A pilot-scale biological aerated filter (BAF) was operated with an anaerobic, anoxic and oxic zone at $23{pm}1^{circ}C$. The influent sCOD and total nitrogen concentrations in the feedwater were approximately 250 mg/L and 35 mg N/L, respectively. sCOD removal at optimum hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 3 hours with recirculation rates of 100, 200 and 300% in the column was more than 96%. Total nitrogen removal was consistently above 80% for 4 and 6 hours HRT at 300% recirculation. For 3 hours HRT and 300% recirculation, total nitrogen removal was approximately 79%. Based on fitting results, the kinetic parameter values on nitrification and denitrification show that as recirculation rates increased, the rate of ammonia and nitrate transformation increased. The ammonium loading rates for maximum ammonium removed were 0.15 and 0.19 kg $NH_3$-N/$m^3$-day for 100% and 200% recirculation, respectively. The experimental results demonstrated that the BAF can be operated at an HRT of 3 hours with 200 - 300% recirculation rates with more than 96 % removal of sCOD and ammonium, and at least 75% removal of total nitrogen.