Temperature is the single most important physical factor controlling the life of a cold-blooded animal. Temperature is critical in growth, reproduction and sometimes survival. Each species of fish has an optimum temperature range for growth, as well as upper and lower lethal temperatures. Below the optimum temperature feed consumption and feed conversion decline until a temperature is reached at which growth ceases and feed consumption is limited to a maintenance ration. Below this temperature is a lower lethal temperature at which death occurs. Above the optimum temperature feed consumption increases while feed conversion declines.
pH
pH is a measure of the relative acidity of the water. The pH in a pond fluctuates daily due to uptake and release of CO2 during photosynthesis and respiration. The pH is lowest at or near dawn and highest at mid-afternoon. The desirable range of early morning pH for fish production is from 6.5 to 9. The acid death point is a pH of approximately 4 and the alkaline death point is approximately pH 11. When the pH is outside the desirable range, fish growth is slowed, reproduction reduced, and susceptibility to disease increased.
Ponds with acidic bottom muds and soft water usually are not productive fish ponds. Lime can be added to these ponds to increase the pH and alkalinity (total concentration of bases). Limed ponds have fewer pH, dissolved oxygen, and other related problems. A total alkalinity of 20 mg/l is considered the minimum concentration for a pond used in fish production.