James M. Ebeling, Ph.D. Michael B. Timmons, Ph.D. M. Ebeling, Ph.D. ... Disadvantages of Aquaponics with RAS systems ... • Mixed-cell Raceway Growout

James M. Ebeling, Ph.D. Research Engineer

Aquaculture Systems Technologies, LLC

Michael B. Timmons, Ph.D. Professor

Dept. of Bio. & Environ. Eng. Cornell University

International Aquaponics Conference 2013

Fish Culture Tank

AERATION AIR/OXYGEN

DISINFECTION

BIOFILTRATION NITRIFICATION

WASTE SOLIDS REMOVAL

SLUDGE

FINE & DISSOLVED SOLIDS REMOVAL

CARBON DIOXIDE REMOVAL

SLUDGE

MONITORING & SYSTEM CONTROL BIOSECURITY

HYDROPONICS


HYDROPONICS • RAFT • NFT • RECIPROCATING


HYDROPONICS • FLOATING RAFT

• NFT • GRAVEL BED

• DRIP


“Anything that holds water”

Fish Culture Tank


“Cornell type” Dual-Drain Culture Tanks”

Fish Culture Tank

"RULE OF THUMB" Dual-Drain Design

• Dia:Depth = 3:1 to 6:1 • 15 to 25% through center drain • 75 to 85% through sidewall discharge


Circulation – Drains / Pumped Return Lines

Fish Culture Tank

"RULE OF THUMB" Circulation

• Fry/Fingerlings – 15 to 30 Min HRT • Growout – 30 to 45 min HRT • Broodstock – 60 min HRT • Purging – 1 to 2 Tank exhanges per day

Maximum Flow (gpm) Pipe Dia Drain Line Pumped Return (inches) (1 to 2 fps) (< 5 fps)

1/2 1 5 3/4 2 10 1 5 15

1.5 10 30 2 20 50 3 45 125 4 75 200 6 150 500


Weight = function (length)3

Fish Culture Tank

"RULE OF THUMB" Weight vs Length

• CFtrout = 400 • CFtilapia = 760 • CFperch = 490 • CFstriped bass = 720

6

3

10inches

lbsLCFWt ⋅=

base

base

TUTT

monthInchesGrowth −

==

Trout Tilapia Perch

Tbase 32 65 50

TUbase 28 15 25

Tmax 72 85 75

Predicting Fish Growth – Linear for Length

Growth = function (Temperature)


Fish Culture Density

Fish Culture Tank

"RULE OF THUMB" Fish Culture Density

Ddensity Density in kg/m3 (lbs/ft3)

L Length of fish in cm (inches)

Cdensity tilapia: 0.24 for L in cm (1.5 for L in inches) trout: 0.32 (2.0) perch: 0.40 (2.5) hybrid striped bass: 0.45 (2.8)

densitydensity C

LD =


• Settling basins

Settable Solids Removal

1 lb of feed 0.30 lbs of Solids

"RULE OF THUMB" Settling Basin Design

• basin floor area of 1 ft2 per gpm of flow • use 10 inch wide weirs and use rounded edges • maximize length of settling chamber as much as possible


Swirl separators

Settable Solids Removal

"RULE OF THUMB" Radial FlowDesign

Surface-loading rate for the radial-flow settler 4.6 gpm/ft2 of settling area

Radial Flow Clarifers


Suspended Solids Removal

• Screen filtration • Pressurized bead filters

Bubble Washed Bead Filter

"RULE OF THUMB" Suspended Solids Capture Design

• Bead Filter – 5 to 6 lbs of feed per ft3 of media • Screen Filters – see manufacturer recommendations

Propeller Washed Bead Filter


Fine & Dissolved Solids

"RULE OF THUMB" Foam Fractionation

Tank Volume every 2 to 4 hour


Solids Disposal

• Land application

• Composting

• GeoTextile Bags

By-Product NOT a Waste Stream

• Aquaponics


Biofiltration / Nitrification Ammonia Oxidizing Bacteria

Nitrite Oxidizing Bacteria

2 NH4+ + OH - + 3 O2 ⇒ 2 H + + 2 NO2

- + 4 H2O

2 NO2 + 1 O2 ⇒ 2 NO3-

Ammonia Nitrite

Nitrite Nitrate

1 KG FEED ⇒ ABOUT 0.03 KG AMMONIA "RULE OF THUMB"

Nitrification of 1 g of ammonia-nitrogen • Yields – 5.93 g of carbon dixoide • Consumes – 4.57 g of oxygen and 7.14 g alkalinity


