WATER QUALITY What You Need To Know To Keep Your Fish Alive

To a great extent, the success or failure of fish culture is determined by water quality

Water Quality – Why Is It Important? Your fish live in it Are supported by it Receive their oxygen from it And excrete in it 3

Water Quality – Why Is It Important? Water quality factors influence and interact with each other What may cause problems in one situation may be harmless in another Influences effectiveness/toxicity of treatments

Water Quality – Why Is It Important? Most disease problems can be avoided with proper management of water quality This includes maintaining water quality at a level that provides an environment conducive to fish health and growth

Water Quality Variables Temperature Dissolved oxygen Total ammonia-nitrogen, NH3, NO-2 Alkalinity Hardness pH Carbon dioxide

Water Quality Variables Temperature For each 10°C (18°F) rise in temperature the metabolic rate doubles Controls the reaction rate of chemicals Influences solubility of gases in water Influences toxicity of ammonia and therapeutants Optimum temperature for tilapia growth is 85-88 °F

Water Quality Variables Dissolved Oxygen First limiting factor for growth and fish health Solubility decreases with increasing temperature and elevation Respiratory rate increases with increasing temperature, activity and feeding In general the minimum DO should be ≥ 60% of saturation or ≥ 5 ppm (mg/L) > 2 ppm in biofilter effluent

Water Quality Variables Total Ammonia-Nitrogen Usually the second limiting factor – nitrogenous waste: feces & feed TAN includes ammonium ion (NH4+) and ammonia (NH3) The proportion of NH3 increases with increasing temperature and pH < 0.05 mg/L NH3 < 0.5 mg/L nitrite-N (NO-2) ,

Percent of Total Ammonia in the Un-Ionized Form at Various Temperatures and pH percent Ammonia Temperature (ºF) (pH) 7.0 8.0 9.0 ___________________________________________ 50º 0.19 1.83 15.7 68º 0.40 3.82 28.4 86º 0.80 7.46 44.6

The Nitrogen Cycle Food Water plants Excess food Fishes Algae Feces Peptides Amino acids Urine Urea Ammonia (NH ) Algae Nitrate (NO ) Nitrite (NO ) Feces 2 3

for Bio-Filter to Mature Time Required for Bio-Filter to Mature 0.8 8 NO 3 0.6 NO 6 2 NH 3 Nitrites & Nitrates (mg/l) Ammonia (mg/l) 0.4 4 0.2 2 0.0 2 6 10 14 18 22 Time in Days 22

Water Quality Variables - Alkalinity Is the buffering capacity of water – absorbs acids and/or bases High alkalinity prevents wide pH fluctuations Maintain levels between 75-120 mg/L as CaCO3 7 grams of alkalinity consumed by 1 gram of NH3

Effects of pH on Various Buffers Percent of Total CO 2 100 - = Free CO HCO CO 2 3 3 50 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 pH

Water Quality Variables Hardness 50 – 100 mg/L as CaCO3 pH 7 – 8 Carbon dioxide < 20 mg/L

Water Quality Variables Total Dissolved Gases Supersaturation caused by: leaking water lines air leak on low pressure side of pump source of water mixing cold and hot water Recommended total dissolved gas pressure <104%

Water Balance in Freshwater Fish Salts Ammonia Large quantities of dilute urine

Stressors Poor water quality Environmental conditions Improper handling

Most Fish Diseases Are Stressed Mediated Stress is a physiologic state caused by a procedure, environmental condition or other factor which interferes with the fish’s ability to maintain a “normal” state. It extends the adaptive responses of an animal beyond the normal range or which disturbs the normal functioning.

Low Level Mortality 100% Peracute M O R T A L I Y Acute Usually the first sign of water quality/environmental problems Chronic 0% Time

Loading Effects Number of fish which can successfully live and grow in a given amount of water depends on: DO level Metabolic rate of the fish Amount being fed Pathogen load Water exchange rate

Management Recommendations Maintain water quality within suggested guidelines Maintain fish loadings at optimum levels of 1/4 to 1/3 lb./gallon (1/2 lb./gallon maximum) Monitor water quality on a regular basis/keep good records

Management Recommendations Low DO: increase aeration; stop feeding High CO2: increase aeration; add air stripping column Low pH: add sodium bicarbonate; reduce feeding rate; check ammonia & nitrite High NH3: exchange system water; reduce feeding rate; check biofilter, pH, alkalinity & DO in biofilter High nitrite: exchange water; reduce feed; add 6 ppm chloride per 1 ppm nitrite; check biofilter, pH, alkalinity & DO in biofilter

Good Stuff To Know ~ 300 square feet biofilter material per 100 lbs. fish Add 0.125 to 0.167 lbs. baking soda/ 100 gallons to maintain alkalinity Add 0.275 to 0.413 lbs salt/100 gallons to maintain chloride levels of 200 – 300 ppm Do not make any rapid changes to any WQ parameter, except to increase DO

Resources SRAC Publications: http://www.msstate.edu/dept/srac/publicat.htm Hach WQ test kits: http://www.hach.com/ LaMotte WQ test kits: http://www.lamotte.com/ Equipment Suppliers: http://aquaticeco.com/ http://www.tecinfo.com/~aqcenter/ Eagar, Inc. 1-800-423-6249