Comparing a chemoautotrophic-based biofloc system and three heterotrophic-based systems receiving different carbohydrate sources

• Published in: Aquacultural engineering 2014-12, Vol.63, p.54-61
• Main Authors: Ray, Andrew J., Lotz, Jeffrey M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal aquaculture; Animal productions; Autotrophic; Biofloc; Biological and medical sciences; Carbohydrates; Crustacea; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Glycerols; Heterotrophic; Invertebrates; Litopenaeus vannamei; Management; Minimal exchange; Nitrates; Receiving; Shrimp; Shrimps; Sucrose; Tanks
• ISSN: 0144-8609; 1873-5614
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaeng.2014.10.001

•An experiment compared no carbohydrate addition to molasses, sucrose, and glycerol addition.•There was significantly greater nitrate concentration in systems without carbohydrate addition.•BOD5 and solids concentration were significantly higher in systems with carbohydrate addition.•Shrimp performed best in systems with no carbohydrates and in those with added sucrose. A 56-day study was conducted in which shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) were stocked at 300m−3 into 16, 500-L tanks. Four treatments were created: chemoautotrophic (CA), heterotrophic sucrose (HS), heterotrophic molasses (HM), and heterotrophic glycerol (HG). The heterotrophic treatments were managed such that the C:N ratio of inputs (feed and carbohydrate source) was 22:1. The chemoautotrophic treatment received no added carbohydrate, only shrimp feed. Each treatment was assigned randomly to four replicate tanks. Nitrate-N was significantly greater in the CA treatment, accumulating to a peak mean concentration of 162mgNO3-NL−1 and nitrate was typically below detection (