Freshwater Aquaculture and the EOH2O(TM) Process
For over 13 years now, Aquatic Technologies has utilized electrolytic oxidation techniques
to enhance the water quality of recirculating freshwater aquaculture systems (RAS). The
benefits of the electrolytic oxidation process have been numerable , including:
a. Increased dissolved oxygen to increase stocking loads and reduce stress.
b. Viral and bacterial inactivation - cross water contamination by infected to non-infected
fish.
c. Fungal reduction in breeding tanks .
d. Increased ammonia and nitrite reduction - including biological filter "shock" prevention.
e. Oxidation of antibiotic residuals in filter discharge water.
Recirculating Systems
a. Infection Control
Initial trials of the electrolytic process began on Japanese carp (Koi) to reduce or prevent
both topical and injected antibiotics for treatment of infections due to improper handling,
parasitic attack (secondary infections) and external wounds inflicted during spawning.
Several years of use denoted the same result year after year - reduced or total
elimination of antibiotic injections or topical agents for control of secondary infection due
to wounds or parasitic infection.
Continued testing also showed greater reduction of early spring stress - the most
vulnerable time for Koi - as their immune system is suppressed, but pathogens such as
"Ich" are in full swing, prior to the water warming above 70-72 degrees F. The electrolytic
process allowed us to reduce mortality and/or outbreaks in total - greatly increasing
commercial viability for the client, and allowing a longer feeding, thus growing, season.
The results for Koi were then transferred to other freshwater species - with the same
remarkable results found for crappie, bass, sturgeon, freshwater prawn, crayfish, and
catfish.
b. Dissolved Oxygen
All fish rearing systems require sufficient dissolved oxygen to allow for proper metabolic
activity by both the fish themselves, and any desired microbial pollutant reduction. The
greater the dissolved oxygen available to the fish, the better their utilization of feed, the
less stress on their immune systems, and the more active they are - increasing body
mass.
The same holds true for microbial populations - especially those that reside in biological
filter systems - the greater the dissolved oxygen level, the greater the sustainable
microbe population, and the greater the conversion of ammonium (NH4) to ammonia
(NH3) which is the chemical form of ammonia aerobic microbes consume and convert to
nitrite and nitrate.
Electrolytic oxidation of the water molecule - referred to as electrolysis, raises the
dissolved oxygen level of a water by splitting some of the water molecule's hydrogen and
oxygen bonds apart - freeing the oxygen. The level of dissolved oxygen formerly required
large electrode chambers and slow flow rates to reach even 90% saturation.
Aquatic Technologies EOH2O process solved this problem - allowing for smaller
electrode chambers and 10-20x faster flow rates then our competitors - increasing
dissolved oxygen levels to as much as 330% of saturation.
This super-oxygenation of the water allows for greater stocking loads - as the total
system water's dissolved oxygen level rises to 100-150% of saturation (the discharge
from the electrode chamber can reach 330% - but dilution through the recirculatory
system, which has a lower dissolved oxygen content, will reduce the overall system
oxygen level. To date - we have found no benefit where total system dissolved oxygen
levels have been maintained over 150% super-oxygenation by the EOH2O process.
Note: The term "supersaturation" is improperly used in many academic publications as it
is used to describe dissolved oxygen. Supersaturation involves gas bubbles - where
super-oxygenation is oxygen molecules. Dissolved oxygen meters read oxygen
molecules, not gas bubbles diffused through the water column.
Equipment Improvement
The early electrolytic oxidation systems were limited and had high failure rates, mostly
due to poor electrode material. Over the past 9-years, Aquatic Technologies has worked
out the fabrication and manufacturing problems of these early units - removing the need
for an electrolyte to make the water conductive; vastly increasing active electrode life and
removing the need for carbon graphite or titanium electrode plates, which breakdown
quickly in cold water; and providing greater power controller reliability. This allowed for
the processes economic and reliable placement in commercial freshwater production
systems.
Cost Reductions from New Equipment Design
Over the past year, we've been able to radically improve the power controller, and
additionally, reduce the cost. Additionally, the improved electrode material and designs,
have led to larger flow rates per electrode. This has allowed for less equipment needed
for larger closed water systems.
For hatcheries - such as those for trout and salmon, their use of constant flow through
water has made applying the EOH2O economically a real challenge, as all the past
designs have used closed water systems. To meet the demand for bacterial and viral
inactivation for hatcheries, electrode chambers had to be designed to allow for larger
flows while still allowing for the proper exposure time to the electrolytic field to destroy
the pathogen, let alone increase the dissolved oxygen to levels exceeding 150%. This has
now been done - and our first 800 gallon per minute flow-through unit is currently under
fabrication for a major salmon producer.
