Nutrients in aquaculture (Sources, Types, Dynamics, Effect, Quality and Quantity in aquatic...

Fertilizer and organic derived

nutrients

Food nutrients

Nutrients fixed in biomass

SOURCE

• Inorganic fertilizers (E.g.- urea, ssp, etc.)

• Organic manures (E.g.- FYM, Animal excreta, etc.)

• Benthic sediments (E.g.- Bottom muck, silt, etc.)

• Dead and decaying organic matter (E.g.-

Decomposing feed, dead plants/animals, etc.)

• Run-off from adjacent fields & catchment areas

SINK

• Utilization by primary producers.

• Assimilation by secondary & tertiary

consumers.

• Lost into the atmosphere or surrounding

environment.

• Locked or trapped within benthic sediments.

SOURCE

• Feed (E.g.- Natural, supplementary, artificial)

• Absorption from environment (E.g.- Through skin,

gills & during osmoregulatory processes)

SINK

• Proteins & enzymes.

• Carbohydrates

• Lipids

• Vitamins, minerals & hormones.

• Nitrogen (N), Phoshphorus (P), Pottasium (K), Inorganic carbon (C) (in Kg)

Macro-nutrients

(required in larger

quantities, i.e.- in

Kg, gm, etc.)

• Iron (Fe), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Chlorine (Cl), Boron (B), Selenium (Se), Chromium (Cr), Molybdenum (Mo), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Sillicon (Si), Sodium (Na), Magnesium (Mg). (in mg)

• Vitamins A,D,E,K, (in µg ) B-complex, C, Choline, Inositol, biotin, etc. (in I.U.)

Micro-nutrients

(required in minute

quantities, i.e.- in

mg, µg, I.U., etc.)

• Sulphur (S), Calcium (Ca), Hydrogen (H), Oxygen (O) (in gm)

SOURCE

• Natural food (E.g.- Phytoplankton, plants,

zooplankton, bacterioplankton)

• Supplementary feed (E.g.- larval feed, grow out

feed, broodstock feed.)

• Detritus

SINK

• Fixed into biomass or standing crop.

• Lost through harvested biomass or crop.

• Recycled into environment by bacterioplankton.

• Locked or trapped within benthic sediments.

SOURCE (in aquatic systems)

Weathering of phosphorus

containing rocks, Phosphate fertilizers

Agricultural and urban drainage

Atmospheric dust

Animal wasteDecomposition of

organic matter

(From Knud-Hansen, 1998)

(From Knud-Hansen, 1998)

SOURCE (in aquatic systems)

Fertilisation Precipitation Run-off N-fixing algaeDecomposition of

organic matterSeepage

(From Knud-Hansen, 1998)

(From Knud-Hansen, 1998)

Forms of Carbon

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Bicarbonate (HCO3

-)

Carbonate (CO32-)

SOURCES (in aquatic systems)

Solution of atmospheric CO2

Dissolution of the common rock limestone

Decomposition of organic matter

Relationship between pH and approximate relative percentages of total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) (Knud-hansen, 1998)

Diel (24-hour) curves of total dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), ammonia-

N, alkalinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) in a productive pond. (Knud-hansen, 1998)

Oxygen & Water Cycle in Pond

Oxygen consumption pattern (Principles of aquaculture, 1998)

IdealDuring algal bloom or weed infestation

During cloudy day

During continuous cloudy day

Element % of dry weight Source Function

Carbon 50organic compounds or CO2

Main constituent of cellular material

Oxygen 20H2O, organic compounds, CO2, and O2

Constituent of cell material and cell water; O2 is electron acceptor in aerobic respiration

Nitrogen 14NH3, NO3, organic compounds, N2

Constituent of amino acids, nucleic acids nucleotides, and coenzymes

Hydrogen 8H2O, organic compounds, H2

Main constituent of organic compounds and cell water

Phosphorus 3inorganic phosphates (PO4)

Constituent of nucleic acids, nucleotides, phospholipids, LPS, teichoic acids

Sulfur 1SO4, H2S, S, organic sulfur compounds

Constituent of cysteine, methionine, glutathione, several coenzymes

Potassium 1 Potassium saltsMain cellular inorganic cation and cofactor for certain enzymes

Magnesium 0.5 Magnesium saltsInorganic cellular cation, cofactor for certain enzymatic reactions

Calcium 0.5 Calcium saltsInorganic cellular cation, cofactor for certain enzymes and a component of endospores

Iron 0.2 Iron salts

Component of cytochromes and certain nonheme iron-proteins and a cofactor for some enzymatic reactions

Micronutrient Utility Active Form

Inorganic

Major nutrients: Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potash and Calcium

Minor elements: Manganese, Boron, Sulphur, Iron, Cobalt, Copper, Zinc

Organic

Animal waste

Green manure

Compost

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

AvailabilityPossibly in neighbourhood or even on own farm

Commercial suppliers only; sometimes imported

Direct pond fertilizationPossible by raising animals on or near the pond

Not feasible

Poor:

<0.5%

Medium:

0.5-1.5%

High: 1.5-2.5%

Excessive: >2.5%

Organic Carbon content vs. Productivity of pond

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

Available-Nitrogen content vs. Productivity of pond

Low:

<250ppm

Medium: 250-

500ppm

High:

