Ahmed et al., J. Anim. Plant Sci. 23(1):2013 68 EFFECT OF POULTRY DROPPINGS ON WATER QUALITY PARAMETERS IN INDIAN MAJOR CARP PONDS I. Ahmed, M. Ashraf * , S. Abbas * and P. Akhtar ** Department of Zoology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan * Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan ** Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad Pakistan Corresponding author email: muhammad.ashraf@uvas.edu.pk ABSTRACT The present study was designed to investigate the influence of poultry droppings on the physico-chemical factors in fish ponds during different seasons of the year. There were two treatments and a control and all the groups were replicated. Control pond did not receive any additive while treatment 1 and 2 were manured with poultry droppings at the rate of 0.15 (T 1 ) and 0.20 (T 2 ) g N/100 g wet fish body weight daily. Temperature ranged from 27.7 to 35.7, 28.9 to 35.0 and 28.3 to 35.3 o C, light penetration from 10 to 28, 10 to 32 and 10 to 35 cm, pH from 7.50 to 8.17, 7.0 to 8.15 and 7.40 to 8.20, dissolved oxygen from 5.30 to 8.30, 4.49 to 10.89 and 5.53 to 10.65 mg/l, total alkalinity from 220 to 450, 280 to 450 and 290 to 410 mg/l, carbonates from 10 to 40, 10 to 60 and 20 to 60 mg/l, bicarbonates from 200 to 420, 270 to 410 and 270 to 370 mg/l, total hardness from 180 to 280, 200 to 280 and 210 to 280 mg/l, calcium from 30.0 to 72.1, 30.0 to 62.65 and 27.0 to 64.4 mg/l, magnesium from 10.9 to 41.87, 17.1 to 40.0 and 17.3 to 43.7 mg/l, total solids from 814 to 1390, 818 to 1520 and 816 to 1520 mg/l and planktonic biomass from 14 to 290, 18 to 320 and 16 to 320 mg/l in control, T1 and T2 from April to September, respectively. All the parameters remained uniform in all the treatments and a control except plankton productivity which was higher in both treatments when compared with control though there were no differences between both treatments. It further proves that use of 0.15 (T 1 ) or 0.20 (T 2 ) g N/100 g wet fish body weight daily does not make any difference neither it has any deleterious effects on water quality nor any on pond productivity. Therefore lesser quantity is more safe and cost effective for fish pond applications. Key word: Physico-chemical parameters, poultry droppings INTRODUCTION Pond fertilization produces microscopic plants and animals which become the natural food of fish. Regular application of fertilizers enhances pond productivity ultimately increasing fish production. Fertilization can have the negative effects too. Excessive fertilization can create obnoxious algal blooms and deteriorates water quality which induces stress to fish, retards growth and causes variety of diseases (Jha et al. 2007). In addition to that, the decomposition of dead algae during summer months can cause low oxygen levels, which may cause fish kills during extended period of cloudy weather. The pond fertilization increases nutrient level of pond water and induces pond productivity (phyto and zooplanktons) which sometimes depends water quality parameters and at another time spoils them. Both organic and inorganic fertilizers are applied to induce this productivity but organic and specifically poultry droppings are good promoter of plankton productivity due to their balanced and diversified nutrient range (Lane, 2000). Poultry manure has been considered as a complete fertilizer (Njoku and Ejiogu, 1999; Njoku, 2008) having characteristics of both organic and inorganic fertilizers and fish yield up to 2717.22 kg of fish acre -1 has been reported when applied in fish ponds which is a good evidence of the potential of this manure as fish growth enhancer. Therefore it can be comfortably said that pond productivity and then fish production moves around the level of nutrients present in the pond which need to be provided continuously and in quite a balanced amount to maintain a safe level of planktons. Excessive input is not only waste of resources but it also deteriorates water quality and even kills fish if it exceeds the certain levels (Hassan, 1998). The present work was, therefore, planned to investigate the effects of poultry droppings on physico- chemical parameters and pond productivity in the ponds. In addition to that the safe level of poultry dropping was also determined which can ensure proper water quality and can maintain pond productivity directly and growth of fish indirectly. MATERIALS AND METHODS Experimental protocol and set-up: There were two treatments and a control. Each treatment including control was replicated. Studies were conducted in earthen fish ponds measuring 25 x 8 x 1.5 m (length, width and The Journal of Animal & Plant Sciences, 23(1): 2013, Page: 68-75 ISSN: 1018-7081