Module 4: Equipment and Technology Used in Aquaculture Production
Summary / Description Text
This module introduces the main equipment and technologies used in aquaculture production. In hatcheries, egg incubators, fish hatching tanks, fish counting and grading machines, and transport equipment are covered; in recirculating systems, mechanical filters, biofilters, oxygenation and aeration units, disinfection systems, computer-controlled alarm and automatic feeding systems are discussed. In addition, in cage and pond systems, net materials, frames, service platforms, mooring and floating equipment, as well as disease control, harvesting and grading machines, and water quality monitoring devices are detailed. The module emphasizes the critical role of technology in increasing efficiency, monitoring water quality, reducing disease risks, and ensuring sustainable production.
Keywords: aquaculture equipment, hatchery, recirculating systems, mechanical filter, biofilter, automatic feeding, oxygenation, disinfection, water quality monitoring, disease control, cage systems.
Learning Outcomes
- To recognize the equipment used in aquaculture production.
- To learn the use of technology in closed, open and integrated systems.
- To understand the importance of water quality monitoring and control systems.
- To explain the role of technology in disease control and improving efficiency.
Presentation File
1.4. Equipment and Technology Used in Aquaculture Production
In aquaculture production, the use of different tools and equipment varies depending on the production method. Numerous types of equipment are used in hatcheries, closed-loop systems, and open systems. For example, in closed-loop systems, equipment includes fish tanks, mechanical filtration units, biological filtration units, pumps, disinfection units, aeration units, oxygen injection units, feeding units, and monitoring systems (Bregnballe, 2015). In aquaculture, ensuring that water quality and environmental conditions are suitable for the species being produced and maintaining these conditions consistently is critically important. For this purpose, equipment such as water quality monitoring and control systems, water quality measuring devices, pond cleaning equipment, and disease monitoring devices are used.
Today, technological developments are being implemented in aquaculture to both increase productivity and minimize environmental impacts. The use of systems such as drones, water quality monitoring and control systems, and pond cleaning and circulation systems is highly important in terms of efficiency. For example, it is stated that in aquaculture production facilities, drones can be used both to monitor and reduce environmental impacts and to count aquatic organisms (Tabakoğlu & Erbaş, 2023).
High fish population density increases the risk of disease. Therefore, in aquaculture facilities, regular health checks must be carried out to protect fish health. In this context, treatment methods such as the use of antibiotics and vaccines are applied when necessary (Nagarajan et al., 2024). At the same time, water quality is an important factor in disease prevention, as poorly managed water quality increases stress and disease risk in fish (Islam et al., 2024).
The growth rate, health status, and productivity of the cultured species are regularly monitored. Especially for productivity measurements, special technological devices are used (Dikel, 2023). The weights, sizes, and general health conditions of fish are measured at regular intervals. This monitoring process helps determine the harvest time and growth rates. In addition, preventive measures such as the use of quarantine tanks may be implemented to prevent sick fish from transmitting diseases to other fish (Dikel, 2009).
1.4.1. Equipment Used in Hatcheries
During the incubation stage in fish farming, fertilized eggs are kept in tanks for a certain period and passed through various stages until hatching is completed and larvae emerge (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of National Education, 2015). In hatcheries, a variety of equipment is used, such as fish incubation tanks, egg incubators, fish counting and grading machines, and aquaculture transport equipment.
Incubators ensure that eggs are developed at a specific temperature and under optimal environmental conditions. Figure 1 shows an image of egg incubators.
Figure 1. Egg incubators (Akuamaks, 2015a)
1.4.1.2. Fish Incubation Tanks/Ponds
When the incubation process in incubators is completed, the fry are transferred to incubation tanks or ponds where they are reared with supplementary feeding (Dikel, 2009). After incubation, the transfer of fry to tanks or ponds is carried out using bottles called “Zugar,” which have an average capacity of 6.5–8.0 liters (Özkan, 2006). Incubation tanks are designed in circular, rectangular, radius-cornered, or conical shapes (Akuamaks, 2025b). Figure 2 shows an image of a circular incubation tank.
