Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10 doi:10.1111/are.

12949

Effect of different total suspended solids levels on a

Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) BFT culture
system during biofloc formation

Carlos Augusto Prata Gaona1, Marcos Souza de Almeida1, Veronica Viau2, Luis Henrique
Poersch1 & Wilson Wasielesky Jr1
1
Marine Station of Aquaculture, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande (RS), Brazil
2
Biology of Reproduction and Growth in Crustaceans, Department of Biodiversity and Experimental Biology, FCEyN,
University of Buenos Aires, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Correspondence: C A P Gaona, Marine Station of Aquaculture, Institute of Oceanography, Federal University of Rio Grande,
C.P. 474, Rio Grande (RS), CEP 96201-900, Brazil. E-mail: carlosgaona@ig.com.br

the BFT system. The maintenance at range of 100–

Abstract
300 mg L
1 TSS is thus important to the success
In a Biofloc Technology System (BFT), there is con- of shrimp culture.
stant biofloc formation and suspended solids accu-
mulation, leading to effects on water quality Keywords: suspended solids, biofloc, Litopenaeus
parameters that may affect the growth perfor- vannamei, clarifier
mance of cultured shrimp. This study aimed to
analyse during biofloc formation the effect of differ-
Introduction
ent total suspended solids (TSS) levels on water
quality and the growth performance of Litopenaeus A super-intensive marine shrimp culture system
vannamei shrimp in a BFT system. A 42-day trial (BFT) works by stimulating natural productivity,
was conducted with treatments of three ranges of consisting in the formation of bioflocs, which are
TSS: 100–300 mg L
1 as low (TL), 300–600 as microbial aggregates (Samocha, Patnaik, Speed,
medium (TM) and 600–1000 as high (TH). The Ali, Burger, Almeida, Ayub, Harisanto, Horowitz &
initial concentrations of 100 (TL), 300 (TM) and Brook 2007; Avnimelech 2009). The suspended
600 mg L
1 (TH) were achieved by fertilization bioflocs constitute the suspended solids, which
before starting the experiment. Litopenaeus van- remain distributed throughout the water column
namei juveniles with an average weight of according to the dynamics caused by aeration.
4.54  1.19 g were stocked at a density of 372 These aggregate particles distinguish intensive cul-
shrimp m
3. Physical and chemical water parame- ture systems from natural environments by the
ters and shrimp growth performance were anal- large amount of particulate organic carbon dis-
ysed. After 6 weeks, TSS mean concentrations tributed among different taxa of microorganisms
were 306.37, 532.43 and 745.2 mg L
1 for, (Moss & Pruder 1995; Burford, Thompson, McIn-
respectively, TL, TM and TH treatments. Significant tosh, Bauman & Pearson 2004; Ray, Seaborn, Lef-
differences (P < 0.05) were observed in TSS, set- fler, Wilde, Lawson & Browdy 2010).
tleable solids, pH, alkalinity and nitrite, especially In a BFT system, where stocking densities can
between the TL and TH treatments. Similarly, dif- reach 450 shrimp m
3 with higher feeding rates
ferences (P < 0.05) were observed in the growth (Krummenauer, Cavalli, Poersch & Wasielesky
performance parameters, specifically final weight, 2011), the aeration system that diffuses air
survival, feed conversion and productivity. The through the water column promotes vertical
water quality parameters at lower range of total motion, distributing particulate matter throughout
suspended solids concentration (TL) treatment the tank via intensive mixing and keeping the bio-
resulted in a better performance of L. vannamei in floc suspended (Hargreaves 2006; De Schryver,

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd 1

Suspended solids levels in BFT shrimp system C A P Gaona et al. Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10

