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The present work aimed at evaluating the effects of single or paired increase of water’s total alkalinity (TA) and total hardness (TH) on the performance of Nile tilapia juveniles’ growth and culture water quality. Twenty five 25-L outdoor polyethylene aquaria were used to hold experimental fish (0.82 ± 0.06 g; 10 fish per aquarium) for 6 weeks. There were two conditions of TA (low or high) and of TH (moderate or high) in the culture water, obtained by the application of different salts (CaCO3, Na2CO3 and CaSO4) upon a previously acidified water, all at the same rate. Water quality and growth performance variables were observed in each replicate. The acidification of the supply water with HCl has resulted in significantly lower final body weight (p < 0.05). Except for the Na2CO3, growth performance of tilapia has improved significantly after CaCO3 liming or CaSO4 application (p < 0.05) and no significant difference was detected between these last two fish groups (p > 0.05). It was concluded that beyond a minimum level of TA (≥ 20 mg L-1 CaCO3) and TH (≥ 20 mg L-1 CaCO3), it is also important that fish culture waters have a TH/TA ratio higher than 1.

The present research aimed to assess a lab-scale model to study periphyton-based systems for fish culture. Twenty-five liters plastic aquaria were stocked with three Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, juveniles (0.77±0.09g; 12 fish m-2) for 6 weeks in a 2x2 factorial design. Small plastic bottles were placed in some aquaria for periphyton development. Two feeding regimes were employed: "full-fed" (standard feeding rates were fully adopted) and "half-fed" (50% of standard feeding rates). Growth performance and limnological variables were observed in each aquarium. There werefive replicates per treatment. Fish have fed actively on periphyton, especially in the half-fed aquaria. The placement of periphyton bottles had no significant effects on the water quality variables, except by the gross primary productivity which became lower. Half-fed aquaria presented lower concentrations of ammonia (0.28-0.29mg L-1), nitrite (0.33-0.37mg L-1) and phosphorus (0.42-0.43mg L-1) than full-fed aquaria (0.57-0.60mg L-1; 0.75-0.77mg L-1; 0.67-0.70mg L-1, respectively). The final body weight of fish in half-fed aquaria with periphyton bottles (6.22±0.64g) was significantly higher than in aquaria without bottles (4.65±0.36g). Although the growth rate of fish was lower in the half-fed aquaria (4.27-4.72 vs. 5.29-5.61% BW day-1), survival was significantly higher when compared to the full-fed aquaria (93.3-100.0 vs. 80.0-83.4%). Only in the aquaria with periphyton the feed conversation ratio was improved by the feeding restriction regime.O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar um modelo laboratorial para estudo de sistemas de cultivo de peixes baseados em perifíton. Aquários de 25L foram estocados com três juvenis de tilápia do Nilo, Oreochromis niloticus (0,77±0,09g; 12 peixes m-2) por seis semanas, em arranjo fatorial 2x2. Pequenas garrafas plásticas foram colocadas em determinados aquários para o desenvolvimento de perifíton. Dois regimes alimentares foram empregados: "cheio", no qual taxas alimentares padrões foram integralmente adotadas e "metade", em que 50% das taxas alimentares regulares foram empregadas. Variáveis limnológicas e de desempenho zootécnico foram observadas em cada aquário. Havia cinco repetições por tratamento. Os peixes ingeriram ativamente perifíton, especialmente os que receberam metade do arraçoamento padrão. A colocação de garrafas para o crescimento de perifíton não teve efeito significativo nas variáveis de qualidade de água, excetuando-se na produtividade primária bruta que foi menor. Os aquários arraçoados pela metade apresentaram menores concentrações de amônia (0,28-0,29mg L-1), nitrito (0,33-0,37mg L-1) e fósforo (0,42-0,43mg L-1) que os aquários arraçoados integralmente (0,57-0,60mg L-1; 0,75-0,77mg L-1; 0,67-0,70mg L-1, respectivamente). O peso corporal final dos peixes nos aquários arraçoados pela metade, mas com garrafas para perifíton (6,22±0,64g), foi significativamente maior que nos respectivos aquários sem garrafas (4,65±0,36g). Embora a taxa de crescimento dos peixes alimentados com metade das taxas regulares tenha sido menor (4,27-4,72 vs. 5,29-5,61% PC dia-1), a sobrevivência foi significativamente maior para estes, quando comparados com os peixes alimentados com taxas regulares (93,3-100,0 vs. 80,0-83,4%). Apenas nos aquários com perifíton a conversão alimentar foi melhorada pela restrição alimentar imposta.

The present work aimed to obtain a mathematical expression to calculate the amount of EDTA required to produce calcium-free and low-calcium water ([Ca2+] < 5 mg L-1). Initially, a pilot test was carried out to confirm the effectiveness of EDTA as a chelating agentof waterborne calcium and to evaluate its effect on water pH. Five application rates of Na- EDTA (25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 mg L-1) were tested. The concentration of calcium in water was determined initially (before the application of EDTA) and after one hour. Linearregression analysis was performed to find out the relationship between the desired calcium concentration in water and the required EDTA: initial calcium hardness ratio. The expression . = -0.0911x + 3.3628 (R2 = 0.933) was derived from the linear regression analysis carried out, in which x represents the desired calcium concentration in water and y the required EDTA: initial calcium hardness ratio.O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar a quantidade de EDTAnecessaria para se produzir agua sem calcio e agua mole ([Ca2+] < 5 mg L-1) para experimentacao em aquicultura. Inicialmente, realizou-se teste-piloto para confirmar a efetividade do EDTA como agente complexante do calcio presente na agua e avaliar seu efeito no pH da agua. No teste principal, cinco taxas de aplicacao de Na-EDTA (25, 50, 75, 100 e 125 mg L-1) foram avaliadas. A concentracao de calcio da agua foi determinada inicialmente (antes da aplicacao de EDTA) e apos 1h. Analise de regressao linear foi feita para se descobrir a relacao entre a concentracao desejada de calcio na agua e a relacaoEDTA/dureza calcica inicial da agua necessaria. A expressao . = -0,0911x + 3,3628 (R2 = 0,933) foi obtida a partir da regressao realizada na qual x representa a concentracao desejada de calcio na agua e y a relacao EDTA/dureza calcica inicial da agua.

The present work aimed to obtain a mathematical expression to calculate the amount of EDTA required to produce calcium-free and low-calcium water ([Ca2+] < 5 mg L-1). Initially, a pilot test was carried out to confirm the effectiveness of EDTA as a chelating agent of waterborne calcium and to evaluate its effect on water pH. Five application rates of Na-EDTA (25, 50, 75, 100 and 125 mg L-1) were tested. The concentration of calcium in water was determined initially (before the application of EDTA) and after one hour. Linear regression analysis was performed to find out the relationship between the desired calcium concentration in water and the required EDTA: initial calcium hardness ratio. The expression ŷ = -0.0911x + 3.3628 (R² = 0.933) was derived from the linear regression analysis carried out, in which x represents the desired calcium concentration in water and y the required EDTA: initial calcium hardness ratio.