Biofilters Options Moving Bed Biofilter Bead Bioclarifiers

"RULE OF THUMB" MBBR Design

• 17.14 g TAN/ft3 /day curler media @ 25 to 30 Deg C • 13.26 g TAN/ft3 /day @ 15 to 20 Deg C • 10.14 g TAN/ft3 /day @ 5 to 10 Deg C • 3 to 5 min HRT • 50% fill factor – max 65% • Air flow: 0.125 scfm/ft3 of reactor About 1 g TAN / m2 of media per day


Aeration / Oxygenation

“RULE OF THUMB” 1 KG FEED ⇒ ABOUT 1 KG OXYGEN


Oxygen Sources


Disinfection

"RULE OF THUMB" Ozone

0.025 and 0.045 kg O3 per kg feed

"RULE OF THUMB" UV

• 30 mW-sec/cm2

• 10-30 second contact times

The most sophisticated monitoring and alarm system

is an attentive human operator!


Monitoring & System Control

MONITORING & SYSTEM CONTROL


Alarm Low Water Level

Local Alarm Low Water Level

Local Alarm High Water Level

Local audible alarms for Low and High Water Level

MONITORING & SYSTEM CONTROL

Water Level


Water Quality Lab

Nothing Special- BUT dedicated to Water Quality Anlaysis

Loss of Oxygen

• More fish are probably lost in recirculation systems due to lack of oxygen than to any other single cause!

• A three tier emergency oxygen supply is not an extravagance (Just ask NASA!)


normally open, electrically operated solenoid valve


Advantages of Aquaponics with RAS systems • Dissolved nutrients recovered by plants • Minmizes water exchange rate • Secondary crop – improves profitability

Disadvantages of Aquaponics with RAS systems • Large ratio of plants area to fish rearing area • New set of skills –’Green Thumb’ • Limits treatment options for both plants and fish

pH Control Calcium hydroxide

Potassium hydroxide (Never Baking Soda)


Hydroponics Water Quality Macronutrients (required in relatively large quantities) carbon (C) oxygen (O) hydrogen (H) carbon dioxide gas (CO2) nitrogen (N) potassium (K) calcium (Ca) magnesium (Mg) phosphorus (P) sulfur (S)

Micronutrients (required in considerably smaller amounts) chlorine (Cl) iron (Fe) manganese (Mn) boron (B) zinc (Zn) copper (Cu) molybdenum (Mo)


Hydroponics – NFT System

Nelson & Pade, Inc. E&T Farms Aquaponics.

Aquaculture Systems Tech., LLC

Contienental Organics.


Hydroponics – Raft System

Nelson & Pade, Inc.

Friendly Farm Hawaii.

Lettuce Factory, Ithica, NY


Hydroponics – Reciprocating System (flood and drain)

To ensure adequate aeration of plant roots, gravel beds are operated in a reciprocating (ebb and flow) mode, where the beds are alternately flooded and drained.

http://aquaponicscommunity.com/photo/20-30-nurturing-heads-of-lettuce/next?context=latest

http://aquaponicscommunity.com/photo/firstwave-aquaponics-lavarock?context=latest

http://aquaponicscommunity.com/photo/flood-and-drain/next?context=latest


Hydroponics – Raft System

Raft System: channel (raceway) with a 1 ft depth, usually 4 ft wide covered by a floating sheet of polystyrene ( 4 ft x 8 ft x 1 ½ inches) for plant support.

Design Crieria: daily feed input/plant growing area (Hydroponics makes up 75% of the system water volume)

"RULE OF THUMB???"

60 to 100 g of fish feed/day m2 of raft area 60 to 90 min water turnover rate Aeration – airstones or diffusers


Hydroponics – NFT System

NFT System: shallow flow of water, 1 lpm with 1% slope

Design Crieria: daily feed input/plant growing area (Hydroponics makes up small fraction of the system water volume)

"RULE OF THUMB" Waste Treatment

15-25 g of fish feed/day m2 of raft area 1 lpm for rate

1% slope


Hydroponics – Reciprocating System (flood and drain)

Volume ratio of 1 ft3 of fish-rearing to 2 ft3 of media

Design Crieria: daily feed media volume (Hydroponics makes up small fraction of the system water volume)

"RULE OF THUMB" Waste Treatment

1 ft3 of fish fish rearing volume to 2 ft3 of media (1/4 to ½ inch in diameter)


Home/Student Aquaponic Systems Tilapia Lettuce Home/Student 1000 100 lbs/yr 2,000 heads/year Home/Student 2500 250 lbs/yr 5,000 heads/year Home/Student 5000 500 lbs/yr 10,000 heads/year

