Degradation of urea,ammonia and nitrite in moving bed biofilters operated at different feed loadings

This study investigated how removal rates of urea, ammonia, and nitrite in laboratory scale moving bed biofilters were affected by long-term feed loading. To generate different loadings, five identical freshwater flow-through systems (100 l/h) with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) were fed increasing fixed rations of a commercial diet. The filtered effluent from each system was lead through a moving bed biofilter installed end-of-pipe. After an acclimatization period of four months, the moving bed biofilters were spiked separately with urea, ammonia and nitrite in batch mode in three successive trials to investigate degradation kinetics. Results showed that urea, in addition to ammonia and nitrite, was degraded although the substrate limited/dependent removal rate of urea (first order kinetic) was lower than that of ammonia and nitrite. Degradation of urea could be described as first order kinetics below 2.5 mg N/l. Degradation of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and nitrite was substrate independent (zero order kinetic) above 2 mg N/l and subsequently substrate dependent as substrate concentrations in the bulk water declined. The transition zone from zero to first order degradation was elevated with increase in long-term biofilter loading. For ammonia and nitrite, a significant increase in the zero order removal rate constants related to long-term loading were observed up to a long-term feed loading of 207 g/d, corresponding to 69 g feed/m² filter media/d and an TAN + urea-N concentration of 2.70 mg N/l. Long-term feed loading had no obvious effect on first order removal rate constants of any of the three nitrogenous compounds. Degradation of urea resulted in generation of ammonia demonstrating that urea degradation contributes to the ongoing nitrification activity in aquaculture biofilters. For all three types of spiking (urea, ammonia and nitrite) accumulation of nitrate was observed in the moving bed biofilters, sustaining that nitrification had occurred.     

The effects of different combinations of fixed and moving bed bioreactors on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) growth and health,water quality and nitrification in recirculating aquaculture systems

The effect of bioreactor design on nitrification efficiency has been well studied, but less is known about the overall impacts on water quality. Besides nitrification, submerged fixed bed bioreactors (FBBR) trap fine solid particles, whereas moving bed bioreactors (MBBR) grind solids, possibly increasing solids and particle accumulation in the system. In this experiment, the effects of different combinations of fixed bed and moving bed bioreactors on water quality, solids removal, particle size distribution, fish health based on histopathological changes and nitrification efficiency were studied in laboratory scale recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Three set-ups with triplicate tanks were used: 1. two consecutive fixed bed bioreactors (FF); 2. a fixed bed bioreactor followed by a moving bed bioreactor (FM) and 3. two consecutive moving bed bioreactors (MM). Fish performance was not influenced by the design of the bioreactor, specific growth rate (SGR) being between 1.59 and 1.64% d⁻¹ and feed conversion ratio (FCR) between 0.95 and 0.98. Water nitrite concentration was higher in the FF systems compared to FM and MM systems, whereas the average total ammonia nitrogen concentration (TAN) was not influenced by the treatments. Nitrification rate, which was measured in the laboratory, followed the water nitrite levels, indicating highest total ammonium oxidation rates in the MM systems. UV254 absorbance and total organic carbon (TOC) concentrations were higher in the groups with moving bed systems, indicating accumulation of organic substances in the circulating water. The total volume of particles was higher in the MM systems as compared to the FF systems. The total solids balance was similar in all the bioreactor groups, since the removal of solids by the FBBR backwash was compensated by the drum filter in the FM and MM systems. In general, no significant histopathological difference in gill, kidney, heart and liver tissue were observed between the RAS treatment groups and the flow-through treatment.     

The impact of temperature on nitrification rate in fixed film biofilters

The impact of temperature on nitrification rate was evaluated in this study through experimental tests, mathematical modeling and sensitivity analysis. The results show that the impact of temperature on fixed film nitrification rate is less significant than that predicted by the van't Hoff–Arrhenius equation. In a fixed film biofilter, the impact of temperature on nitrification rate due to DO (dissolved oxygen) limitation is different from that due to TAN (total ammonia nitrogen) limitation. Sensitivity analysis indicated that a temperature increment at 20 °C resulted in nitrification rate increase of 1.108% per °C and 4.275% per °C under DO and TAN limited conditions, respectively. Diffusion mass transport plays an important role in fixed film nitrification processes. Consequently, the effect of temperature on nitrification rate due to bacterial growth rate change in fixed film processes is greatly reduced compared with that of suspended growth processes. When oxygen is limited, the decrease in saturation DO concentration as temperature increases results in a negative temperature impact upon the nitrification rate.     

