Aquaculture Engineering

Detailed survey - Main factors - Water Properties

Unit 2- Fish Farm

Detailed survey
Main factors - Water properties and supply
Once the source of water has been selected the next necessary step is to supply the water from the source to the fish ponds. Open channels, conduits and pipe lines are the three common means of conveyance of water. As far as possible the water supply should be made by gravity flow. As far as possible every pond should have its own inlet and outlet structure. So that it is easy to supply the water to the ponds when it required and discharges the unwanted or polluted water easily and conveniently. It is better to avoid direct entry of water from surface rivers, streams and springs to the fish ponds during rainy seasons. It may consist of clay and silt etc,. It may deposit on the pond bed which may increase the load on pond bed and sides of the dyke and also reduce the volume of the pond. Similarly it is better to avoid water from the agriculture lands. It may consist of chemicals, antibiotics and pesticides. It may affect aquatic animal’s life. Water quality management is ongoing and never ending process. It is very essential to study some of the important properties such as pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity, alkalinity; acidity etc,. The management of water quality is the most important factor in the productive fish farming. An analysis of physical, chemical and biological properties of the proposed source of water must be conducted. A good quality is nothing but a web of physical, chemical and biological factors, which constitute the water environment and influence the production of fishes and shrimps.