aquafarmer.com.au
aquafarmer.com.au
POD RAS: What is it?
It's an organic approach to RAS without the stress.
What is the most efficient filtration system on the planet?
Answer = Gravity over distance applied to water flow.
And gravity is free. The POD RAS aquafarming design uses this principal to a huge advantage. (the less pumping the greater the profit)
The answer is not complicated and expensive machinery and super high tech digestion
units are simply not required. Yes these mechanical devices all work to various
degrees however, cost and maintenance often out weight any commercial advantage.
Why interfere with nature?
Ergo, the enormous amount of failed and derelict RAS farms in Australia. The original POD RAS farm is still in operation thirty years later. This, is exactly where RAS has to go. Sustainable, organic, and most of all, profitable aquafarming.
Incidentally, I have managed the most complicated RAS, and the largest RAS, in Australia so I know, exactly, how complicated they are to run. 150 separated RAS enclosures each producing several tonne per year. An absolute nightmare to manage commercially!
The simple way is the profitable way to RAS aquafarming. In many ways you really don't need the rubbish high tech approach unless you don't care about a profit margin.
The POD RAS design is modular and can be scaled to meet any
proposed outcomes. It can operate up to 60-70kg per cubic meter as a final density.
But why go there? It is far less efficient.
It is simply, density control that gives the greater growth rate and also the most efficient FCR. Aquafarmer Australia can design you a farm for the future and walk you through construction and culture.
A POD RAS farm uses waste aquatic plants or hydroponics “built
in”, for a large percentage of nutrient digestion. This then becomes valuable
compost.
Aquafarmer can supply the design or build the entire module either in plastic
tank of earthen pond. Personally, I prefer in ground ponds.
Call or email for a free discussion today.
Design Concept for a 2000 Tonne POD RAS
'Simplicity of Application'
Round the clock monitoring
Back up power issues
High Electricity Consumption
Full time Staff required at a rate of 1.7 per 4 tonne of production. Not Good!
(Dutch Aquaculture has 4 staff per 1000 tonnes of fish production)
Short working life of RAS Components
Return on investment 5 to 14 percent.
Or Loss of Investment
High Mortality (Fish)
Stress (Human)
Gray Hair (Human)
Divorce (Human)
You get the picture
Kel Gordon's Aquafarming Summary
However if one approaches the design concept correctly the outcomes are both financially and aesthetically rewarding as you can see below..
Prodigious Organic Diffusion RAS
The POD RAS Design Uses Only One Pump!
The picture above is a two module RAS system we designed and built in 1986. This farm was, private catchment, private disposal. The aquafarm was vertically integrated with hatchery, nursery and growout production. It was and still is capable of 10-30 tonnes production per module every 18 months.
And that equates to $540,000 AUD per 18 months on today's prices.
$18/kg
$18,000/tonne
+61 458 427 520
Yes, if you run animals you do have losses. The above format is a little tongue, and done so on purpose to basically say fish farming should be a pleasure and not the high stress primary production failure the RAS industry has become. Pay close attention to the potential for profit.
The POD's final culture density is ten tonne per megalitre of water. However first year of culture it is highly recommended that this figure be maintained at five tonne per megalitre.The culture process is designed that way as not every aquafarmer has degrees in applied water chemistry and will make mistakes. Every person in RAS does make mistakes.
The POD RAS does not run on the sharp edge of culture density for exactly this reason. And, who really wants to grow fish like battery hens? Good product is only grown in stress free environments.
And to me personally, RAS should be about a comfortable and rewarding life style. I believe that is what the POD RAS represents.
A POD system requires one staff person full time and three persons for harvest. That is 1.2 persons per 66 tonnes production per 18 months. The whole farm operates on 1000 liter per minute flow rate per individual RAS system, and there are two modules in the top half of the picture.
Each RAS utilise's a multi-stage mechanical and biological filtration system that is, maintenance free.
The farm above utilised in ground ponds and plumbing with an expected working life of 25 years
The water leaving the biofiltration was drinkable.
Return on production costs was 67%.......
This farm produced the best looking and healthiest silver perch I, to this day, have ever seen. And that includes wild stock.
"Not too bad for the eighties".
There are so many Recirculating Aquaculture Systems around today it amazes me there is such a lack of success. Then again maybe it doesn't. There are well defined books, miles of research and yet it cannot be said that there is one successful RAS in Australia. I think that first POD design near Taree NSW was 30 years ahead of its time.
And yes there are many claims in RAS Aquaculture but for any aquaculture business, success can only be measured in profits over time. Can anyone tell me of an aquaculture business that has been profitable for the last 10 years?? Well, except for the one mentioned above.
Contact Kel Gordon to discuss your plans
Aquafarmer builds RAS systems for profitable longevity and really, that is the only necessary factor an RAS system should and need for sales promotions.
For any questions on RAS operations Contact Us