Addressing Cold Season Challenges in Philippine Hatcheries: Heat Loss Analysis and Heating Solutions for Broodstock Tanks

This paper analyzes the heating requirements for aquaculture tanks in Philippine hatcheries to maintain ideal breeding temperatures. Traditional hatcheries use flow-through systems to refresh water and remove waste. However, colder temperatures from September to February limit egg production and cause a fry shortage. This study examined factors contributing to tank water heat loss, determining the required heating capacity. Results show that a 150-cubic-meter concrete tank needs 18.27 kW of heating energy, with heat loss primarily due to evaporation (60.96%), followed by convection (11.61%), radiation (9.95%), wall conduction (9.74%), and floor conduction (7.20%). This study successfully maintained water temperature using an air-to-water heat pump, a cost-effective heating system designed to stabilize tank water temperatures and improve hatchery productivity during cold seasons.