Small Farm & Urban Aquaponic Systems Tilapia Lettuce Urban 1000 1,000 lbs/yr 20,000 heads/year Urban 2500 2,500 lbs/yr 50,000 heads/year Urban 5000 5,000 lbs/yr 100,000 heads/year

Commercial Boutique Aquaponic Systems Tilapia Lettuce Micro-Boutique 100 5,000 lbs/yr 100,000 heads/year Micro-Boutique 250 12,500 lbs/yr 250,000 heads/year Mini-Boutique 500 25,000 lbs/yr 500,000 heads/year Boutique 1000 50,000 lbs/yr 1,000,000 heads/year Maxi-Boutique 2000 100,000 lbs/yr 2,000,000 heads/year


To NFT System

UV

BBF-4 cuftBioClarifier

Sump

48" top by 39" bottom diameter x 25" depth with 20" of waterPolyTank PT-4825

Sequence Model 1000610023 SEQ

2 ft x 2 ft x 3 ft deepFiberglass Sump

Drain

Backwash DrainAirline

Air Pump


Sump

AirLifts Tank Stand

Center Standpipe / Outside Sleeve

Unions & Rubber Couplings




Stock No Component Qty Unit Cost Total Cost PT-4825 48" dia, 25" deep 150 gallon tank 3 $ 261.67 $ 785.01

3300SEQ21 Sequence 1000 1/8 hp 115/230v, 60 Hz 1 $ 542.00 $ 542.00

FRT-90.C Fiberglass Sump tank 24"x24"x36" 1 $ 425.71 $ 425.71

BBF-SX4000GR 2 ft3 bubble washed bead filter 1 $ 1,251.98 $ 1,251.98

AL-100 Alita AL-100 air compresser 1 $ 420.00 $ 420.00

PVC Fittings & Parts 1 $ 351.02 $ 351.02

Total: $ 3,775.72

Plus, lots of labor and buy-in by friends and families, plus fish!


Preliminary design of the Micro-Boutique component:

• Weekly production goals: 87 kg (200 lbs) live weight • 4.55 metric tonnes per year (10,000 lbs/yr) • Target size of 750 g (~ 1.6 lb) • Harvested every six weeks

Production Plan:

• Fry/quarantine: 4 wks • Two Fingerling Tanks (stocked at six week intervals): 12 wks • Mixed-cell Raceway Growout (four cohorts at six week intervals): 24 weeks • Growout harvested every six weeks ( partial-harvest every 3 weeks)


The production BioPlan on a weekly basis:

Week1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84

Fry POD

Fingerling POD: Tank #1


Growout POD - Mixed-cell raceway

Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest

Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest

Cohort #2 - 24 wks

Fingerling #1 - 12 wks

Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks

Fingerling #1 - 12 wks

Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks

Fingerling #1 - 12 wks Fingerling #1 - 12 wks

Fingerling #2 - 12 wks Fingerling #2 - 12 wks Fingerling #2 - 12 wks Fingerling #2 - 12 wks

Cohort #1 - 24 wks Cohort #1 - 24 wksCohort #2 - 24 wks

Cohort #3 - 24 wks Cohort #3 - 24 wksCohort #4 - 24 wks Cohort #4 - 24 wks


Length Weight Biomass Feed Rate Feed

Week (inches) (gms) # of Fish (kg) % bw/day (kg/day) Initial 1.09 0.5 991 0.5 10

1 1.38 1.0 991 1.0 8.4 0.08 2 1.66 1.8 991 1.7 7.4 0.13 3 1.94 2.8 991 2.8 6.3 0.18 4 2.23 4.3 991 4.2 5.3 0.22

Normal growing fraction of the fry heavily culled (25 to 33%) remaining to other markets

Single cohorts -

Fry POD Fry - 4 wks Fry - 4 wks


UV

BBF-4 cuftBioClarifier

Sump

48" top by 39" bottom diameter x 25" depth with 20" of waterPolyTank PT-4825

Sequence Model 10003300SEQ21 SEQ

2 ft x 2 ft x 3 ft deepFiberglass Sump

Drain To Raft System

Backwash DrainAirline



Fingerling POD: Tank #2 Fingerling #2 - 12 wks Fingerling #2 - 12 wks

Fingerling #1 - 12 wks Fingerling #1 - 12 wks

Length Weight Biomass Feed Rate Feed Week (inches) (gms) # of Fish (kg) % bw/day (kg/day)

