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FIGURE 1. Scheme of organic particle sedimentation in a pond without (A) and with (B) vertical substrates.
Biofloc technology (BFT) The introduction of vertical substrates The need to produce more
is based on the use of microbial provides an environment with high local fish and shrimp requires a
consortia to metabolize organic concentrations of organic matter that significant increase in aquatic
residues in the pond, recycle enables development of microbial biomass. production by about two-fold
nutrients and provide a healthy, This community can be manipulated in per decade in the near future.
integrated pond ecosystem. The the same way as that used in BFT, The UN Food and Aquaculture
use of BFT enables producers to by manipulating the C/N ratio, and the Organization stated that, within
significantly raise the intensity attached biofilm provides similar services the coming decade, aquaculture
of shrimp and fish production (ammonia control, natural food items) to production has to increase by
in a way that does not demand those of a suspended biofloc community. 40 percent to meet current
very expensive and elaborate demand (FAO 2016). However,
infrastructure. As such, it is commonly adopted and its use is water and land limitations will not enable the achievement of this
increasing worldwide. goal using conventional systems (Avnimelech et al. 2008). The
Following development, successes and failures of BFT farms aquaculture community has to move toward more intensive, high-
for shrimp and fish production, in general, big companies with yielding systems, but such a transition cannot be done abruptly.
sufficient trained personnel, infrastructure and financial support There is a need for continual change through intermediate stages.
are doing well. The introduction of BFT to small family farms, This article describes a BFT-based farming system using
mostly in less developed parts of the world, often fails. Biofloc vertical substrates as an alternative to suspended biofloc, as
technology is not very complicated, yet operators need to have developed and practiced at a shrimp farm in India. Theoretical
some background and training in the biological mechanisms considerations and the mode of operation are briefly presented,
involved and the means to control the system. Regardless of the followed by some results obtained by the farm. The purpose of
apparent simplicity of BFT, farmers, accustomed to managing this article is to introduce this modification of biofloc technology
extensive ponds (often for generations), have to pass through a as an invitation to others to assess vertical substrate systems and to
significant mental transition to master management of intensive encourage further research and development of such systems.
biofloc systems.
TABLE 1. Estimated production costs (1000 INR/ha) of shrimp produced in ponds with or without vertical
substrates. Shrimp were stocked at 25 PL/m2 and cultured for 90 days.
I n p u t p a ra m e t e r Ve r t i c a l s u b s t ra t e s N o s u b s t ra t e
Pond preparation 20 20
Vertical substrates, nets & accessories 120 0
Feed 1418 1193
Carbohydrates (molasses) 79 16
Water pumping 45 65
Aeration 911 542
Fertilizers, lime 10 10
Labor, technicians 175 175
Maintenance 50 50
Harvesting expenses 23 17
Overhead 150 150
Total 3000 2239
Cost/kg shrimp 267 260
nitrification and through an intensive degradation of organic waste Processes and management.Aquaculture 220:549-567
components. Avnimelech, Y., M.C.J. Verdegem, M. Kurup and P. Keshavanath.
Vertical substrate adsorbs organic matter and reduces its 2008. Sustainable land based aquaculture: Rational utilization of
sedimentation. In suspended biofloc systems, vigorous water water. Land and feed resources Mediterranean Aquaculture Journal
mixing and effective drainage is needed to control organic matter 1:45-55
accumulation on the pond bottom. Avnimelech, Y., B. Weber, B. Hepher, A. Milstein and M. Zorn. 1986.
Both recycle feed in the pond and provide natural food sources Studies in circulated fish ponds: Organic matter recycling and
to cultured fish or shrimp. nitrogen transformation. Aquaculture and Fisheries Management.
Suspended bioflocs are harvested through filtration of particles. 17:231-242.
Biofilm on the vertical substrate is harvested by surface grazing. This Azim, M.E., M.C.J. Verdegem, A.A. van Dam and M.C.M. Beveridge.
could affect selection of the proper system for production of different 2005. Periphyton: Ecology, Exploitation and Management. CABI
fish or shrimp species. Publishing, Wallingford, UK.
There is an accumulating body of research on the increased Bratvold, D. and C.L. Browdy. 2001. Effect of sand sediment and
immunity, pathogen elimination and probiotic effects of bioflocs vertical surfaces (Aquamats) on production, water quality, and
(Browdy et al. 2014). This may also be the case for biofilm attached to microbial ecology in an intensiveLitopenaeus vannameiculture
vertical substrates. system. Aquaculture 195:81-94.
Both systems, based on zero water exchange, are Browdy, C.L, J. Hargreaves, H. Tung and Y. Avnimelech. 2014.
environmentally friendly. Proceedings of the Biofloc Technology and Shrimp Disease
The specific system described here offers a clear advantage as an Workshop. Dec. 9-10, 2013, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The
intermediate step to family farmers seeking to adopt more intensive Aquaculture Engineering Soc. www.aesweb.org/shrimp health.php
production practices. The system allows for the use of a moderate Boyd, C.E. 1995. Bottom Soils, Sediment, and Pond Aquaculture.
stocking density, gradual introduction of pond lining and aeration, less Chapman & Hall, New York, NY USA.
vulnerability to failure of the aeration system and gradual adoption De Schryver, P., R. Crab, T. Defoirdt, N. Boon and W. Verstraete. 2008.
of more sophisticated technologies and practices. After gaining The basics of biofloc technology: The added value for aquaculture.
experience with fixed biofilm systems for a period, farmers may then Aquaculture 277:125-137.
choose to evaluate the suspended BFT system. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). 2016.
It must be clearly emphasized that the work presented here is still The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2016. Contributing to
in an initial stage of development and is largely based on observations food security and nutrition for all. Rome. Italy.
and farm trials. This work needs to be continued and elaborated. McIntosh, R. 2000. Changing paradigms in shrimp farming: 5.
Establishment of heterotrophic bacterial communities. Global
Acknowledgments Aquaculture Advocate 3(6):52-54.
We devote this paper to the memory of Professor M.C. Milstein, A., Y. Peretz and S. Harpaz. 2009. Culture of organic tilapia
Nandeesha (1.7.1957-27.11.2012). Prof. Nandeesha, our friend, devoted to market size in periphyton based ponds with reduced feed inputs.
his research, teaching and life to help and promote family farmers in Aquaculture Research 40:55-59
India and elsewhere. His enthusiasm inspired us in doing the present Ray, A.J., G. Seaborn, L. Vinatea, C.L. Browdy and J.W. Leffler. 2012.
research and development work. Effects of biofloc reduction on microbial dynamics in minimal-
exchange super intensive shrimp (Litopenueos vannemei) culture
Notes systems. Journal of the World Aquaculture Society 43:790-801.
Boriah Suryakumar, Hitide Seafarms, Tamil Nadu, India and Yoram Reddy, K.R., T.C. Feijtel and W.H. Patrick. 1986. Effect of soil redox
Avnimelech, Technion, Israel Inst. Of Technology, Haifa Israel, conditions on microbial oxidation of organic matter. Pages 117-156
agyoram@technion.ac.il In: Y. Chen and Y. Avnimelech, editors. The Role of Organic Matter
in Modern Agriculture, Martinus Nijhoff Pub., Dordrecht, The
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