Selectors for Automatic Feeding Systems used in Aquaculture in Land, Sea and RAS Fish Farms

The selector is one of the key elements of a centralized feeding system. It distributes the feed to different tanks or cages of a fish farm, on land or at sea.

Each selector is made up of a number of outlets equal to the number of spots to be fed at the farm.

The selector outlet is connected to each tank or cage with a HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) pipe, used to transport the feed from the selector to the tank.

Recommendations for the installation of the pipes to guarantee a correct distribution of the feed in the tanks:

• The pipe must have a sufficient section to minimize the loss of load and to prevent the feed deterioration due to high speed.
• The diameter of the pipe to be used in each feeding system depends on the size of the feed, the dose and the feeding distance.
• Avoid sharp curves by its installation, the pipes should be placed as straight as possible.

• REVOLVER selector: a system with outlets placed in a circle. Each outlet is selected by gearmotor.
• MATRIX selector: It is a system invented by FishFarmFeeder. The outlets are placed in a form of matrix whereby outlet selection is supported by two servo motors, one on the X axis and the other on the Y axis.

These are the main advantages of the Matrix-style selectors:

• GREATER NUMBER OF TANKS SUPPLIED BY SELECTOR: Taking a pipe diameter of 32 mm as a reference, by revolver system we would be limited to 60 outlets, while in a matrix system we would have 180 outlets at the disposal.
• LESS SPACE NEEDED: The matrix designed selector requests less space. Apart of that it provides greater robustness.
• FASTER FEEDING: The movement between outlets (from tank to tank) in the revolver system is rotary. In the matrix selector it runs on the X axis, on the Y axis or diagonally (at the same time on the X and Y axis). Thanks to this technology, a movement speed between outlets is 3 times faster than by rotary-format selector.
• LESS MAINTENANCE REQUIRED: Matrix selector is made of AISI316 Stainless Steel and with high quality components. Therefore it only needs to be greased according to the maintenance book.
• VALID FOR A LARGE SCALE OF FEED SIZE: Matrix selector outlets start by 20 mm diameter, which allow feeding micro diets from 300 microns.