The Nitrogen Budget of a Tropical Semi-Intensive Freshwater Fish Culture Pond

Nitrogen inputs, outputs and compartamentalization were quantified in a freshwater fish pond stocked with hybrid Oreochromis throughout a production cycle. The budget accounts for 91% of the nitrogen added to the system. Feed addition accounted for 87% of the nitrogen input and an additional 11% was attributable to nitrogen fixation, mainly in the water column. The balance of the nitrogen input was contained in the source water for the pond. Commercial-size fish accumulated 17.5% of the nitrogen added to the system. Most of the nitrogen was eventually deposited in the sediments. Nitrification constituted a major pathway for nitrogen transformation, but only 1% of the nitrogen input was lost through denitrification.