Fish farming system, farming method and farming program

Abstract

To provide a fish farming system, farming method and farming program capable of reducing power consumption without hindering growth of fish.SOLUTION: A fish farming system 100 includes a breeding tank 10 for breeding fish, a biological filtration tank 30 for circulating and filtering breeding water W in the breeding tank 10, a pump P for circulating the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10 to the biological filtration tank 30, and a control device 200 for controlling a flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P. The control device 200 estimates a generation amount of ammonia generated by the fish kept in the breeding tank 10 on the basis of a relation between the number of fish kept in the breeding tank 10, the type of fish, and the size of fish, and controls the flow rate of the breeding water W to be circulated to the biological filtration tank 30 by the pump P on the basis of the estimated generation amount of ammonia and the concentration of ammonia calculated on the basis of the water amount of the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fish farming system, a farming method, and a farming program. [Background technology]

[0002] In fish farming systems, the presence of ammonia (NH3) in the breeding tanks hinders the growth of fish. Therefore, to purify the breeding water used in aquaculture, a pump is used to circulate the breeding water between the breeding tanks and the filtration tank. By increasing the flow rate of the circulating breeding water, the ammonia concentration in the breeding water can be kept low, maintaining the health of the fish and preventing disease and death, and allowing for the efficient growth of many fish.

[0003] For example, a technology has been proposed in which a standard ammonia concentration in an aquarium is set according to the type of fish and the breeding density, and if the ammonia concentration in the aquarium is outside this set range or above the standard value, the control device issues a command to a pump attached to the ammonia removal device to adjust the ammonia concentration to an appropriate value (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 06-078648 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the electricity costs for pumps in fish farming systems account for approximately 20% of the total running costs of the systems, and there is a demand for reducing the power consumption of pumps in fish farming systems.

[0006] The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned awareness of the problem, and aims to provide a fish farming system, a farming method, and a farming program that can reduce power consumption without hindering the growth of fish. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The fish farming system of this embodiment includes a breeding tank for raising fish, a filtration tank for circulating and filtering the breeding water in the breeding tank, a pump for circulating the breeding water in the breeding tank to the filtration tank, and a control device for controlling the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump, wherein the control device estimates the amount of ammonia generated by the fish raised in the breeding tank based on the relationship between the number of fish raised in the breeding tank, the type of fish, and the size of the fish, and controls the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the ammonia concentration calculated based on the amount of the breeding water in the breeding tank.

[0008] The fish farming method of this embodiment is an aquaculture method carried out in a fish farming system including a breeding tank for raising fish, a filtration tank for circulating and filtering the breeding water in the breeding tank, a pump for circulating the breeding water in the breeding tank to the filtration tank, and a control device for controlling the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump, characterized in that the method estimates the amount of ammonia generated by the fish raised in the breeding tank based on the relationship between the number of fish raised in the breeding tank, the type of fish, and the size of the fish, and controls the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the ammonia concentration calculated based on the amount of the breeding water in the breeding tank.

[0009] The aquaculture program of this embodiment is an aquaculture program executed by a fish farming system including a breeding tank for raising fish, a filtration tank for circulating and filtering the breeding water in the breeding tank, a pump for circulating the breeding water in the breeding tank to the filtration tank, and a control device for controlling the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump, and is characterized in that the aquaculture program estimates the amount of ammonia generated by the fish raised in the breeding tank based on the relationship between the number of fish raised in the breeding tank, the type of fish, and the size of the fish, and controls the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the ammonia concentration calculated based on the amount of the breeding water in the breeding tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a fish farming system, a farming method, and a farming program that can reduce power consumption without hindering the growth of fish. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the technical concept of the fish farming system and farming method of the present embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a biological filtration tank according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration diagram of a control device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example of a graph of an occurrence amount database according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of an upper limit database according to the present embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a graph of a filtration capacity database according to the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of a graph of the generation amount transition database of the present embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In this specification, fish farming may be referred to as "land-based aquaculture." This "land-based aquaculture" refers to aquaculture that does not utilize the natural ocean or rivers themselves, but rather utilizes the aquaculture plant technology described in this embodiment to consistently cultivate fish from spawning to hatching, and from fry to adulthood. Therefore, the fish farming system and aquaculture method of this embodiment are distinct from aquaculture technologies that utilize the natural oceans or rivers themselves, and are not comparable to aquaculture technologies that utilize the natural oceans or rivers themselves. However, this does not exclude the case where the aquaculture plant of this embodiment is installed in or near the natural oceans or rivers.

