International Journal of Advanced Research and Development

International Journal of Advanced Research and Development

ISSN: 2455-4030
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Volume 2; Issue 6; November 2017; Page No. 262-268

Characterisation of pond water quality in the freshwater intensive culture of Indian Major Carps
(IMC)
Sudipto Sarkar
Department of Agricultural Engineering, Triguna Sen School of Technology, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India

Abstract
Indian major carp culture in India over the years has shifted from semi-intensive and intensive farming. The increase use of
additional inputs in the pond has resulted in the huge change in pond ecosystem. The present study was carried out with the
objective to find out the variation in the water quality parameters influenced by the high stocking of the carps. It was observed in
the study that the various parameters measured were present in high concentrations. At times the values exceeded the regulatory
limits for aquaculture pond water. Among the three nitrogenous parameters monitored, the maximum values for nitrate (NO3-) and
total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) were observed to be 0.57 mg/l and 0.89 mg/l, respectively, well below the prescribed respective
limits of 1 mg/l and 3mg/l for warm water fishes. However, the values of nitrite (NO 2-) spiked to 0.15 mg/l and dissolved oxygen
levels fell to a low of 3.15 mg/l, impacting the growth of the carps.

Keywords: water quality, dissolved oxyegen, nitrite, nitrate, total ammonia nitrogen, aquaculture, Indian major carps.

Introduction processes influencing the nutrient dynamics through the

Aquaculture, the science and art of cultivating aquatic arduous measurement of various water quality parameters of
organisms, is an age old institution. The growth shown by the an intensively cultured Indian Major Carp pond.
aquaculture sector over the years is unparalleled compared to
any other farming sector. Being an exceptionally lucrative Material and Methods
business a large number of aquaculture farms have come into Experiments related to the study were conducted in four
existence in almost all part of the world (Daniels and Boyd, experimental ponds of the Agricultural and Food Engineering
1989; GOI, 1996; FAO, 2009) [8, 10, 9]. Indian major carps are Department, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
mainly freshwater species grown in a wide variety of systems, (22°19' N, 87°19' E), India. The experiments on evaluation of
ranging from low stocking extensive to high stocking individual growth rates of different carp species and nutrient
intensive methods (Jhingran, 1991; Chatterjee et al., 1997) [11, generated were conducted in a set of four ponds of 0.015 ha
7]
. Indian major carps have a ready market and are sold locally (10 m x 15 m) each. The study was carried out for a period of
throughout the country. With limiting land and water 6 months. The ponds were newly constructed for the purpose
constraints the extensive farming techniques have been taken of experimentation and were lined with 300-micron
over by semi-intensive and intensive ones (Boyd, 1990) [5]. polyethylene sheets in order to check the seepage loss of pond
With this changeover, new technologies have been introduced water. All the ponds were constructed with about two meter
so as to increase the overall production from the same unit of depths. Below the lining material, 30 cm depth of sand
land. Carp polyculture in India have been utilizing a huge cushioning was provided to avoid rupture. Prior to filling up
amount of added nutrients (Banerjea, 1967; Boyd, 1982) [3, 4]. the newly constructed ponds with water, polyethylene lining
Aquaculture ponds are typically high in nutrients, both from was overlaid with 30 cm of soil. The soil used in the pond
the biological transformations within the ponds, as well as bottom was analysed for the various physico-chemical
from nutrients added to the ponds as fertilizer or feed. The properties before the start of the experiments (Table 1). The
nutrient status and physico-chemical factors of the culture ponds were then filled up with water from tube-well up to a
environment play a significant role in governing the depth of 120 cm from a deep tube-well and allowed to stand
productivity of any aquatic system (Boyd and Pillai, 1984) [6]. for a week.
Among the nutrients of importance, nitrogen, phosphorus and Organic manure in the form of cow dung was applied at the
carbon are the three major ones required for the production of rate of 15 tonnes/ha/yr. While 1/5th of the total quantity (3
natural food in ponds (Ayyappan and Jena, 2003) [2]. Though tonnes/ha) was applied as basal dose, a week prior to stocking
voluminous literature is available on the aspects of of fish seed, the remaining amount was applied in equal split
fertilization, supplementary feeding, stocking density, ratios of doses at fortnightly intervals. Inorganic fertilizers in the form
different species stocked, aeration, etc., systematic of urea and single super phosphates were applied at the rate of
information on the relative contributions of different inputs on 200 kg and 300 kg/ha/yr respectively as source of nitrogen
nutrient dynamics in tropical carp culture ponds are scanty. and phosphorus on a monthly basis. The fingerlings of three
The present research aims at scientific understanding about varieties of Indian major carps (catla, rohu and mrigal)