Design and management of conventional fluidized-sand biofilters

Fluidized-sand beds are an efficient, relatively compact, and cost-competitive technology for removing dissolved wastes from recirculating aquaculture systems, especially in relatively cool or coldwater applications that require maintaining consistently low levels of ammonia and nitrite. This paper describes several types of flow injection mechanisms used in commercial fluidized-sand biofilters and provides criteria for design of flow distribution mechanisms at the bottom of the fluidized bed. This paper also summarizes the most critical aspects of sand selection, as well as methods for calculating or experimentally measuring fluidization velocities and pressure drop for a given filter sand size distribution. Estimates of nitrification rate, ammonia removal efficiency, carbon dioxide production, and oxygen consumption across fluidized-sand biofilters are also provided for various conditions. Fluidized-sand biofilter operational and management practices are also described.     

Effects of alkalinity on ammonia removal,carbon dioxide stripping,and system pH in semi-commercial scale water recirculating aquaculture systems operated with moving bed bioreactors

When operating water recirculating systems (RAS) with high make-up water flushing rates in locations that have low alkalinity in the raw water, such as Norway, knowledge about the required RAS alkalinity concentration is important. Flushing RAS with make-up water containing low alkalinity washes out valuable base added to the RAS (as bicarbonate, hydroxide, or carbonate), which increases farm operating costs when high alkalinity concentrations are maintained; however, alkalinity must not be so low that it interferes with nitrification or pH stability. For these reasons, a study was designed to evaluate the effects of alkalinity on biofilter performance, and CO₂ stripping during cascade aeration, within two replicate semi-commercial scale Atlantic salmon smolt RAS operated with moving bed biological filters. Alkalinity treatments of nominal 10, 70, and 200 mg/L as CaCO₃ were maintained using a pH controller and chemical dosing pumps supplying sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃). Each of the three treatments was replicated three times in each RAS. Both RAS were operated at each treatment level for 2 weeks; water quality sampling was conducted at the end of the second week. A constant feeding of 23 kg/day/RAS was provided every 1–2 h, and continuous lighting, which minimized diurnal fluctuations in water quality. RAS hydraulic retention time and water temperature were 4.3 days and 12.5 ± 0.5 °C, respectively, typical of smolt production RAS in Norway.It was found that a low nominal alkalinity (10 mg/L as CaCO₃) led to a significantly higher steady-state TAN concentration, compared to when 70 or 200 mg/L alkalinity was used. The mean areal nitrification rate was higher at the lowest alkalinity; however, the mean TAN removal efficiency across the MBBR was not significantly affected by alkalinity treatment. The CO₂ stripping efficiency showed only a tendency towards higher efficiency at the lowest alkalinity. In contrast, the relative fraction of total inorganic carbon that was removed from the RAS during CO₂ stripping was much higher at a low alkalinity (10 mg/L) compared to the higher alkalinities (70 and 200 mg/L as CaCO₃). Despite this, when calculating the total loss of inorganic carbon from RAS, it was found that the daily loss was about equal at 10, and 70 mg/L, whereas it was highest at 200 mg/L alkalinity. pH recordings demonstrated that the 10 mg/L alkalinity treatment resulted in the lowest system pH, the largest increase in [H⁺] across the fish culture tanks, as well as giving little response time in case of alkalinity dosing malfunction. Rapid pH changes under the relatively acidic conditions at 10 mg/L alkalinity may ultimately create fish health issues due to e.g. CO₂ or if aluminium or other metals are present. In conclusion, Atlantic salmon smolt producers using soft water make-up sources should aim for 70 mg/L alkalinity considering the relatively low loss of inorganic carbon compared to 200 mg/L alkalinity, and the increased pH stability as well as reduced TAN concentration, compared to lower alkalinity concentrations.     

