The removal of suspended solids is typically accomplished through sedimentation and mechanical filtration processes. However, as the particle size decreases, removal via mechanisms such as mechanical filtration becomes more expensive due to pressure loss or constant backwashing.
In systems using biofloc technology, it is also critical to manage the solids produced, as high levels of solids can destabilize the system, interfering with water quality and biofloc balance.
The goal of this study was to determine the particle size of solids produced in a C. caementarius culture using biofloc technology with varying floc volumes (FIV). A 100 ml sample was collected from each rearing unit and filtered in series through various filter mesh (500, 350, 250, 150, 50, 20 m) . This was done in triplicate, and the sample retained on each filter was removed using distilled water before being poured onto a Whatman ® GF/C 1.2 µm filter paper to determine the dry weight of each particle size.
When the data was graphed , similarity in the graphs by treatment and replicas was observed (Figure 1). Similarly, when comparing both treatments (Figure 2), no significant difference was observed, as confirmed by a Kolmogorov test-Smirnov with p-value = 0.6476.