Waterborne feeding
Gentle and energy-efficient feed handling
As farming conditions become more demanding, waterborne feeding enables you to maintain feeding performance while reducing energy consumption and environmental impact.
By gently introducing feed pellets into water and transporting and distributing them precisely where fish are actively feeding, the solutions support efficient feed utilisation in modern and deep farming aquaculture operations.
Operational characteristics
The main difference between airborne and waterborne feeding lies in the transport medium – air versus water – and the ability to distribute feed below the surface. In addition, there are also other differences as;
- increased transport time
- more concentrated feed distribution area
- reduced energy consumption
- no microplast generation
- reduced noise level from equipment and hoses
- flexible dosing rate independent of pen distance
The waterborne feeding requires an adjusted feeding strategy, but also enables a more targeted and stable operation. Unlike airborne systems, the dosing rate is not restricted by backpressure in the feed line. As long as a stable water velocity of approximately 1.75–2.0 m/s is maintained, the feeding rate can be adjusted between 0 and 60 kg/min. To reduce pellet exposure to water and limit transport time, the shortest practical feed line distance is recommended during system design
System configurations
AKVA group delivers customised waterborne feeding solutions based on proven, standardised modules and software.
Waterborne feeding solutions can be fully integrated into the feed barge design or delivered as standalone units, depending on site layout and operational needs. The solutions are compatible with both flexible feeding systems and conventional airborne feeding, allowing for scalable configurations.
Hybrid waterborne feeding
Hybrid waterborne feeding combines an existing airborne system with water transport from the barge to the pen. It enables a gradual transition to waterborne feeding while maintaining existing infrastructure, including third-party equipment.
How it works
- Controlled deceleration: A cyclone unit gently slows the feed from the airborne line
- Transition to water: The pellets enter a water sluice
- Water transport: A controlled water stream carries the feed to the pen
The system is designed for gentle handling from silo to pen, preserving pellet integrity and ensuring predictable delivery.
The water sluice
Introducing pellets through a water sluice is proven to be one of the most gentle and energy-efficient methods for entering a waterborne feed line.
Often described as the heart of the system, the AKVA water sluice builds on the same core principle used in the 1980s, further developed and optimised for modern farming requirements.
When waterborne feeding is combined with airborne transport, the solution is referred to as hybrid waterborne feeding. It offers a practical transition towards waterborne feeding while maintaining existing infrastructure, including third-party equipment.
From silo to fish pen
In this animation video, a waterborne feeding system is shown in combination with the "Flexible feeding" concept. Feed is transferred from the main silos to buffer tanks connected to each line. It then passes through the sluice, where it is picked up by the water and carried to the pen.
Example of waterborne feeding in combination with flexible feeding on a barge
Green and profitable
Waterborne feeding reduces operating costs while lowering environmental impact.
Approximately 70% lower energy consumption results in a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions. As water is a gentle transport medium, pipe wear is minimal, contributing to near-zero noise and microplastic discharge and a prolonged service life for feeding pipes.
Water transport does not require antistatic feed pipes, allowing the use of standard 90 mm pipes. Feeding pipes can also be submerged.
Subsea feeding
Waterborne feeding supports efficient subsea distribution.
The AKVA air dome can be used in combination with the AKVA squid spreader to ensure even and gentle distribution of feed pellets in deep farming applications.
The underwater spreader is designed specifically for waterborne feeding. It can be positioned at different depths and ensures effective dispersion below the surface. Feed is transported by water to a chamber at the top of the spreader and distributed through six outlets, achieving a spreading diameter of 5–6 metres. Feeding capacity is up to 60 kg/min.
Underwater cameras show that fish remain deeper around the feeding points for extended periods. This supports good growth and improved fish health due to reduced lice exposure.
