Saeed Akram Khan

FISH POND FERTILIZATION Lecturer

GC University, Lahore
 Comparison of organic and inorganic fertilizers
Item Organic fertilizers Inorganic fertilizers
Storage Difficult, only short time Easy, possibly for long time
Distribution Difficult, esp. on larger scale Easy
Mineral content Variable, low Consistent, high to very high
Organic matter Present Absent
Effect on soil structure Improvement No
Direct food for fish Yes No
Decomposition process Yes, with oxygen consumption No
Price Low to medium High to very high
Cost per nutrient unit Higher Lower
Possibly in neighbourhood or even Commercial suppliers only;
Availability
on own farm sometimes imported
Possible by raising animals on or
Direct pond fertilization Not feasible
near the pond
MAKING THE BEST USE OF FERTILIZERS
When using fertilizers to increase fish production in your ponds, you should aim to
establish and maintain a dense growth of planktonic algae (phytoplankton)
and zooplankton, which should colour the water a rich shade of green. Such dense
planktonic growth is often called a plankton bloom.
To establish and maintain a good plankton bloom at minimum cost, watch for the
following points.
Pond water and bottom soil should be neutral or slightly alkaline. Lime them if necessary
If present, bottom mud should be good quality, not too thick and mostly made of fine
detritus; too much cellulose* slows down its decomposition. Control the emersed vegetation
and the mud thickness, if possible by draining and drying.
Reduce the competition for nutrients and sunlight by controlling the floating and submersed
vegetation.
(d) Reduce the water exchange rate as much as possible to avoid
draining away water rich in nutrients and plankton.
(e) Fertilize each pond according to its particular characteristics; for
example, use more fertilizer:
if the pond is new, and good mud has not yet formed;
if the water supply is poor in nutrients (see the chart below);
if the bottom soil is sandy rather than clayey.
(f) Add more fertilizer as needed according to the plankton density
 Chemical qualities of a poor water supply

Phosphates Less than 0.1 mg/l

Nitrates Less than 2 mg/l
Potassium Less than 0.1 mg/l
Calcium and magnesium Less than 15 mg/l
DO NOT FERTILIZE A POND IF:

fish production does not depend on the use of natural food;

the exchange rate of the water is excessive;
there is too much emersed or other aquatic vegetation;
the water is too muddy or dark-coloured, and transparency is limited;
the plankton turbidity is too high.
DECIDING ABOUT THE NEED FOR
FERTILIZERS
The Secchi disc transparency can be used as a simple method
for judging plankton turbidity and the need for additional
fertilization of a fish pond. Depending on the value observed,
control and manage the pond as shown in the following chart.
If you do not have a Secchi disc, you can use your arm instead.
Stick your arm vertically underwater. As long as your hand is
not visible when your elbow is at the water surface, there is
no need for fertilization.
Note: avoid over-fertilization. It is both wasteful and
dangerous for your fish.
 Fertilization needs

Secchi disc
Management/control
transparency
No fertilization:
Closely observe fish for signs of dissolved oxygen
Less than 25 cm
depletion (see Section 2.5)
Increase water inflow, if necessary
No fertilization:
25-40 cm
Regularly observe fish behaviour
40-60 cm Routine fertilization necessary
Routine fertilization necessary, possibly with an
More than 60 cm
increased dose
 By immersing your arm in the water

Checking the need for fertilizers

by using a Secchi disc

Phosphate fertilizers
Water quality: desirable
concentrations for good
algal production:
Best P:N ratio
Inorganic fertilizer
advisable for:
Typical amount, per
hectare, for one production
cycle
Criteria for the use of inorganic fertilizers
Nitrogen fertilizers Potassium fertilizers
Phosphates Nitrates Potassium
> 0.2 mg/l > 2 mg/l > 1 mg/l
Total P > 0.4 mg/l Total N > 1.5-3 mg/l -
Enough total P present for total N to be used: P:N =
-
1:4 to 1:8
•poor water/soil •poor water/soil •poor water/soil
•acid soil or light soil and/or •new ponds •water total alkalinity less than 25
water poor in Ca: prefer basic •ponds with no bottom mud mg/l CaCO3
slag •nursery ponds •ponds in swampy areas
•soil/water richer in Ca and/or •more intensive cultural system, at •peaty soil
heavy soil: prefer higher fish density •hard pond bottom and little
superphosphate aquatic vegetation
40-100 kg N (check P:N 35 kg K2O to 60-80 kg in
30-60 kg eq. P205
ratio) peaty soil
Mixing inorganic fertilizers with other substances
9. To save on time and labour, inorganic fertilizers are commonly mixed with each other or with substances such
as organic fertilizers or liming materials.
Methods for distributing dry
inorganic fertilizers are
illustrated:
(a) From a wooden post, suspend a
small bag made of cotton or burlap,
about 30 cm underwater. In this bag
enclose the seven- to 15-day dosage
of fertilizer for the water area
concerned. At the end of this period,
empty the insoluble filler from the
bag and add a new dosage of
fertilizer. You could also use a
perforated can or a basket.
Use a floating perforated
container such as a woven
basket or a plastic can with
holes, attached to the inside of
a car tyre inner-tube. Use this
container as you were told in
item (a) above.
Submerge a wooden
platform 30 cm underwater
and set it at least 30 cm
above the pond bottom. The
doses of fertilizer are placed
on the platform, either
directly, if there is no risk of it
being swept away or, when
water currents are too
strong, in open fertilizer
bags.
For better results you may use
dissolved inorganic
fertilizers in two ways.
(a) For periodic pond
fertilization, dissolve the
required dose of fertilizer well in
a large container such as a
clean 200-l metal drum filled
with pond water. Using buckets,
distribute this solution evenly
over the whole pond surface
from the banks or, if necessary,
from a boat.
(b) For continuous pond
fertilization, build one or more
emersed wooden platforms in the
pond. On these platforms,
permanently install a large
container such as a 200-l metal
drum, equipped with a small
outflow valve about 10 cm above
its base. You will need about five
such containers per hectare. Fill
each container with 100 to 150 l of
water and dissolve the appropriate
dose of fertilizer in it. Open the
valve just enough to let the solution
flow out steadily over a period of
several days.