Institute of Aquaculture Special Problem FISH 290

College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences

University of the Philippines Visayas
5023 Miag-ao, Iloilo, Philippines

Preliminary study on the effect of Activated Bamboo Charcoal from

GiantThornyBamboo (Bambusa arundinacea) as filter
in Closed Recirculating System

Nolan B. Gara 1,2

Institute of Aquaculture, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas,
5023 Miag-ao, Iloilo, Philippines

Submitted: 9 June 2010

Abstract

A preliminary study was conducted to evaluate the effect of activated bamboo charcoal from
giant thorny bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea) as filter in closed recirculating system. Other
treatments used in this experiment were wood charcoal and sand and gravel (control). There were
200 Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings (size 22) stocked in each tank to serve as test
animals. The reduction of ammonia and nitrite from week 0 up to week 3 were analyzed and
recorded. Statistically, the abovementioned filter agents did not show any significant (p<0.05) in
reducing the ammonia and nitrite level of the water. The results of this study indicates that bamboo
charcoal is the better filter agent as compared to other filters such as sand and gravel and wood
charcoal, due to its capacity to reduce the level of nitrite in the culture system for one week. In
addition, bamboo charcoal can also minimize the risk environmental disease such as the abrupt
changes in nitrite level. And bamboo charcoal can also be a reliable and cost-effective source of
filter and it will ultimately contribute to the success of culturing fish in closed recirculating system.

Keywords: Nile tilapia, activated bamboo charcoal, wood charcoal, mechanical filtration, ammonia,
nitrite

1. Introduction
 Environmental diseases such as low
dissolved oxygen, high ammonia, high nitrite,
or natural or man-made toxins in the aquatic
environment are very lethal to cultured
organism. Inadequate water quality can cause
more losses than any other problem. It can
wipe out an entire stock of fish in a
short period of time.
Thru period of time, aquaculture
has undergone various innovations such
as the creation of intensive farming
system. This is due to the high demand
of aquaculture products in the market.
Closed recirculating system is
classic example of intensive aquaculture
system. High stocking density
excessive use of feeds are some of the
characteristics if this farming method.
These systems demonstrate a lot
of problems in the environment if it will
be handled improperly. Such problem is
the deterioration of physico-chemical
properties of the water in the cultured
environment due to the excessive
feeding of the cultured species.
In recent years land based farms have
advanced in technologies to become more
eco-friendly and to provide greater security
and control of the farming process, these are
known as water recirculation systems or RAS
designs. Recirculation aquaculture systems
(RAS) represent an exciting, eco-friendly and
unique way to farm fish. Instead of the
traditional method of growing fish outdoors in
open ponds, net cages or tanks, this system
rears fish at high densities, in indoor tanks
within a controllable rearing environment.
Recirculating systems filter and clean the
water for recycling back through fish culture
tanks. New water is added to the tanks only to
make up for water loss due to splash out and
evaporation and for that used to flush out
waste materials to storage tanks. In contrast,
many older style tank systems used to grow
trout are termed "open" or "flow through"
systems because all the water makes only
one pass through the tank and then is
one discarded (Losordo, et al. 1998).
However, total adoption of the
and
recirculating system in the Philippines for
commercial scale may not be fully realized
due to the high cost of energy and materials,
such as pipes, water pumps and different filter
agents. As a country with rich natural
resources, indigenous materials should be
fully utilized in order to adopt this
environment-friendly aquaculture system.
One of the most promising organic materials
to be used as filter in recirculating system is
the activated bamboo charcoal from Giant
Thorny Bamboo (Bambusa arundinacea).
It plays a great role in the closed
recirculating system as filtering agent.
Compared with wood charcoal, bamboo
charcoal has about four times more cavities, 3
times more mineral constituent and 4 times
better absorption rate. In terms of surface
area, bamboo charcoal's 300m2/gram is 10
ten times more than wood
30m2/gram. In the course
purification, these microbes are capable of
decomposing toxic substances
trihalomethane, chlorine, etc. In addition, the
purified water becomes like mineral water as
many minerals in the charcoal are dissolved.
The activated bamboo charcoal also has a
rich source of minerals such as Carbon -
44.40 %, Hydrogen - 5.17 %, Oxygen - 43.00
% and others - 7.43 %. During
purification processes, bamboo
dissolves its rich mineral contents into the
water, so the purified water becomes mineral-
rich (Huang 1996).
The purpose of the present study was
to investigate the effect of activated bamboo
charcoal from Giant Thorny Bamboo
(Bambusa arundinacea) as filter in closed
recirculating system and to determine its
capacity in reducing ammonia and nitrite.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Experimental design and treatment
The experiment was conducted in
University of the Philippines
Brackishwater Aquaculture which is located in
Nabitasan, Leganes, Iloilo.
The experiment was performed using
two treatments with three replicates each.
Treatment one was the activated bamboo
charcoal and treatment two was the ordinary
wood charcoal. Sand and gravel was also
established as control. Nine concrete tanks (1
tonner) were used in this experiment.
charcoal's treatments were arranged in completely
of water stratified design. Throughout the duration of
the experiment, aerators and PVC pipes were
like provided for good water management. To
facilitate the continuous water exchange, a
150 watts submersible pump was stationed in
each treatment. Each pump can transport
5000 letters of water per hour.
2.2. Experimental fish
water Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
charcoal fingerlings (size 22) were used as test animal
in this experiment. Prior to the actual study,
the fish was conditioned for one week in order
to adopt the controlled condition of the tanks.
2.3. Feeding and stocking
Before stocking, the test animals were
initially weighed (g) in order to determine their
feed requirements. Total biomass of fish in
each tank was determined using analytical
balance. A 32% protein diet was given for the
whole period of the experiment. Feed ratio
was 10% of the average body weight of
Tilapia. The feed was adjusted every week
Visayas, after sampling. And growth rate was also
monitored every week to determine the exact
amount of feeds to be given to the test
animals.
After the experiment, the survival and
growth rate of fish in each tank was also
recorded. The stocking density was
approximately 200 pcs. of fingerlings per
square meter in a tank filled with water to
The about 100 cm level.
2.4. Monitoring of Physico-chemical Throughout the duration of the experiment,
properties physico-chemical properties of the water in
the experimental tanks were observed.