Evaluation of three types of structured floating plastic media in moving bed biofilters for total ammonia nitrogen removal in a low salinity hatchery recirculating aquaculture system

Three different commercially available structural plastic media were evaluated in triplicate in moving bed biofilters under low salinity (11–12 ppt) warm water culture conditions and two different feed loading rates. The culture system consisted of nine separate modules that include a double drain fish culture tank paired to a moving bed biofilter. The biofilters were filled with 0.11 m³ of one of three different types of floating plastic structured media. The three types of media evaluated were K1 kaldnes media, MB3 media, and AMB media. Volumetric total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal rates (g TAN removed/m³ media-day), TAN removal efficiency, and biofilm kinetic constants, K_i (h⁻¹) were determined for the three media types at two different daily feed load rates of 3.5 and 8.2 kg feed/m³ media. The feed provided was a 4.8 mm slow sinking marine grower diet pellet (45% protein, 17% fat). Average (±standard deviation, SD) volumetric TAN removal rates (VTR) at the lower feed load for the three media types were 92.2 ± 26.3, 86.1 ± 27.5, and 82.5 ± 25.9 for the MB3, AMB, and K1 kaldnes media, respectively. At the higher feed load the average VTR for the three media types was 186.4 ± 53.7, 172.9 ± 47.8, and 139.9 ± 38.9 for the MB3, AMB, and K1 kaldnes media, respectively. Influent TAN concentrations varied by the feed load rate and ranged from 0.55 to 0.93 mg/L and 0.83 to 1.87 mg/L for the low and higher feed loads, respectively. The percent TAN removal rates for the MB3 media was the highest of the three media types at both the low and high feed load rates averaging 12.3% and 14.4%, respectively. The MB3 media was selected for use in the moving bed biofilters because of the greater VTR and removal efficiency results for use in the 0.11 m³ moving bed biofilters of the hatchery recirculating aquaculture system.     

Design keys of a recent recirculating facility built in Chile operating with fluidized bed biofilters

The fast evolution of recirculation systems for salmonids has challenged the engineering companies to develop new and better design and engineering practices, to improve the water quality and system flexibility. One of the major factors that affect the water quality parameters is the total suspended solids produced within the system. The design of water flow from the water inlet into the culture tank down to the effluent pipeline and the water filtration unit, will determine a system's performance. Two recirculating systems for 250 and 1500 m³ have been designed and built applying specific design keys focused in good solids removal, system removal exchange, piping size and layout, filtration process, biofiltration units, gas balancing and CO₂ removal, oxygenation devices, and disinfection process. All these treatments have been designed and built for both facilities, and they are currently operating with very good results. Both facilities are in separate isolated buildings but in the same hatchery site. They share a common heat pump unit that delivers chilled water to the incubation room, and the makeup water is from several wells on site. This paper describes the main design keys used under this project focusing on the small recirculation system (250 m³).     

Strategies for ammonium and nitrite control in Litopenaeus vannamei nursery systems with bioflocs

In biofloc technology (BFT) rearing systems, nitrogen compounds, specially ammonia and nitrite, have to be controlled by microbial pathways, mainly through the activity of heterotrophic and chemoautotrophic bacteria. The objective of this work was to assess different water preparation strategies (heterotrophic, chemoautotrophic and mature) in BFT system for nursery of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). A 35-day study was conducted with post-larvae shrimp (0.08 g) stocked in twelve 300 L tanks at a stocking density of 2000 shrimp m⁻³. The water preparation strategies for shrimp rearing that were evaluated in this study included: i) Heterotrophic treatment, where the water received sugar as a carbon source; ii) Chemoautotroph treatment, where ammonium and nitrite salts were added to the water; and iii) Mature treatment, which was created by the addition of a significant amount of water containing mature biofloc from another established BFT system. In both mature and chemoautotrophic treatments, the nitrification process was able to keep toxic nitrogen compounds (ammonia and nitrite) at low levels without the addition of carbohydrates. In contrast, heterotrophic system showed peaks of ammonia and nitrite during the rearing cycle, and the level of these compounds were found to be higher in this treatment (relative to the mature and chemoautotrophic treatments). The chemoautotrophic system exhibited a lower abundance of bacteria from the family Vibrionaceae in the beginning of the experiment compared to the heterotrophic and mature treatments. The combination of low Vibrionaceae abundance and good water quality resulted in improved growth performance in this treatment. These findings demonstrate the importance of manipulating the environment of BFT systems to induce an enrichment of nitrifying bacteria before stocking shrimp. We have also found that the addition of a carbon source to BFT systems is necessary only in emergency situations, when ammonia spikes need to be controlled.     

