Survey of large circular and octagonal tanks operated at Norwegian commercial smolt and post-smolt sites

Maximum flow ranged from 3 to 19 m3/min per land-based tank, with 400 m3/min at the floating tank, but tank flow was adjustable at most facilities. Land-based tanks were flushed at a mean hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 35-170 min. Maximum feed load on each land-based tank ranged from 525 to 850 kg/day, but the floating tank reached 3700 kg/day. Almost half of the large tanks reported in this survey were installed or renovated since 2013, including the three tank systems with the highest flow rate per tank (greater than 17.6 m3/min). These more recent tanks were operated at more rapid tank HRT's, i.e., from 34.8 to 52.5 min, than the 67-170 min HRT typical of the large tanks built before 2013. In addition, flow per unit of feed load in land-based tanks that began operating before 2010 were lower (19-30 m3 flow/kg feed) than in tanks that began operating later (33-40 m3 flow/kg feed). In comparison, the floating tank operates at a maximum daily tank flow to feed load of 160 m3 flow/kg feed, which is the least intensive of all tanks surveyed. Survey results suggest that the recently built tanks have been designed to operate at a reduced metabolic loading per unit of flow, a tendency that would improve water quality throughout the culture tank, all else equal. This trend is possible due to the ever increasing application of water recirculating systems.