These holes provide a steady stream of bubbles when air is passed through it using a blower. As these bubbles rise, they dissolve some air in the water. This process is called aeration. Oxygen in this air also dissolves in the water. Thus increasing Dissolved Oxygen or DO as it is often called. This dissolved oxygen is critical for survival of marine life. And monitored regularly in aquaculture ponds.
There are various types of aeration devices. Some splash water, some spray water and some diffuse air in the water by making bubbles.However in all these, there is one major difference that decides the amount of aeration that happens – how much surface area is available for contact between water and air. Because this is where oxygen transfer takes place.
In Airoxi™-tube, the bubble rises in the water, and the air comes in contact with the water on all sides. Such high surface area increases oxygen transfer. The smaller the bubbles, the more the surface area available for oxygen transfer. Airoxi™-tube, along with the right blowers and other equipment, ensures good dissolved oxygen, reduces cost, reduces noise and reduces disturbance to marine life.
- Quantity of aquatic life per cubic mtr of water.
- Size of the aquatic life – whether fish or prawns
- Aeration system used
- Time of the day / night. Oxygen content is lowest late in the night / early in the morning around 2.00 to 3.00 am when the plant generated oxygen depletes.
If you are not sure about the depth, it is best to go with the higher thickness Airoxi™-tube. That way you can install it at different depths for every season, without worrying about efficiency.
The main areas of maintenance that are required are
- That of the blower / motor / electrical areas. This will be quite lower than traditional methods used since Airoxi-tube system has very few moving parts.
- In rare cases, if there is algae growth on the surface of the tube, you will need to wipe it with cloth. Or sometimes take out the tube and dip it in tile or floor cleaning acid for half a minute at most. And then wash with water before installing it
- If you have used the Airoxi™-tube in salt water, then before storing them, first flush them properly with fresh water for a few minutes, to remove salt water from the tubes. And after that clean and dry them with compressed air before storage.
- Ensure storage is in a clean and covered room
The tubes can last anywhere from 2 harvests to 20 harvests or more depending on:
- The thickness of the tube used. Thicker the tube, the longer will be its life.
- How often and how rough is the tube rubbed when you remove algae from the surface. When you rub the surface, it should be just enough to remove the algae and not damage the tube.
- How is it stored between cultures when the pond is dry. It should be stored properly as explained in the maintenance.
- Usually the tube will last anywhere from 4 to 8 seasons depending on the thickness / product that you choose.
- In general, the oxygen dissolution increases as you go deeper.
- The oxygen dissolution is also different for fresh water and salt water
- There are many studies done on this and you can find if you search online.
- Usually the tube will last anywhere from 4 to 8 seasons depending on the thickness / product that you choose.
- Besides Airoxi-tube, We can supply you the smaller fittings like Jointer, T, Elbow, Rubber Grommet, etc.
- However for other pipes and fittings like the header pipe, the lateral pipes, etc it is cheaper to buy them locally instead of paying for freight.
Some areas to remember
- If you install it in long lengths of 3 to 5 meters, with a distance of 10 meters between each, you will get best result.
- You can install it in rings, or grids or straight lines.
- Keep valves on each tube to control air flow.
- HDPE header pipe used should be 3” or more for best results.
- Install on all 4 sides, or at least 3 sides, to get best results.
- Avoid too many Turns / T shape / Curves on the pipe to avoid loss of air pressure.
This is important to make sure you get enough aeration and there is no load on the blower motor
- 5 HP blower – Minimum 100 mtrs
- 7.5 HP blower – Minimum 180 mtrs
- 10 HP blower – Minimum 300 mtrs
And minimum of 3 hours every day, even when the aquatic life is small
- Upto 3 times higher Dissolved Oxygen (DO) because of higher Standard Oxygen Transfer Rate (SOTR). Upto 3 times Lower power consumption.
- Good DO at pond bottom also where other methods fail. Better immunity and higher survival rate because of good DO.
- Higher Stocking density
- Better and faster growth of species and probiotics. Better organic conversion of waste due to good growth of probiotics
- Installing the tube 12-18” above pond bottom will prevent sludge from sticking to the tube
- Continuous use to give high aeration will also not allow any waste to stick to the tube
- Installation in lengths of less than 3 mtrs. Contact our representative for advice on which designs work best and can avoid such problems.
- Ensuring large size inlet pipe (at least 32 mm) from header pipe to the tube so there is minimum pressure drop and sufficient air is available as per the designed air flow of the tube
- How frequently the tube has to be cleaned depends on pond water conditions. In some ponds cleaning is not required for 3-4 months (and so it is done after the harvest). And in some cases it needs to be done once in 10 days.
- The difference is because of water conditions and also how often the air is blown and if installation is as per recommended length and inlet pipe size used for air flow. For proper installation and continuous use the tube will not be normally required to be cleaned during culture.
- Install AirOxi tube at a height of 12 to 15”
- Keep length of tube around 2 mtrs in single length or 5 mtrs in Grid
- Ensure good size of inlet pipe – 16 mm for 2 mtrs and 32 mm for 5 mtrs
- Use continuously, 24 x 7
- Even before the air flow is visibly reduced, the pressure gauge will show an increase in operating pressure. Which means you can take up preventive cleaning rather than waiting for the air flow to visibly reduce.
- Cleaning is simple using a rough cleaning surface tool that will pull out the sludge sticking on the surface (e.g.: A rough scraper that will not push the sludge deeper in the tube). You can also dip the tube in solutions that will clean organic waste like bleaching powder or hydrogen peroxide or strong industrial acid. You can also contact our representative for more information on which tools and methods are most effective.