Effect of the aeration system on water quality parameters in a biofloc system

Twelve water quality parameters are included: temperature, oxygen concentration, oxygen saturation, pH, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, ammonium, nitrite, nitrate, alkalinity, orthophosphates and settleable solids. Data were collected for 12 weeks from 6 tanks, where 3 tanks were equipped with splash aeration equipment and 3 tanks were equipped with blower equipment, each aerator with 1 hp of power.
Biofloc technology (BFT) is an alternative for intensive production of aquatic organisms. During BFT implementation, aeration systems are mandatory. The objective of
this work was to evaluate the effects of two aeration types: splash (SPL) and blower (BLW) on the productive performance and water quality parameters during 90 days in the juvenile phase of red tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) grown in a commercial BFT farm. No differences were observed on zootechnical parameters, while water quality parameters showed that dissolved oxygen and oxygen saturation were significantly higher for the SPL group, and therefore are more adequate for the production of red tilapia.