Aquaculture project scenario tools: CAPEX/OPEX payback, RAS flow and oxygen, pond production
Use these three calculators to stress-test a commercial aquaculture project before you request quotes. You enter every value — costs, prices, feed load, survival, feed conversion — and each tool shows its formula, a worse/better case and what to confirm with an engineer. They do not assume that any system suits every species or site.
The three tools
CAPEX / OPEX / payback scenario
Payback = total CAPEX ÷ yearly operating result. Enter your figures; the tool adds debt service and shows how payback changes if price, production or OPEX move by 10%.
Open toolRAS water flow and oxygen planning estimator
Design flow is the larger of the oxygen-carrying flow (oxygen demand ÷ allowed DO drop) and your tank-turnover flow. Oxygen demand starts from feed load × kg O₂ per kg feed; the suggested 0.25 is a published planning value you can change.
Open toolPond production scenario
Harvest = pond area × stocking density × survival × harvest weight. Feed = harvest × FCR. Enter values for your species and site; nothing biological is pre-filled.
Open toolBefore you rely on a result
- Use a site-specific design basis: species, target harvest weight, water source and temperature range.
- Take biological inputs (survival, FCR, growth) from your own records, a hatchery or a dated published trial — not from a generic table.
- Use quoted or locally verified prices for feed, energy, oxygen and labour.
- Run the worse case: lower price, lower survival, higher FCR, higher OPEX.
- Have a qualified engineer review flows, oxygen, backup power and biosecurity before procurement.
- Package the scenario as one RFQ so every supplier quotes the same scope.
Questions buyers ask
How do I estimate the payback of an aquaculture farm?
Divide total CAPEX by the yearly operating result (revenue minus OPEX before depreciation). The CAPEX/OPEX tool also shows annual debt service and cash after debt, and how payback moves if price, production or OPEX change by 10%.
How much water flow does a RAS need?
At least the larger of two flows: the flow that carries enough dissolved oxygen for the feed load (oxygen demand ÷ allowed DO drop) and the flow that gives your chosen tank turnover. The RAS tool calculates both and marks the result as preliminary.
Why are survival and FCR not pre-filled?
They vary by species, strain, system, temperature and management. A generic default would look precise but could be wrong for your site, so the pond tool asks you for them and shows the effect of 10 points lower survival and a 0.2 higher FCR.
Can FishMatch connect me directly with a manufacturer?
No. You submit one project brief; our team reviews it, contacts suitable suppliers for you and presents comparable responses through FishMatch. The service is for projects from USD 250,000.
Is RAS better than ponds or cages?
Not in general. RAS suits sites with limited water or strict biosecurity and reliable power; ponds suit land and warm water availability; cages need suitable sheltered water. Compare systems against your species, site and operating capacity.
Related guides
For projects from USD 250,000. Our team reviews your brief, contacts suitable suppliers for you and presents comparable responses through FishMatch — no direct supplier hand-off.
Short answer
What is the fastest way to get quotes for Project Tools?
Submit one structured request for Project Tools. FishMatch Group translates it into a technical RFQ, runs a confidential sourcing round with project-matched international suppliers, and returns comparable quotations. No fee is charged to the buyer, and your identity and project details stay private until you choose to proceed.
- How it works:
- One structured request, human-reviewed before any supplier outreach
- Typical turnaround:
- Depends on scope and site data; no turnaround is guaranteed
- Confidentiality:
- Supplier names are never exposed during evaluation
- Cost to buyers:
- No fee charged to the buyer
What is the fastest way to get quotes for Project Tools?
Submit one structured request for Project Tools. FishMatch Group translates it into a technical RFQ, runs a confidential sourcing round with project-matched international suppliers, and returns comparable quotations. No fee is charged to the buyer, and your identity and project details stay private until you choose to proceed.
How does FishMatch Group source suppliers for this requirement?
You submit one structured request. We translate it into a technical RFQ, run it against qualified manufacturers and integrators in the relevant categories, and return normalised quotations you can compare side by side on scope, lead time and total cost of ownership.
Do buyers see supplier names during the sourcing process?
No. Supplier identities stay confidential during discovery and evaluation. You receive anonymised, comparable technical and commercial packages, and introductions happen only after both sides are qualified and agree to proceed.