Water quality evaluation from selected aquaculture ponds in Benin City, Nigeria

Abstract

The present study evaluated water quality from selected aquaculture ponds in Benin City, Nigeria. Water samples were collected from deep concrete  pond, white plastic tank, black plastic tank, black tarpaulin pond, earthen pond and surface concrete pond. Standard procedures were adopted to analyze the selected physicochemical parameters of water. The analyzed results were subjected to WHO (2009) and FEPA (1993) permissible limits for aquatic water quality. Pond D (black tarpaulin pond) had the highest concentrations of EC, Total suspended solids (TSS), Total dissolved solids (TDS), turbidity, Sulphate, Biological oxygen demand, NO₄, P, Ca, NH4, Mg, Na, K, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb and Cd. Pond D was more acidic
and had the lowest alkalinity, Chemical Dissolved Oxygen (COD) and Dissolved Oxygen (DO) values than other fish ponds. COD and P contents in all the fish ponds were above their permissible limits. The status of TSS, TDS, and turbidity, Zn, Cu, Cr, Pb and Cd showed that these water indices were not toxic. The study recommends that fish pond water as well as water holding facilities should be monitored periodically. It also suggests that Pond D (black tarpaulin pond) should be least considered when setting up aquaculture system.

Keywords: aquaculture ponds, water quality, physicochemical parameters and permissible limits