significance (P<0.05) in reducing ammonia

level in the water.

Table 1
Dissolved oxygen, salinity and
Ammonia level in different filters from week 0
temperature were monitored in daily basis
to week 3.
throughout the duration of the experiment,
Treat Week Wee Week Week
while ammonia, nitrite and pH were monitored
ment 0 k1 2 3
once a week. DO was determined using the
oxygen meter YSI model 57 while
. . . .
Contr
14±.0 23±. 48±. 47±.
temperature and salinity were monitored ol
3 06 08 07
using thermometer and refractometer.
Ammonia and Nitrite were determined using . . . .
Wood 12±.0 20±. 30±. 35±.
the spectrophotometer (spectronic 20+) while
2 02 03 04
pH was monitored using the MP 220 pH
meter. . . . .
Bamb
11±.0 16±. 18±. 31±.
oo
2.5. Statistical analysis 1 01 01 01
Values are means + SD
Physico-chemical properties of water
such as ammonia, nitrite and pH were 3.2 Changes in Nitrite level
analyzed using a One-Sample T test to
Nitrite level from week 0 to week 3 in
compare the effects of different filters in
each treatment using sand and gravel
different treatments.
(control) wood charcoal and bamboo charcoal
3. Results as filter demonstrate a gradual reduction as
presented in table 2, but statistically, using T-
3.1 Changes in ammonia level
test, the three treatments does not show any
Ammonia level from week 0 to week 3 significance (P<0.05) in reducing nitrite level
in each treatment using sand and gravel in the water.
(control) wood charcoal and bamboo charcoal
Table 2
as filter doesn’t shows any reduction as
presented in table 1, and statistically, using T- Nitrite level in different filters from week 0 to
week 3
test, the three treatments does not show any
Treat Week Wee Week Week During the entire period of the
ment 0 k1 2 3 experiment, physico-chemical properties of
. . . . the water were slightly varied in every
Contr
06±. 02±. 24±. 2o±. treatment. In treatment 1 (wood charcoal), the
ol
04 01 04 01 DO was maintained at 5.64±0.40, while in

. . . . treatment 2 and control, the DO were

Wood 10±. 02±. 23±. 13±. maintained at 5.09±0.32 and 4.86±0.29
03 o1 02 01 respectively. Temperature in treatment 1, 2

. . . . and control were maintained at 22.29±2.16,

Bamb 20.38±0.87 and 18.62±1.78.
08±. 00±. 03±. 05±.
oo
02 01 01 01
3.4.1 Dissolve Oxygen
Values are means + SD
Maintaining adequate dissolved
3.3 Evaluation of pH level
oxygen (DO) concentrations in the culture
The measure of the hydrogen ion (H+) tank and filter system also is of critical
concentration or pH in water indicates the importance. Based on the data presented in
degree to which water is either acidic or table 4, pH level was within the recommended
basic. Based on the data presented in table 3, water quality requirements of recirculating
pH level does not show any abrupt changes systems (Losordo et al, 1998). Except the
that can harm the test animals. week 2 and week 1 in control and bamboo
charcoal filter which are below the
Table 3 recommended requirements.
pH level in different filters from week 0 to
week 3
Table 4
Treat Week Wee Week Week DO level (ppm) in different filters from week 0
ment 0 k1 2 3 to week 3

Cont 6.88± 7.07±. 6.89± 7.37± Treat Week Wee Week Week
rol .37 64 .40 .05 ment 0 k1 2 3

Woo 7.31± 7.58±. 7.34± 7.46± Contr 6.07± 5.30± 3.53±. 4.53±.
d .11 09 .02 .01 ol .51 .0 31 35

