Abstract:
Aquaculture is one of the fastest food growing industries in the world with potential to
supplement the ever declining capture fisheries stock. Nevertheless, one of the major
challenges limiting fish productivity in earthen ponds is the unreliable water quality, which
is either attributed to point or non-point pollution from human activities or in-pond activities
including over feeding and poor pond maintenance. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the
physico-chemical water quality parameters in earthen ponds. The specific objectives were to:
i) find out the physio-chemical water quality composition of earthen fish ponds in relation to
temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, electrical conductivity (EC),total
dissolved solids (TDS) and total suspended solids (TSS); ii) determine if named parameters
in objective 1 are within the recommended standards to support fish culture, and iii) suggest
the management practices for improved and sustained water quality of earthen ponds.
This study was conducted in Kamuli district, Kisozi sub-county, and this involved random
selection of 5 fish ponds based on accessibility. The fish ponds were monitored over a period
of six (6) weeks from May-June, 2024. The physico-chemical water quality parameters
monitored included: Temperature, DO, pH, EC and TDS were measured in-situ using
Multimeter parameter probe(HANNA H198194) while TSS was analysed in the laboratory
following standard methods of water and wastewater treatment by APHA (1998).
Results for the physio-chemical water quality composition in five earthen fish ponds that is to
say A, B C, D, and E was: Temperature 26.06±1.44, 25.58±1.40, 25.30±1.41, 25.47±1.22 and
26.83±2.59 respectively; DO: 5.30±0.66, 5.41±0.66, 5.35±0.62, 5.72±0.41 and 4.91±0.71, PH
was 7.51±0.16, 6.74±1.28, 7.09±0.11, 6.33±0.30 and 7.31±0.29 respectively. EC was found
to be 349.72±10.73, 346.88±22.23, 662.44±13.15, 98.83±19.67 and 280.66±23.11 for ponds
A, B, C, D and E respectively. TDS: 174.11±4.54, 172.55±1.48, 331.66±6.58, 48.83±9.07
and 143±11.08 and TSS water was 166.67±98.47, 141.67±66.85, 200±95.34, 200±95.34 and
141±66.85 respectively, and were found to be within the recommended ranges required to
support fish culture except TSS. It is recommended that pond management should be
encouraged through regular water exchange, influent treatment and controlled feeding to
maintain TSS levels within recommended standards.
