15/09/2015: Nor-Fishing Foundation Innovation Award 2015: HeliXiR Fish Hospital

First published in Fish Farming Technology, InternationalAquafeed, July-August 2015  

The HeliXiR fish hospital will improve animal health and welfare while reducing the environmental impact of treatments. The HeliXiR utilises a small and recirculated treatment tank where fish are exposed to treatment, users have full control of time, concentration and temperature.

The project started two years ago when Måsøval Fish Farming Co and Stranda Prolog AS joined forces to develop a closed treatment process against sea lice. Both are third generation family owned companies, and pioneers in the industry with more than 40 years’ experience in the industry.

The original idea for HeliXiR came up during a meeting concerning another topic, however, a plan for HeliXiR was quickly developed. In January 2013 the aim was to treat salmon against sea lice with medicine in a HeliX tank, placed on a barge out on the farm. From the loosely formulated concept Stranda had developed in 2007, it took 19 months of intense engineering work to develop and finance the pilot, and another nine months to build. In August Stranda is handing over the HeliXiR to Måsøval to start the trials. The first trials have been successful showing that the concept works, these trials will continue throughout 2015 to show the full potential.

The HeliXiR Fish hospital consists of: a 32 metre by 12 metre barge; Triplo fish pump for continuous suction and delivery; a de-watering unit with grading functionality to grade fish cleaning and lice filtering for the water; a 133m3 HeliX processing tank with a filtrating water treatment system; heat pump for +/- 6oC; an aeration unit; and a water intake with algae filter. The expected capacity is 50-100 ton per hour with more than a 90 percent reduction in chemical consumption.

The system filtrates all emission fluids and can also be closed to avoid any and all emissions. The user retains control of the fish during treatment and the concentration level of the treatment throughout the process.

Read the magazine HERE.

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