5 2.51 6.1 744 4.6 5.0 0.23 6 2.80 8.5 740 6.3 4.8 0.30 7 3.08 11.3 737 8.3 4.5 0.38 8 3.37 14.8 733 10.8 4.2 0.46 9 3.65 18.8 730 13.7 4.0 0.55 10 3.94 23.6 727 17.1 3.7 0.64 11 4.22 29.1 723 21.0 3.4 0.72 12 4.51 35.4 720 25.5 3.2 0.81 13 4.79 42.5 717 30.4 2.9 0.89 14 5.08 50.5 713 36.0 2.7 0.96 15 5.36 59.5 710 42.2 2.4 1.01 16 5.65 69.5 706 49.1 2.1 1.05


8 ft fiberglass tank, 3 ft deep, solids capture is via a propeller-washed bead filter, biofiltration is accomplished with a small Moving Bed BioReactor

AP 1/2 HF 0.5 HP

PBF-3Propellor washedBead Filter

Center Drains Sump 2 ft x 2 ft x 3 ft

Moving BedBioReactor

UV

FRT-635CD.BS6 ft x 3 ft RoundFiberglass Tank


Length Weight Biomass Feed Rate Feed Week (inches) (gms) # of Fish (kg) % bw/day (kg/day)

17 5.93 80.6 706 57 2.1 1.19 18 6.22 92.7 706 65 2.0 1.34 19 6.50 106 705 75 2.0 1.50 20 6.79 121 705 85 2.0 1.66 21 7.07 136 705 96 1.9 1.84 22 7.36 154 705 108 1.9 2.02 23 7.64 172 704 121 1.8 2.21 24 7.93 192 704 135 1.8 2.41 25 8.21 214 704 150 1.7 2.61 26 8.50 237 703 166 1.7 2.81 27 8.78 261 703 184 1.6 3.02 28 9.07 287 703 202 1.6 3.24 29 9.35 315 703 222 1.6 3.45 30 9.63 345 702 242 1.5 3.67 31 9.92 377 702 264 1.5 3.88 32 10.2 410 702 288 1.4 4.10 33 10.5 445 701 312 1.4 4.31 34 10.8 483 701 338 1.3 4.52 35 11.1 522 701 366 1.3 4.72 36 11.3 563 700 395 1.2 4.92 37 11.6 607 700 425 1.2 5.1 38 11.9 652 700 457 1.2 5.3 39 12.2 700 700 490 1.1 5.5 40 12.5 751 699 525 1.1 5.6


Growout POD - Mixed-cell raceway Cohort #2 - 24 wks

Cohort #3 - 24 wks

Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest Harvest

Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest Partial-Harvest

Cohort #3 - 24 wksCohort #4 - 24 wks

Cohort #1 - 24 wks Cohort #1 - 24 wksCohort #2 - 24 wks

The mixed-cell raceway is 12 ft wide by 36 ft long and 4 ft deep with an HDPE liner.


Mixed-cell raceways

The mixed-cell raceway is 12 ft wide by 36 ft long and 4 ft deep with an HDPE liner. Solids capture is accomplished with a PBF-5S Propeller Washed Bead filter and biofiltration with a MBBR.


Traditional: 3 Tanks: 12 ft diameter x 4 ft deep fiberglass tanks Raceway: Single Raceway: 12 ft x 36 ft x 4 ft deep raceway

Traditional: Design Loading based on final harvest size: 750 g Raceway: Loading based on three size cohorts: 192 g, 410 g, 750 g

Traditional: Biomass Density of one of the three Tanks at harvest: 50 kg/m3

Raceway: Biomass Density of Raceway based on three size cohorts: 38 kg/m3


1x6 Top Plate to secure liner

1/2" to 3/4" insulation

approx: 1" sand

approx. 4" fine gravel

12.0'

2" Street El

2" Flange Fitting1/4" PVC Top Plate to secure Liner

3" - 2" reducer bushing

3" Sweep Wye TEE

48.0"

Finished Concrete Floor6"x 6" treated lumber

HDPE Liner

GalvanizedEye Bolt thru6x6 with nut& washer

PVC Coated marine cable

Treated 2x4 sidewall

short sectionof aluminumangle iron to keepcable from damagingwood

3" PVC manifold pipe3x3x2 (sxsxmipt) TEE


1x4 Top Plate to secure liner and support 3" PVC manifold pipe.