Crab, Defoirdt, Boon & Verstraete 2008). This mix- As the density of suspended solids increases, a
ing becomes more important in impermeable culture’s success will depend on a balance between
structures where there is minimal or no water cul- waste production and the capacity of the environ-
ture renewal, providing access to the solids and ment of the cultured species to assimilate nutri-
organic matter accumulated from offered food and ents. One of the strategies for formation of biofloc
the natural productivity in the suspended aggre- is to stimulate heterotrophic bacteria growth and
gates (Ray, Lewis, Browdy & Leffler 2010; Gaona, metabolism by adding organic carbon (C) sources,
Poersch, Krummenauer, Foes & Wasielesky 2011; balancing this substrate with the total ammonia
Schveitzer, Arantes, Cost

odio, Santo, Vinatea, Seif- nitrogen (N) through the C:N ratio (Avnimelech
fert & Andreatta 2013). The natural biota main- 1999; Ebeling et al. 2006). Nitrifying bacteria
tained in suspension acts in the recycling of require an inorganic carbon substrate for nitrite
nitrogen compounds (ammonia and nitrite) and assimilation to reduce the concentrations of this
supplements the feeding of penaeid shrimp (Wasie- compound (Ebeling et al. 2006). Due to concerns
lesky, Atwood, Stokes & Browdy 2006; Arnold, about the establishment of ammonium-oxidizing
Coman, Jackson & Groves 2009; Ballester, Abreu, and nitrite-oxidizing bacteria in cultures, some
Cavalli, Emerenciano, Abreu & Wasielesky 2010; studies have focused on the analysis of suspended
Megahed 2010). solids concentrations and zootechnical perfor-
Simultaneously, there is an increase in nutrient mance using biofloc inoculum from previous crops
concentrations, which can result in rapid eutroph- (Gaona et al. 2011; Ray, Dillon & Lotz 2011;
ication in closed systems (Thakur & Lin 2003). Schveitzer et al. 2013).
Silva, Wasielesky and Abreu (2013) analysed the Apart from the nutritional benefits of bioflocs
nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in BFT systems and their ability to maintain water quality, moni-
and found that 39% of the nitrogen input into the toring of biofloc formation must be conducted
system is in dissolved form and 7.7% of that through a specific analysis of the progression of
fraction is in inorganic form. Of the phosphorus the concentration of suspended solids and water
that remained in the system, 34.1% was in dis- quality parameters. However, none study started
solved form, with 50.7% of that portion being with different concentration of total suspended
inorganic. However, the bacterial community in solids on biofloc system without inoculum. In this
the water culture assimilates and converts inor- sense, the objective of this study was to analyse
ganic nitrogen species, improving water quality during biofloc formation, the effect of different
(Avnimelech 2009; De Schryver & Verstraete suspended solids levels on water quality and
2009; Luo, Avnimelech, Pan & Tan 2013). the growth performance of the penaeid shrimp
The capacity of an intensive biofiltration system Litopenaeus vannamei in a BFT system.
is dependent on a continuous oxygen supply (Har-
greaves 2006). Nitrifying bacteria, which maintain
Materials and methods
water quality by reducing nitrite concentrations,
depend on an environment with high dissolved
Location and period of the study
oxygen (Ebeling, Timmons & Bisogni 2006; Avn-
imelech 2009). Organic carbon is the energetic The study was conducted at the Marine Station of
substrate for many microorganisms, and its con- Aquaculture (EMA), Institute of Oceanography,
sumption contributes to the use of dissolved oxy- Federal University of Rio Grande, located at Cas-
gen, posing a risk of inadequate oxygen supply for sino Beach in Rio Grande, RS, Southern Brazil
the animals reared in the system if facilities are (32°110 S; 52°100 W). A 42-day trial was con-
inadequate (Avnimelech 2009; Mook, Chakrabarti, ducted from December 2010 to January 2011.
Aroua, Khan, Ali, Islam & Abu Hassan 2012). In
addition, the interactions between the biofloc and
Experimental design
water quality may interfere with the stability of
the system, potentially causing changes in pH, The experimental design was completely random-
alkalinity and carbon dioxide concentration (Ebel- ized, consisting of three treatments with three repli-
ing et al. 2006; Furtado, Poersch & Wasielesky cates each. Nine tanks (1.0 m3) with a useful
2011; Furtado, Gaona, Poersch & Wasielesky capacity of 0.86 m3 were installed in a greenhouse
2014). for shrimp growth via a BFT system. The aeration