[0013] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating an example of the technical concept of the fish farming system and fish farming method of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 1, the fish farming system 100 of this embodiment includes a breeding tank 10, a water temperature regulator 20, a biological filtration tank 30, a flow meter 40, an electromagnetic valve 50, a pump P, an inverter INV, a first ammonia sensor 60, a second ammonia sensor 70, a microbial count measuring device 80, a size measuring device 90, a control device 200, and a circulation pipe 300. The fish farming system 100 may include components other than those shown in FIG. 1. The breeding tank 10, the water temperature regulator 20, the biological filtration tank 30, the flow meter 40, the electromagnetic valve 50, and the pump P are connected to each other via the circulation pipe 300. While FIG. 1 illustrates the control device 200 being located near the breeding tank 10, this is not a limitation. For example, the control device 200 may be configured as a cloud server connected via a network (not shown). The fish farming system 100 is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. 1. Other configurations may also be provided.

[0014] The breeding aquarium 10 is an aquarium for breeding fish. The breeding aquarium 10 is located downstream of the pump P and upstream of the water temperature regulator 20. The breeding aquarium 10 has a cylindrical shape and contains breeding water W suitable for breeding fish. The breeding water W flows into the breeding aquarium 10 from the pump P located upstream and flows out to the water temperature regulator 20 located downstream. This circulates the breeding water W within the breeding aquarium 10. By circulating the breeding water W within the breeding aquarium 10, fish can be raised in an environment close to nature. This provides an ideal living environment for fish, thereby effectively promoting their growth. The number of fish to be raised in the breeding aquarium 10 is determined in advance by the control device 200. For example, the control device 200 excludes the number of dead fish from the number of fish to be raised in the breeding aquarium 10. This allows for accurate estimation of the amount of ammonia generated.

[0015] The breeding water W is composed of freshwater, seawater, or the like depending on the fish species. The salinity of the breeding water W is set to different concentrations depending on the type of fish. By making the breeding aquarium 10 cylindrical, it can withstand the high pressure caused by the presence of the breeding water W, and as a result, the durability of the fish farming system 100 can be improved.

[0016] The shape of the breeding tank 10 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, but may be a rectangular shape, a polygonal shape, or an elliptical shape. By adopting various shapes for the breeding tank 10, the degree of freedom in designing the fish farming system 100 can be increased.

[0017] The amount of breeding water W in the breeding tank 10 is set to a predetermined amount. The amount of breeding water W in the breeding tank 10 can be set to an appropriate amount depending on the volume of the breeding tank 10 and the type and size of the fish being raised in the breeding tank 10. When the amount of breeding water W in the breeding tank 10 decreases, breeding water W is supplied from a supply port (not shown), and when the amount of breeding water W in the breeding tank 10 increases, breeding water W is discharged from a discharge port (not shown). The amount of breeding water W supplied and the amount of breeding water W discharged are monitored by the control device 200. This allows the ammonia concentration to be calculated accurately. A size measurement device 90 is provided in the breeding tank 10.

[0018] The size measurement device 90 measures the body lengths of the fish in the breeding tank 10. The body lengths of the fish are one example of the size of the fish. The size measurement device 90 includes, for example, a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) device. The size measurement device 90 measures the body lengths of the fish using the LiDAR device. When measuring the body lengths of the fish using the LiDAR device, the LiDAR device is placed adjacent to the breeding tank 10, which is the measurement target. The LiDAR device may be placed in a position where it can irradiate the fish in the breeding tank 10 with a laser, and may be placed in the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10, on the surface of the breeding water W, or through a wall that constitutes the breeding tank 10.

[0019] The size measurement device 90 uses a LiDAR device to emit laser light around the fish and collect data on the light reflected from the fish's body surface. The emission of laser light and collection of data on the reflected light can be performed even while the fish are moving. The size measurement device 90 constructs a 2D model of the fish's body shape from the collected data. The size measurement device 90 can measure the body length of the fish by analyzing the constructed 2D model. The size measurement device 90 may also construct a 3D model of the fish's body shape from the collected data. The size measurement device 90 can measure the body length of the fish by analyzing the constructed 3D model. The size measurement device 90 may measure the fish's body length multiple times using a laser from the LiDAR device and calculate the average of the measured body lengths as the body length of the fish in the breeding aquarium 10.

