02/23/2022
Better Living Through Biochemistry: Biofloc Technology
(Fred Dixon, www.aquasustain.com)
I've been spending a lot of time recently studying the subject of this post. It's potentially an exciting breakthrough for aquaponics researchers and practitioners. In fact, it may prove to be something of a "game changer", in some ways.
Successful aquaponics has always completely relied on maintaining the optimum environment for a healthy, vigorous, balanced colony of beneficial micro-organisms. I've always said that, if there's anything that can be said to be truly 'farmed' or 'cultivated' in aquaponics, it's bacteria. It's not much of an exaggeration to say that fish and plants are almost a byproduct of that, and it's no exaggeration at all to say that, without that healthy microbial population, there's no possibility of a long-lived stable or successful system.
In my experience, a lack of proper understanding and appreciation of that critical fact is, in one way or another, the most common reason for systems to fail. Many "failure stories" I hear from people sound like descriptions of deliberate efforts to murder bacteria!
The real magic of aquaponics is that by combining two separate disciplines, aquaculture and hydroponics, the main defects or liabilities of one system become benefits to the other, resulting in a beautifully harmonious process. At least that's the theory. In actual practice, however, the problem of excess fish waste, along with all of the associated challenges, is never far from ones consciousness. It's dramatically less of a headache than it is with stand-alone aquaculture, where it's essentially THE challenge, but it's never an insignificant concern. Efforts to relieve that angst span the whole range from Zen-like simplicity to rather absurd complexity.
Aquaponics is much like other complicated human endeavors. Once folks have been at it awhile, and the fundamental nuts and bolts become familiar and comfortable, a certain complacency tends to set in. I'm guilty as charged. I used to think that it would be surprising if a development came along that might radically change my basic understanding of the biology involved.
Enter "biofloc technology".
It's been generating a lot of interest among the aquaculture crowd since the 1990s, and in recent years, has begun to gain some traction in aquaponics. Simply put, the idea is that by making a few modifications to a system's microbiological environment, and thereby making things friendlier for micro-organisms other than just the "rock stars" of aquaponics (primarily, but not exclusively, Nitrobacter and Nitrosomonas), somewhat miraculous improvements occur. The growth and health of both fish and plants is improved. The total feed input requirements are reduced. Several critical water quality parameters become more ideal and stable, even the more troublesome ones like PH, ammonia, and nitrites. And maybe best of all, excess fish waste actually becomes a good thing, in some sense at least.
In short, overall better functionality, production, and stability with less effort and cost, along with lower environmental impact. Music to my ears, though some of the details of the technique may seem a bit counterintuitive.
Aquaponics is already more than miraculous enough to suit me, even without major improvements, but if biofloc lives up to the positive press it's getting, I'd say it's definitely worth some serious attention. More good news: I'm reading that the approach has been hugely successful when applied to shrimp farming, which is something I've always meant to get involved in.
Most of what I've been reading are extremely tedious technical papers that are in no way entertaining, unless you're a complete weirdo like me. Here's a piece that's reasonably digestible:
https://thefishsite.com/articles/new-study-shows-gift-tilapia-thriving-in-integrated-biofloc-and-aquaponics-set-up
Sponsor message Are you trying to break into aquaculture industry or already working in the field and looking to gain additional expertise for career development? Read more New study shows GIFT tilapia thriving in integrated biofloc and aquaponics set-up Genetically modified tilapia showed enhanced....
