Water quality monitoring in recirculating aquaculture systems

Abstract

Good water quality in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) is crucial for ensuring the successful growth and survival of reared species. So far, there are no regulations for which parameters should be measured in RAS, and each farmer decides which parameters to follow. Traditionally, water quality parameters have been measured at certain intervals with handheld sensors and laboratory analyses, which can be labour intensive. Currently, a variety of sensors and monitoring equipment is available, even for the real-time monitoring of water quality parameters. Internet of Things-based systems and artificial intelligence can be applied for the monitoring purposes which allows real-time measurements and warnings of critical situations. However, many of the modern systems need competent users and require regular maintenance and calibration. Changes in water quality also induces changes in fish behaviour, such as swimming activity, depth, acceleration and water quality can be assessed also based on these changes. In this review, water quality parameters, variety of sensors and monitoring technologies have been summarised to provide an overview of the current monitoring systems for water quality. Additionally, analytical methods for more advanced analyses have also been briefly summarised. Although there are several advanced options available for monitoring the basic water quality parameters, real-time measurements of more advanced parameters still required require further development.