2 © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Aquaculture Research, 1–10

Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10 Suspended solids levels in BFT shrimp system C A P Gaona et al.

system consisted of an Aero-TubeTM (a hose with value was adjusted posteriorly according to the
micropores distributed evenly across its length) to consumption observed in the trays within each
optimize oxygen transfer and aeration efficiency. interval between feedings.
Forty-centimetre lengths of this hose were cut and
installed in pairs in each experimental unit, cou-
Physical and chemical water parameters
pled to a PVC pipe (20 mm diameter) and supplied
by mechanical aeration from a 2 hp blower. Monitoring of dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature
Three treatments were defined by ranges of TSS: and salinity was performed daily. Samples were
100–300 mg L
1 as low (TL), 300–600 as med- collected daily for total ammonia nitrogen (TAN)
ium (TM) and 600–1000 as high (TH). The water and nitrite (NO2
–N) analysis and once a week
used in the experiment was obtained by pumping for nitrate (NO3
–N), orthophosphate (PO4–P)
directly from Cassino Beach, which has a salinity and alkalinity. Total suspended solids (TSS) and
of 33 g L
1. Before the beginning of the experi- settleable solids (SS) were monitored twice a
ment, the water was treated with 10 mg L
1 of week. Dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature and
chlorine and neutralized with ascorbic acid 24 h salinity were measured using multiparameter
later and then fertilized with sugar cane molasses YSIâ mod. 556 (YSI Incorporated, Yellow Springs,
in a 20:1 ratio (C:N) to achieve the initial sus- OH, USA). The concentrations of ammonia (TAN)
pended solids concentrations: 100, 200 and and nitrite (NO2
–N) were measured according to
500 mg L
1. A first adjustment was made to the UNESCO (1983) and Bendschneider and Robinson
total suspended solids concentrations before (1952) respectively. The method used for nitrate
the start of the experiment. Further adjustments to (NO3
–N) and orthophosphate (PO4–P) was Ami-
the suspended solids levels were made (third and not and Chaussepied (1983), and alkalinity was
fifth week) by suspended solids removal (6 h each measured according to APHA (1998). The TSS
removing) in all treatments, based on sedimenta- was determined through gravimetry by filtering
tion methods (clarification) used in previous studies aliquots of 20 mL of water through GF 50-A
(Ray et al. 2010, 2011; Gaona et al. 2011). Clari- glass fibre filters, according to Strickland and Par-
fiers were assembled into a conical-cylindrical glass sons (1972) and AOAC (2000). Settleable solids
fibre chamber with a diameter of 0.48 m, height of was analysed using Imhoff cone and the volume
0.50 m and useful volume of 48 L, representing of floc on the bottom of the cone was measured
5.5% of the total volume of the experimental unit. after 15 minutes of sedimentation (Avnimelech
A PVC pipe (100 mm diameter) was placed inside 2009).
this chamber to reduce the turbulence of the water
pumped from the culture tank by a submerged
Growth performance
pump with a flow of 1500 L h
1.
Shrimp growth was monitored every 15 days, and
used to adjust the amount of supplied feed accord-
Biological material and feeding
ing to Jory, Cabreras, Durwood, Fegan, Lee, Lawr-
The juveniles of L. vannamei used in this study ence, Jackson, Mcintosh and Casta~ neda (2001).
were first kept for 60 days in the nursery and For that purpose, 30 shrimps were collected ran-
grow-out BFT system inside the greenhouse at the domly from each experimental unit, individually
Marine Station of Aquaculture (EMA). Each experi- weighed and returned to their respective tank.
mental unit was stocked at a density of 372 After weighing, the mean individual weight (g)
shrimp m
3 (265 individuals m
2) with an aver- was calculated.
age weight per shrimp of 4.54  1.19 g. Shrimp At the end of the experiment the following vari-
were fed twice a day (at 9:00 and 16:00 hours) ables were calculated:
with commercial feed (Potimar Active 38; Centro
Survival ð%Þ ¼ ðfinal shrimp number/
Oeste Racßo~es SA, Campinas, Brazil) containing
38% crude protein and 8% lipid. The food was initial shrimp numberÞ  100:
offered on feeding trays (Wasielesky, Atwood, Feed conversion ratio (FCR)
Stokes et al. 2006) at an initial rate of 10% of ¼ offered feed (g)/(final biomass (g)
shrimp biomass and was adjusted according to
initial biomass (g));
consumption observed in a period of 24 h. This

