The Benefits of Using Geomembranes as Liners in Aquaculture

There are many various kinds of cultivation techniques for aquatic animals, and even plants, for food. If anyone is actually planning to ingest the cultivated aquatic plants or animals as food, then the cultivated creatures have to be disease-free for consumption. There are several factors that go into maintaining the health of the aquafarm. Since the environment has to maintain a certain level of cleanliness and water levels, the best way to prevent any problems is with a “geomembrane” liner. You may not have heard of this term before, but a geomembrane liner is an update on old technology. Previously, aquafarmers could only rely on natural dirt-ponds, but these ponds can often breed bacteria that harms the human body. Now, we can place a synthetic material that efficiently prevents any water leakage, but also, creates a solid barrier that prevents any water contamination to your fish farm. Without a liner, any of the parts of your aquaculture system can rupture and break the entire pond in the long run. 

Managing pH Levels

If you are a true aquafarmer, you know that the water pH levels are everything. Depending on the aquaculture you are growing, the pH level of the water can determine whether your fish live or die. Different fish require different levels. Furthermore, the pH can vary depending on where you live. Rainfall can affect your pH balance, so can the type of soil. If the water is either too acidic or too “basic” (alkaline), it can throw the aquatic environment off. Dedicated aquaculturists will repeatedly test the pH balance of the water tank or farm with pH test strips at your local home improvement store.   

Depending on which type of aquaculture you’re trying to grow, or even if you just want to cultivate the cleanest potable water in a water storage tank in case of emergencies, maintaining the right pH is ideal. Broken up minerals, pH, rising groundwater levels can all cause harm to your aquatic pond. Of course, you can control the pH with chemicals such as baking soda. Farmers can also remove some of the contaminated water and refill it with the correct pH-level water. This can be a tedious task, especially if you already have living fish and plants in the pond, since you don’t want to accidentally remove too much water or catch a fish in the process. Sure, you can always keep track of any contaminants to protect the delicate ecosystem of your aquatic environment, but who wants to be constantly testing, retesting, and fixing the pH of your farm?

Adding an impermeable physical barrier between your farm and these external factors, it is much easier to maintain the exact pH desired. Geomembrane liners remove the risk of external factors tipping your perfect balance.

Preventing Water Pollution & Diseases

Thanks to the geomembrane water tank liner, the material is so impervious that it helps you create your ideal aquafarm.  There are other more “natural” methods of keeping the water pond clean, but none are as efficient as the latest technology in aquaculture, geomembrane liners. Natural soil, and even clay, can be risky in stopping any contamination. 

This is because the nutrients that are used now in aquafarming can easily damage the layers of clay or soil. Furthermore, water is the strongest element in the entire planet. Not only does it allow life to occur, it can also slow break down any object (no matter how strong) with enough time.  Even concrete ponds have been known to tear after prolonged years of water storage. It might not be noticeable overnight but water seeps through concrete day after day, drop after drop. Seepage occurs like this and begins polluting your water tank, because if things can get out, things can get in too. 

Liners are also great tools for pond cleanliness, especially with “dry down” cleaning. This type of cleaning happens when a pond is left completely dried out to kill off any water-carried diseases. The fish and plants can be placed somewhere else momentarily while this process is done. Natural-built ponds or aquatic environments are not conducive to fully drying out. Soil can trap a lot of moisture. With a geomembrane liner, you can dry off the aquatic environment completely and properly sanitize it.

The best water tank liners are typically geomembrane liners because of the material and its low permeability qualities. These qualities are not to be taken lightly as even rigid structures such as metal and concrete absorb water. Geomembranes can resist water even more than those structures. 

No More Water Leakage

The most important aspect in creating your first Aquaculture project is preventing any unsuspected rupture that causes leakage, especially if the project is non-recirculating. Any water loss can cause damage to your aquatic life. Plus, you probably had to pay a price for the fresh water, why lose that investment?

With the growing consumption of farm-fresh fish, indoor tank systems that can hold high densities of farm life without losing water quality became all the rage. These water tanks use recirculating systems clean the water through a filter and recycle it back into the pond, with little to no water loss. If you are also planning to recirculate the same water over and over again, you’ll definitely want to minimize water loss at all points. Water leak prevention is the primary benefit of using a geomembrane liner. 

However, not all geomembrane liners are made equal. Only true liner professionals will procure the right material and conduct a thorough installation. Quality assurance during installation is an integral part of ensuring the liner has zero defects. This means the thickness of the liner will be perfectly adjusted into place so that there are no holes. Geomembrane liners can last up to thirty years! 

Finding the perfect liner for your aquaculture project starts with finding the perfect team of experts to help you with your specifications. Carson Manufacturing is a family-owned, certified small business with over 45 years of liner and geomembrane fabrication and installation experience. We pride ourselves in our reputation of securing the best geomembrane liners for any client. Whether it is for fish or plant life, Carson’s geomembrane liners are suitable for any aquaculture project. Learn more about geomembrane and water tank liners here.