This Is AuburnElectronic Theses and Dissertations

Assessing the Reliability of Water Test Kits for Use in Small-Scale Aquaculture

Date

2015-12-11

Author

Naigaga, Shamim

Type of Degree

Master's Thesis

Department

Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures

Abstract

Water analysis kits are useful for practical aquaculture only if they give results as accurate as those obtained by standard water analysis methods. This study used weighted Cohen’s Kappa statistic to compare management decisions made by farmers that used water analysis kits (e.g. Seneye slide kit, Tetra EasyStrips, API test strips, Seachem Ammonia Alert, Salifert Profi test kit and Hach DO and alkalinity kit) and those that used standard methods. The decisions made by farmers were similar for water analysis kits and standard methods except for Tetra and API test strips when measuring nitrate concentration. The highest conformity between the two methods (Kappa value = 1.0, p < 0.0001) was obtained with the Hach and Salifert Profi test kits (for measuring DO) and the API test strip (for measuring total hardness). The agreement among the different water analysis kits also was measured by the weighted Cohen’s Kappa statistic. Tetra EasyStrips and API test strips had a perfect agreement (kappa value of 1.0 and p value of <0.0001) on the decision made when measuring nitrate and nitrite. The Hach and Salifert Profi kits also had a perfect agreement (kappa value of 1.0 and p value of <0.0001) on the decision made when measuring dissolved oxygen. The rapid, simple measurements by the kits appear suitable for use by farmers.