International Journal of Agriculture Extension and Social Development

author(s)
Varadaraju S, Dharshan KS, Jaya Naik and Maloth Mohan

abstract
Aerators are the major component of any aquaculture system because dissolved oxygen is the basic component of the aquatic flora and fauna. The dissolved oxygen has a direct influence on the production and well-being of the aquatic ecosystems. In the present study, the efficiency of the horizontal perforated sheet aerator models with a different number of trays was evaluated for diffusion of oxygen into the water. The results showed that the three-tier perforated horizontal sheets aerator model was more efficient in increasing the dissolved oxygen content of the pond water. The average overall oxygen transfer coefficient [(K_La)_T] values for control, single sheet, two-tier and three tier-aerator models are 0.23 h^-1, 1.52 h^-1, 1.71 h^-1 and 2.01 h^-1 respectively. The standard oxygen transfer rate (SOTR) values are 0.022 kg O₂/h, 0.144 kg O₂/h, 0.16 kg O₂/h and 0.182 kg O₂/h respectively for control, single sheet, two-tier and three tier-aerator models.