There are lots of reasons a fish farmer would need to utilize baffles within their system. Baffles are any solid wall or curtain that prevents the flow of something. In the case of aquaculture, that flow is typically water and fish. Fish can be kept separate by mesh or solid curtains, depending on whether they’re meant to directly share water. This can be especially useful in nursery pond applications, where juvenile fry need to be shielded from larger, cannibalistic fish.
The fry-to-fingerling stage of growth is the most critical in an aquaculture operation. In this stage, the fish are at their most vulnerable to predation, to temperature variations, water quality issues, etc. It makes sense to ensure that nursery ponds are built with the best materials since scrimping on this stage will have a huge impact on the health and size of your stock.
Juvenile fry are also mainly fed on a diet of planktonic algae, or plankton. Algae growth can be encouraged and protected from unwanted plants or weeds by separating the blooms and providing them with ideal conditions.
Separate species of fish, or those in different stages of growth can be separated by watertight or mesh walls. This allows for the aquaculture farmer to only maintain one central pond, reservoir, or tank, instead of having to construct and maintain the water within a series. Within the pond itself, there may be delicate shorelines that need protection from erosion and can be shielded with baffles. In a circulating reservoir, baffles will be needed in order to protect input and output flows from sediment or the fish themselves.
Any material that comes into contact with aquaculture water has to be fish safe. This means it can’t be toxic if fish decide to take a bite, and it mustn't leach out toxic chemicals or pesticides as it’s exposed to water and time. BTL Liners’ AquaArmor products are not only safe for fish and plants but are certified for containing potable water (intended for human consumption), which is the highest level of water safety available.
Advantages of a High Quality Baffle
- Contains no additives or chemicals
- Certified fish and plant safe
- Can be repeatedly cleaned and disinfected without losing performance
- Provides thermal stability
- High resistance to UV exposure
- Strength, durability and puncture resistance