Our vacation to The WAA 2009 RAS Workshop

[plantedlab]

My wife and I just got back from the 2009 Wisconsin Aquaculture Association's Recirculating aquaculture systems workshop.

It was really an amazing event, held in Bayfield Wisconsin. There were about 90 people in attendace for two days of star studded speakers and workshops. We got to tour the NADF (Northern aquaculture demonstration facility), an extension of the university of Stevens Point campus located on the tribal lands of the Red Cliff band of the Chippewa nation.

Most of the speakers had PHDs and I was taking notes as fast as I could keep up. Great material, and great people. Very friendly and approachable.

The Speakers included;

Ed Aneshansley, from The Marine Biotech division of Aquatic eco systems inc. www.aquaticeco.com (http://www.aquaticeco.com/)


Ep Eding, from the Wageningen university in The Netherlands www.wageningenuniversiteit.nl/UK/ (http://www.wageningenuniversiteit.nl/UK/)

Chris Good and Steve Summerfelt, from the Freshwater Institute in West Virginia www.freshwaterinstitute.org (http://www.freshwaterinstitute.org/)

Bill Manci, from Fisheries technology Assoc inc www.ftai.com (http://www.ftai.com/)

Rebecca Nelson and John Pade From Nelson and Pade inc, WI www.aquaponics.com (http://www.aquaponics.com/)

And Greg fisher, Kendall Holms, and Dan Duffy from the NADF www.uwsp.edu/cls/aquaculture (http://www.uwsp.edu/cls/aquaculture)

I just can't express what a unique and exciting opportunity this was for us. I hope to share some of what we learned here, and will be working on processsing the pics and video from the demonstration facility. There's no way I can repeat everything we heard there, so I figure I'll just start posting pics here, and answer questions as best I can.

We also got to go an a cruise through the apostle islands and stayed in a really cute cottage 1/2 block from the morning sessions. Great weather, great trip!

[plantedlab]

Here is one of the tanks they use. It is about 4000 gallons and utilizes dual drain technology developed at Cornell University. It is a round tank with a center bottom drain. This is important for effective solid waste removal. There is also a side skimming drain which handles most of the flow. This way they have alot of options for handling the water treatment.

Adjustable spray heads create a circular flow which forces the solids to the bottom drain. This water is generally diverted to a rotating drum or belt filter since they are excellant at rapidly removing solids from the water supply. From there the water drains to a sump box and is pumped through a biological filter, a UV filter, and a Low head oxygenator before returning to the pump. The water from the side box usually by passes the mechanical filter and goes directly into the sump.

They were using these tanks to raise Brook trout.

Pic 1 is the tank, pic 2 is the side drain, pic 3 is some brook trout, and pic 4 is the rotating drum filter.

[Gayle]

Looks like you had a great time!!!! I am glad you two enjoyed it!!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[insectocean]

I wish I had heard about that, i go to school very near to Bayfield.

[Gemini]

Holy wow. That's impressive!!

[plantedlab]

insectocean, contact your local UW aquaculture outreach specialist. Ron Johnson P.O. box 165 Bayfield, WI 54814 (715) 779-3189 ron.johnson@uwsp.edu. You may be able to schedule a tour, or find out when their next event will be. Most fish farms are very concerned with bio-security and would not allow people inside. This is a demonstration and research facility, so it is much more accessible.

And yea, I was totally impressed.

Here are some videos, the first is of brook trout, the second is Lake sturgeon and yellow perch.


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