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Aquaculture Research, 1–10 3

Suspended solids levels in BFT shrimp system C A P Gaona et al. Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10

Productivity ðkg m
3 Þ ¼ ðfinal biomass
treatments throughout the study, whereas the TM
group exhibited intermediate values (Fig. 1a).
initial biomassÞ=volume ðm Þ 3
However, after 6 weeks of the experiment, the TSS
concentrations did not present a significant differ-
Statistical analysis
ence (P > 0.05) between the TM and TL treat-
The water quality parameters and growth perfor- ments (Fig. 1a).
mances in the different treatments were submitted From de second week onward, the settleable
to a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), taking solids (SS) presented significant differences
into account the assumptions (Levene and Kol- (P < 0.05) among all treatments (Fig. 1b).
mogorov–Smirnov tests) necessary for its imple- The pH was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in
mentation. Tukey’s test was applied when TL compared to TH tanks from the third week
significant differences were detected (P < 0.05). onward (Fig. 1c).
The survival data were transformed (arcsine x0.5) The variations in alkalinity observed in the
before analysis (Zar 1996). study (Fig. 1d) were marked by significant differ-
ences (P < 0.05) between treatments in the last
2 weeks, when the concentrations were signifi-
Results
cantly higher (P < 0.05) in TL with respect to TH.
Ammonia and nitrate concentrations were not dif-
Water quality
ferences (P > 0.05) between treatments during the
Temperature and dissolved oxygen were main- experiment. However, the nitrite concentration
tained above 26°C and 5 mg L
1, respectively, increased throughout the experiment for the TM and
throughout the experiment and did not exhibit sig- TH treatments while it remained low for the TL group
nificant differences (P > 0.05) between treatments. (Fig. 1e). Concentrations were significantly lower
Salinity increased at the end of the study; how- (P < 0.05) in the low TSS treatment (TL) relative to
ever, the mean salinity values were similar the other two groups during the final 2 weeks.
(P > 0.05) between groups. The highest orthophosphate concentration was
Means and standard deviations of the parame- recorded for the TH treatment during the last
ters monitored throughout the experiment are pre- week, being significantly different (P < 0.05) from
sented in Table 1. the TL group.
The concentrations of total suspended solids
(TSS) outside of setting ranges of the treatments
Growth performance
were recorded during the culture. Significant dif-
ferences (P < 0.05) in total suspended solids con- Shrimp kept at low (TL) and medium (TM) TSS
centrations were found between the TL and TH concentrations exhibited similar (P > 0.05) growth

Table 1 Physical and chemical parameters data for L. vannamei in a BFT system with three suspended solids levels
(low = TL, medium = TM, and high = TH), with mean values  standard deviation