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obtained from a local fish farm were used as stocking material Selected physico-chemical parameters of water, viz., water
for the experimental ponds. All the three ponds were stocked temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, BOD, total alkalinity,
at the same stocking density of 35000 fingerlings/ha in the total hardness and dissolved inorganic nutrients such as
combination of catla 35%, rohu 35% and mrigal 30%. ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate were analysed from
Stocking was done during early morning hours when the water samples collected between 0800 and 0900 hours daily.
temperature of water was comparatively low. The mean initial While parameters like water temperature and dissolved
weights of fish species stocked were recorded by taking oxygen were recorded at the pond site in order to avoid error
measurements of 50 samples from each species. The mean during transport, other parameters were examined
initial weight of species stocked were catla 7.2 g, rohu 4.25 g immediately after the samples were brought to laboratory. In
and mrigal 3.75 g. order to evaluate the variation of the physico-chemical
parameters of water, the various water quality parameters
Table 1: Physico-chemical properties of soil of the pond were measured on a daily basis. For all the measurements
Parameter Value
made through the spectrophotometer, standard methods
Bulk density 1.63 g cm-3 prescribed by APHA (1998) [1] were followed. Maximum and
Saturated hydraulic conductivity 9.84 (cm day-1) minimum air temperature, pan evaporation, wind speed,
Particle size distribution (% Silt :% photo-synthetically active radiation at one-hour interval and
14.3 : 26.2 : 59.5 maximum intensity at which light saturation occurs for the
Sand:% Clay)
pH 5.7 corresponding data set were collected from the weather station
Electrical conductivity 0.56 mmhos cm-1 at 25 oC data of Soil and Water Conservation Engineering field
Cation Exchange Capacity 6.00 meq/100g soil laboratory, IIT Kharagpur for both the experiments.
Total nitrogen 0.03%
Available moisture 0.025% Table 2: Physico-chemical properties of water and soil measured
Available P 0.004% during experimentation
Available K 0.015%
Sl. Time of
Parameter Instrument used
No. Measurement
The fishes were provided with supplementary diet comprising 1 Temperature Oxi 330i/SET Daily 0900 hr
traditional mixture of rice bran, groundnut oil cake, cooked Dissolved
rice and fish meal at 7:7:3:3 ratio by weight. The ingredients 2 Oxi 330i/SET Daily 0900 hr
Oxygen (DO)
were soaked in water after thorough mixing and provided in 3 pH Hana, H1-8414 Daily 0900 hr
the form of dough. Feeding was provided at 5% of biomass HACH spectrophotometer
4 Nitrite – N (NO2-) Daily 0900 hr
stocked per day during first two months, reduced to 3% from (DR./2500)
3rd month onwards till the end of culture period. The feeding 5 Nitrate – N (NO2 )
- HACH spectrophotometer
Daily 0900 hr
quantity was adjusted at monthly intervals, after estimating the (DR./2500)
biomass increase through intermittent samplings at monthly HACH spectrophotometer
6 TAN (TAN) Daily 0900 hr
intervals. The assessment of fish biomass was based on mean (DR./2500)
growth as obtained through samplings and an expected
survival levels of 80%, decided based on the previous culture Results and Discussion
records. Feeding was done twice daily, during morning (9 The stocking and harvesting details of each species described
AM) and evening hours (3 PM) of the day. Periodic samplings in culture conditions are shown in Table 3. It can be observed
were carried out for assessment of growth and health of the that the survival rate was highest in case of catla followed by
fish species at monthly intervals with the help of drag nets of rohu and mrigal. This may be attributed to the high
suitable mesh size. Mean growth increments of each species concentration of nutrients build-up at the pond bottom as a
were recorded from random samples of 25-50 specimens from result of the feed fed to sustain the intensive culture practice.
each species using a single pan balance or spring balance of However, it may observed from the results obtained for
different capacities depending on the requirements. The water growth increments of each species that though the maximum
levels in the experimental ponds were maintained at a depth of weight gain was more for catla, the specific growth rate was
1 - 1.2 m during the study period, compensating the loss of maximum in case of mrigal followed by rohu and catla (Table
water due to evaporation by drawing in the water from the 4). This may be credited to more availability of food at the
nearby tube-well. pond bottom for mrigal to feed.

