Benefits Of Biofloc System

Dr. Anuja Kenekar

October 26, 2020

Aquaculture

Benefits Of Biofloc System To Meet Future Challenges

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The human population is rapidly increasing at an alarming rate.

There is an urgent need for food production industries like aquaculture to expand and innovate so that food needs can be met in the future with much better output, both quality and quantity-wise.

To meet future challenges, a special focus must be given to aquaculture systems, which produce more by reducing dependence on and exploitation of natural resources like water and land.

Moreover, sustainable fish farming techniques have to be encouraged to protect the environment, and at the same time, they can be cost-effective for those involved in the aquaculture industry.

Keeping future goals in mind, biofloc systems or biofloc fish farming is one of the best methods to achieve all these objectives.

Traditional Fish Farming Problems

Generally, in the fish farming industry, a large space of land is required. Additionally, an extensive amount of water is necessary to do fish farming.

Moreover, fish farmers are required to change the water every 30-35 days. The infrastructure, systems, land, and water recycling; all ask for huge investments.

This increases cost, and hence, the technique is expensive and not environmentally friendly due to the huge quantum of water used.

The high stocking density (maintained to keep the system economically viable) can cause fish a lot of stress due to excessive build-up of fish excreta.

This can cause dips in their immunity, making them even more susceptible to disease. This leads to fish deaths and huge losses for farmers.

What is Biofloc Fish Farming?

Biofloc fish farming can be defined as a system through which water quality is enhanced by removing waste from water resources by a natural biological treatment mechanism.

It is one of the most beneficial methods in existence today, with multiple advantages when compared to other aquaculture systems.

The floc is a combination of bacteria, protozoa, nutrients, and other microbes that are bound by an electrostatic force as well as naturally occurring organic matter that houses them.

The additional carbon source gives a boost to flocculation. It absorbs inorganic nitrogenous compounds from the polluted water and improves water quality.

With biofloc fish farming, the extra feed and the excreta released by fishes are acted upon and turned into microbial feed. This nutritious feed can be consumed by the fish.

At the same time, all kinds of waste are removed, preventing water from being polluted.

This reduces the requirement for frequent water changes and reduces the need for additional fish feed as well.

Bring down the operating costs significantly.

Probiotics present in biofloc act against pathogens and also induce immunity against them in fish.

It activates non-specific immunity in crustaceans like shrimp which helps them to fight against diseases.

Advantages of Biofloc Fish Farming

  • It reduces the need for water exchange and water usage in aquaculture systems and helps in maintaining water quality. This reduces water treatment expenses for farmers.
  • Biofloc acts as a food source for fishes. This saves money for the feed, and thus, it is a cost-effective way to provide necessary food.
  • Expensive technologies are required to remove nitrogen compounds, and their frequent maintenance expenses can be avoided.
  • Biofloc system is capable of removing nitrogen in cases of high BOD and the presence of organic matter in water.
  • Since waste accumulation is reduced, it significantly improves water quality and fish survival rate.

Innovative new methods are now being researched to combine biofloc farming systems with other technologies and solutions as it is key to the future of sustainable fish farming and for the aquaculture industry.

Organica Biotech is one of the leading companies developing aquaculture solutions for a sustainable future. Bioflok is one such product, which is a probiotic formulation containing a well-researched consortium of probiotic bacteria.

It aims at maximizing the productivity of fish farming by effectively breaking down of nitrate and ammonia, promoting healthy flocculation, and reducing water exchange frequency.

Bioflok is one of the best products for achieving sustainable aquaculture goals today and in the future.