BIOFLOC Fish Farming Technology

The Biofloc fish farming technology solves the problems of water pollution, improves the use of water resources and recycles the nutrients found in the water by a community of Heterotrophic bacteria. This Biofloc fish farming system has allowed aquaculture farms to reduce and eliminate water exchange, by providing added value through the products resulting from microbial metabolism. The Biofloc shrimp farming helps in keeping diseases away.

Composition and Nutritional Value of Biofloc Technology:

Bioflocs are flocs of algae, bacteria, protozoans and other kinds of organic matter such as feces and uneaten feed. Each floc is held together in a loose matrix of mucus that is secreted by bacteria bound by filamentous microorganisms or held by eleutstatic attraction. The biofloc community also includes animals that are grazers of floc, such as some zooplankton and nematodes. Large Bioflocs can be seen with the naked eye but most of them are microscopic.

Promising results in Bioflocs probiotics

The nutritional quality of Biofloc in cultured animals is good but rather variable. The dry weight of protein content in Biofloc ranges from 25-50% and fat content is 0.5-15%. Bioflocs probiotics provide promising results as they have satisfactory levels of amino acids, methionine and lysine. In addition, they are a good source of vitamins and minerals.

Biofloc – The most suitable culture species

Biofloc fish farming technology works best with species that are able to derive some nutritional benefit from the direct consumption of floc. Biofloc technology is also most suitable for species that can tolerate high solid concentration in water, such as shrimp and Tilapia with physiological adaptations. To consume Biofloc and digest microbial protein, nearly all Biofloc systems are used to grow shrimp, Tilapia and Carps. It is commonly referred to as Biofloc Shrimp farming and Biofloc Fish farming. 

Types of Biofloc system

There are two basic types of Biofloc systems:

  1. Biofloc system exposed to natural sun light include outdoors, lined ponds or tanks for fish or shrimp cultured in green houses. A complex mixture of algae and bacterial process control water quality in such “Green Water” Biofloc system.

  2. Some Biofloc systems are installed in closed buildings with no exposure to natural light. These are operated as brown water Biofloc systems, where only bacterial process controls the water quality.

Benefits of Biofloc Technology:

  • The Biofloc is an ecofriendly culture system which can reduce the environmental impact.

  • Biofloc fish farming system requires minimal or limited water exchange. This process improves fish survival robe, feed conversion and growth performance.

  • Biofloc improves the Bio security and mitigates the risk associated with dangerous pathogens and water pollution.

  • The Biofloc technology reduces the use of protein rich feed.

  • There is negligible or zero water exchange.

Disadvantages of Biofloc:

  • Increased energy requirement for mixing and aeration.

  • Reduced response time due to the elevation of water respiration rate.

  • Requires startup period.

  • Alkaline supplement required.

  • Biofloc Tank has led to an increase in pollution due to nitrate accumulation.

  • Seasonal and inconsistent performance for sunlight exposed systems.