Design and operations of fine media fluidized bed biofilters for meeting oligotrophic water requirements

Fine media fluidized bed biofilters (FBB) have some unique characteristics, which become very important when extremely high water quality is required. They provide greater surface area per unit volume than other fixed film biofilters and are capable of operating as a plug flow on the liquid phase and mixed flow on the biological phase type reactor. As the concentration of pollutants decreases in an aquaculture system, the removal rate per unit surface area in a biofilter decreases, hence being able to obtain very high surface areas per unit cost becomes critical. As the concentration further decreases, conventional bioreactors that are either, mixed flow biological phase and mixed flow liquid phase (i.e. moving bed type reactor), or plug flow liquid and fixed biological phase (trickling filter or submerged filter) reach the minimum substrate concentration (S_Min), below which the bacteria cannot grow under steady state conditions. However, in a fine media FBB the discharge concentration can be below S_Min. This allows filters to be designed and operated in commercial aquaculture settings with over 90% removal of NH₃, and related biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) per pass. Fine media FBBs can be designed and operated for biological removal of 99.95% of slow biodegrading refractory organic pollutants like methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) in a single pass with discharge concentrations <1 ppb (inlet 2000 ppb, 20 min contact time, S_Min = 20 ppb). The details of how and why these high performances at low concentrations are possible and why this oligotrophic water quality is desirable for maturation and larva rearing will be discussed.     

Performance and operation of a rotating biological contactor in a tilapia recirculating aquaculture system

This paper describes the performance characteristics of an industrial-scale air-driven rotating biological contactor (RBC) installed in a recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) rearing tilapia at 28 °C. This three-staged RBC system was configured with stages 1 and 2 possessing approximately the same total surface area and stage 3 having approximately 25% smaller. The total surface area provided by the RBC equaled 13,380 m². Ammonia removal efficiency averaged 31.5% per pass for all systems examined, which equated to an average (± standard deviation) total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) areal removal rate of 0.43 ± 0.16 g/m²/day. First-order ammonia removal rate (K₁) constants for stages 1–3 were 2.4, 1.5, and 3.0 h⁻¹, respectively. The nitrite first-order rate constants (K₂) were higher, averaging 16.2 h⁻¹ for stage 1, 7.7 h⁻¹ for stage 2, and 9.0 h⁻¹ stage 3. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) levels decreased an averaged 6.6% per pass across the RBC. Concurrently, increasing influent DOC concentrations decreased ammonia removal efficiency. With respect to dissolved gas conditioning, the RBC system reduced carbon dioxide concentrations approximately 39% as the water flowed through the vessel. The cumulative feed burden – describes the mass of food delivered to the system per unit volume of freshwater added to the system daily – ranged between 5.5 and 7.3 kg feed/m³ of freshwater; however, there was no detectable relationship between the feed loading rate and ammonia oxidation performance.     