[0020] The size measuring device 90 measures the size of the fish using a LiDAR device, but is not limited to this. For example, the size measuring device 90 may measure the size of the fish by reflecting ultrasonic waves or by image processing based on images captured by an imaging device. The size measuring device 90 may also measure at least one of the body length, thickness, weight, volume, or surface area of ​​the fish as the size of the fish. A water temperature regulator 20 is disposed downstream of the breeding aquarium 10. The breeding water W flowing out of the breeding aquarium 10 flows into the water temperature regulator 20 through a circulation pipe 300.

[0021] The water temperature regulator 20 adjusts the temperature of the breeding water W circulated and supplied from the breeding aquarium 10. The water temperature regulator 20 is disposed downstream of the breeding aquarium 10 and upstream of the biological filtration tank 30. The water temperature regulator 20 has a temperature sensor, and under the control of the control device 200, adjusts the temperature of the breeding water W flowing in from the breeding aquarium 10 to a temperature appropriate for the fish being raised in the breeding aquarium 10. For example, if the temperature of the breeding water W flowing in from the breeding aquarium 10 is too low for the fish being raised in the breeding aquarium 10, the control device 200 heats the breeding water W using a heater included in the water temperature regulator 20. The heater is, for example, a heater or a heat pump type heating device. Furthermore, if the temperature of the breeding water W flowing in from the breeding aquarium 10 is too high for the fish being raised in the breeding aquarium 10, the control device 200 cools the breeding water W using a cooler included in the water temperature regulator 20. The cooler may be, for example, a water-cooled or air-cooled radiator, a heat pump cooling device, or the like. The water temperature regulator 20 can appropriately adjust the temperature of the breeding water W, thereby maintaining a stress-free breeding environment for the fish kept in the breeding aquarium 10 and improving the fish farming efficiency. A biological filtration tank 30 is disposed downstream of the water temperature regulator 20. The breeding water W flowing out of the water temperature regulator 20 flows into the biological filtration tank 30 through a circulation pipe 300. A first ammonia sensor 60 is disposed between the water temperature regulator 20 and the biological filtration tank 30.

[0022] The first ammonia sensor 60 can measure the ammonia concentration (ppm) before the ammonia is filtered in the biological filtration tank 30. The first ammonia sensor 60 can measure the ammonia concentration in the breeding water W at predetermined intervals. The predetermined interval can be set to any timing, such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months. This allows the ammonia concentration to be measured in real time or periodically. The first ammonia sensor 60 is configured using an existing electrochemical sensor. If the first ammonia sensor 60 is configured using an electrochemical sensor, the concentration can be measured using an electrochemical reaction specific to ammonia. As the electrochemical reaction specific to ammonia, an existing method can be used to estimate the ammonia concentration by measuring changes in current caused by a reaction on a specific electrode. The first ammonia sensor 60 may also be configured using an optical sensor. If the first ammonia sensor 60 is configured using an optical sensor, the ammonia concentration can be measured by irradiating ammonia with light of a specific wavelength and detecting changes in absorption or fluorescence.

[0023] The biological filtration tank 30 circulates and filters the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10. The biological filtration tank 30 is located downstream of the water temperature regulator 20 and upstream of the flow meter 40. The biological filtration tank 30 is an example of a filtration tank. The biological filtration tank 30 is formed, for example, from a porous ceramic material, and the formed pores function as a habitat for microorganisms. The breeding water W in the breeding tank 10 is circulated to the biological filtration tank 30 by a pump P. The biological filtration tank 30 uses microorganisms to decompose ammonia generated by the fish being raised in the breeding tank 10.

[0024] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the biological filtration tank 30 of this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, the biological filtration tank 30 includes at least a nitrite biological filtration tank 31 and a nitrate biological filtration tank 32. The nitrite biological filtration tank 31 decomposes ammonia generated by the fish kept in the breeding aquarium 10 into nitrite. Ammonia is generated from the decomposition of fish waste, undigested feed, and other organic matter. The presence of high concentrations of ammonia is harmful to the growth of fish. Therefore, in the nitrite biological filtration tank 31, specific nitritizing bacteria (e.g., Nitrosomonas genus) use ammonia as an energy source and convert it into nitrite. Nitrite is converted into nitrite ions (NO2 - This process is generally called nitritation. Downstream of the nitrite biological filtration tank 31, a nitrate biological filtration tank 32 is placed.

[0025] The nitrate biological filtration tank 32 decomposes the nitrite decomposed by the nitrite biological filtration tank 31 into nitrate. Nitrite produced in the nitritation process is also harmful to fish if present in high concentrations. Therefore, in the nitrate biological filtration tank 32, nitrifying bacteria (e.g., Nitrobacter genus, Nitrospira genus, etc.) use nitrite as an energy source and convert it into nitrate. Nitrate is converted into nitrate ions (NO3 - ) salts. This process is commonly called nitration.

