The complete RAS farm equipment checklist

Short answer: a commercial recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) must keep dissolved oxygen, un-ionized ammonia, nitrite and carbon dioxide within safe limits while fish are fed heavily — so the equipment list is organised by those jobs: solids removal, biofiltration, aeration/oxygenation and degassing, disinfection where needed, temperature control, monitoring and backup. Use this checklist to make sure every subsystem appears in each quote; it does not replace an engineered design.

What must a RAS control?

A US extension fact sheet lists the critical parameters as dissolved oxygen, un-ionized ammonia-nitrogen, nitrite-nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with nitrate, pH and alkalinity also important (SRAC Publication 451, Recirculating Aquaculture Tank Production Systems (Losordo, Masser & Rakocy, rev. 1998)). Feed drives all of them: the same source notes feeding rates of roughly 1.5–15% of body weight per day depending on fish size and species, and that uneaten feed and faeces consume oxygen and generate ammonia.

Why does backup matter so much?

The same fact sheet warns that in a typical intensively loaded recirculating system, aeration or oxygenation failure can lead to total loss of the crop in half an hour or less (SRAC Publication 451, Recirculating Aquaculture Tank Production Systems (Losordo, Masser & Rakocy, rev. 1998)). That is why backup oxygen, standby power and alarms are listed below as core items, not options.

Checklist by subsystem

• Culture tanks: material, volume, inlet/outlet design for self-cleaning, covers, access.
• Solids removal: mechanical filtration (for example drum or screen filters) and sludge handling — remove waste solids quickly.
• Biofiltration: biofilter type and the design ammonia load it is sized for.
• Gas exchange: aeration or oxygenation, and carbon-dioxide degassing.
• Disinfection: UV or ozone where your biosecurity plan calls for it.
• Temperature: heating/cooling and insulation for your climate.
• Pumps and pipework: duty and standby pumps, valves, sumps.
• Monitoring and control: oxygen, temperature and pH sensors; alarms that reach staff 24/7.
• Backup: standby generator with automatic transfer, emergency oxygen supply.
• Commissioning, training, spares and service response — written into the contract.

Inputs suppliers need before quoting

Species, annual tonnage, harvest weight, peak daily feed, water source and temperature, site climate and power availability. Without these, quotes cannot be compared. See sizing a RAS: feed load to oxygen demand and the RAS sizing calculator.

Common costly mistakes

• Quotes that omit pipework, controls or backup power.
• Biofilters sized for average rather than peak feed.
• No carbon-dioxide removal in high-density systems.
• Alarms that sound only in the building.

Which guide should I read next?

Design principles: RAS design fundamentals before equipment. Comparing offers: how to compare RAS equipment quotes. Choosing between systems: the pond or RAS guide. Printable project templates: planning template and checklists.

Sources and review

• SRAC Publication 451, Recirculating Aquaculture Tank Production Systems (Losordo, Masser & Rakocy, rev. 1998).
• Water-quality limits and stocking densities are species-specific and must be confirmed by a qualified RAS engineer or fish-health specialist. Last reviewed October 2026 by the FishMatch Group editorial team.

Send this list to FishMatch Group with your species and tonnage through a human-reviewed RFQ; supplier identities are never shared.