Efficiency of biofloc technology in suspended growth reactors treating aquacultural solid under intermittent aeration

Aquacultural solid waste from a recirculation aquaculture system was used as a substrate to produce heterotrophic bacteria in suspended growth reactors. The efficiency of nitrogen recycling under intermittent aeration (IA, 0.5-h aeration/0.5-h non aeration) and continuous aeration (CA) strategy was investigated. The nitrogen dynamics, biochemical composition of biofloc and efficiency of nitrification/denitrification/ammonium assimilation of biofloc were determined. No significant differences were observed in the nitrogen recycling rate, crude protein and polysaccharides contents of biofloc between the IA and CA reactors. The energy used for intermittent aeration was almost one half of that for continuous aeration. IA strategy (0.5-h aeration/0.5-h non aeration) appears to be more effective to produce biofloc in aquaculture solid waste in reactors than CA strategy.