A system and method provide an intensive aquaculture system for producing caviar or other goods. The system has a photosynthetic subsystem to consume waste from a production species, a food production subsystem to consume the photosynthetic species and be eaten by the production species. Optionally, the food production species may be pelletized or otherwise refined before being consumed by the production species. While each subsystem may have its own water chemistry, gas scrubbers may be used to control gas levels among the subsystems. In one implementation, an enclosure is used with a sensor to measure the gas above the water in the photosynthetic species. Water and species may be transferred among the subsystems as desired. Multiple aquaculture systems may be used in combination to provide age-specific systems operating in conjunction with one another and distribute risk of disease or failure across multiple systems.