Effect of aeration on selected water quality parameters in freshwater fish culture

Abstract

This paper report findings of an investigation into the effect of aeration devices on some selected freshwater quality parameters. Three aeration columns, Upturned shower rose (USR), Downturned shower rose (DSR) and Perforated pipe (PEP) were experimented. Freshwater fish culture water was passed through the devices and analysed for Temperature, pH, Alkalinity and Dissolved oxygen (DO) in the morning, afternoon and evening. The percentage modification was used to measure the effect of aeration on the selected water quality parameters. Temperature modification ranged from -2.4% to 0% with equal value in all the aeration devices at all the period, Alkalinity ranged between -10.7% and 3.7% with least modification in DSR in the morning but highest in USR in the evening, The percentage modification in pH fell between -8.3% and -1.8% with the least modification in USR in the morning while the highest was recorded also in USR but in the evening. The DO ranged between 37.1% to 161.9% with the highest modification in DSR in the afternoon and the lowest in USR in the evening. The investigated aerating devices have little effect on all the selected water quality parameters, except for dissolved oxygen where the effect is very prominent. Keywords : Aeration columns, aquaculture, downturned shower rose, freshwater quality, perforated pipe, upturned shower rose,