>500ppm

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

Available-Phosphorus content vs. Productivity of pond

Poor:

<30ppm

Average:

30-60ppm

Good: 60-

120ppm

High:

>120ppm

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

C:N Ratio vs. Productivity of pond via Mineralization

Unsuitable

: <10

Best: 10-15

Good: 15-20

Bad: >20

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

Poor:

>12

Bad: 8-12

Good : 4-8

Best: <4

N:P Ratio vs. Productivity of pond via Assimilation

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

Desirable

concentrations

for good algal

production:

Phosphates

> 0.2 mg/l

Total P > 0.4

mg/l

Nitrates

> 2 mg/l

Total N > 1.5-3

mg/l

Potassium

> 1 mg/l

Oxygen

> 4 mg/lit

Best P:N ratio =

1:4 to 1:8

Total alkalinity

60 – 400 ppm

Total Hardness

40 – 300 ppmpH – 7.5 to 8.5

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

Fertilizer Phosphorus Potassium

Eq. P2O5 Total P(P2O5 x 0.44)

Eq. K2O Total K(K2O x 0.83)

PHOSPHATE FERTILISERS

Basic slag 16-20 7.0-8.8 - -

Superphosphate 14-20 6.2-8.8 - Trace

Triple superphosphate 44-54 19.4-23.8 - -

Fertilizer Phosphorus Nitrogen

Eq. P2O5 Total P(P2O5 x 0.44)

N

NITROGENOUS FERTILISERS

Ammonium nitrate - - 33-35

Ammonium sulphate - - 20-22

Ammonium phosphate 20-48 8.8-21.1 11-16

Di-ammonium phosphate 48-52 21.1-22.9 18-21

Calcium nitrate - - 15-16

Sodium nitrate - - 15-16

Urea - - 42-47

Fertilizer Nitrogen Potassium

N Eq. K2O Total K(K2O x 0.83)

POTASSIC FERTILIZERS

Kainite (MgS04+KCI) - 20 16.6

Potassium nitrate 13-14 44-46 36.5-38.2

Potassium sulphate - 45-54 37.4-44.8

Muriate of potash - 50-62 41.5-51.5

Animal/Poultry Country N P K

percent of oven-dry weight

Buffalo Dung India 0.750.20 2.00

Horse Dung India 1.88 0.52 1.00

Cattle Dung India 1.65 0.44 0.83

Sheep Dung India 1.55 0.70 0.72

Goat Dung India 2.04 0.73 0.47

Animal/Poultry Country N P K

Pig Dung China 2.66 1.37 1.47

Duck Droppings India 2.15 1.13 1.15

Chicken Droppings India 2.87 1.28 1.95

Pond Types(Productivity)

Organic Carbon(%)

Available Nutrients (mg/100g)

Nutrient requirement

(Kg/ha)

Total quantity of fertilizer or

manure(Kg/ha/yr)

Low Below 0.5 N: below 25

P2O5: below 3

N: 200-250P2O5: 100-125

Org. C: 600-720

Urea @225-290SSP@315-405Cow dung@ 10000-12000

Medium 0.5 – 1.5 N: 25 - 50

P2O5: 3 - 6

N: 150-200P2O5: 75-100

Org. C: 480-600

Urea @156-225SSP@219-315Cow dung@ 8000-10000

High 1.5 – 2.5 N: above 25

P2O5: above 3

N: 150-200P2O5: 75-100

Org. C: 480-600

Urea @112-156SSP@156-219Cow dung@ 5000-8000

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

Amino acid % of protein % of diet

Arginine 4.2 1.6

Histadine 2.1 0.8

Isoleucine 2.3 0.9

Leucine 3.4 1.3

Lysine 5.7 2.2

Methionine 3.1 1.2

Phenylalanine 6.5 2.5

Threonine 3.9 1.5

Tryptophan 0.8 0.3

Valine 3.6 1.4

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

(Handbook of Fisheries, 2011, ICAR Publ.)

Vitamin Requirement (mg/kg diet)Major vitamin deficiency

symptoms

FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

Vitamin A 10 000 IUFaded colour, exophthalmia, hemorrhages

on fin and skin

Vitamin D N None detected

Vitamin E 200–300 Muscular dystrophy, mortality

Vitamin K N None detected

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

Thiamin Na Nervousness and fading of body colour.

Riboflavin 7.0 Hemorrhages on skin, fin, mortality

Pyridoxine 5–6 Nervous disorders

Pantothenicacid

30–50Poor growth, anaemia, skin hemorrhages,exophthalmia

Nidcotinic acid 28 Hemorrhages on skin, mortality

Biotin 1 Poor growth

Folic acid N None detected

Vitamin B12 N None detected

Choline 4 000 Fatty liver

Inositol 440 Skin lesions

Ascorbic acid Na Impaired collagen formation

Minerals Quantity/Kg of diet

Primary minerals

Calcium 10-18 g

Phosphorus 18 g

Magnesium 0.8-1 g

Sodium 6 g

Potassium 9 g

Sulphur 0.2 g

Minerals Quantity/Kg of diet

Trace Elements

Manganese 20 mg

Zinc 50-100 mg

Iron 5-20 mg

Cobalt 10 mg

Selenium 1 mg

Chlorine Traces

Copper 25 mg

Molybdenum Traces

Chromium Traces

Fluorine Traces