Professional Documents
Culture Documents
12 Panel 3 Yoram Avnimelech
12 Panel 3 Yoram Avnimelech
BIOFLOC SYSTEMS
YORAM AVNIMELECH
agyoram@technion.ac.il
»
» Biofloc technology is based upon a few principles:
» (a) Zero or minimal water exchange,
» (b) subsequent development of dense microbial population
» (c) managing the microbial population as a part of the pond
eco‐system
» (d) adjustment of the C/N ratio to 15 in order to control
inorganic nitrogen concentration in the water.
» The bacteria, forming bioflocs, assimilate TAN, produce
microbial proteins that is consumed by the fish, thus recycle
the unused feed protein. (For more details: Yoram Avnimelech,
Biofloc Technology, A Practical Handbook, World Aquaculture
Soc. 2012).
Grow well in dense
cultures
Resistant •
FILTER FEEDER •
Very few studies as •
compared with
shrimp
Normally, 20-30 kg/m2
10 times higher than shrimp BFT ponds!
» High Biomass 20‐30 kg/m3 (Up to more than 40kg/m3
» (w/o O2)
» High feeding (ca 500 g feed/m3 per day)
» Very high microbial activity
» High floc volume (20‐50 ml/l).
» Very high natural feed storage.
» High levels of feed residues
» Need to drain out daily (or twice daily) excessive sludge.
» Pond constructed to facilitate sludge draining and perfect
mixing.
» High and effective aeration: 10‐20 hp/1000 m2 pond
» Bio flocs are made of bacteria, protozoa, feed
residues etc.
» Bioflocs size may reach
A few mm diameter
» Effectively harvested
by tilapia
200 µm x10 x20
200 µm 200 µm
x10 x10
» Protein is the most expensive part
of the feed.
Expt. # 1
control BFT
51 days
0.5500
0.5000
0.4500
% 15N
0.4000
0.3500
0.3000
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15
Days
» Bioflocs were taken up by fish and degraded
biologically. Yet, the amount of bioflocs stayed
almost constant. This implies that new flocs are
constantly produced (using the excreted N).
» The residence time of bioflocs was calculated to
be around 8 hours. The flocs seem to be a very
dynamic system.
» most cells in the flocs are young and active.
» Conventional fish, shrimp ponds 20‐25%
» BFT Tilapia ponds (Avnimelech) 45%
» BFT Shrimp ponds (McIntosh) 45%
» Closed shrimp tanks (Velasco) 63%
» BFT shrimp ponds, 15N study 18‐29% of total N
consumption (Michele Burford et al.)
* Tilapia, 15N Study, flocs supplied about 50% of fish
protein requirement. (Avnimelech).
» Fish or shrimp growing in BFT systems eat the
pellets when applied, but eat bioflocs all the
time.
» Confirmed in a work done by Albert Tacon
with shrimp.
» Observations with tilapia.
» Effects on lowering of FCR in tilapia production
SPECIAL USES, ADDED VALUES
DESERT AQUACULTURE
Effects on propagation
Shrimp broodstock grown in BFT
have earlier sexual maturity
And higher productivity
Similar result with tilapia
Work by Julie Ekasari
Better nutrition? Fatty acids?
Hormonal effects?
Fatty acids % Total Fatty Acids
n‐6 fatty acids is
Total n‐3 1.33 essential for tilapia
Total n‐6 19.70 and its reproduction
Total n‐9 12.97 (Watanabe 1982)
LA 13.43
ALA 0.36 Protein : 37 – 46% DW
EPA 0.56 Lipid : 11.9 % DW
DHA 0.32
AA 1.30
Biofloc considerably high in AA (Arachidonic Acid) •
AA is beneficial for fertilization rates stimulates testicular •
testosterone in goldfish (Izquierdo et al 2001)
2. Physiological factors
Hormones ˃
Morphological changes ˃
Mobilization of energy reserves ˃
Blood total cholesterol in fish in BFT tanks was higher •
Cholesterol precursor of steroids hormones
Blood glucose as an indicator of mobilization of energy •
reserves
Fish growth •
Higher concentration in •
BFT higher
concentration of
hormones were
involved?
Higher concentration in •
BFT
More energy was •
mobilized for
reproductive
activities
More energy supply? •
Despite of more active reproductive
performance the female in BFT tanks
grew better
Yet, the fish in BFT required
less feed
(9.3 vs 8.3 kg/tank)
a b
Julie Eskari
» Tilapia fingerlings (120 g) stocked to over‐
wintering facility on January 4, 2011.
» Feeding ~ 1% BW
» On February 18, they weighed 171 g
» Daily growth of 1.16 g/fish
» FCR = 0.5
EFFECT OF WATER EXCHANGE RATE ON PRIMARY
AND SECONDARY INFECTION OF FISH BY STREPTOCOCCUS
Treatment Dead fish Sick fish Total infected