Ammonia Generation
Fish metabolism generates ammonia in the culture water as a by-product of feeding and protein digestion.
MBBR Biofilter Tank
Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor for high-density aquaculture and RAS applications — PP reactors with K5 moving media and integrated aeration for reliable biological ammonia and nitrite control.
Overview
An MBBR (Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor) is a biological filtration technology used in recirculating aquaculture systems. Inside the reactor, biological media carriers are continuously moved by aeration, providing a large protected surface area for nitrifying bacteria attachment and biofilm development.
Through biological nitrification, the ammonia and nitrite produced by aquatic animals are converted into less harmful compounds, helping maintain stable water conditions in intensive aquaculture systems.
How It Works
The MBBR biological filtration process combines mechanical pre-treatment, moving-media biofilm growth and biological nitrification within the RAS circulation loop.
Fish metabolism generates ammonia in the culture water as a by-product of feeding and protein digestion.
Nitrifying bacteria attached to the biological media convert ammonia into nitrite, and then further convert nitrite into nitrate through biological nitrification.
The continuous movement of the biological carriers creates a stable environment for bacterial growth and maintains ongoing biological treatment within the RAS circulation system.
Key Features
The reactor tank is manufactured using polypropylene (PP), providing corrosion resistance and long-term durability in aquaculture environments.
Provides a stable environment for nitrifying bacteria growth, supporting ammonia and nitrite conversion in intensive aquaculture systems.
Equipped with K5 biological carriers that offer a large protected surface area for stable biofilm attachment and reliable long-term performance.
The aeration system keeps media carriers moving, improving treatment efficiency across the reactor.
The MBBR Biofilter Tank can be customized according to project requirements.
Specifications
YUTANK provides standard MBBR Biofilter Tank models for commercial aquaculture biological filtration applications.
| Model | Designed Flow Rate | Size | Inlet | Outlet | Tank Material | Media Type | Application |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SH-PP-30 | 30 m³/h | Ø1630 × 2280 mm | 110 mm | 110 mm | PP | K5 | RAS Biological Filtration |
| SH-PP-60 | 60 m³/h | Ø2400 × 2470 mm | 160 mm | 160 mm | PP | K5 | RAS Biological Filtration |
Larger flow capacities and additional configurations may be available according to project requirements.
Request Technical Specifications →
Biological Media
The biological media is the core component of the MBBR filtration process.
YUTANK MBBR Biofilter Tanks use K5 biological carriers made from PP material.
K5 media provides a protected growth area for microorganisms
and supports stable biofilm formation during operation.
Applications
Used as a biological filtration unit in intensive recirculating aquaculture systems.
Biological filtration for commercial fish farming, including carp, tilapia, seabass and other freshwater and marine species.
Provides biological treatment support for intensive shrimp recirculating aquaculture systems.
Provides stable biological filtration for high-density juvenile farming systems.
Can be integrated into complete RAS solutions according to project requirements.
RAS Integration
A typical YUTANK RAS configuration places the MBBR biofilter after mechanical and organic removal, and before degassing and oxygenation, so that biological filtration works together with the rest of the water-treatment loop.
The MBBR Biofilter Tank works together with mechanical filtration, degassing and oxygenation equipment to maintain overall RAS water quality. As part of a complete RAS system, the biofilter is coordinated with upstream solids removal, organic load control, gas management and disinfection.
Projects
The Midong RAS project includes MBBR biological treatment. Explore the project equipment area and system configuration.
Midong, Urumqi, Xinjiang, China
Selected Equipment
Why YUTANK
YUTANK designs MBBR biological filtration as part of the complete recirculating aquaculture system rather than treating the biofilter as an isolated tank. This allows biological filtration to be coordinated with upstream solids removal, organic load control, degassing, oxygenation and the overall RAS circulation process.
YUTANK manufactures PP MBBR Biofilter Tanks for commercial aquaculture projects. Reactor dimensions, pipe connections, media configuration and tank layout can be customized according to project capacity, species, installation space and RAS design requirements.
MBBR selection should consider more than nominal water flow. Depending on available project data, our engineers can evaluate cultured species, biomass, feed load, RAS circulation flow, biological loading, media requirements and aeration requirements.
The MBBR Biofilter Tank can be integrated with YUTANK RAS equipment including aquaculture tanks, drum filters, protein skimmers, degassing towers, oxygenation systems and UV sterilizers.
Depending on project scope, YUTANK can provide support for equipment selection, system integration, installation guidance and commissioning.
FAQ
An MBBR Biofilter Tank is a biological filtration reactor using moving media carriers to support nitrifying bacteria growth and biological ammonia control in recirculating aquaculture systems.
MBBR mainly supports the biological conversion of ammonia and nitrite through nitrification, helping maintain stable water quality in intensive aquaculture systems.
YUTANK MBBR systems use K5 biological media made from PP, offering a large specific surface area (approx. 1200 m²/m³) for biofilm attachment.
No. The continuously moving media reduces clogging risks compared with traditional fixed media filters and supports continuous biological filtration operation.
Yes. MBBR is widely used as a biological filtration component in freshwater and marine recirculating aquaculture systems.
The required media filling ratio depends on reactor design, biological loading, fish species, feed input and target treatment requirements. YUTANK selects media volume according to the overall RAS design rather than applying one fixed filling ratio for every project.
Traditional fixed-bed biofilters use stationary media, while MBBR systems use continuously moving biological carriers. The moving media improves mixing, reduces clogging risk and supports continuous biological filtration operation.
RAS Equipment Inquiry
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Equipment: MBBR Biofilter