Insights & Science

The ADEC Journal

Science-based articles on recirculating aquaculture systems and aquarium life support engineering, written by the ADEC team.

Off-Flavor in RAS Fish: The Science of Geosmin and MIB

RAS Aquaculture

19 August 2026

Off-Flavor in RAS Fish: The Science of Geosmin and MIB

Why recirculating aquaculture systems are uniquely prone to musty, earthy off-flavor in fish — the microbiology behind geosmin and 2-MIB, and the depuration and removal science used to solve it.

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Dissolved Oxygen and Aeration Strategy in High-Density RAS

RAS Aquaculture

15 August 2026

Dissolved Oxygen and Aeration Strategy in High-Density RAS

The science of dissolved oxygen management in recirculating aquaculture — fish and bacterial oxygen demand, aeration versus pure oxygen injection, and why DO is the fastest-moving variable in RAS.

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Energy Efficiency and Heat Recovery in RAS

RAS Aquaculture

9 August 2026

Energy Efficiency and Heat Recovery in RAS

Where RAS energy actually goes — pumping, aeration and temperature control — and how heat recovery and system optimization reduce operating costs in land-based fish farms.

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Denitrification in RAS: Toward Zero-Discharge Aquaculture

RAS Aquaculture

27 July 2026

Denitrification in RAS: Toward Zero-Discharge Aquaculture

How denitrification bioreactors convert nitrate into harmless nitrogen gas, letting recirculating aquaculture systems reduce water exchange even further toward zero-discharge operation.

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RAS Water Quality Parameters Explained: A Reference Guide

RAS Aquaculture

23 July 2026

RAS Water Quality Parameters Explained: A Reference Guide

The core water quality parameters every RAS operator monitors — pH, alkalinity, salinity, temperature and more — and why they must be managed together, not in isolation.

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The Nitrogen Cycle in RAS: Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate

RAS Aquaculture

15 July 2026

The Nitrogen Cycle in RAS: Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate

A deeper look at the science of the nitrogen cycle in recirculating aquaculture systems — how ammonia, nitrite and nitrate each threaten fish health, and how biofiltration manages every stage.

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RAS vs. Traditional Aquaculture: Economics for GCC Farms

RAS Aquaculture

14 July 2026

RAS vs. Traditional Aquaculture: Economics for GCC Farms

A science-based look at RAS economics — water savings, siting flexibility and ROI drivers — compared to traditional aquaculture, with implications for GCC fish farming.

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Biofilter Sizing: Nitrification Kinetics in Commercial RAS

RAS Aquaculture

11 July 2026

Biofilter Sizing: Nitrification Kinetics in Commercial RAS

How engineers size RAS biofilters using nitrification kinetics and Total Ammonia Nitrogen (TAN) removal rates — the science behind matching biofilter capacity to fish biomass.

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How Does a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Work?

RAS Aquaculture

24 June 2026

How Does a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) Work?

A science-based guide to how RAS works — mechanical filtration, biofiltration and the nitrogen cycle, disinfection and oxygenation — and why closed-loop fish farming is gaining ground in water-scarce regions.

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Solids Removal in RAS: Drum Filters and Particle Dynamics

RAS Aquaculture

18 June 2026

Solids Removal in RAS: Drum Filters and Particle Dynamics

How commercial RAS remove suspended solids — drum filters, settling basins, and the particle-size science that determines which mechanical filtration technology actually works.

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Fish Welfare and Stocking Density in RAS: The Science

RAS Aquaculture

16 June 2026

Fish Welfare and Stocking Density in RAS: The Science

What peer-reviewed research says about stocking density, fish welfare and growth performance in recirculating aquaculture systems — and why higher density isn't always better production.

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