Understanding Your Fish Pond Water Analsysis Report
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Cooperative Aquaculture/Fisheries Extension Program University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Understanding Your Fish Pond Water Analysis Report Nathan M. Stone Figure 1 Extension Fisheries Water Analysis Report: Fish Specialist (Example) Hugh K. Thomforde pH - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -7.24 Extension Aquaculture Some sportfish and aquaculture Electrical Conductivity - - -205 mSiemens/cm Specialist pond owners choose to submit water Alkalinity, Total - - - - - 100.00 mg/l as CaCO3 samples to the University of Hardness, Total - - - - -103.80 mg/l as CaCO3 Arkansas Cooperative Extension CO (Carbonate) - - - - - 0.09 mg/l as CaCO Service for analysis. The water 3 3 samples are mailed to the Water HCO3 (Bicarbonate) - - 99.90 mg/l as CaCO3 Quality Laboratory, Arkansas Water Fe (Iron) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -0.05 mg/l Resources Center, University of Mn (Manganese) - - - - - - - - - - - - -0.01 mg/l Arkansas at Fayetteville. The labora F (Fluoride) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -0.15 mg/l tory tests the water and sends the Cl (Chloride) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -3.13 mg/l results back. Below are some guide lines for interpreting those results. SO4 (Sulfate) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 3.21 mg/l These guidelines describe how to NO3 (Nitrate) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.04 mg/l interpret results for both surface NO3-N (Nitrate-Nitrogen) - - - - - - - 0.01 mg/l waters and ground waters. Surface NH -N (Ammonia-Nitrogen) - - - - - 0.11 mg/l waters are those exposed to the air 3 and sunlight, such as streams, ponds, NO2-N (Nitrite-Nitrogen) - - - - - - - - 0.00 mg/l reservoirs and lakes. Ground waters PO4 (Phosphate) - - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.06 mg/l are waters from wells or springs tapping underground aquifers and are often devoid of dissolved oxygen. These waters may also contain high levelsInterpreting of dissolved Results gasses or iron. It is important to know the source of the water sample (surface water or ground water) in order to interpret the results correctly. to 14 with 7 being neutral. In fish ponds, the time of day that a sample is taken often will influence the pH because of variations2 in the carbon Figure 1 is an example of a pond dioxide (CO ) concentration. As plants water analysis. An explanation of each in the water remove carbon dioxide for parameter listed inpH the report follows. photosynthesis, the pH will increase. While most of these parameters are At night, the pH will decrease as impoDesirablertant in Range fish culture Acceptable, others Rangeare carbon dioxide accumulates. measured6.5-9.5 incid entally in the5.5-10.0 proce ss of Increasing the total alkalinity concen water analysis and are ordinarily of tration in water helps buffer against little concern. pH changes. Most fish species do well within the pH range of 6.5 to 9.5. Chronic pH levels below 6.5 may reduce fish reproduction and are asso University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, United States Department of Agriculture, and Countyciated Governments with fish Cooperating die-offs that some times occur in the late winter. Newly The pH of water is a measure of hatched fish (fry) are often sensitive how acid or basic it is, on a scale of 0 to pH levels above 9.0 t o 9 . 5 . Hardness, Total Desirable Range Acceptable Range 50-150 mg/l as CaCO3 Above 10 mg/l as CaCO3 The pH of water sent to the testing laboratory will change during shipment, especially for wa t e r s that have significant amounts of organic matter ( e. g. , algae and bacteria) or elevated carbon dioxide c o n c e n t r a t i o n s. N e v e r t h e l e s s, pH testing is useful to detect possible mineral acidity. A pH reading below 4.5 indicates thatElectrical there is Conductivity strong mineral acidity, Total hardness is a measure of the calcium and w h i ch is harmful to fish and difficult (expensive) magnesium concentrations in wa t e r. Other divalent t o n e uDesirable t r a l i z e. Low Range pH between 4.5Acceptable and 6.5 Rangecan oft en ions (those with 2+ charges) contribute to total hard ness but are usually present in insignificant be corrected100-2,000 mbySiemens/cm the addition of30-5,000 crushed m Siemens/cmlimestone (see SRAC Fact Sheet No. 4 6 4 ) . a m o u n t s. The amount of calcium hardness is impor tant in pond fertilization because higher rates of CO (Carbonate) and HCO (Bicarbonate) phosphorus3 fertilizer are required3 at higher calcium hardness concentrations. At least 5 mg/l of calcium hardness is needed in fish hatchery water supplies. m Like total alkalinity, total hardness will not ch a n g e very much during