Treatment

TL TM TH

Temperature (°C) 27.86  1.37 28.07  1.42 28.17  1.45

Dissolved oxygen (mg L
1) 5.85  0.64 5.76  0.69 5.68  0.71
pH 7.93  0.23 7.86  0.25 7.74  0.31
Alkalinity (mg CaCO3 L
1) 159.29  19.96a 136.43  20.88ab 116.71  43.75bc
Salinity (g L
1) 37.23  3.13 37.69  2.92 38.49  2.95
TSS (mg L
1) 306.37  119.71a 532.43  321.00ab 745.20  283.85bc
SS (mg L
1) 11.48  3.79a 57.00  41.22ab 210.83  161.47c
Ammonia (mg L
1) 3.42  3.01 3.33  3.03 2.54  3.25
Nitrite (mg L
1) 0.73  1.08 3.66  8.00 10.28  14.25
Nitrate (mg L
1) 0.38  0.63 0.46  0.72 1.73  2.11
Orthophosphate (mg L
1) 0.51  0.27a 1.39  0.84ab 4.82  1.99bc

Different letters in the same row indicate significant difference (P < 0.05) between treatments.

4 © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Aquaculture Research, 1–10

Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10 Suspended solids levels in BFT shrimp system C A P Gaona et al.

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Figure 1 Variations in total sus-

pended solids – TSS (a), settleable (e)
solids – SS (b), pH (c), alkalinity
(d) and nitrite (e) throughout the
experiment. Significant differences
(P < 0.05) are indicated by the let-
ters A, B and C, for Low, Medium
and High treatments, respectively.
Different letters indicate significant
differences (P < 0.05) between
treatments for each sample period.

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Aquaculture Research, 1–10 5

Suspended solids levels in BFT shrimp system C A P Gaona et al. Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10

Discussion

This study observed the effects of TSS of the three

ranges along the experiment into BFT water qual-
ity and its consequences on L. vannamei growth
performance. The changes on water quality
occurred together with the evolution of every
range of TSS concentrations.
Parameters such as temperature and oxygen
availability directly affect the growth performance
of L. vannamei by regulating metabolic functions,
Figure 2 Shrimp growth during the 42-day trial in
determining the growth of the animals. In this
the presence of low (TL), medium (TM) and high (TH)
study, temperature and oxygen availability were
suspended solids levels.
maintained at levels favourable to the growth of
the species (Van Wyk & Scarpa 1999; Zhang,
during the experiment, reaching the highest
Zhang, Li & Huang 2006). Salinity varied over the
(P < 0.05) weights relative to the TH treatment
course of the experiment within the tolerance
after 42 days (Fig. 2).
range of the species (Van Wyk & Scarpa 1999). A
The growth performance results in terms of final
previous study of the combined effect of tempera-
mean weight, survival, feed conversion ratio (FCR)
ture and salinity on the culture of the shrimp
and productivity presented significant differences
L. vannamei observed the great osmoregulatory
between treatments, as indicated in Table 2.
ability of this species, which quickly adapted to
Significant differences (P < 0.05) were observed
variations in salinity between 10 and 40 g L
1
in the last week, distinguishing the final weight
(Re, D
ıaz, Ponce-Rivas, Giffard, Mu~ noz-Marquez &
of TH treatment shrimp from the other two treat-
Sigala-Andrade 2012).
ments. The survival for the TL and TM treat-
It is possible to estimate the dry matter present
ments were similar (P > 0.05), both being
in settleable solids, estimating the proportion of
significantly higher (P < 0.05) than that for the
TSS as dry weight (i.e. 1.4% TSS) present in bio-
TH treatment. The FCR and productivity exhib-
floc, but this may not be the rule (Avnimelech
ited significance differences (P < 0.05) among all
2007). According Schveitzer et al. (2013) the
treatments at the end of the trial, with the best
degree of correlation between TSS and SS may be
feed conversion ratio (FCR) and productivity
affected by independent variations of each parame-
obtained for the TL group in relation to the other
ter. These same authors observed that even in
groups (Table 2).
stable levels of TSS, changes occurred in the SS
measures. In this study, the SS had similar beha-
Table 2 Growth performance data for L. vannamei in a
BFT system with three suspended solids levels (low = TL, viour to TSS with increasing throughout the
medium = TM and high = TH), with mean values  experiment, as noted by Furtado et al. (2011).
standard deviation According to Avnimelech (2009) typical floc vol-
umes for shrimp culture are between 2 and
Treatment 40 mL L
1, whereas in the present study the val-
ues of TL treatment were within these ranges.
TL TM TH
Litopenaeus vannamei has the capacity to feed on
Mean initial 4.54  1.19 4.54  1.19 4.54  1.19 the natural biota and also contributes to the gen-
weight (g) eration of a significant amount of biofloc in a BFT
Mean final 8.98  1.42a 8.85  1.39a 7.60  1.41b
system (Burford et al. 2004). This was observed by
weight (g)
Survival (%) 94.79  1.41a 84.17  7.73a 20.73  8.58b
Ferreira (2008) studying microbial floc formation
FCR 1.08  0.04a 1.21  0.08b 5.28  1.92c in two cultures of marine shrimp species, who
Productivity 3.40  0.08a 2.98  0.21b 0.65  0.37c reported higher TSS concentrations in an L. van-
(kg m
3) namei culture than a Farfantepenaeus paulensis cul-
FCR, feed conversion ratio. ture. The most notable variations in the average
Different letters in the same row indicate significant differences concentrations of total suspended solids were
(P < 0.05) between treatments. observed throughout the study in the TH and TL