Download:
Recirculating Aquaculture (RAS) Utilizing
Dehumidification as Heating Source
to enhance the water quality of recirculating freshwater aquaculture systems (RAS). The
benefits of the electrolytic oxidation process have been numerable , including:
a. Increased dissolved oxygen to increase stocking loads and reduce stress.
b. Viral and bacterial inactivation - cross water contamination by infected to non-infected
fish.
c. Fungal reduction in breeding tanks .
d. Increased ammonia and nitrite reduction - including biological filter "shock" prevention.
e. Oxidation of antibiotic residuals in filter discharge water.
Recirculating Systems
a. Infection Control
Initial trials of the electrolytic process began on Japanese carp (Koi) to reduce or prevent
both topical and injected antibiotics for treatment of infections due to improper handling,
parasitic attack (secondary infections) and external wounds inflicted during spawning.
Several years of use denoted the same result year after year - reduced or total
elimination of antibiotic injections or topical agents for control of secondary infection due
to wounds or parasitic infection.
Continued testing also showed greater reduction of early spring stress - the most
vulnerable time for Koi - as their immune system is suppressed, but pathogens such as
"Ich" are in full swing, prior to the water warming above 70-72 degrees F. The electrolytic
process allowed us to reduce mortality and/or outbreaks in total - greatly increasing
commercial viability for the client, and allowing a longer feeding, thus growing, season.
The results for Koi were then transferred to other freshwater species - with the same
remarkable results found for crappie, bass, sturgeon, freshwater prawn, crayfish, and
catfish.
b. Dissolved Oxygen
All fish rearing systems require sufficient dissolved oxygen to allow for proper metabolic
activity by both the fish themselves, and any desired microbial pollutant reduction. The
greater the dissolved oxygen available to the fish, the better their utilization of feed, the
less stress on their immune systems, and the more active they are - increasing body
mass.
The same holds true for microbial populations - especially those that reside in biological
filter systems - the greater the dissolved oxygen level, the greater the sustainable
microbe population, and the greater the conversion of ammonium (NH4) to ammonia
(NH3) which is the chemical form of ammonia aerobic microbes consume and convert to
nitrite and nitrate.
Electrolytic oxidation of the water molecule - referred to as electrolysis, raises the
dissolved oxygen level of a water by splitting some of the water molecule's hydrogen and
oxygen bonds apart - freeing the oxygen. The level of dissolved oxygen formerly required
large electrode chambers and slow flow rates to reach even 90% saturation.
Aquatic Technologies EOH2O process solved this problem - allowing for smaller
electrode chambers and 10-20x faster flow rates then our competitors - increasing
dissolved oxygen levels to as much as 330% of saturation.
This super-oxygenation of the water allows for greater stocking loads - as the total
system water's dissolved oxygen level rises to 100-150% of saturation (the discharge
from the electrode chamber can reach 330% - but dilution through the recirculatory
system, which has a lower dissolved oxygen content, will reduce the overall system
oxygen level. To date - we have found no benefit where total system dissolved oxygen
levels have been maintained over 150% super-oxygenation by the EOH2O process.
Note: The term "supersaturation" is improperly used in many academic publications as it
is used to describe dissolved oxygen. Supersaturation involves gas bubbles - where
super-oxygenation is oxygen molecules. Dissolved oxygen meters read oxygen
molecules, not gas bubbles diffused through the water column.
Equipment Improvement
The early electrolytic oxidation systems were limited and had high failure rates, mostly
due to poor electrode material. Over the past 9-years, Aquatic Technologies has worked
out the fabrication and manufacturing problems of these early units - removing the need
for an electrolyte to make the water conductive; vastly increasing active electrode life and
removing the need for carbon graphite or titanium electrode plates, which breakdown
quickly in cold water; and providing greater power controller reliability. This allowed for
the processes economic and reliable placement in commercial freshwater production
systems.
Cost Reductions from New Equipment Design
Over the past year, we've been able to radically improve the power controller, and
additionally, reduce the cost. Additionally, the improved electrode material and designs,
have led to larger flow rates per electrode. This has allowed for less equipment needed
for larger closed water systems.
For hatcheries - such as those for trout and salmon, their use of constant flow through
water has made applying the EOH2O economically a real challenge, as all the past
designs have used closed water systems. To meet the demand for bacterial and viral
inactivation for hatcheries, electrode chambers had to be designed to allow for larger
flows while still allowing for the proper exposure time to the electrolytic field to destroy
the pathogen, let alone increase the dissolved oxygen to levels exceeding 150%. This has
now been done - and our first 800 gallon per minute flow-through unit is currently under
fabrication for a major salmon producer.
Download:
Recirculating Aquaculture (RAS) Utilizing
Dehumidification as Heating Source
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