Plankton Tarps can range in size from 30’ – 40+’ deep x 220’ – 425’ long. These tarps made from relatively light weight nylon (tent like) fabrics reinforced with ropes and seatbelt webbing are used to encircle entire fish farm nets as they are suspended in the sea to create an impervious barrier through which harmful plankton cannot pass.
By “Upwelling” clean water from deeper below the nets, the area inside the tarp can be pressurized with clean water to maintain a better environment for the fish inside the net. The positive pressure created by this upwelling will also prevent plankton contaminated water at the surface from getting in through any openings in these tarps as the pressure inside will be greater than on the outside so will therefore be pushing water out any openings rather than allowing any in.
After being deployed in the sea for some time, these tarps can become fouled with marine growth such as barnacles, mussels and seaweed. This growth must be washed off each tarp prior to being repaired to ready it for the next season’s use. Washing of Plankton Tarps is done in our large rotary drum washer the same way the nets are washed.
These are all pics of Plankton Tarps deployed at a farm site during an algal bloom event.
The plankton tarps encircle the entire system and cages within and Bubble diffusers fed by large air compressors draw large volumes of “Clear” water from deep below the cages where it is free of harmful algae that fills and pressurizes the area encircled within the plankton tarps allowing the fish within to survive and effectively keeping the algae from getting in.
Upwelling Bubble Diffusers (white patches) in action:
Plankton Tarp deployed around outside of cage system:
Relative cloudiness outside Plankton Tarp:
Relatively Clear water Inside Plankton Tarps:
Upwelling with Plankton note color difference inside to outside cages with P-Tarps:
Diffusers Working inside Plankton Tarp:
P-Tarps ready to be deployed if needed & Bird Stand:
Circle cages:
