a 12/12 photoperiod. Each tank was equipped with a 400 W metal
halide lamp that provided light intensity of about 9500 lx at the
water surface. This light intensity was selected based on previously
reported values by Vinatea et al. (2010) which worked
with 150 mol photons s−1m−2 (∼8000 lx) and 13000 lx (Samocha,
Texas AgriLife Research Mariculture Laboratory, personal communication).
A 40 L conical bottom settling tank (adapted from Ray
et al., 2010) was attached to each tank, and operated at a flow rate
between 54 and 72 L per h to maintain the required TSS levels for
each treatment. Solids were removed from the settling tanks on a
daily basis, separated with the help of 1.0 m geotextile filter bags,
and quantified. The solids-free water was returned to its respective
tank.