Seasonal Evaluation of Water Quality Parameters in Fishpond Inlet and Outlet Waters

Aquaculture activities can significantly influence the physicochemical properties of aquatic environments. This study aimed to evaluate the seasonal variations in selected water quality parameters between inlet and outlet waters of fishpond systems. Water samples were collected during four different periods (February, May, August, and November), and several physicochemical parameters including dissolved oxygen (DO), water temperature (WT), pH, sulfate (SO₄), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonium nitrogen (NH₄-N), nitrate nitrogen (NO₃-N), phosphate (PO₄), chloride (Cl), total suspended solids (TSS), biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), and electrical conductivity (EC) were analyzed. Most physicochemical parameters showed only minor differences between inlet and outlet waters; however, phosphate concentrations were consistently higher in outlet waters, indicating phosphorus enrichment associated with aquaculture activities. Dissolved oxygen values slightly decreased in outlet waters, while ammonium concentrations generally increased after fishpond passage. Electrical conductivity values showed seasonal fluctuations, with the highest values recorded during February. Most nutrient and pollution indicators remained below critical thresholds throughout the study period. The results suggest that the fishpond system had a limited effect on overall water quality and maintained acceptable environmental conditions during the monitoring period.