6 © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Aquaculture Research, 1–10

Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10 Suspended solids levels in BFT shrimp system C A P Gaona et al.

treatments, which, respectively, varied below and nitrite and nitrate prevalence at the end of the
above 500 mg L
1, a value recommended by crop cycle.
Samocha et al. (2007). Suspended solids are Phosphorus concentrations remained at concen-
involved in the organic matter decomposition pro- trations that accompanying TSS levels, remaining
cesses and reflect changes in water quality (Vina- accumulated in the water culture. Barak, Cytryn,
tea, Galvez, Browdy, Stokes, Venero, Haveman, Gelfand, Krom and Van Rijn (2003) reported that
Lewis, Lawson, Shuler & Leffler 2010). Changes in the source of phosphorus in the culture is mainly
pH and alkalinity during the study correlated due to unconsumed feed and nutrients excreted by
inversely with TSS levels; a similar pattern was cultured organisms. In cultures with biofloc tech-
noted by Furtado et al. (2011) for TSS levels above nology, L. vannamei can incorporate up to 35% of
850 mg L
1. The respiration in the water column the total phosphorus that enters the system,
by microorganisms present in the biofloc results in whereas the majority remains in the dissolved and
the excretion of carbon dioxide, which drives a particulate forms, with accumulation expected in a
reduction in pH (Wasielesky, Atwood, Stokes et al. BFT system (Silva et al. 2013).
2006; Vinatea et al. 2010; Ray, Seaborn et al. The shrimp’s performance was determined by
2010). Simultaneously, the dissociation of carbon- the water quality during the experiment. The
ate and bicarbonate ions reduces the alkalinity of lower total suspended solids concentration (at
the water culture (Ebeling et al. 2006). The alka- range of 100–300 mg L
1) used in the study pro-
linity and pH remained above 100 mg CaCO3 L
1 vided the best conditions for the shrimp, most
and 7, respectively, and within the recommended likely due to the low levels of nitrites maintained
values for L. vannamei in a BFT system (Ebeling throughout the 42-day trial. Lin and Chen (2003)
et al. 2006; Wasielesky, Atwood, Kegl, Bruce, verified a nitrite (NO2
–N) safe level of
Stokes & Browdy 2006). 25.7 mg L
1 for L. vannamei juveniles at a salinity
Nitrogen cycling by heterotrophic and nitrifying of 35 g L
1 indicating the high tolerance of the
bacteria resulted, respectively, in similar reductions species, as the concentration indicated by these
in ammonia concentrations and increases in authors was only achieved in the sixth week for
nitrite with increasing organic matter at the the TM treatment in higher salinity. The TH treat-
higher TSS levels. Due to the addition of molasses, ment exceeded this concentration from the fifth
heterotrophic bacteria had a substrate for obtain- week, exposing the animals for longer toxicity of
ing carbon and subsequently metabolizing ammo- nitrite. At low salinity to 48 h LC50 (median lethal
nia (Avnimelech 1999; Samocha et al. 2007), concentration) studies, Schuler, Boardman, Kuhn
reducing the ammonia concentrations to levels tol- and Flick (2010) in salinity of 10 g L
1 observed
erable to L. vannamei (Lin & Chen 2001). Luo et al. 154 mg L
1 NO2