Performance of single-drain and dual-drain tanks in terms of water velocity profile and solids flushing for in vivo digestibility studies in juvenile shrimp

In vivo digestibility determination in shrimp is a challenge because these animals are coprophagous, benthic and slow feeders and the small amount of feces that they produce is difficult to collect. The objective of this study was to evaluate an efficient tank design for the purpose of studying shrimp digestibility. Different tank designs were evaluated considering drain system (dual-drain and single-drain), water inlet flow rate (8, 12, and 16 L min⁻¹) and bottom drain diameter (6, 13, 19, 25 and 50 mm) and their effects on tank hydraulics, water velocity and solids flushing. A circular and slightly conical 500 L tank was adapted with a clarifier for the two dual-drain designs (Cornell-type and central-type) and settling columns for the two single-drain designs (Guelph-F and Guelph-L). Results showed that: (1) water rotational velocity profile was more homogeneous in tanks with larger bottom drain outlets, and water velocity increased with water inlet flow rate from almost zero up to 14.5 ± 0.7 cm s⁻¹; (2) solids flushing, measured as the percentage of feed pellets retained at both the bottom drain and in the settling devices, was positively correlated with the surface loading rate (L min⁻¹ flow per m²) and was more effective at the Guelph-L design fitted with a 150 mm diameter settling column. In this system 100% of the solids were removed at the inflow rate of 16 L min⁻¹. It can be concluded that among the systems evaluated, the Guelph-L at an inflow-rate of 12 L min⁻¹ was most efficient for both solids removal and water velocity profile and thus seemed more suitable for shrimp digestibility studies in high performance conditions. Technologies involving hydrodynamic must be intensively applied to solids removal for aquatic species production as well as research purposes like digestibility, which is highlighted in this study.     

Startup and effects of relative water renewal rate on water quality and growth of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in a unique RAS research platform

The aquaculture industry is growing fast but facing two major challenges: a shortage of suitable locations for growth and the need to reduce environmental impacts. One solution for both these challenges is inland production through recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). The RAS technique is rather new, and several practical issues need to be solved. In this study, an experimental platform, consisting of ten individual RAS units, was built for small-scale testing of different RAS designs and operation methods, and two preliminary experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, the capability of different chemical additions (sodium nitrite, ammonium chloride and/or cane sugar) to fasten the startup of the nitrification bioreactor was tested. In addition, the suitability and reliability of an online water measurement system in monitoring nitrification process with was evaluated. We demonstrated that when using a combination of sodium nitrite and ammonium chloride in a concentration of 5 mg l⁻¹, nitrification started one week before than when using only ammonium chloride or a clean start with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In the second experiment, the effect of different relative water renewal rates (RWR) on water quality, rainbow trout growth and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were examined at 16 °C. Based on the results, FCR increased when RWR went below 478 l kg⁻¹, and the specific growth rate decreased when RWR went below 514 l kg⁻¹. Furthermore, when RWR decreased, nitrate, nitrite and organic material accumulated in the circulating water. In conclusion, we showed using experimental RAS platform that online water quality monitoring is a useful tool in following the effect of different management practices. Furthermore, we demonstrated that chemical substrate additions provide the fastest biofilter startup, and that water management is still in the key role in defining the fish production in RAS.     

Observations on the conditioning of filter bed in hypersaline aquaria

The nitrifying activity of the filter bed of aquaria was monitored in hypersaline conditions. Salinity was raised in 5 ppt steps from normal sea water to 126 ppt in a course of 35 and 41 days. Twenty grey mullet fry (Chelon labrosus and Mugil cephalus) were used in two 53 l aquaria. Daily monitoring of total ammonia–nitrogen (TAN), nitrite, nitrate ions, and pH was performed. After an initial peak of TAN (0.65 mg/l), total ammonia stabilized at safe low levels (0–0.2 mg/l). Nitrite exhibited more peaks at levels of about 10 mg/l, lasted for 3–8 days but they also subsided to almost zero afterwards. Nitrate finally stabilized at levels around 100 mg/l. The water was alkaline, with pH fluctuating in the region of 8.2–8.8. These findings indicate that the filter bed may be effectively conditioned for hypersalinity and that fish may be safely maintained in the aquaria.     

