Lesson 1Warehouse site requirements: space planning, ceiling height, utilities, drainage, and zoningThis section covers how to evaluate and prepare an indoor warehouse for RAS, including floor space planning, ceiling height, structural loading, utilities, drainage slopes, biosecurity access, and compliance with local zoning and building codes.
Calculating usable floor area and tank footprintCeiling height, mezzanines, and equipment clearanceFloor loading, slab condition, and moisture controlUtility service sizing for power and waterDrainage slopes, sumps, and wastewater routingLesson 2Pumping, piping, valves, and flow control: pump selection, redundancy, and energy efficiencyHere we focus on pumps, piping, valves, and flow control in RAS, covering pump selection, net positive suction head, redundancy, pipe sizing, valve types, and strategies to reduce friction losses and overall energy use.
Selecting pump types for RAS dutyNPSH, suction design, and cavitation avoidancePipe sizing, materials, and layout routingValve selection, throttling, and isolationEnergy efficiency and variable speed drivesLesson 3Redundancy and backup systems: emergency generators, backup aeration, spare pumps, and fail-safe controlsThis section explains how to design redundancy into critical RAS components, including backup power, aeration, pumping, and controls, to maintain fish survival during equipment failures, grid outages, and operator errors.
Risk assessment for critical RAS componentsEmergency generator sizing and fuel planningBackup aeration and oxygen supply optionsSpare pumps, manifolds, and quick changeoversAlarm logic, interlocks, and automatic shutdownsLesson 4Biological filtration: nitrification processes, biofilter media selection, SBR vs fixed-bed vs moving-bed optionsThis section covers biological filtration for nitrification in RAS, comparing fixed-bed, moving-bed, and sequencing batch reactors, with guidance on media selection, sizing, startup, and maintaining stable biofilm performance.
Ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate conversion basicsBiofilter media types and surface area ratingsFixed-bed and moving-bed biofilter designSBR configurations and control strategiesStartup, seeding, and biofilter troubleshootingLesson 5Heating, cooling, and HVAC integration for temperature controlHere we detail strategies for heating, cooling, and conditioning air in indoor RAS, integrating HVAC with water temperature control, humidity management, condensation prevention, and energy-efficient climate zoning within the facility.
Water temperature setpoints by speciesBoilers, heat pumps, and chillers selectionHeat exchangers and plumbing integrationDehumidification and condensation controlInsulation, zoning, and heat recoveryLesson 6Culture tank types and materials: round, rectangular, raceways; tank sizing for compact unitsHere we compare common indoor culture tank geometries and materials, explaining hydraulic performance, durability, cost, and ease of cleaning, then show how to size and arrange compact tanks for efficient RAS operation and fish husbandry.
Round versus rectangular tank hydraulicsRaceway layouts for indoor applicationsTank construction materials and coatingsDesigning tank inlets and outletsTank volume, biomass, and turnover sizingLesson 7Mechanical solids removal: drum filters, settling cones, microscreens and design criteriaHere we explain mechanical solids removal options such as drum filters, settling cones, and microscreens, with design criteria for loading rates, screen size, backwash, and integration to protect downstream biofilters.
Characteristics of feces and feed finesSettling basins, cones, and swirl separatorsDrum filters and microscreen selectionHydraulic loading and screen sizingBackwash flows and waste sludge handlingLesson 8Instrumentation and monitoring hardware: DO, pH, temperature, ORP, ammonia probes, and data loggingThis section describes key instruments for tracking water quality and system status, including DO, pH, temperature, ORP, and ammonia probes, plus data logging, networking, calibration, and alarm integration for reliable decision making.
Sensor placement for representative readingsDO, pH, and temperature probe selectionORP and ammonia monitoring strategiesCalibration routines and maintenanceData logging, networking, and remote alarmsLesson 9Oxygenation and aeration systems: diffused aeration, oxygen cones, oxygen monitoring and controlThis section examines oxygenation and aeration technologies for RAS, including diffusers, low head oxygenation, oxygen cones, and monitoring systems, with guidance on sizing, placement, redundancy, and safety for staff and fish.
Oxygen demand calculations and safety marginsFine bubble diffusers and grid layoutsOxygen cones and low head oxygenation unitsOxygen monitoring, alarms, and control loopsOxygen storage, piping, and safety practices
