Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Kroger, Robert

Committee Member

Tucker, Craig S.

Committee Member

Allen, Peter J.

Date of Degree

5-12-2012

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture

Abstract

Production limits have been maximized in earthen pond (EP) aquaculture. Pond design innovations may increase limits of catfish production by enhancing nitrogen processes. The split-pond system (SPS) partitions a pond into fish (20%) and waste treatment/oxygen production compartments (80%). In 2010, an SPS and EP were stocked (March) and harvested (October) with 25,000 catfish ha-1. Water quality (DO, pH, temp, ORP, CHL-a), nitrogen dynamics (TN, TAN, NO2-, NO3-), nitrogen pathway estimation, and nitrogen budgets were compared. In the waste treatment compartment, maximum DO concentrations exceeded 40 mg L-1, whereas ORP values provided favorable denitrification conditions. October EP NO2- concentrations were 3-4 mg L-1; 10old greater than the SPS. Feed (~90%) and fish (~60%) were the greatest source and sink of nitrogen, respectively. The SPS may be a promising pond design for the catfish industry through enhanced nitrogen removal and potential opportunity for increased production.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/18306

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