1/2" to 1" insulationFinished Grade

approx: 1" sand

approx. 2" to 4" gravel

12.0'

2" Tee for Center Drains

4 to 6" Flange Fitting1/4" PVC Top Plate to secure Liner

3" Drain Line to sump gravel filled trench

48.0"

Construction GradeLocated at bottomofMixed-cell Tanks

gravel backfillgravel backfill

18.0"


1x10 Top Plate to secure liner


approx: 2" sand

approx. 6" fine gravel

12.0'

2" Flange Fitting1/4" PVC Top Plate to secure Liner

3" - 2" reducer bushing 3" TEE

48.0"

Finished Concrete Floor8"x 8" x 16" cinder block

HDPE Liner

3" PVC manifold pipe3x3x2 (sxsxmipt) TEE

6x8x16 cinder block wall

Rebar (1/2") in coreevery 2 ft filed withconcrete

Rebar (1/2") in coreevery 2 ft drilled intoconcrete floor

42.0"

Depth of Water


Depth of Water

Finished Concrete FloorCenter Drain 4" PVC

48" tall x 48" widex 48" long Sump

3" Bulk Head Fitting

Return to Sump3" Four-way 3' 6.0"

PBF-2559" x 84"

40.5"

81.0"

To manifoldMixed-cell


AP 1 1/2 HF 1.5 HP

4" PVCStandpipe

4" PVC90 Ell

PressureRelief Valve

CheckValve

SludgeDischarge Sump Drain

Air reliefValve

Speece Cone


6" PVCStandpipe

Finished Concrete Floor

Sidewall Drain 4" PVC

48" tall x 36" widex 48" long Sump


AP 1 1/2 HF 1.5 HP 4" PVC90 Ell

Sump Drain

24.0"

Overflow to Sump

Plumbing Detail MBBR Elevation

To Mixed-cellManifold

60.0"

USPlastics # 978664" dia x 50" tall625 gallons

42.0"

Water Level

50.0"


3" PVC Pipe wth 1-1/2" holescovered with Plastic MeshTubing (# RT344)

Over Flow to Sump

3" UniSeal (#10108)

3" PVC Cap Soc (#447-030)

3" DWV Coupling (#P100-030)

3" PVC TEE

3" PVC 90 ELL

3" Male Adapter (#436-007)

Round Manifold Hub (# M6B)

3/4" PVC PipeSch 40

12 x 1 1/2 in Diffuser1/2 NPT, PE (# ALR30)

3/4" UniSeal (#10107)

3/4" PVC 90 Ell (#406-007)

3/4" PVC UtilityBall Valve (slip x slip) (# 2621-007)

1/2 PVC Plug Mipt (# 450-005)

2" UniSeal (#10107)

2" PVC Plug Spg (#449-020)

2" Swing Check valve(# 1520-20)

2" PVC Utility Ball Valve(# 2621-020)

2" Plastic MeshTubing (# RT244)

2" clic Pipe Hanger (# CLIC2)

1 1/2" PVC Utility Ball Valve(# 2621-015)

1 1/2" Bulkhead Fitting(# WPBH150)


PBF-10Bead Filter

11,300 gallons12 ft wide x 36 ft long x 4 ft deep

ArtesianPro High FlowAP 3/4 HF 3/4 HP

75 to 100 gpm

100 to 125 gpm

Sump 270 gallons36" x 36" x 48"FBT-270

3" PVC Sch 40

MBBRUS #976640 cuft media

Sump Drain

25-30 gpm 1.10-1.33 fps

Speece ConesOxygen

4" PVC Sch 40 60- to 80 gpm 1.53-2.05 fps

4" PVC Sch 40

75 to 100 gpm 3.31 - 4.42 fps 3" PVC Sch 40

Overflow

25-30 gpm 1.10-1.33 fps3" PVC Sch 40

ArtesianPro High FlowAP 3/4 HF 3/4 HP

Sump 270 gallons36" x 36" x 48"FBT-270


A single building, approximately 30 ft by 50 ft.

50' 0.0"

30' 0

"

Fry Systems Purging Tanks Fingerling Tanks



approx: 2" sand

8.0'

16.0"

Finished Concrete FloorHDPE Liner

12.0"

Depth of Water

a small greenhouse approximately 30 ft by 75 ft in length.



SAFETY

The Good!

The Bad!

Electricity and Water make a Fatal

combination!

Think! Plan! Train!

Respond!

• Low voltage - 24 VAC or 12 or 24 VDC • National Electric Codes

Plan for it! Prepare for it!


Dr. James M. Ebeling 18 years – Cornell University Short Course HBOI Short Course Dr. Michael B. Timmons

Cornell University Professor Coming next year: “The Aqua in Aquaponics: Design & Management of Recirculating Aquaponics Systems”

International Aquaponics Conference 2013 For copy of presentation: [email protected]

Documents

James M. Ebeling, Ph.D. Michael B. Timmons, Ph.D. M. Ebeling, Ph.D. ... Disadvantages of Aquaponics with RAS systems ... • Mixed-cell Raceway Growout