Water Testing For Aquaculturre:

Objectives: To determine different ways of testing water quality To learn what to test for when examining water quality To get a basic understanding of how water quality effects fish

Water Provides: Food Oxygen Excretory site maintains body tempersture

pH: Most common test 0 to 14 scale with 7 being neutral, above basic, below acidic Logarithmic scale Death points for fish are below 4 and above 11

Dissolved Gases: Oxygen Carbon dioxide Nitrogen Ammonia Hydrogen sulfide Chlorine Methane

Dissolved Oxygen: Is the primary oxygen source of aquatic animals 5ppm is needed to avoid stress Temperature, light, algae, and population effect levels of oxygen

Carbon Dioxide: Highly soluble in water Occurs as a by product of respiration Interferes with animals ability to extract oxygen Aerating water drives off carbon dioxide

Ammonia: Tested with kits Algae use ammonia for protein production Non-toxic to fish

Hardness: Determined by levels of calcium and magnesium Effects production when at low or high levels

Testing Methods: Colormetric- A concentration reaction which shows a color that can be read off of a scale Electronic- A electronic meter is used to give readings of all tests

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