AquaBioTech Group proudly announces that it has completed the development of the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre (ACAC) in Valkenswaard, the Netherlands. The research facility comprises of a number of state of the art Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS) designed to provide the competency to run multiple simultaneous nutrition trials for a variety of species in highly controlled environments.
Each RAS unit has been custom designed so as to enable Coppens to carry out feed trials in both saltwater and freshwater conditions for a variety of species such as salmon smolts, trout and catfish, at temperature ranges from 6-28°C. The RAS units include a complete monitoring and control system with digital LED lighting, as well as tank specific faeces / pellet collection in a highly efficient design allowing for ease of use and widening of experimental limitations. The facility consists of sixty (60) tanks in four (4) separate systems with the possibility to pair the systems making two (2) larger systems for increased replication purposes. The systems are designed to operate at commercial level stocking densities and include several additional features for ease of husbandry practices by technicians; for example, a partial tank drainage system is incorporated into the small systems to allow for some tanks to drain and run at fifty (50%) percent capacity for ease of fish handling, whilst retaining the water in the systems to increase water utilisation and energy consumption efficiencies.
“We are very pleased to have completed this project. Our experience in delivering custom made RAS projects for both saltwater and freshwater has been a catalyst for the success of this project. Alltech Coppens International is a leader in nutrition in RAS environments and the operation of the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre will enable them to become a global hub of excellence for aquaculture research.” said Rob J. Davies, Head of RAS projects at the AquaBioTech Group.
As part of the contract, the AquaBioTech Group will provide remote technical support and troubleshooting for the Alltech Coppens Aqua Centre through the monitoring and control system. Aquaculture nutrition is a rapidly growing industry globally and the AquaBioTech Group has become a leader in the provision of tailored RAS solutions for the needs of private and public research facilities, as well as operating over twenty-five Recirculating Aquaculture Systems in its own private aquatic research facility based in Malta.