Bam 7.47±. 7.80 7.65± 7.34± 6.10± 5.50± 5.30±. 5.67±

boo 05 ±.02 .06 .13 Wood .26 .10 20 1.07

Values are means + SD Bam 5.67± 4.53±. 5.13±. 5.03±

boo .70 29 06 .23
3.4 Evaluations of other parameters such as
Values are means + SD
DO, Salinity and Temperature
 3.4.2 Salinity Cont 24.4±3 19.0±. 13.8± 17.3±
rol .1 0 1.6 2.4
The salinity of each treatment was
Woo 25.0±1. 21.7± 21.8 20.6±
exactly the same as presented in table 5. d 0 2.3 ±.8 4.6
From week 0 and week 1, the salinity was
Bam 21.7±1. 18.3± 21.0±. 20.5±
35ppt. While in week 2 and 3 was 40ppt and boo 5 1.2 0 .9
42ppt respectively.

Table 5 4. Discussion
The level of Nitrite in tank under sand
Salinity level (ppt) in different filters from week
0 to week 3 and gravel filter (control) doesn’t shows any

Treat Week Wee Week Week significant (p<0.05) effect statistically and
ment 0 k1 2 3 numerically. It means that sand and gravel
have no capability in reducing the level of
Contr
35 35 40 42 Nitrite as the culture period increasing (fig.1).
ol

Wood 35 35 40 42

Bam Fig.1. Comparison of Nitrite level in tank and pit of

35 35 40 42 sand and gravel filter (control) from week 0 to
boo
week 3.
It is also observed that in treatment 1

3.4.3 Temperature or the wood charcoal filter as showed in figure

2, the level of nitrite is increasing during the
Temperature on the other hand, entire culture period. Statistically and
should also be observed because it can affect numerically, the abovementioned filter does
the levels of other observed parameters such not have the capability to decrease the level
as salinity, DO, ammonia and Nitrite, of nitrite in the water.
therefore, Temperature must be maintained
within the range for optimum growth of the Fig.2. Comparison of Nitrite level in tank and pit of
cultured species. wood charcoal filter (control) from week 0 to week
3.
However, bamboo charcoal shows a
Table 6
reduction in nitrite level during the first week
Temperature level (ºC) in different filters from culture period. During the initial period, the
week 0 to week 3 levels of nitrite in tanks and in the pit were
Treat Week Wee Week Week 0.08 and .05 respectively but in the second
ment 0 k1 2 3 week it decreases to 0 as shown in figure 3. It
demonstrates that bamboo charcoal can Fig.6. Comparison of Nitrite level in tank and pit of
decrease the level of nitrite in the water. But sand and gravel filter (control) from week 0 to

statistically under T-test, even though there week 3.

was a great changes in nitrite levels during

the first week of culture, the decrease of 5. Summary and conclusion

nitrite level in week 1 doesn’t shows any The use of bamboo charcoal as one of

significance (p<0.05). the treatments in this study shows that it can

decrease the level of nitrite in the water

Fig.3. Comparison of Nitrite level in tank and pit of compare to the sand and gravel (control) and
bamboo charcoal filter (control) from week 0 to wood charcoal. But in observing the ammonia
week. level in the water, all treatments have no
However, in comparing the ammonia capability in reducing the level of ammonia as
level in tanks and pits as shown in figure 4 to the culture period increases. Therefore, it is
6 , all treatments does not show any concluded that in closed recirculating system,
significant (p<0.05) effect statistically and bamboo charcoal is the better filter agent
numerically in reducing ammonia in the water. among the two other filters. In addition, it is
With this regard, mechanical filters such as also concluded that bamboo charcoal can
sand and gravel (control), wood charcoal and minimize the risk of environmental disease
bamboo charcoal does not have the capability such as the abrupt changes in nitrite level.
to decrease the amount of ammonia as the And bamboo charcoal can also be a reliable
culture period increases. and cost-effective source of filter and it will
Moreover, even though the level of ultimately contribute to the success of
nitrite and ammonia in the culture system did culturing fish in closed recirculating system.
not fit to the recommended requirement
(Masser et al, 1999), the culture animals still Acknowledgment
have a rate of 100% survival. The author would like to thank
Professor Valeriano L. Corre for his
Fig.4. Comparison of Ammonia level in tank and immeasurable support for this experiment and
pit of sand and gravel filter (control) from week 0 all the staff in BAC, Mr. Vianney T. Ojerio and
to week 3. Rey Alaban for their encouragements and
undying assistance.

Fig.5. Comparison of Ammonia level in tank and

References
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week 3.
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(editors), Tilapia Aquaculture in
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LA. pp. 185-208.

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S. Bennett, R. Gron and B. Foster.
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demonstration of recirculating
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M.B.Timmons and T.M. Losordo,
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Wayne Hutchinson1, Mathew Jeffrey, David

(Dos) O’Sullivan3, Daniel Casement2,
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