AirOxi MBBR – special bio media and aeration for bio filters used in RAS aquaculture

 

RAS is a highly intensive form or aquaculture. It works on the principal of zero or almost zero water exchange. In that sense it is the opposite of biofloc.

In biofloc or BFT, water is not exchange and probiotics are added so that microorganisms convert the sludge and waste, thus reducing the nitrates, nitrites, phosphates, ammonia etc in the water.

RAS is now being adapted by aqua farmers across the world. In fact many fish farmers are now moving away from standard designs given by suppliers of RAS system and making their own design. Whatever the design that maybe made by the farmer or supplier, there are 4 main elements in RAS

-        Water exchange, anywhere from 100% water exchange once in 24 hours to once in a week

-        Drum filter to remove physical impurities

-        Bio filter to balance the chemicals , reduce ammonia, phosphates etc.

-        Aeration in the tanks and also in the biofilter

RAS is an innovative method that conserves water and reduces environmental impacts. Among the various components that make up a successful RAS, biofilters play a pivotal role, and the importance of aeration within these biofilters cannot be overstated.

Biofilters is the backbone of any RAS system and it is responsible for maintaining water quality. The biofilter contains bacteria that convert the sludge and waste, breakdown the nitrite and ammonia and keep the water clean. They are nature’s filters.

To keep these bacteria growing and functioning well, they also need aeration. Hence aeration in the biofilter is of paramount importance. If the water flow rate calculations – the duration in which the water is to be exchanged 100% in the system – are mismatched with the quantity of bacteria and the aeration provided to the bacteria in the biofilter, the results can be catastrophic.

In such a case, the biofilter is not able to handle the excess load of ammonia, nitrites, etc. and their quantity starts increasing exponentially.

Insufficient aeration can lead to oxygen depletion within the biofilter, creating anaerobic zones. In these zones, different groups of bacteria can proliferate, including those that convert nitrates back into harmful ammonia. This phenomenon, known as denitrification, can reverse the nitrification process, reducing water quality and posing a threat to the health of the aquaculture system's inhabitants. Adequate aeration helps prevent the formation of anaerobic zones, maintaining a stable and healthy biofilter environment

A good RAS system needs to incorporate in its design 3 elements of the biofilter

-        Which bacteria culture to have in the bio filter – this will depend on the species of fish in the culture

-        What is the size of the bio filter – this will depend on frequency of water exchange, how long should 100% exchange take

-        What is the aeration to be provided in the biofilter – this will depend on the initial quantity of bacteria culture that you are adding in the biofilter and the MBBR media used

AirOxi offers very high intensive aeration system for the biofilters. When water is aerated, it allows oxygen to diffuse into the biofilter media, creating an oxygen-rich environment where the bacteria can efficiently carry out nitrification. Without proper aeration, the biofilter media could become oxygen-deprived, leading to a decline in bacterial activity and reduced nitrification efficiency.

The biofilter aeration system offered by AirOxi has 3 parts

-        AirOxi spider – with 6 way connector with one inlet and 6 outlets and without using AirOxi tube

-        Special MBBR media that floats and bounces on water developed by AirOxi

-        Blower to provide air through the 6 way spider

Apart from supporting beneficial bacteria, aeration also directly benefits fish health in RAS aquaculture systems. Fish require well-oxygenated water to breathe and grow optimally. If oxygen levels drop, fish can become stressed, leading to reduced immunity and increased susceptibility to diseases. Proper aeration in the biofilter ensures that oxygen is continuously supplied to the entire aquaculture system, supporting fish health and growth.

 

In conclusion, a good RAS system needs a well-designed biofilter and proper aeration needs to be given to this filter. This is the heart of the system and this is what separates RAS from other technologies of aquaculture.

Contact us at: +91 9652122060 or mail us at: info@airoxi.com

 

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Best aeration for fresh water fish culture

 

Fish culture in India is of various species – Tilapia, Mangur, Rohu, Catla, Mrigal etc. Most are fresh water fish and are mouth breathing, so it seems that when one does fish culture, there is not much need of artificial aeration. Considering the low density of farming and species of fish, as well as the long duration of growth, natural aeration is sufficient in many cases.

However, there are many times when artificial aeration is needed for even fish culture. Some of these situations can be:

-        High density fish farming where the density of fish is many times than what is found in its natural habitat

-        Requirement of faster growth and large weight of the fish in a shorter time

-        Balancing various parameters like pH, ammonia, phosphates, nitrates, nitrites, etc.

With low Dissolved Oxygen (DO) in the water, fish growth will slow down. The water parameters that oxygen helps regulate by oxidation – often called the Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) will also suffer. As a result the sludge, extra feed, waste, nitrates, hydrogen sulfide, phosphates, ammonia etc. will not breakdown further and cause problems in the water.

Low dissolved oxygen would be first seen as increased time taken to finish the feed by the fish. Later one would notice that the fish are not increasing their feed intake and finally one would notice that the fish are not growing as expected. In the meantime if there is a disease, it will spread very fast due to low immunity of the fish. With low DO there is a high chance of infection and even the entire culture failing.

Although aeration and high dissolved oxygen in fish farming is important, the biggest challenge is that the cost of production needs to be very low. The price of fish and its fluctuation and long culture periods do not allow for high costs of aeration.

So a good aeration system for fresh water fish farm would need to be low cost as well as efficient.

One of the best methods for fish culture is diffused aeration. With this method the bubbles from the bottom of the pond or tanks provide high DO across the tanks or pond.  When tanks are used for fish farming – whether regular or biofloc fish farming (BFT), AirOxi Spider is often used because it is the most convenient and easy form or aeration.

 You can view many videos and calculate the aeration required from the aeration calculator available online.

You can contact us at: +91 7285017087 or mail us at: info@airoxi.com

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