Resting rotifers™ rotifer cysts
This is the easy way to keep an emergency supply of rotifers to hatch when needed. Grown by Florida Aqua Farms these are the dormant cysts of rotifers. They last virtually indefinitely in a freezer and can be hatched easily when needed. Hatch by covering with sterile seawater (10 to 15 ppt) in a shallow tray at 20-25 deg C under constant light. Hatching begins after 24 hours. Feed with a small amount of green-water from either concentrated algae (e.g. nannochloropsis) or live algae. After 2 days transfer to a larger container filled with sterile seawater (10 to 15 ppt and feed again. After 4 days transfer to a tank container filled with more clean sterile half strength seawater and more green-water and light aeration. Within 20 days each 100 rotifers will have become 1 billion rotifers. You can start harvesting from 7 to 10 days after hatching.

Continuous rotifer system

System overview

The Varicon Aqua, continuous rotifer system has been designed to function optimally by using algae pastes as the primary feed substrate.

Feed rates are based upon utilization of concentrated algae paste.

The system can operate with combinations of feed substrate including artificials however; use of higher percentages of concentrated algae will prolong the periods of trouble free, continuous operation.

The flow into the culture tank is controlled via a timer and solenoid valve. The timer can be set to give any frequency of on/off cycles which in turn will open and close the process flow solenoid.

The water flow through the process flow solenoid is controlled via a timer and a flow meter. The harvest from the tank is through an overflow system which needs to be connected to a reciever tank; thereafter the rotifers can be sieved and enriched as required.

The systems are designed to operate up to a level of 30% - 40% turnover per day.

For a system operating at an optimal rotifer density of 3000 rotifer/ml on a 33% turnover per day, production would be circa 500 million rotifers harvested per day.

With some adjustments to hardware the main process control systems can be utilised for any level of productivity based upon the utilization of a single tank system. For example by utilizing a 1000L culture tank; productivity can be increased to a harvest of 1 billion rotifers per day for only minimal increase in capital investment.

P.O.A.

General description

The system comprises:

1 off 500L cylindro tank

2 off control systems, pH, disolved oxygen, temperature, power supply

1 off pH control system

1 off feed and metabolite control systems

1 off process flow system

1 off process controlled oxygen delivery solenoid valve, D/O electrode

1 off low level heater circuit protection float switch

1 off combined oxygen/air diffuser

3 off process flow meters

1 off refrigerated algal feed dispenser

washable waste collectors