The advantages of RAS systems over traditional pond farming

RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture System), as a core technology in modern aquaculture, has multiple advantages over traditional pond farming due to its efficient resource utilization and precise environmental control. It has become a key direction for the transformation and upgrading of the aquaculture industry. Its core advantages are mainly reflected in four dimensions: resource utilization, farming efficiency, environmental protection and safety, and risk resistance.

In terms of water resource utilization, RAS systems demonstrate an extremely water-saving characteristic. Traditional pond farming relies on natural water sources for replenishment, with each pond requiring hundreds of cubic meters of water for each water change, and is significantly restricted by water quality and seasonal changes. In contrast, RAS systems achieve over 90% water recycling through physical filtration and biological purification, only requiring a small amount of new water to make up for evaporation and waste discharge, resulting in a water-saving rate of over 95%. This advantage is particularly prominent in areas with water shortages, as it breaks the dependence on natural water sources and reduces water extraction costs.

The precise control of the farming environment is the core competitiveness of RAS systems. Traditional pond farming is greatly affected by natural fluctuations in weather, water temperature, and water quality, leading to frequent problems such as insufficient dissolved oxygen and pH imbalance, which cause strong stress responses in the farmed organisms and increase the risk of disease outbreaks. RAS systems use intelligent devices to monitor and control key indicators such as water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and ammonia nitrogen in real time, maintaining a stable water environment and keeping the farmed organisms in the best growth state. Data shows that the survival rate of fish and shrimp in RAS systems is 20% to 30% higher than that in traditional ponds, and the growth cycle is shortened by 15% to 20%.

The significant increase in unit output efficiency greatly enhances economic benefits. Traditional pond farming has a low density, with an average yield of only a few hundred kilograms per mu, and is limited by land area in terms of large-scale expansion. RAS systems can increase space utilization through three-dimensional farming and multi-layer layouts, with a farming density 5 to 10 times higher than that of ponds, and an equivalent yield of several thousand kilograms per mu. At the same time, precise feeding and stable environmental conditions reduce feed waste and disease losses, increasing the feed conversion rate by 15% to 25% compared to traditional methods, significantly reducing the production cost per unit product.

Environmental compliance and sustainability are prominent advantages of RAS systems. In traditional pond farming, residual feed and feces are directly discharged, causing eutrophication of surrounding water bodies and ecological pollution. Moreover, the scale of farming is strictly restricted by environmental policies. RAS systems treat farming waste through solid-liquid separation and microbial degradation, achieving zero discharge or resource utilization of pollutants, fully meeting modern environmental protection requirements. In addition, the closed farming model avoids the risk of invasive species and cross-infection of diseases, making product quality easier to control and meeting the demands of food safety.

The enhanced risk resistance provides stable support for farming. Traditional pond farming has weak resistance to natural disasters such as heavy rain and cold waves, and a single extreme weather event can lead to total loss. At the same time, external risks such as water pollution and disease transmission are also difficult to control. RAS systems are mostly indoor or semi-enclosed structures, effectively isolating natural disasters and external pollution. Combined with a complete disease prevention and control system, they significantly reduce farming risks and ensure production stability.

In summary, RAS systems solve the problems of resource waste, low efficiency, severe pollution, and high risks in traditional pond farming through their core advantages of water conservation, efficiency, environmental protection, and controllability. They not only align with the sustainable development concept of modern agriculture but also meet the demands of large-scale and standardized industrial development, providing strong support for the high-quality development of the aquaculture industry.