Printed in Nigeria WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT IN WARM WATER FISH PONDS: A SYSTEMS African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC) of Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research

From the inception of the supervised industrial work experience scheme (SIWES) in Nigerian institutions of higher learning quite many students have done it at African Regional Aquaculture Centre (ARAC). In the year 2010 alone 340 students were in ARAC for of these students lacked functional understanding of the underlying principles and practices of water quality management at the planning and management stages in pond fish culture systems. Water quality management is the monitoring and control of the dynamics of water quality parameters in fish culture systems. This paper reviews the major water quality variables that are important in freshwater and brackish water aquaculture systems and methods to monitor and control th approach. Besides good nutrition, water quality determines the survival, well being and growth of fish in intensive aquaculture operations. The origin of water quality deterioration in fish culture systems such as nitrogen metabolism and respiration are explored. Water quality monitoring equipment and tools, testing procedures and interpretation of results based on systems approach are highlighted. It is hoped that this review paper will provide deeper understanding of the subject matter undergraduate students in Nigeria and beyond.