Microscreen effects on water quality in replicated recirculating aquaculture systems

This study investigated the effects of three microscreen mesh sizes (100, 60 and 20 μm) on water quality and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) performance compared to a control group without microscreens, in triplicated recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Operational conditions were kept constant during a 6-week period where the microscreens were manually rinsed three times a day. The effects of microscreen cleaning frequency and nitrification performance were subsequently assessed.Compared to the control group, microscreens removed particles, reduced particulate organic matter, and increased β-values. Particulate parameters reached steady-state in all treatment groups having microscreens at the end of the trial. The time to reach equilibrium seemingly increased with increasing mesh size but the three treatment groups (100, 60 and 20 μm) did not significantly differ at the end of the trial. Increased backwashing frequency over a 24-h period had no further significant effects on the parameters measured. The results demonstrated the role and importance of a microscreen, and showed that mesh size, within the range tested, is less important at long operations under constant conditions.Fish performed similarly in all treatments. Preliminary screening of trout gills did not reveal any pathological changes related to microscreen filtration and the resulting water quality. Biofilter performance was also unaffected, with 0′-order nitrification rates (k_0a) being equivalent for all twelve systems (0.148 ± 0.022 g N m⁻² d⁻¹).Mechanisms for RAS equilibrium establishment, within and between systems with different mesh sizes, are discussed.     

Impact of ozonation and residual ozone-produced oxidants on the nitrification performance of moving-bed biofilters from marine recirculating aquaculture systems

In marine recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) ozone is often used in combination with biofiltration for the improvement of process water quality. Especially for disinfection purposes ozone residuals are required, that lead to a fast formation of secondary oxidants in seawater, summed up as ozone-produced oxidants (OPO). We studied the impact of OPO on nitrifying biofilter bacteria in a series of laboratory batch experiments by exposing (i) cell suspensions of the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) Nitrosomonas marina strain 22 and the nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) Nitrospira strain Ecomares 2.1, (ii) a pure culture of the NOB Nitrospira strain immobilized on biocarriers, as well as (iii) a heterogeneous biofilm culture settled on biocarriers from a marine RAS for 1 h to different OPO concentrations up to 0.6 mg/l chlorine equivalent. Subsequent activity tests detected a negative linear correlation between OPO concentration and nitrifying activity of suspended pure cultures. Immobilization on biocarriers increased the tolerance of AOB and NOB dramatically, suggesting the biofilm matrix to be highly protective against OPO. Furthermore, we investigated the chronic effect of moderate ozonation at OPO concentrations of 0, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 mg/l chlorine equivalent on biofilter performance in a 21 d exposure experiment using 12 experimental RAS, stocked with tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Chronic exposure experiments could not reveal any harmful impact on biofilter performance for OPO concentrations up to 0.15 mg/l, even at continuous exposure. Surprisingly, nitrifying activity was enhanced at all OPO concentrations compared to the control without ozonation, suggesting moderate ozonation to promote biological nitrification. It can be concluded that rather health, welfare and performance of most cultivated fish species are the limiting factors for ozone dosage than nitrification performance of biofilters. The results may further have practical implications in relation to design and operational strategy of water treatment processes in RAS and might thus contribute to the optimization of an effective and safe treatment combination of biofiltration and ozonation.     

Potential and limitations of ozone for the removal of ammonia, nitrite, and yellow substances in marine recirculating aquaculture systems

The high levels of water-reuse in intensive recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) require an effective water treatment in order to maintain good water quality. In order to reveal the potential and limitations of ozonation for water quality improvement in marine RAS, we tested ozone's ability to remove nitrite, ammonia, yellow substances and total bacterial biomass in seawater, considering aspects such as efficiency, pH-dependency as well as the formation of toxic ozone-produced oxidants (OPO). Our results demonstrate that ozone can be efficiently utilized to simultaneously remove nitrite and yellow substances from process water in RAS without risking the formation of toxic OPO concentrations. Contemporaneously, an effective reduction of bacterial biomass was achieved by ozonation in combination with foam fractionation. In contrast, ammonia is not oxidized by ozone so long as nitrite and yellow substances are present in the water, as the dominant reaction of the ozone-based ammonia-oxidation in seawater requires the previous formation of OPO as intermediates. The oxidation of ammonia in seawater by ozone is basically a bromide-catalyzed reaction with nitrogen gas as end product, enabling an almost complete removal of ammonia-nitrogen from the aquaculture system. Results further show that pH has no effect on the ozone-based ammonia oxidation in seawater. Unlike in freshwater, an effective removal of ammonia even at pH-values as low as 6.5 has been shown to be feasible in seawater. However, as the predominant reaction pathway involves an initial accumulation of OPO to toxic amounts, we consider the ozone-based removal of ammonia in marine RAS as risky for animal health and economically unviable.     