shipment. Electrical conductivity (EC) is a measure of how well a solution conducts electricity and is correlated Carbonate and bicarbonate, together with with salt content. Conductivity is typically reported in dissolved carbon dioxide, are components of total units of Siemens/cm (microsiemens per centimeter). m alkalinity (see “Alkalinity” above). The relative Freshwater fish generally thrive over a wide range of amount of each of these compounds depends upon the electrical conductivity. Some minimum salt content is pH of the water sample. As such, there are no specific Fe (Iron) and Mn (Manganese) desirable to help fish maintain their osmotic balance. recommendations for levels of these compounds. The upper range varies with fish species. Channel Instead, see “Total Alkalinity” and “pH.” SRAC Fact m catfish, for example, can withstand salinities up to Sheet DesirableNo. 464 (seeRange “Sources of Information”)Acceptable Range provides 1/2-strength seawater. Seawater has a conductivity of additionalFor hatchery information water: on theFor relationship hatchery water: among around 50,000 to 60,000 Siemens/cm. Electrical Alkalinity, Total theseFerrous parameters iron: none. No ferrous iron conductivity (EC) also can be used to give a rough Ferric iron: none Ferric iron: Less than estimate of the total amount of dissolved solids (TDS) 0.1 mg/l for fry, less than in waterDesirable. Typically Range, the TDS valueAcceptable in mg/l isRange about 1.0 mg/l for most fish half of the EC ( Siemens/cm). Conductivity should 50-150 mg/l as CaCO3 Above 20 mg/l and less than For pond water: Any level of For pond water: Any level of change little during shipment to400 the mg/l laboratory for ponds. ferric iron, no ferrous iron. ferric iron, presence of Above 10 mg/l for hatchery ferrous iron acceptable if water (measured as CaCO3) limited to zone around water inlet (see text). Manganese: 0-0.01 mg/l Manganese: Up to 1 mg/l Total alkalinity (TA) is a measure of the Farm concentrationPond Management of bases for Recreational(typically carbonate Fishing and bicarbonate) in the water that provide buffering These two elements behave similarly and will be capacity. The units are milligrams per liter (mg/l) as discussed together. Well water may contain elevated calcium carbonate. TA below 20 mg/l limits primary levels of iron (ferrous iron) and manganese but still productivity in water, and ponds with such water appear clear to the eye. When the well water is benefit from lime. See our publication MP360, exposed to oxygen, the iron is changed into rust , for (ferric iron), giving the water a rusty brown color. information on liming ponds. Application rates of Water high in iron and/or manganese should be copper sulfate for algae control are based on the TA of treated before use in a fish hatchery. Typically, well the water, and copper sulfate should not be used at all water is aerated to oxidize the iron and manganese, in waters with fish if the TA is less than 50 mg/l. and then the water is passed through a sand filter to remove the floc (small clumps). Ordinarily, waters The total alkalinity of a surface water sample high in these elements can be used “as is” for outdoor sent to the testing laboratory usually will not change culture ponds. If a pond must be stocked immediately significantly over the 2- to 3-day shipping period. after filling, aeration can be supplied to speed the NH3-N (Ammonia-Nitrogen) Desirable Range Acceptable Range Total NH3-N: 0-2 mg/l Total NH3-N: Less than 4 mg/l F (Fluoride) Un-ionized NH3-N: 0 mg/l Un-ionized NH3-N: Less than oxidation process and render the water safe for fish. 0.4 mg/l While the relative amounts of the forms of iron or manganese might change during shipment, the total values will be unaffected. Fluoride is a traceCl e(Chloride)lement typical ly present in water at levels of 0.1 to 1.5 mg/l. It may be added to water as a measure to prevent tooth decay in humans Ammonia is a dissolved gas present naturally in (0.7Desirable to 1.2 mg/ Rangel). Le vels at or abAcceptableove 3 mg/ lRange are re ported surface and wastewaters, and in some well waters. It is the major nitrogenous waste product of fish and to causeAbove lo sse60 smg/l of some fish10 timesspecies, the depenitritendi concentrationng upon comp(forle catfishx water ponds) condi tions. (for catfish ponds) also results from the decomposition of organic matter. It is quite soluble in water, especially at low pH, and ordinarily is removed by plants or bacteria (as a 3 nutrient or energy source).+ Ammonia in water is 4 Chlorine present in two forms – un-ionized ammonia (NH ) and the ionized form (NH ) – and the relative proportion of each type depends on pH and tempera Chloride - ture. As pH increases, there is an increasing propor tion of un-ionized ammonia, which is very toxic to Chloride (Cl ) together with sodium (Na) forms fish.