[0026] Ammonia in the breeding water W circulated from the breeding tank 10 is filtered through the nitrite biological filtration tank 31 and the nitrate biological filtration tank 32 that make up the biological filtration tank 30, thereby nitrifying the harmful ammonia in the breeding water W into a harmless substance. This improves the water quality of the breeding water W, and maintains a healthy growth environment for the fish kept in the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10. A microorganism count measuring device 80 is disposed in the biological filtration tank 30.

[0027] The microorganism count measurement device 80 is a device for counting the number of microorganisms living in the biological filtration tank 30. The microbial count is measured using DNA quantification by fluorescence. This method uses a dye that specifically binds to microbial DNA and emits fluorescence to measure the amount of DNA. Specifically, a fluorescent DNA-binding dye is added to a microbial sample collected from the biological filtration tank 30, and the amount of DNA in the sample, i.e., the number of microorganisms, is quantified by measuring the amount of fluorescence. This process uses fluorescent PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology to amplify the copy number of a specific microbial DNA region. The number of microorganisms can be accurately estimated by measuring the change in the fluorescence intensity of the fluorescent dye that binds to the amplified DNA fragments over time. Fluorescence-based DNA quantification can detect the DNA of not only living microorganisms but also dead microorganisms, making it effective for understanding the dynamics of the entire microbial population in the biological filtration tank 30 in detail. The microorganism count measurement device 80 uses fluorescent PCR DNA amplification and a fluorescence detector to irradiate specific wavelengths of light onto the fluorescent dye bound to the DNA and analyze the intensity and pattern of the emitted fluorescence, thereby accurately measuring the number of microorganisms present in the biological filtration tank 30. In the above-described embodiment, the microorganism quantity measurement device 80 measures the number of microorganisms present in the biological filtration tank 30 using DNA amplification by fluorescent PCR and a fluorescence detector, but this is not limited to this. For example, the microorganism quantity measurement device 80 may perform nuclear staining and quantitatively measure the number of microorganisms present in the biological filtration tank 30 using a device such as a flow cytometer, which is used in an analytical technique called flow cytometry, to measure the resulting fluorescence. A flow meter 40 is disposed downstream of the biological filtration tank 30. The breeding water W flowing out of the biological filtration tank 30 flows into the flow meter 40 through the circulation piping 300.

[0028] The flow meter 40 measures the flow rate of the breeding water W circulating mainly through the breeding aquarium 10 and the biological filtration tank 30 via the circulation piping 300. The flow meter 40 is disposed downstream of the biological filtration tank 30 and upstream of the solenoid valve 50. The breeding water W flowing out from the flow meter 40 flows into the solenoid valve 50 via the circulation piping 300. The flow rate measured by the flow meter 40 is notified to the control device 200.

[0029] The solenoid valve 50 switches the flow rate of the rearing water W circulating through the circulation pipe 300 between on and off based on a signal from the control device 200. The solenoid valve 50 is disposed downstream of the flow meter 40 and upstream of the pump P. The solenoid valve 50 is, for example, a normally open solenoid valve, and is in an open state when power is not supplied from the control device 200, and is closed when power is supplied from the control device 200. The solenoid valve 50 is not limited to being a normally open solenoid valve, and may be a normally closed solenoid valve. The rearing water W flowing out of the solenoid valve 50 flows into the pump P through the circulation pipe 300.

[0030] The pump P circulates the culture water W in the breeding aquarium 10 to the biological filtration tank 30 through the circulation piping 300. The pump P is located downstream of the solenoid valve 50 and upstream of the breeding aquarium 10. The breeding water W discharged from the pump P passes through the circulation piping 300, passing through the breeding aquarium 10, the water temperature regulator 20, the biological filtration tank 30, the flow meter 40, and the solenoid valve 50, before circulating back to the breeding aquarium 10. The flow rate discharged by the pump P is controlled by an inverter INV. The pump P is equipped with a pump drive motor. Therefore, the control device 200 controls the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P by controlling the rotation speed of the pump drive motor that drives the pump P using a drive frequency variable by the inverter INV. This allows the control device 200 to control the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P in stages. The pump drive motor may be a component other than the pump P. The breeding aquarium 10 is located downstream of the pump P. The flow rate of the pump P can be adjusted by the inverter INV, so the ammonia concentration can be adjusted accurately. A second ammonia sensor 70 is disposed between the pump P and the breeding aquarium 10.