Performance characteristics of fluidised bed biofilters in a novel laboratory-scale recirculation system for rainbow trout: nitrification rates, oxygen consumption and sludge collection

A laboratory-scale recirculating aquaculture system for fluidised bed biofilter evaluation was engineered. The design included all components found in typical full-scale commercial production systems. The system included two identical units each with oxygenation, UV treatment, cooling, biofiltration and a particulates separation device. Water from the two systems was mixed in a degassing unit. A 1 month test period after biofilter maturation revealed stable concentrations of total ammonia nitrogen (TAN), nitrite and nitrate within the system. Mean nitrification rate was 0.27 and 0.21 g TAN m⁻² day⁻¹. Oxygen consumption in the biofilters ranged between 56 and 64% due to nitrifying activity. Mass balances on nitrogen indicated that 48%, added via the feed, was converted to nitrate within the system, with 6% of the added nitrogen being found in the sludge. The remaining 43% was either used during fish growth, left the system, as organic nitrogenous compounds (or unidentified nitrogenous compounds), via the outlet, or was lost to the atmosphere. At least 61% of the nitrate produced was generated by the biofilters. The system proved to be an exceptional set-up for evaluation of the performance of fluidised bed biofilters, allowing both pre- and post-filter measurements of various water quality criteria.     

Effect of the particle size on the ammonia removal rate and the bacterial community composition of bioflocs

The total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) removal efficiency and bacterial community composition of bioflocs with <50-μm particle size, > 50-μm particle size and un-sieved bioflocs were investigated in the current study. The initial ratio of dissolved organic carbon to TAN (DOC/TAN) in the three groups were about 14:1. No significant difference was found in the removal rate of TAN, average concentrations of TAN and nitrite nitrogen among the three groups (P > 0.05). The C/N (w/w) ratio of the > 50-μm bioflocs was significantly higher than those of the other groups. No significant differences were found in the crude protein content in the bioflocs among the three groups. The development of the bacterial community compositions of the bioflocs was analyzed by Illumina MiSeq sequencing analyses. Most OTUs were shared among the three groups at all the sampled time points. With the increase in the relative abundance of phylum Firmicutes, that of phylum Proteobacteria, Chorolexi, and Bacteroidetes decreased in all the three groups. The phylum Firmicutes and genus Bacillus were predominant in all the sampled time points. At the end of the experiment, genus Bacillus accounted for 81% in the < 50-μm group, 82% in the > 50-μm group, and 75% in the un-sieved group.     

Effects of formaldehyde on nitrification in biofilters of small‐scale recirculating systems

Florfenicol (Aquaflor®) is the only U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved drug for treating diseased fish reared in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS). Treating diseased fish in RAS is challenging because of the potential to damage nitrifying bacteria in the biofilters. Impaired nitrification can lead to concentrations of ammonia and nitrite that compromise fish welfare. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a FDA‐approved parasiticide and fungicide, Parasite‐S^® (formalin), on biofilter nitrification. Stable biofilters were exposed once to 0, 9.25, 18.5, 37, or 55.5 mg/L formaldehyde. Total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) and nitrite nitrogen were monitored daily before and throughout the study to quantify biofilter function. Formaldehyde concentrations ≥37 mg/L increased TAN and nitrite nitrogen concentrations, and nitrification did not recover to pre‐exposure concentrations up to 8 day postexposure. On the basis of those results, a second trial was conducted. Stable biofilters were exposed once or on four consecutive days to 9.25 or 18.5 mg/L formaldehyde. Biofilters repeatedly exposed to formaldehyde showed signs of impairment and had variable recovery relative to single exposures. Results of this study may help identify formaldehyde concentrations that can be safely applied to RAS when treating diseased fish.