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Table 3: Stocking and Harvesting details of Fish during the Culture

Pond 1 Pond 2 Pond 3 Pond 4
Item
Stocking Harvest Stocking Harvest Stocking Harvest Stocking Harvest
Catla
Weight (g) 7.2 251 7.2 234 7.2 213 7.2 256
Length (cm) 4.6 18.5 4.6 17.9 4.6 16.8 4.6 18.9
Number of fish 185 150 188 161 179 145 189 157
Biomass (kg) 1.33 37.65 1.35 37.67 1.29 30.89 1.36 40.19
Survival (%) 81.3 85.6 80.8 83.2
Rohu
Weight 4.25 208 4.25 202 4.25 192 4.25 212
Length (cm) 3.6 17.8 3.6 17.7 3.6 16.7 3.6 17.7
Number of fish 185 158 187 158 179 146 189 160
Biomass (kg) 0.79 32.86 0.79 31.92 0.76 28.03 0.80 33.92
Survival (%) 85.6 84.3 81.5 84.6
Mrigal
Weight 3.75 196 194 3.75 3.75 188 3.75 216
Length (cm) 3.3 17.7 3.3 17.7 3.3 17.5 3.3 17.9
Number of fish 159 126 161 131 153 101 162 128
Biomass (kg) 0.60 24.70 31.23 0.49 0.57 18.99 0.61 27.65
Survival (%) 79.1 81.3 65.7 78.9

The water temperature ranged from a minimum of 18.5 °C to other hand varied from 19.5 °C to 36.6 °C. The highest
a maximum of 32.5 °C during the study period. The water temperature was observed on 14 August, 2004 and the
temperature variation during the culture period is presented in minimum on 29 December, 2004. It was observed that there
Fig. 1. While the lowest temperature was recorded on 20 was difference of almost about 5 °C between the air and the
November in Pond P3 and the highest was observed on 14 water temperature in the initial 3 months of culture when the
August in Pond P4. The water temperature did not show any air temperature was more than 25 °C. However, as the air
distinct variations between the experimental ponds at any temperature fell in the last three months of the culture the
given sampling time. The morning air temperature on the water temperature remained almost at par.

Table 4: Growth Increments of Carp Species at Different Time Intervals

Weight (g) over number of days
Pond Species Initial stocking size (g) Final harvested size at 164 days (g) SGR (%/d)
30 61 90 120
Catla 7.2 67.1 121.5 164.6 203.8 251 2.165
P1 Rohu 4.25 45.4 85.4 121.1 157.3 208 2.372
Mrigal 3.75 51.3 91.2 125.2 158.1 196 2.412
Catla 7.2 56.4 102.1 143.2 182.4 234 2.122
P2 Rohu 4.25 46.2 86.8 124.1 157.6 202 2.354
Mrigal 3.75 43.6 79.9 112.8 147.3 192 2.399
Catla 7.2 51.4 96.4 137.6 172 213 2.065
P3 Rohu 4.25 42.8 80.2 111.9 146.7 192 2.323
Mrigal 3.75 42.9 77.6 110.7 145.4 188 2.387
Catla 7.2 67.8 121.6 165.7 204.3 256 2.177
P4 Rohu 4.25 47.8 88 123.4 160.3 212 2.383
Mrigal 3.75 47.9 88.2 123.7 161.2 216 2.471