[0031] The second ammonia sensor 70 can measure the ammonia concentration (ppm) after the ammonia is filtered in the biological filtration tank 30. The second ammonia sensor 70 can measure the ammonia concentration in the breeding water W at predetermined intervals. The predetermined interval can be set to any timing, such as seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or months. This allows for real-time or periodic measurement of the ammonia concentration. Measurement of the ammonia concentration by the first ammonia sensor 60 and measurement of the ammonia concentration by the second ammonia sensor 70 can also be performed simultaneously. The second ammonia sensor 70 is configured using an existing electrochemical sensor. If the second ammonia sensor 70 is configured using an electrochemical sensor, the concentration can be measured using an electrochemical reaction specific to ammonia. As the electrochemical reaction specific to ammonia, an existing method can be used to estimate the ammonia concentration by measuring changes in current generated by a reaction on a specific electrode. The second ammonia sensor 70 may also be configured using an optical sensor. If the second ammonia sensor 70 is configured using an optical sensor, the ammonia concentration can be measured by irradiating ammonia with light of a specific wavelength and detecting changes in absorption or fluorescence.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration diagram of the control device 200 of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 3, the control device 200 includes a processor 110, a storage device 120, a communication device 130, an input device 140, and an output device 150. The processor 110 is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) or a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The processor 110 executes a program 121 stored in the storage device 120, causing the control device 200 to operate as a computer and perform various processes. The program 121 is an example of an aquaculture program.

[0033] The storage device 120 includes, for example, semiconductor memory that operates as a main storage device, such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory), and storage that operates as an auxiliary storage device, such as SSD (Solid State Drive) or HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage device 120 is an example of a storage device. The storage device 120 stores a program 121 executed by the processor 110 and various databases (a generation amount database 122, an upper limit value database 123, a filtration capacity database 124, and a generation amount trend database 125) used when the program 121 is executed.

[0034] The communication device 130 is a communication module that communicates with a server device (not shown) via a network. The input device 140 accepts user operations. The input device 140 is a keyboard, a touch panel, a mouse, or the like. The output device 150 displays information to the user. The output device 150 is a liquid crystal display, an organic EL display, or the like. The input device 140 and the output device 150 may be formed integrally.

[0035] As described above, by increasing the flow rate discharged by the pump P, the control device 200 can improve the ability of the biological filtration tank 30 to filter ammonia from the breeding water W (hereinafter also referred to as "filtration capacity"), but this increases the power consumption of the pump P. In contrast, by decreasing the flow rate discharged by the pump P, the control device 200 can reduce the power consumption of the pump P, but this decreases the ability of the biological filtration tank 30 to filter ammonia from the breeding water W. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 200 estimates the amount of ammonia generated by the fish kept in the breeding aquarium 10 based on the relationship between the number, type, and size of the fish kept in the breeding aquarium 10, and controls the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P to the biological filtration tank 30 based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the ammonia concentration calculated based on the volume of the breeding water W in the breeding aquarium 10.

[0036] 4 is a diagram showing an example of a graph in the generation amount database 122 of this embodiment. The graph in the generation amount database 122 stores the amount of ammonia generated by fish kept in the breeding aquarium 10, corresponding to the type of fish and the body length of the fish. The graph in the generation amount database 122 stores, as fish, a line G1 representing the amount of ammonia generated by "salmon" and a line G2 representing the amount of ammonia generated by "trout." Line G1 is displayed as a dotted line, and line G2 is displayed as a dashed line.

[0037] The vertical axis of the graph in the generation amount database 122 represents the amount of ammonia generated per minute (mol / fish·min) per fish kept in the breeding tank 10, and the horizontal axis represents the body length of the fish.

[0038] The control device 200 estimates the amount of ammonia generated by the fish kept in the breeding tank 10 based on the relationship between the number of fish kept in the breeding tank 10, the type of fish, and the size of the fish. Specifically, the control device 200 calculates the amount of ammonia generated per fish (mol / fish·min) corresponding to the body length of the fish measured by the size measuring device 90, based on the line for the target type of fish among the lines included in the graph of the generation amount database 122 in Figure 4. The control device 200 then estimates the amount of ammonia generated by the fish kept in the breeding tank 10 by multiplying the calculated amount of ammonia generated per fish (mol / fish·min) by the number of fish kept in the breeding tank 10.