Figure 2. Circular incubation tank (Akuamaks, 2025b)
1.4.1.3. Fish Counting and Grading Machines
In hatcheries, egg counting and grading machines are used to count eggs and to remove damaged eggs. Figure 3 shows an image of egg counting and grading machines.
Figure 3. Fish counting and grading machines (Akuamaks, 2025c).
1.4.1.4. Aquaculture Transport Equipment
Fish are transported to distribution sites using various transport equipment. Figure 4 shows an image of aquaculture transport equipment.
Figure 4. Aquaculture transport equipment (Made-in-China, 2025)
1.4.2. Equipment Used in Closed-Loop Systems
In Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS), where water is returned to the system in a closed loop and which are highly valuable in terms of environmental sustainability, the equipment includes fish tanks, mechanical filtration units, biological filtration units, pumps, disinfection units, aeration units, oxygen injection units, feeding units, and monitoring systems (Bregnballe, 2015).
In recirculating aquaculture systems, water from the fish tank flows to the mechanical filtration unit, where it is treated, and then, via pumps, it is sent to the biological treatment unit for biofiltration. After biofiltration, the water is pumped to the aeration unit, where it is enriched with dissolved oxygen and disinfected before being returned to the fish tank (Ustaoğlu Tırıl & Dalkıran, 2005). The system is continuously monitored with a computer-controlled alarm system. Each piece of equipment and system has different purposes of use and operating principles.
Tanks can be produced in rectangular and circular shapes and from various materials such as metal, fiberglass, and precast concrete. Today, the use of circular tanks made of fiberglass material is commonly preferred (Dikel, 2009). Figure 5 shows an image of recirculating aquaculture system fish tanks.
Figure 5. Fish rearing tanks (Fresh by Design, 2025)
In closed-loop systems, the main purpose of mechanical filters is to prevent solid wastes such as feed and feces from entering the system to ensure more efficient operation (Ustaoğlu Tırıl & Dalkıran, 2005). Various types of filters can be used to achieve mechanical filtration, including sand filters, carbon filters, separator filters, disc filters, cartridge filters, and drum screens (Özçelik et al., 2017). Figure 6 shows a sand filter, Figure 7 shows a drum filter, and Figure 8 shows a bag filter.
Figure 6. Sand filter (Akuamaks, 2025d)
Figure 7. Drum filter (Akuamaks, 2025d)
Figure 8. Bag filter (Akuamaks, 2025d)
The biofiltration process, which converts ammonia originating from fish feed and feces into nitrite and nitrate and which is toxic for fish, is of critical importance for recirculating aquaculture systems (Ustaoğlu Tırıl & Dalkıran, 2005). Figure 9 shows an image of biofilter media.
Figure 9. Biofilter media (Akuamaks, 2025e)
1.4.2.4. Oxygenation and Aeration Equipment
In aquaculture, the level of dissolved oxygen in fish tanks is one of the most important parameters to be maintained for fish to survive under appropriate environmental and habitat conditions. For cold-water fish such as trout to live healthily in tanks, the dissolved oxygen content should be above an optimum level of 7 mg/L. For warm-water fish such as carp to live healthily in tanks, the optimum oxygen level in the incoming water should be 9 mg/L and at least 4 mg/L in the outgoing water (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of National Education, 2015; Özdemir & Harlıoğlu, 2010). Figure 10 shows a diffuser and Figure 11 shows a blower.
