commercial’s exclusive diffuser deflects the water column in an omnidirectional pattern at right angles to the water surface and outward from the unit.

As the redirected water flow from the diffuser is propelled through the air at a tremendous velocity, oxygen is being added to the water at a substantial rate providing standard oxygen transfer rates from five to six pounds per hour depending on the selected horsepower. At the same time the water is being propelled through the atmosphere, evaporative cooling is occurring, which allows the water being pumped into the atmosphere to cool, permitting the water to retain oxygen for a greater period of time.

“The spray pattern of the Aquarian Aquaculture aerator throws the water higher and wider whereas the Aquarian Commercial or Quantum has a flat diffuser, which causes the water to be directed horizontally at a lower height. This is ideal for situations like Monte Vista where height and width is a concern,” Watkins explained.

The Monte Vista Hatchery converted the Aquaculture aerators to the Aquarian Commercial model eliminating the overspray achieving an overall improvement in their operation.