AGRICULTURAL NEWS - Off-the-shelf aquacultural equipment may be convenient, but it is often unsuitable. I discussed this problem in an earlier article, highlighting the use of circular plastic tanks rather than the preferable custom-made ones. Let’s look at other equipment.
Except for the rare cases of gravity-fed aquatic systems sometimes found in trout culture, the vast majority of warm-water systems rely on pumping water.
As these are typically recirculating systems housed in tunnel structures, a large volume of water needs to be moved continuously, but over short distances and low heads. The design, size and cost of the pump therefore all need to be considered.
Industrial pumps, typically made of metal, offer high head flows. However, they are expensive, and spares, such as seals and impellers, are not always readily available.
The specs of swimming pool pumps seem to make these an obvious choice; they are mass-produced, widely available, and constructed of inert and non-corrosive plastic.
