Settlers

Let gravity take the heavy solids first.

A settler slows the water so heavy particles drop out before they reach the drum filter. Below: what it removes, which type to use, how it is sized and when you do not need one.

Heavy solids

removed by gravity

No moving parts

in the settling zone

Before the drum

in the loop

Sludge

drawn off on a routine

Apa yang dilakukan

Slow water, falling solids.

Solids from the tank drain are a mix of heavy faeces, uneaten feed and fine particles. A settler lowers the water speed so the heavy fraction sinks and can be drawn off as thicker sludge. In a 2025 freshwater trout trial, a swirl separator ahead of the drum filter removed the most organic matter per day of the four set-ups tested ().Aquacultural Engineering, 2025

Drum filter installed in a RAS water channel
Jenis

Swirl separator or radial-flow settler.

The two common types work differently, and their removal differs. In one comparison, mean suspended-solids removal was about 37% for a swirl separator and about 78% for a radial-flow settler ().radial-flow settler study

Tipe
Cara kerjanya
Strength
Limit

Pemilah pusaran

Water enters tangentially and spins; solids collect at the centre of the base

Compact; handles the bottom-drain flow from dual-drain tanks

Removes less of the total solids

Radial-flow settler

Water enters at the centre and flows slowly outward; solids settle

Higher solids removal

Larger for the same flow

Plate or tube settler

Inclined plates shorten the distance particles fall

Small footprint for its area

Plates need cleaning

How it is sized

Slow enough for the particles to fall.

A settler works when water rises through it more slowly than the particles sink. That sets its surface area.

01

Flow to treat

Often only the bottom-drain flow from dual-drain tanks, which carries most of the heavy solids in a small share of the water.

02

Particle settling speed

Heavy faeces and feed sink fast; fines sink slowly. The settler is sized for the particles it is meant to catch.

03

Surface loading

Flow divided by surface area must stay below the settling speed of those particles.

04

Penghilangan lumpur

Drawn off before it breaks down, or it releases nutrients back into the water.

Do you need one?

Where a settler earns its place.

Situation
Settler?

High feed loads, dense grow-out

Often yes: it takes load off the drum filter

Dual-drain tanks

Often yes: a swirl separator treats the concentrated bottom flow

Sludge to be thickened or reused

Yes: thicker sludge is easier to handle

Low feed load, single drain

Usually not: the drum filter handles it

Fine particles and colour are the problem

No: a skimmer, often with ozone, addresses that

Running it

When the settler stops working.

Symptom
Usual cause
Periksa

Solids carried over to the drum

Flow above design, or sludge not drawn off

Flow; sludge level and draw-off routine

Nutrients rising

Sludge left too long, breaking down

Draw off more often

Sludge line blocked

Draw-off too infrequent, sludge too thick

Draw-off frequency; valve and line

Little sludge collected

Flow too fast, or particles too fine to settle

Surface loading; feed and particle type

Why buy it from us

A settler only where the numbers show it helps.

We size the settler with the drum filter and skimmer, so solids removal is split across them the right way.

Sized on your load

Flow, feed and the solids it is meant to catch.

Matched to the drum

Settler and drum filter sized together.

Material for your water

Confirmed against your salinity in the quote.

Fitted and tested

Supplied, fitted and tested with the rest of the system.

Spesifikasi

Standard specification.

Item
Settler

Fungsi

Removes settleable solids by gravity

Tipe

Swirl separator or radial-flow, confirmed per project

Material

Confirmed against water type and salinity

Posisi

Between tank drains and drum filter

Pengukuran

On flow and solids load

Waktu tunggu

Standard units 15 days

Model dimensions and connections are listed in the datasheet. We confirm the model against your flow before quoting.

FAQ

Settler questions.

Not always. On high feed loads a settler cuts the load on the drum filter. We recommend one when the numbers show it helps.

A swirl separator is compact and suits the bottom-drain flow from dual-drain tanks. A radial-flow settler removes more solids but needs more space.

From the bottom of the settler, through a drain valve, on a routine your team follows. Drawing it off often keeps nutrients from leaking back into the water.

It takes the heavy solids. Clear water depends more on the drum filter and, in dense systems, a skimmer.

Yes. We choose the material against your salinity and confirm it in the quote.

Next step

Send your flow and feed. We size the filtration line.

Tank layout, drain type, peak flow and peak daily feed.