Pond management involves proper site selection, construction, and maintenance of water quality parameters. Key water quality factors to monitor include oxygen, pH, temperature, salinity, turbidity, and nitrogen compounds. Pond preparation between crops requires removing settled waste through dry or wet cleaning methods. Maintaining optimal conditions of these water quality parameters is important for health, growth and productivity of farmed aquatic species.

1. Ponds Management
Ahmed Mushtaq
20012514-001
Presented to
Dr Syed Zakir Husaain

2. Pond culture is a very popular
aquaculture production method with
many aquatic species cultured in ponds
To have successful pond production,
ponds must be properly sited and built,
with careful assessment of water
availability, quantity, and quality
Water Quality Soil Quality cleanness
Should be maintained on regular basis

3. Waste material which is settled in the pond may contain
unwanted organisms and microbes from the previous
culture. During pond preparation for a new culture, the
waste from the previous culture should be removed to
attain good physical condition and healthy environment.
Based on the draining conditions wastes can be
removed.
1. Dry method
2. Wet method
•After completely draining out, the pond is left to dry directly
over the sunlight for a period of 10 – 30 days. Then the dried
waste is removed from the pond either by manual or
mechanical methods. Wet method waste is flushed out by
pressure washing method until the complete removal of the
dark acidic layer.
•Dry method can be used for completely drainable ponds.
Wet method is suitable for non-drainable ponds.
•Compared to dry method, wet method cleaning is more
efficient and has a shorter time period.
•Dry method may be able to create acidity and may lower
the pond bottom. Wet method needs a separate
sedimentation pond to avoid the contamination.

4. the most important water quality parameters
such as
1. Oxygen
2. pH
3. Temperature
4. Salinity
5. Turbidity
6. Nitrogen compounds
It is recommended to monitor and
assess water quality parameters on a
routine basis.

5. 1. Maintaining good levels of DO in the water is
essential for successful production since oxygen
(O2) has a direct influence on feed intake,
disease resistance and metabolism.
2. A sub-optimal level is very stressful for fish and
shrimp. It is therefore important to keep DO at
optimum levels of above 4.0 ppm
3. Other sources of oxygen than photosynthesis
are diffusion or transfer from air to water.
Wave action or mechanical aeration is forcing
this oxygen diffusion.
4. Artificial Pumps
The dynamic oxygen cycle of ponds fluctuates
throughout the day due to phytoplankton
photosynthesis and respiration

6. 1. Temperature is another important water
quality parameter.
2. It can affect fish and shrimp metabolism,
feeding rates and the degree of ammonia
toxicity. Temperature also has a direct
impact on biota respiration
(O2 consumption) rates and influences the
solubility of O2 (warmer water holds less
O2 than cooler water).
3. For each species, there is a range of
temperature conditions. Temperature (C) conditions for aquatic species

7. 1. pH is a measure of acidity (hydrogen ions) or
alkalinity of the water. It is important to
maintain a stable pH at a safe range because it
affects the metabolism and other physiological
processes of culture organisms.
2. create stress, enhance the susceptibility to
disease, lower the production levels and cause
poor growth and even death.
3. Signs of sub-optimal pH are besides others
increased mucus on the gill surfaces of fish,
unusual swimming behavior, fin fray, harm to
the eye lens as well as poor phytoplankton and
zooplankton growth.
4. Optimal pH levels in the pond should be in the
range of 7.5 8.5.

8. 1. Alkalinity can affect the productivity and water pH.
lime can be used to increase alkalinity in the water to
stabilize the water pH. Values of 50 100 mg/l are
considered moderate and are recommended
2. Role for the growth of culture organisms through
osmoregulation. If salinity is too high, fish and shrimp
will start to lose water to the environment. Lowering
the salinity by more than 5 ppt, at each time of water
exchange, is not recommended.
3. An increase in CO2 may also decrease the pH.
High CO2 concentrations inhibit the ability of fish and
shrimp to extract O2 from the water, reducing the
tolerance to low O2 conditions and inducing stress
comparable to suffocation.
Carbon dioxide concentrations above 60 ppm
may be lethal. In an emergency, CO2 can be
removed by adding liming agents such as
quicklime, hydrated lime or sodium carbonate
to the pond water.

9. 1. pH
best pH for pond soils is considered to be about neutral.
2. Liming
The reason for liming aquaculture ponds is to neutralize soil
acidity and increase total alkalinity.
3. Tilling
Tilling bottom soils can enhance drying to increase aeration
and accelerate organic matter decomposition and oxidation of
reduced compounds.
4. Sediment Removal
sediment can be excavated with a variety of equipment ranging
from shovels to bulldozers.
5. Fertilization
Urea can be spread over pond bottoms at 200 to 400 kg ha-1

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content/uploads/2019/08/Aquaculture_Pond_Bottom_Soil_Quality_Management.pdf
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8. https://wildlife.tamu.edu/publications/popular-publications/pond-fish-management/
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10. https://fishpondmanagement.com/