Semi closed systems are similar to open systems in that they use water from a lake or pond, but that is where the similarities end. In a semi closed system the pond or lake is taken out of the equation and the water is pumped into a man made facility. The facility will choose how much of the water it retains after filtration. Some facilities retain most of the water and some will let all water pass through back into the environment. This all depends on the specific setup and the species being raised.
The fact that temperature, water volume, current speeds, aeration and water quality can all be regulated easily gives the semi closed system an advantage over the open system. These controlled variables give the aquaculturist the ability to grow more fish in less water. This is a great benefit to both the environment and the facility. More manageable use of feed and the non existence of predators also allow for better results by producing a more uniform product.
Despite the many advantages that semi closed systems offer they do have one major disadvantage when compared to open systems and that is cost. The construction of a facility with vessels and technology to monitor and control variables will almost always cost more than leasing or purchasing land to start an open system.
It is in the hopes of most farmers who start a semi closed system that these costs will be offset by the better, more valuable crop that is produced. Most farmers who start a semi closed system should have a good deal of aquaculture knowledge due to the higher command for quality management of the system. The fact that the organisms will be more crowded and feed and effluent must be managed properly makes semi closed system a better choice for more experience aquaculturists.
To read more about the other two systems click the links below
Open Aquaculture System
Closed Aquaculture System
Or checkout some of the related links below that are related to this topic.
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Mike
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