[0039] As shown by lines G1 and G2 in the graph of the generation amount database 122 in Figure 4, the amount of ammonia generated varies depending on the type and body length of the fish. Therefore, the control device 200 can accurately estimate the amount of ammonia generated from the breeding aquarium 10 based on the type and size of the fish by estimating the amount of ammonia generated by the fish raised in the breeding aquarium 10 with reference to the graph of the generation amount database 122 in Figure 4. For example, if the fish raised in the breeding aquarium 10 are salmon, the amount of ammonia generated per salmon (mol / salmon·min) can be calculated by plotting the body lengths of the fish measured by the size measuring device 90 on line G1 in the graph of the generation amount database 122 in Figure 4. Then, by multiplying the calculated amount of ammonia generated per salmon by the number of salmon raised in the breeding aquarium 10, the amount of ammonia generated from the breeding aquarium 10 in which the salmon are raised can be accurately estimated.

[0040] The control device 200 controls the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P to the biological filtration tank 30 based on the ammonia concentration calculated based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the volume (L) of the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10.

[0041] First, the control device 200 calculates the ammonia concentration (ppm) in the breeding tank 10 by dividing the estimated amount of ammonia generated by the fish being raised in the breeding tank 10 by the volume (L) of the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10. The volume (L) of the breeding water W in the breeding tank 10 can be calculated from the size of the breeding tank 10. The size of the breeding tank 10 can be calculated backwards from the breeding density that is set in advance for each fish.

[0042] The control device 200 controls the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P to the biological filtration tank 30 in accordance with the calculated ammonia concentration. First, the control device 200 calculates the upper limit of the ammonia concentration that is tolerable for the fish kept in the breeding tank 10 in accordance with the relationship between the type of fish kept in the breeding tank 10 and the size of the fish measured by the size measuring device 90.

[0043] 5 is a diagram showing an example of the upper limit database 123 of this embodiment. The upper limit database 123 stores upper limits of ammonia concentrations corresponding to the type of fish and the body length of the fish. The upper limit of ammonia concentrations corresponding to the type of fish and the body length of the fish is an ammonia concentration that is permissible based on the relationship between each type of fish and the body length. The upper limit of ammonia concentrations corresponding to the type of fish and the body length of the fish are obtained in advance by experiment and stored. The upper limit of ammonia concentrations corresponding to the type of fish and the body length of the fish may be set to any value based on an input operation by the user.

[0044] When referring to the upper limit value database 123 of FIG. 4, the control device 200 selects, for example, an upper limit value of 50 mm for a body length of a fish if the body length of the fish is equal to or greater than 1 mm and less than 75 mm, selects an upper limit value of 100 mm for a body length of a fish if the body length of the fish is equal to or greater than 75 mm and less than 150 mm, and selects an upper limit value of 200 mm for a body length of a fish if the body length of the fish is equal to or greater than 150 mm (or equal to or greater than 150 mm and less than 250 mm). Information on the type of fish is received in advance based on an input operation by the user via the input device 140. For example, if the type of fish is "salmon" and the body length is 100 mm, the control device 200 refers to the upper limit value database 123 of FIG. 4 and calculates "8 ppm" as the upper limit value of the ammonia concentration corresponding to the type of fish "salmon" and the size of the fish "100 mm" kept in the breeding aquarium 10.

[0045] The control device 200 can reduce the ammonia concentration in the breeding aquarium 10 by increasing the flow rate discharged by the pump P, but this increases the power consumption of the pump P. In contrast, the control device 200 can reduce the power consumption of the pump P by decreasing the flow rate discharged by the pump P, but this increases the ammonia concentration in the breeding aquarium 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 200 controls the inverter INV so that the ammonia concentration calculated based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated in the breeding aquarium 10 and the volume of the breeding water W in the breeding aquarium 10 is equal to or less than the upper limit calculated based on the upper limit database 123, thereby circulating the breeding water W by the pump P to the biological filtration tank 30. This keeps the ammonia concentration in the breeding water low, maintaining the health of the fish, preventing disease and death, and allowing many fish to grow efficiently. As a result, the power consumption of the pump P in the fish farming system 100 can be reduced without hindering the growth of the fish in the breeding aquarium 10.

[0046] The control device 200 can calculate the filtering capacity α (ppm / pass) of the biological filtration tank 30 based on the measured number of microorganisms present in the biological filtration tank 30. The filtering capacity α can be expressed as the concentration of ammonia that decreases when the breeding water W passes through the biological filtration tank 30. The filtering capacity α of the biological filtration tank 30 is quantitatively calculated from the difference ΔX between the ammonia concentration X measured by the first ammonia sensor 60 located upstream of the biological filtration tank 30 and the ammonia concentration X' measured by the second ammonia sensor 70 located downstream of the biological filtration tank 30.

