SHRIMP FARMING IN BIOFLOC TECHNOLOGY: A SIMPLE TECHNICAL APPROACH FOR SHRIMP FARMERS FOR SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION  

Biofloc technology applied in shrimp farming is in fact adapted from the basic minimum water exchange shrimp intensive culture system used in Indonesia since early late 1990s. The system then was to position aerators within culture ponds to concentrate waste (sludge) into centre of ponds which were then siphon out physically or through central drain system. The aerators were operated almost 24 hours to have optimum culture pond environmental condition. The system creates clean water column and bottom feeding area and separated the sludge area (Taw 2015). The system had been applied in Indonesia in Lampung (Taw, 2005; Taw, et al 2007).

Shrimp biofloc system is somewhat an upgraded system by introducing carbon such as molasses and wheat flour to develop a heterotrophic environment and suspend biofloc colony within pond water column. The biofloc system develop base on what shrimp farmers are used to by developing algae first and later cross over to biofloc to have self-nutrification process sets in  (Taw 2014). Main economic benefits of shrimp biofloc system are - better biosecurity, low FCR, higher production, higher energy efficiency and sustainable production.  

The biofloc technology was used in Indonesia without incidents of WSSV where it was a threat to shrimp farmers (Taw, 2005; Taw et al 2008). During late 2000s the IMNV outbreaks in Indonesia caused a huge lost to Indonesian shrimp farmers. During the period a small shrimp farm in Northern Bali using biofloc technology survived by using biofloc technology (Taw & Setio, 2014). In Malaysia biofloc technology has been applied at Blue Archipelago shrimp farm since October 2011 and has been operating successfully without any incident of EMS/AHPND which was a major threat to China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Thailand (Taw, et al. 2013 & 2014).

According to In-Kwon (2012 &2014) there were more than 2,000 bacterial species in well-developed biofloc water. This biofloc may enhance immune activity based on mRNA expression of six immune-related genes - ProPO1, ProPO2, PPAE, ran, mas and SP1. A study at Bogor University, Indonesia and Ghent University, Belgium revealed that biofloc system contributes to the enhancement of immune response and survival after IMNV challenge regardless the carbon source. The application of BFT brings about beneficial effect in disease control and management in shrimp culture (Ekasari, et al., 2014).