Fish generally survive and reproduce over a wide range of dependent. Banerjea (1967) [3] and Boyd (1990) [5] opined that
water temperature but the optimum temperature required for the desirable temperature for maximum growth of warm water
maximum growth is narrow, as the resultant growth is due to fishes is between 22–32 °C.
many biochemical processes which are again temperature-

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Pond 1 Pond 2

Pond 3 Pond 3
Fig 1: Water and Air Temperature Variation during the Culture Cycle

In the present study, for the first 3 months (12 August to 12 pH varied between 6.92 - 8.63 during the present study was
November) the morning water temperature was within the well within the desirable range. The maximum value of pH
optimum range. Thereafter the temperature hovered between observed was 8.63 in pond P2 on 12th November while the
22 – 19 °C. Further, the water temperature did not fall below minimum value of 6.92 was noted in pond P3 on 8th
18 °C, even during last 3 months, indicating comparatively November. pH is a measure of acid base status of the
low influence of winter temperature on growth. The variation environment and serves as an indicator of productivity. The
in pH for ponds is shown in Fig. 2. It can be observed from gills of fish are highly sensitive to acid and alkaline media
the figure that the pH in all the ponds kept on decreasing as (Daye and Garside, 1976). Water pH values ranging from 6.5
the culture progressed. The sudden rise in the pH of all the to 9.0 at the day break are reported to be most suitable for fish
ponds after 8th November is attributed to the addition of lime culture (Banerjea, 1967) [3].
so as to maintain the pH within the desirable limits. The water

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Pond 1 Pond 2

Pond 3 Pond 4
Fig 2: Daily Variation of pH during the culture cycle

Since concentration of NO3-, NO2- and TAN in water are mg/l in pond P2 on 26th August.
interdependent their variation of are shown in Fig 3. The It is well that during the cycling process, ammonia levels will
maximum concentration of NO2-, NO3-and TAN were all go up and then suddenly plummet as the nitrite-forming
observed to be 0.15, 0.57 and 0.89 mg/l in pond P3 on 9th bacteria take hold. Because nitrate-forming bacteria don't even
September, 8th November and 8th November, respectively. begin to appear until nitrite is present in significant quantities,
The minimum value of NO2- and NO3- were observed to be nitrite levels skyrocket (as the built-up ammonia is converted),
0.01 mg/l and 0.03 mg/l in all the ponds at numerous continuing to rise as the continually-produced ammonia is
instances. Ammonia level was measured at a minimum of 0.08 converted to nitrite.

Pond 1 Pond 2

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Pond 3 Pond 3
- -
Fig 3: Daily variation of NO2 , NO3 and TAN during the culture cycle

Once the nitrate-forming bacteria take hold, nitrite levels fall, figure that there is a sudden drop in the concentration of
nitrate levels rise, and the pond is fully cycled. Since this is a ammonia after 8th November due to the addition of lime
dynamic process which depends on temperature, pH, which is in turn responsible for the reduction of nitrate and
dissolved oxygen and dissolved carbon dioxide distinguished nitrite.
pattern can be deduced. However, it can be observed from the

Pond 1 Pond 2

Pond 3 Pond 3
Fig 5: Daily Variation of Dissolved Oxygen during the Culture Cycle

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Though the amount of phytoplankton in the ponds showed an

increasing trend, the DO levels did not vary following the
same pattern (Fig 5). It may be observed from the figure that
the DO level varied from minimum of 3.15 mg/l, 6.24 mg/l,
2.92 mg/l and 5.40 mg/l to a maximum of 10.77 mg/l, 15.91
mg/l, 13.03 mg/l and 14.43 mg/l in ponds P1, P2, P3 and P4
respectively. This may be attributed to the various factors like
variation in temperature, nutrients, growth in fish biomass,
etc.

Conclusions
Water quality parameters were measured for characterisation
of nutrients generated in IMC pond culture system. It was
observed that although values of almost all the nutrients
increased with time, the nature of variation did not reveal any
specific trend. It was also observed that the nitrate and total
ammonia levels remained less than the prescribed limits.
However, the nitrite level was more and the dissolved oxygen
was less than the prescribed limit. These two parameters
greatly influenced the growth of the fish.

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