Effect of Zeolite on Water Quality and Growth Performance for Nile Tilapia (Oreochramis niloticus)

This study was carried out to study the effect of zeolite on water quality and growth performance of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). There were 20 tilapia fry added in fifteen tanks with capacity of 30 liter of water. Different ratio of zeolite has been added inside a net bag to the tanks with 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 g/L and carried out in 60 days. Five treatments were designed and each treatment was in triplicates as following: the first treatment was 0 g/L of Zeolite, treatment 2 was of 5 g/L, treatment 3 was of lO g/L, treatment 4 was of 15 g/L and the fifth treatment was of 20 g/L of zeolite. Water quality parameters was conducted include in-situ and ex-situ parameters. The in-situ parameters were temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, water conductivity; total dissolved solid (TDS), turbidity and salinity. The ex-situ parameters were ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, reactive phosphorus and total phosphorus. The obtained result showed that ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels were significantly reduced in treated water compared with control. The lowest ammonia levels recorded in 15 g/L treatment of Zeolite, same as nitrite but the lowest nitrate levels obtained in 20 g/L treatment of zeolite. Based on the results, addition of zeolite is significant for the improvement of water quality and growth performance of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).