Ammonia-removal potential of a static K2-biofilter media conditioned in mangrove water

Abstract

This study verified the ability of ammonia-degrading microbes recruited in a static K2 plastic biofilter media in removing ammonia from various samples and in a controlled laboratory condition. Ammonia concentration of about 2.44mg/l was removed by filtering 850 ml ammonia water in 0.43 m2 biofilter area. This amount of ammonia removal is higher than in normal aquaculture conditions because there is no continuous source of ammonia like those contributed by cultured organisms, feeds, and heterotrophic microbial metabolism. The primary objective of this study is to simply show evidence of ammonia removal by microbes recruited in the plastic biofilter media when other factors that may influence the results were not present. Such complex factors are well-pointed out in the works of other investigators who investigated large facility biofiltration mechanisms. Computing the area of the biofilter media used lead to recommendations on enhancing the existing design (s) and to exceed the benchmark value established in this study.