The Partitioned Aquaculture System (PAS) was developed at Clemson University from 1990 to 2009. The technique is one of using slow-moving paddlewheels to provide uniform mixing of fish-pond culture water while cultured fish are held within high density raceways. In this configuration, approximately 5% of system area is used for fish culture with the remaining 95% devoted to water treatment. To take advantage of the enhanced algal treatment capacity of the PAS for application to commercial catfish culture at reduced cost, a simplified version of the PAS entitled, the Split-Pond (SP) was installed at the Warm Water Aquaculture Center in Stoneville Mississippi. The Split-Pond makes use of existing catfish ponds, confining fish at lower densities than in PAS raceway (~20% of total system area). This study was undertaken to compare mixing effectiveness of paddlewheels vs culvert pumps in SPs with, and without, internal levees dividing water flow within the waste treatment zone. Dissolved oxygen and temperature measurements were taken one-ft below the water surface and one-ft above pond bottom using a YSI oxygen meter, suspended from a boat positioned at 30 x 40 ft increments across the five-acre waste treatment zone. Preliminary analysis indicates that SPs containing levees, configured with culvert pumps providing 8,000-gpm water flow, impart mixed conditions to approximately 33% of the volume of the treatment zone, whereas SP treatment zones without levees, configured with paddlewheels providing 10,000 to 15,000-gpm flow, was seen to provide mixing to approximately 50% of the treatment zone water volume.
This study suggests; 1) Widespread split-pond application offer potential for significant expansion of aquaculture production with reduced environmental impact, 2) Split-pond installation cost averages 50% of PAS cost capturing ~ 85% of the production benefit, 3) Performance of split-ponds is dependent on degree of water mixing, 4) Water discharge rates of 15,000 to 20,000 gpm in five-acre split-ponds treatment zones will likely be needed to ensure sufficient mixing to fully utilize pond photosynthetic capacity supporting maximum catfish production.