Aquaculture and water quality

Aquaculture is that harvesting option which is based on the production of fish, shellfish or marine plants by using a strictly managed environment. It is said that this technique can provide higher quality fish stocking, than in the case of wildlife. One of the most difficult parts is that of making sure the water you use is qualitative.

Open systems are those that function on a continuous water flow. Closed systems are those that can be found in ponds especially, where the water is not changed or stirred. Those systems are the ones that raise the majority of problems because of the fact that the water is static.

In aquaculture, the term water quality is strictly related to the fact that there are some desired organisms for which you allow propagation. When it comes to ponds, everything must be measured accordingly. Growth, survival and stock need to be carefully assessed in order to prevent fish death due to the decrease of water quality. One of the impediments a pond has is the fact that it does not allow you to properly oxygenate the water. This can cause alterations on the habitat and furthermore on the quality of your fish.

So, in order to be successful in this field, you need to first understand how water chemistry functions. Think about the water as a medium in which several gases, minerals and organic matters gather and dissolve. This can help your fish population if it happens at a proper rate. But if there is not enough space for all of this to process, you might experience a serious decrease in the water quality.

If you want to benefit from good water quality, you will have to take care of certain aspects. Proper amount of oxygen is required. For aquaculture farms that are set up in a natural habitat, this is not quite a problem. Here the water is circulated continuously and the risks are decreased. But when it comes to static systems like the pond, you will see that you will have to help the system to oxygenate. Usually, you will have to install a waterfall or fountain in order to keep the water moving.

Aquaculture allows you to work with cold-blooded animals, which means they can adapt to the environment and accept fluctuations in their body temperature.  Keep in mind that several species are sensitive to temperature. As an example, you have the shrimp population which cannot stand fluctuations. In other words, some may need a stable environment.

Another important factor is represented by salinity. For this you will have to learn the specifics of the species you want to grow. You will have to establish the optimum levels in order to keep you population happy.

Bottom line, in aquaculture systems that are set up in the wild is a bit harder to control the quality of water. In this case you risk making your fish sick or vulnerable in the face of certain bacteria. If you opt for setting up an aquaculture system in a pond, you will benefit from the fact that you can manage properly the environment. Always keep an eye on temperature, density, fish stock and food. This are all factors that can help you in harvesting good quality fish.

aquaculture, aquaculture and water quality

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