–N, while Lin and Chen (2003)
(2013) observed that the effect of the organic sub- at 15 g L
1 recorded 143 mg L
1 NO2
–N. How-
strate in the inhibition of nitrifying bacteria was ever, the nitrite concentration was determinant for
not toxic, but stimulated rapid heterotrophic the growth rate of the animals, and the two vari-
growth and competition for dissolved oxygen, ables may have an inverse relationship (Vinatea
space, total ammonia and micronutrients. Inhibi- et al. 2010). These interactions were reflected in
tion of nitrifying bacteria may have led to slowed the better growth and survival in treatment TL,
growth, and the reduction in alkalinity in the TH which was observed to have the lowest nitrite con-
treatment may have limited the availability of centration. In an L. vannamei culture with a TSS
inorganic carbon (Ebeling et al. 2006). In the pre- concentration of 465 mg L
1, Ray, Lewis et al.
sent study, there were increased concentrations of (2010) recorded a maximum nitrite concentration
nitrite in treatments TM and TH, in which the oxi- of 5.4 mg L
1, obtaining a final mean weight of
dation necessary to decrease and stack nitrate did 11.6 g and mean survival of 71% at a stocking
not occur. Nitrite concentrations in the TL treat- density of 460 shrimp m
3 after 12 weeks. Gaona
ment also increased, but it was a very gentle rise. et al. (2011) observed, after 16 weeks of culture,
It was clear that the length of the experiment was that shrimp stocked at a density of 250 individuals
most likely not sufficient for the establishment of m
2 reached 10.76 g with a survival of 81%,
characteristic nitrification in BFT systems. Accord- maintaining the TSS level at 500 mg L
1. Schveit-
ing to Silva et al. (2013), the route of nitrification zer et al. (2013) observed 83% survival in L. van-
occurs with successive conversions of ammonia to namei reared under suspended solids conditions

© 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Aquaculture Research, 1–10 7

Suspended solids levels in BFT shrimp system C A P Gaona et al. Aquaculture Research, 2015, 1–10

kept within the range of 400–600 mg L
1. Con- W. Wasielesky, and L.H. Poersch are research fel-
comitantly, there was a better conversion of feed lows of CNPq.
consumed to shrimp growth in the present study.
The best FCR was observed in the treatment with
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APHA (American Public Health Association) (1998)
313 mg L
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Conclusion
cal diets with different protein levels on the perfor-
Total suspended solids concentrations about 100– mance of Farfantepenaeus paulensis juveniles nursed in
300 mg L
1 during biofloc formation are important a zero exchange suspended microbial flocs intensive
for maintaining water quality, particularly when system. Aquaculture Nutrition 16, 163–172.
Baloi M., Arantes R., Schveitzer R., Magnotti C. & Vina-
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addition, negative impacts on water quality parame-
Litopenaeus vannamei raised in biofloc systems with
ters can be reduced by using low TSS concentra- varying levels of light exposure. Aquacultural Engineer-
tions, starting the culture at approximately ing 52, 39–44.
100 mg L
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