Title: Assessment of surface and groundwater quality for use in aquaculture in parts of northern Nigeria
Abstract: In recent times, fish farming (aquaculture) has become a major source of income to many and a substitute for beef in many homes all over Nigeria because a kilogram of fish is cheaper especially the so call ice-fish compared to same kilogram of beef. As a result, many people have embraced fish farming and while some aquaculturist have recorded loss, only few got it right especially at the initial stage of the fish farming business. Some fish farm had average fish weighing a kilogram while others recorded less than half a kilogram due to many factors ranging from contamination of pond water from pile up of uneaten feeding stuff at bottom of the pond to the use of ground or surface water whose constituents or chemically controlled parameters have adverse effects on harvest in aquaculture. This study was carried out to ascertain the suitability of surface and groundwater from parts of northern Nigeria for fish farming. Thirty seven surface and groundwater samples were collected during the peak of dry season and analyzed for physicochemical parameters that could have adverse effects on fish farming using model V-2000 multi-analyte photometer, atomic absorption spectrophotometer, pH and conductivity meter. Whereas some of the measurements were carried out in-situ, the others were carried out in the laboratory. The result of the analysis indicated that the values obtained for most of the samples were within the range that can be used efficiently for aquaculture, only few were observed to have values that could have adverse effects on the intended use and these include pH, salinity, sodium contents and residual sodium carbonate which are closely related to the pH of water samples analyzed. The water samples analyzed are generally good for aquaculture.
Publication Year: 2011
Publication Date: 2011-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 3
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