The conventional fixed-bed biotilm process has disadvantages of easily blocked,high headloss and short operation cycle.For overcoming these disadvantages,a multi-stage biofilm reactor(MSBFR),in which the lightweight floating filter was dominant,was set up and operated.For detail investigation of the system when treating municipal wastewater,the succession characteristic of microbial community was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis(DGGE)method.The results showed that the process had high efficiency to removal COD,SS and NH4+-N.The concentration of COD,SS and NH4-N in effluent were maintained lower than 40 mg/L,5 mg/L and 2 mg/L even though the concentration of COD,SS and NH4+-N in influent were 232-663 rag/L,105-245 mg/L and 23.7-62.7 rag/L,respectively,and the empty bed retention time was 3 h.Furthermore,biofilm samples taken from the column 2nd in height were analyzed by PCR-DGGE.The result of PCR-DGGE analysis showed that the microbial community had a little change in height and the dominant groups were Paracoccus sp.,Lactobacillus delbrueckii,Pseudomonas sp.and Bacteroidetes bacterium.