ABOUT THE CLIENT
TROUT RAS FACILITY IN FINLAND
FIFAX, located in Finland, Åland Island, is one of the largest leading land-based RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture System) facilities, farming rainbow trout with a capacity of 3.2 million kilos annually. With a vision of being a leader in responsible and sustainable fish farming, FIFAX is known for its high ethical and environmental standards to ensure sustainable production. Their production utilizes an ultra-intensive recirculating aquaculture method, which has a smaller environmental impact compared to other traditional fish farming methods.
Keeping fish welfare as the top priority means that the production is efficient, and the environmental impact is as low as possible. Fish welfare is closely related to biosecurity, which is achievable through the implementation of UV & Ozone water treatment systems.
WHAT THE CLIENT NEEDED
DOUBLE-BARRIER BIOSECURITY
In the summer of 2022, the RAS facility got infected by IHN-virus, requiring a complete facility shutdown for sanitation. Following this, it was evident that biosecurity had to be improved, to increase the possibility for fish welfare even further.
This led them to raise the level of biosecurity by implementing a double-barrier water treatment system that included both UV & Ozone water treatment.
THE SOLUTION
OPTIMIZED UV & OZONE WATER TREATMENT
The RAS system holds 25 million liters of water which is circulated every hour in the internal loop, with 99.7% of the water being recirculated. This means that the small amount of freshwater taken in from the Baltic Sea needs to be as clean as possible.
To set up the improved facility for success, the first step involved installing an ozone system for the entire inflow of new water at the pumping station by the sea. Additionally, this water is disinfected using UV systems, which means the facility gets the combined effect of the two technologies. This means that the water is already fully disinfected when it reaches the factory area. The double-barrier effect has already proven to be a valuable addition to the overall process, minimizing the risk of introducing unwanted substances into the facility.
To enhance the biosecurity further, an additional UV system was installed within the internal loop in the sequence of the biofilters.
Inside the RAS system, the fish excrement and feed remnants in the water are recirculated to follow the water treatment process. The first step of the water treatment process is to filter and remove the solid substances. Secondly, the pH is regulated. The third step includes biofiltering which is the first part of the nitrogen treatment and removal. The water is then disinfected with UV disinfection. Lastly, the carbon dioxide is removed, followed by oxygenating the water and then sending it back to the tanks.
Since making these implementations, the facility has observed significant improvements in the water quality. This has resulted in better growth rates, lower mortality rates, and ultimately an improved feed conversion rate. The FIFAX CEO Samppa Ruohtula states: “We can safely say that these measures on biosecurity have definitely been successful, and the ozone and UV disinfection elements have been a key part of that.”
Achieving these new and improved biosecurity measures not only means that the fish are thriving under better conditions but also ensures that FIFAX can remain a leader in sustainable aquaculture to meet their business goals of ethical and environmentally friendly production.
