Laboratory Study of Sedimentation for Improving Quality of Pond Effluents

Laboratory studies with synthetic pond effluents demonstrated that concentrations of total suspended solids, total phosphorus, turbidity, biochemical oxygen demand, and total ammonia nitrogen could be reduced by sedimentation. Removal of 75% or more of total suspended solids and total phosphorus and 40% or greater removal of biochemical oxygen demand and turbidity occurred within 8 hours. Removal of total ammonia nitrogen was less than for the other variables. Pilot studies should be conducted on aquaculture farms to evaluate sedimentation or as an effluent treatment method.