ABSTRACT
Mechanically removing algae in waste treatment systems can be expensive and is usually done on a large scale to accomplish wastewater treatment not for resource recovery. Problems with maintaining high-density algae and bacterial cultures in temperate climates, culture quality control, social constraints, and lack of profit incentives are strong deterrents to systems that depend on mechanical methods to remove suspended solids. The livestock waste treatment described in this chapter uses fish culture and sand bed filtration in the artificial wetlands to circumvent problems of algae harvesting. The recommended fish are filter-feeders that graze on single-cell algae. Sand beds are planted with Chinese water chestnuts (Eleocharis dulcis) in the artificial wetlands to receive suspended solids and dissolved plant nutrients. Swine production uses waste flushing and holding methods easily adapted to an integrated aquaculture and artificial wetland approach.