[0047] FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a graph of the filtration capacity database 124 of this embodiment. The graph of the filtration capacity database 124 stores a line G3 showing the relationship between the filtration capacity α of the biological filtration tank 30 and the number of microorganisms measured by the microorganism quantity measurement device 80. The line G3 is displayed as a solid line. As shown in the graph of the filtration capacity database 124 in FIG. 6, as the number of microorganisms living in the biological filtration tank 30 increases, the filtration capacity α of the biological filtration tank 30 also increases. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 200 controls the inverter INV to control the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P to the biological filtration tank 30 in accordance with the calculated ammonia concentration and the number of microorganisms measured by the microorganism quantity measurement device 80. Specifically, the control device 200 refers to the filtration capacity database 124 shown in FIG. 6 to calculate the filtration capacity α corresponding to the number of microorganisms measured by the microorganism quantity measurement device 80. When the number of microorganisms living in the biological filtration tank 30 is large, the filtering capacity α of the biological filtration tank 30 is high, and the inverter INV is controlled according to the calculated filtering capacity α to reduce the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated to the biological filtration tank 30 by the pump P. On the other hand, when the number of microorganisms living in the biological filtration tank 30 is small, the filtering capacity α of the biological filtration tank 30 is low, and the inverter INV is controlled according to the calculated filtering capacity α to increase the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated to the biological filtration tank 30 by the pump P. This keeps the ammonia concentration in the breeding water low, maintaining the health of the fish and preventing disease and death, and allowing many fish to grow efficiently. As a result, the power consumption of the pump P in the fish farming system 100 can be reduced without hindering the growth of the fish in the breeding tank 10.

[0048] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a graph stored in the generation amount transition database 125 according to this embodiment. The graph in the generation amount transition database 125 stores a line G4 showing the relationship between the amount of ammonia generated and time. The line G4 is displayed as a solid line. As shown in the graph in FIG. 7 , the amount of ammonia generated increases immediately after the timings T1 and T2 of feeding the fish in the breeding aquarium 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the control device 200 references the generation amount transition database 125 shown in FIG. 7 to estimate the amount of ammonia generated by the fish in the breeding aquarium 10 based on the relationship between the number, type, and size of the fish in the breeding aquarium 10, as well as the timings T1 and T2 of feeding the fish. The control device 200 then controls the flow rate of the breeding water W circulated by the pump P to the biological filtration tank 30 using the inverter INV based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the calculated ammonia concentration. Therefore, the flow rate of the rearing water W can be controlled taking into account the amount of ammonia generated, which increases at the feeding times T1 and T2, and the ammonia concentration can be accurately calculated and controlled. This allows the ammonia concentration in the rearing water to be kept low, maintaining the health of the fish and preventing illness and death, and allowing many fish to grow efficiently. As a result, the power consumption of the pump P in the fish farming system 100 can be reduced without hindering the growth of the fish in the rearing tank 10.

[0049] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and the components can be modified and embodied in practice without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining the multiple components disclosed in the above-described embodiments. For example, all of the components shown in the above-described embodiments can be appropriately combined. Naturally, various modifications and applications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0050] In the above-described embodiment, the biological filtration tank 30 is provided as an example of a filtration tank, but this is not limited to this. For example, an inanimate filtration tank may be provided as an example of a filtration tank. This can reduce the maintenance costs of the biological filtration tank 30.

[0051] In the above-described embodiment, the flow rate of the rearing water W circulating through the circulation pipe 300 is controlled by the pump P, but this is not limited to this. For example, the flow rate of the rearing water W circulating through the circulation pipe 300 may be controlled by turning on / off the solenoid valve 50. This allows for reductions in equipment costs and power consumption.