Figure 10. Diffuser (Akuamaks, 2025f)
Figure 11.Blower (Akuamaks, 2025f)
In recirculating aquaculture systems, aeration equipment is used to provide the optimum dissolved oxygen levels for fish. For this purpose, blowers, air injectors, and oxygen diffusers can be employed. The blower, through its internal fan system, draws in air and pushes it toward the outlet side, and this air is delivered to the tanks via hoses (Özçelik et al., 2017). Air injectors operate on the principle of drawing water from one tank with a motor and transferring it to another tank, thereby increasing the water’s oxygen content (Özçelik et al., 2017). Oxygen diffusers, another piece of equipment used for aeration, are not only limited to use in fish tanks of recirculating systems but are also used in live fish transport tanks, hatcheries, and aquariums (Özçelik et al., 2017).
In closed-loop systems, water must be continuously disinfected to prevent diseases. For this purpose, UV disinfection units or ozone disinfection processes are used (Ustaoğlu Tırıl & Dalkıran, 2005). Figure 12 shows an image of UV disinfection systems.
Figure 12. UV disinfection systems (Akuamaks, 2025g)
1.4.2.6. Computer-Controlled Alarm Systems
With computer-controlled alarm systems installed in closed-loop systems, the system can be monitored 24 hours a day, enabling the control and detection of possible nonconformities (Ustaoğlu Tırıl & Dalkıran, 2005). These systems allow the monitoring of optimal water values in fish tanks/ponds and at the facility’s inlet and outlet water lines, provide automatic intervention in case of nonconformities, issue alerts to relevant personnel through the alarm system in emergencies, and thus ensure the efficiency of the production system (Yıldırım, 2023).
1.4.2.7. Automatic Feeding Systems
During the production phase, the feed required by the fish can be supplied automatically either with fixed automatic feeders or with fully controlled feeding systems. A fixed automatic feeder is a simple system that includes a feeding channel under the feed hopper and an electronic control connection. In a fully controlled feeding system, adjustments such as the amount and frequency of feed to be delivered are made, allowing fish to be fed automatically (Özçelik et al., 2017). This increases efficiency.
In addition to the automatic feeding devices preferred in closed systems, there are also automatic systems for feeding in open systems. There are various types, such as floating automatic feeders, pneumatic feeding systems, and appetite-based automatic feeders (Özçelik et al., 2017). Figure 13 shows an image of a belt feeding system and a feeding scoop.
Figure 13. Belt feeding system and feeding scoop (Akuamaks, 2025h)
Pumps, which have an important role in closed-loop aquaculture systems, are generally positioned before the biofilter system and after mechanical filtration. Centrifugal pumps are used for dissolving pure oxygen into the process water (Bregnballe, 2015). Figure 14 shows an image of a fixed-flow technology aquaculture pump.
Figure 14. Fixed-flow technology aquaculture pump (Akuamaks, 2025ı)
In net cage systems, the material of the net is classified into two types: flexible and rigid (Dikel, 2009). The flexible materials group includes nets made of polyester, polyamide, polypropylene, and polyethylene. The rigid materials group includes netting materials based on plastic and metal. Figure 15 shows an image of netting material used in cage systems.
Figure 15. Net cage system netting material (Aydın Balık Ağları, 2025)
In cage systems, the frame section located between the cage and the net allows the cage to be connected to the floating elements (Dikel, 2009). The frame material may be made of metal, wood, or polyurethane. Figure 16 shows an image of a metal cage frame.
Figure 16.Metal cage frame (Dikel,2009)
Service platforms connect cage systems to each other while also increasing the durability and buoyancy of the system. They can be manufactured from various materials such as metal, wood, and plastic (Dikel, 2009). Figure 17 shows an image of a wooden service platform.
Figure 17.Wooden service platform (Dikel,2009)
Mooring systems consist of ropes and anchors used to ensure the desired stability of cages (Dikel, 2009). There are different types of cage mooring configurations. Figure 18 summarizes the cage mooring configurations.
Figure 18.Cage mooring configurations (Dikel,2009)
Floating equipment helps maintain the shape of the cage structure, balances the static loads in the system with buoyancy, and keeps the collar and working platform afloat (Dikel, 2009). Floating equipment can be made of materials such as barrels produced from plastic or steel, or bamboo canes. Figure 19 shows an image of a modular plastic floating device.
