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[QUOTE="Mucky_Waters, post: 294053, member: 3859"]
Excellent point Meyers >>>  [B][I]"Although the floc may be considered planktonic because it is free-floating, the bacteria that colonize this floc are still considered sessile."[/I][/B]  This is essentially true. The bacteria generally attached themselves to particulates (floc) suspended in the water, however I will point out that in the real world it is not uncommon for other planktonic organisms to "floc" together and or to also be "sessile" at some point in their life cycle. 
As to whether the particular strains of aerobic bacteria floating (flocking) around in these aerated tanks were classified as autotropic or not, I can't say for sure. That question just never came up for some reason. :p  Frankly I wonder how can you be so positive they weren't? I can't see why they wouldn't be chemoautotrophs just like the other bacteria you mentioned, utilizing the chemical reaction between hydrogen sulfide/methane with oxygen to make energy/food.
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