M. Jayanthi, P. Nila Rekha, M. Muralidhar and B.P. Gupta
Abstract
Salinisation of soil in nearby agriculture land and drinking water resources due to seepage and percolation from earthern shrimp ponds are the major evironmental issues in aquaculture.The effect of materials such as biocrete, polythene, clay and chicken litter on controlling seepage were studied in the model ponds.The monthly mean seepage rate was 1.2, 3.8,6.2,8.3,10.3 and 16.2 cm/day in biocrete, polythene, clay chicken litter I (250 kg/ha), chicken litter 11(500 kg/ha) and control ponds respectively.The water quality variables like pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite nitrogen, total ammonia nitrogen and phosphate analysed at weekly .intervals were well maintained in biocrete, clay and polythene lined ponds than the ponds applied with chicken litter.The cost of construction of the one hectare pond with the lining was 9.5, 5.8,4, 2.5 and 2.8 lakhs for biocrete, polythene, clay, chicken litter I and chicken litter II respectively.The biocrete proved to be good in controlling water loss compared to other materials.