Figure 19. Modular plastic floating device (Dikel,2009)
In cage systems, auxiliary equipment includes feeders, fish counting machines, fish grading machines, boats, power equipment, and sonar-acoustic devices (Dikel, 2009).
Pond systems are structures that provide an artificial environment for fish production. Fish production ponds are classified into three types: concrete ponds, earthen ponds, and plastic tanks (Atay, 1986). Pond dimensions vary depending on many parameters. Analyzing factors such as the climate characteristics of the construction site, the terrain structure, the volume calculation according to the water to be used, the fish species to be produced, the culture method, and economic conditions is important in determining suitable pond sizes (Sedgwick, 1978; Atay, 1986).
Concrete ponds are a production technique widely preferred in aquaculture and offer many advantages over earthen ponds. It is particularly important to pay attention to the amount of cement used in their design, the proper calculation of the bottom slope, and the sizing (Dikel, 2009). Figure 20 shows an image of a concrete pond.
Figure 20. Concrete pond
Earthen ponds are pond environments prepared by excavating soil to appropriate dimensions and filling the excavated area with surface or groundwater (Tezel, 2015). Certain soil criteria must be met for the construction of earthen ponds. For example, it is stated that the soil structure of the area should have at least a 1-meter-deep clayey and calcareous profile (Atamanalp & Kocaman, 2007). Figure 21 shows an image of an earthen pond.
Figure 21. Earthen pond (Btlliners, 2025)
1.4.5. Fish Harvesting, Grading and Processing Equipment
Mechanical equipment is used for purposes such as harvesting, grading, and processing the produced fish. While small-scale enterprises prefer manual counting for fish enumeration, large-scale enterprises use mechanical equipment called biomass counters, which determine the number of fish using infrared light (Yılmaz et al., 2015). The fish grading process is carried out to classify fish according to predetermined sizes and weights (Yılmaz et al., 2015). For fish harvesting, mechanical harvesting equipment and automatic (pneumatic) harvesting machines are used. Figure 22 shows an image of a fish grading machine, and Figure 23 shows images of fish counting machines with different channel numbers.
Figure 22. Fish grading machine (Ers Checkweigher, 2025)
Figure 23. Fish counting machines with different channel numbers (FPT-Gıda İşleme Teknolojileri, 2025)
1.4.6. Water Quality Measurement Equipment
Monitoring water quality in aquaculture facilities is highly important for the efficient growth of fish. In cage systems, the use of automatic water quality monitoring systems allows for the tracking of oxygen levels, pH values, temperature, and other parameters, thereby increasing productivity (Dikel, 2023). In aquaculture systems, various devices are available for monitoring water quality on-site, such as water quality control test kits, oximeters, pH meters, thermometers, refractometers, spectrophotometers, and multiparameter measurement devices (Akuamaks, 2025i). Figure 24 shows an image of an oximeter.
Figure 24. Oximeter (Akuamaks, 2025i).
1.4.7. Equipment Used in Pond Cleaning
In closed-loop systems, automatic systems are especially used for pond cleaning. In addition, in cage systems, net washing machines are used for cleaning nets, while scrapers, shovels, and pneumatic suction equipment are used for cleaning fish ponds (Dikel, 2009). Figure 25 shows an image of a net washing machine.
Figure 25.Net washing machine (Key Metal, 2025).
1.4.8. Equipment Used in Disease Control
Monitoring diseases in aquaculture is critically important to prevent productivity losses. Fish diseases can occur in two ways. They may appear as infectious diseases, or as non-infectious diseases caused by factors such as feed, environmental conditions, and genetics (Demirkale, 2023). Quarantine tanks/ponds are among the equipment used for disease control (Dikel, 2009). In quarantine ponds, fish that come from outside, carry a risk of disease, or show signs of illness are isolated from other fish to control the spread of diseases.
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