[0052] In the above-described embodiment, the amount of ammonia generated by the fish kept in the breeding tank 10 is estimated based on the relationship between the number, type, and size of the fish kept in the breeding tank 10. However, this is not limited to this. Furthermore, the amount of ammonia generated may be estimated based on the temperature of the breeding water W measured by the temperature sensor of the water temperature regulator 20. When the temperature of the breeding water W is high, the fish kept in the breeding tank 10 become more active, thereby increasing the amount of ammonia generated. When the temperature of the breeding water W is low, the fish kept in the breeding tank 10 become less active, thereby decreasing the amount of ammonia generated. Therefore, the flow rate of the breeding water W can be controlled taking into account the amount of ammonia generated, which increases or decreases depending on the temperature of the breeding water W measured by the temperature sensor of the water temperature regulator 20. Therefore, the ammonia concentration can be accurately calculated and controlled. This allows the power consumption of the pump P in the fish farming system 100 to be reduced without hindering the growth of the fish in the breeding tank 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0053] 10: Breeding tank 20:Water temperature regulator 30: Biological filtration tank 31: Nitrite biological filtration tank 32: Nitrate biological filtration tank 40:Flow meter 50: Solenoid valve 60: First ammonia sensor 70: Second ammonia sensor 80: Microorganism count measuring device 90: Size measuring device 100: Fish farming system 110: Processor 120: Storage device 121: Program 122: Generation amount database 123: Upper limit database 124: Filtration capacity database 125: Generation volume trend database 130: Communication equipment 140: Input device 150: Output device 200: Control device 300: Circulation piping INV: Inverter P: Pump

Claims

1. A fish farming system comprising a breeding tank for breeding fishes, a filtration tank for circulating and filtering breeding water in the breeding tank, a pump for circulating the breeding water in the breeding tank to the filtration tank, and a control device for controlling the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump, The control device estimating the amount of ammonia generated by the fishes kept in the breeding tank according to the relationship between the number of the fishes kept in the breeding tank, the type of the fishes, and the size of the fishes; The flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank is controlled in accordance with the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the ammonia concentration calculated in accordance with the amount of water in the breeding aquarium. A fish farming system comprising:

2. The filtration tank is a biological filtration tank that decomposes the ammonia using microorganisms.

2. The fish farming system according to claim 1 .

3. a size measuring device for measuring the size of the fish in the breeding tank; The control device calculating an upper limit of the ammonia concentration that is tolerable to the fishes raised in the breeding tank according to the relationship between the type of the fishes raised in the breeding tank and the size of the fishes measured by the size measuring device; The flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank is controlled so that the ammonia concentration calculated based on the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the amount of the breeding water in the breeding aquarium is equal to or lower than the calculated upper limit value.

3. The fish farming system according to claim 2.

4. The biological filtration tank is a nitrite biological filtration tank that decomposes the ammonia into nitrite; a nitrate biological filtration tank that decomposes the nitrite decomposed in the nitrite biological filtration tank into nitric acid.

4. The fish farming system according to claim 3 .

5. Further provided is a microorganism number measuring device for measuring the number of microorganisms remaining in the biological filtration tank, The control device The flow rate of the rearing water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank is controlled in accordance with the calculated amount of generated ammonia concentration and the number of microorganisms measured by the microorganism number measuring device.

5. The fish farming system according to claim 4.

6. The control device The amount of ammonia generated by the fishes raised in the breeding tank is estimated according to the relationship between the number of the fishes raised in the breeding tank, the type of the fishes, the size of the fishes, and the timing of feeding the fishes.

6. The fish farming system according to claim 5.

7. The flow rate of the rearing water by the pump is controlled by controlling the rotation speed of the pump drive motor by varying the drive frequency using an inverter.

7. The fish farming system according to claim 6.

8. The flow rate of the rearing water by the pump is controlled by turning on or off a solenoid valve.

7. The fish farming system according to claim 6.

9. The size of the fish is the body length of the fish.

9. A fish farming system according to claim 7 or 8.

10. 1. A fish farming method carried out in a fish farming system including a breeding aquarium for breeding fishes, a filtration tank for circulating and filtering breeding water in the breeding aquarium, a pump for circulating the breeding water in the breeding aquarium to the filtration tank, and a control device for controlling the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump, estimating the amount of ammonia generated by the fishes kept in the breeding tank according to the relationship between the number of the fishes kept in the breeding tank, the type of the fishes, and the size of the fishes; The flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank is controlled in accordance with the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the ammonia concentration calculated in accordance with the amount of water in the breeding aquarium. A method for cultivating fish, comprising carrying out a treatment.

11. A fish farming program executed by a fish farming system including a breeding aquarium for breeding fishes, a filtration tank for circulating and filtering breeding water in the breeding aquarium, a pump for circulating the breeding water in the breeding aquarium to the filtration tank, and a control device for controlling the flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump, estimating the amount of ammonia generated by the fishes kept in the breeding tank according to the relationship between the number of the fishes kept in the breeding tank, the type of the fishes, and the size of the fishes; The flow rate of the breeding water circulated by the pump to the filtration tank is controlled in accordance with the estimated amount of ammonia generated and the ammonia concentration calculated in accordance with the amount of water in the breeding aquarium. An aquaculture program characterized by carrying out a process.

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