Frequently asked questions
What is a pneumatic feeding system?
It is a system in which we use the air from a compressor or a blower to send the feed through pipes from the feeding system to the tanks or cages.
How do I avoid condensation inside the pipes?
After each shot, the blower continues to blow to avoid leaving moisture inside the pipe. Also, you can program the feeding system to blow only air when not feeding.
Can I increase the number of outputs of my feeder?
Once the feeder is manufactured, the number of outlets cannot be increased, so we recommend taking into account when dimensioning it a potential increase in the number of tanks or cages to be fed, whenever the feeding times allow it.
Can I increase the dosing parameters of my feeder?
It is not possible since the mechanical components of the feeder have been dimensioned according to specific needs defined in advance by the fish farmer, which implies little margin to alter parameters.
Can feed be degraded due to air temperature?
No. Thanks to the cooler, the air supplied does not reach a temperature that could alter the feed.
Can a dose include several types of feed?
Yes. You can mix as many types of food as silos you have installed.
What standard pipe sizes are there?
Our feeding systems use HDPE pipes of diameter 20, 32, 40, 50, 63, 75, 90,100 and 110 mm.
Can we install the feeding system outdoor?
Yes, but a cover is recommended to preserve it from inclement weather.
What type of polyethylene pipe is recommended?
The use of High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) PN10, PE100 pipes with feeding certification is recommended.
What materials are used for manufacturing?
According to the needs of each client, we can manufacture in stainless steel AISI 304, AISI 316L, galvanized and aluminum. The pontoons and containers are made of steel by the respective manufacturers.
What material are silos made of?
The silos designed and manufactured by FFF are built in AISI 304, 316L or Galvanized Stainless Steel.
Can problems arise due to static electricity?
We are not conscious that such problems had arisen.
How can silos be loaded?
There are multiple ways to load silos depending on their size and location. At FFF we manufacture some models to measure and advise clients with different standard options on the market.
What is the weight of a polyethylene pipe per meter?
In the following table you can see the approximate weight per meter
What curvature should the pipes have in an installation?
The curves affect negatively the duration of the pipes, since in these the feed particles produce more abrasion when the radius of curvature is smaller. The recommendation is that the curves have the largest possible radius of curvature, never being less than 30D, with D being the outer diameter of the pipe. The use of elbows and curves at 90º is totally excluded.
What are the requirements for locatin the feeding system?
Simply a flat base, which can be leveled and able to support the weight of the feeding system with full silos.
What is a centralized feeding system?
It is a system in which the feeder is placed in a centralized position and from which the pipes are installed to connect each tank or cage with the feeding system.
What size pipeline do I need for my fish farm?
The diameter of the pipe to be used will be calculated by our engineers based on the size of the dose, the distance and the blower to be used.
Why is the use of spreaders important?
The use of spreaders allows, among other things, an optimal spreading of the feed on the surface of the water, which contributes to a more homogeneous growth of the fish and prevents the feed from being wasted, consequently improving the FCR.
What is the maximum distance I can feed?
Currently we feed distances of 400 meters on land, reaching up to 800 meters at sea.
What is the maximum capacity per silo?
At FFF we manufacture standard silos up to 2.5 cubic meters. For larger sizes, standard manufactured silos are used, which we connect to our feeding system.
What does the matrix selector mean?
The technology developed and patented by FFF of a matrix-shaped selector allows us, on the same surface, to have more outlets than traditional rotary-shaped selectors. In addition, it allows us to go from one outlet to another much faster and more precisely due to the movement in 2 coordinate axes that allows us to move from left to right, top to bottom and diagonally at the same time.
What is a spreader?
A spreader is an accessory that is installed at the end of the pipeline and allows the feed sent through the pipeline to spread as widely and homogeneously as possible.
How many outputs can a selector have?
It will depend on the size of the pipe to be used, being the maximum supported of 200 outlets.
What types of feed can be used?
We currently work with any type of extruded or pelletized feed from any manufacturer of feed for aquaculture.
What percentage of pellet breakage is there?
Sending extruded or pelletized feed through a pipeline using air can break some pellets. It mainly depends on the type of pellet. In our tests we have detected a maximum breakage rate of around 3% at distances of 400m.
What type of spreader should I use?
Depending on the morphology of the tank to be used, we recommend different types of spreaders. On our website https://www.fishfarmfeeder.com/en/feeding-systems/spreaders/ you will find more information and examples.
What is the minimum and maximum pellet size to use?
With our hatchery feeders we are able to feed microdiets from 50 microns. In the ongrowing stage the pellet size is greater than 20mm.
Do I need single-phase or three-phase current?
Our hatcheries feeders work with single-phase current; pre-grow and ongrowing feeders require three-phase current
What maximum size of dose can I send?
Each feeder will support the maximum dose size that has been requested from us before its manufacture. This dose size will condition the size of the pipe to be installed, the blower, and the dosing equipment.
How does the dosing system work?
We generate each dose volumetrically, using auger screws, which must be calibrated when the feeder is installed and when changing feed or feeding batch.
What is the speed at which the feed travels through the pipeline?
Approximately an average speed of 10 meters per second.
What frequency and voltage is needed?
Depending on each country, our power systems are manufactured adapting to the current of each country, both single-phase and three-phase.
How often can I feed a tank?
It will depend on the number of tanks that the fish farm has and the dosing time. The more tanks to feed the longer there will be between each dose.
Can the feed system regulate air flow and speed?
Through our software you can regulate the amount of feed to dose by manipulating the speed of the auger screw and the frequency of the variator of the blower.
How many doses can be sent per day?
With the single-shot machines more than 2,500 doses, being more than 5,000 doses in the designs with a double doser.
How much does a feeder consume?
The consumption of our feeding systems is mainly conditioned by the blower or blowers that we use, which represents more than 80% of the total consumption.
What percentage of accuracy has the feeders?
The design of our auger screws allows us to dose with an approximate precision of 99% (being 100% if we use a weighing system).
Can dust remain inside the pipes?
Not in our feeding systems since before and after each shot air is blowing in the pipes, just to avoid dust that could remain from former shot. Such blowing time could be modified in the software.
At what speed is the feed flowing through the pipes?
This will depend on the frequency, amount of air and pressure drop, but for time calculations we can estimate about 10 meters per second.
