Daily water parameters and floc management in biofloc.
2 Answers
Biofloc is basically water management, so this is the part beginners underestimate. You are trying to grow a controlled colony of beneficial bacteria that convert toxic ammonia into protein the fish can eat, by adding a carbon source such as molasses or jaggery in the right ratio to the feed protein. You need to monitor temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrite and floc volume regularly, which means buying test kits and learning to read them. Continuous aeration must run all day and night. If the floc crashes or ammonia spikes, fish can die quickly. This is technical work, so train under someone running a working unit before you stock fish, and keep your district Fisheries officer's number handy. Treat printed numbers as a guide only and verify the exact carbon dosing and ratios with a local expert.
The Imhoff cone for floc volume and a simple ammonia test kit saved my fish more than once. Without testing you are blind in biofloc.