Expert Advice on Dissolved Oxygen, Water Conductivity & Ph Monitoring Solutions for Aquaculture
Improve your yields and cut costs – continuous automated monitoring of water conductivity, dissolved oxygen and pH improves feed ratios, minimises fish stress, and reduces fish disease and mortality. Plus, save time and money with more efficient data collection and systems management.
Our water quality monitoring systems are used in fish farms across the UK and Ireland, as well as being deployed in aquaculture research projects such as Lobster Grower 2: an exciting 3 year project with consortium partners led by the National Lobster Hatchery and whose Partners include the University of Exeter, Westcountry Mussels of Fowey, The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) and Falmouth University. The project will focus on the European lobster by developing the technology and science for growing lobsters at sea.
Contact us Today
Our friendly team can configure the ideal complete monitoring system for your aquaculture requirements.
Call us on 01243 558280 or send us a question
Dissolved Oxygen (DO) is By Far the Most Important Chemical Parameter in Aquaculture
The amount of dissolved oxygen in a body of water is an indicator of its health; high dissolved oxygen correlates with high biological productivity, and low dissolved oxygen means lower biological productivity. Because all animals require oxygen for respiration, dissolved oxygen is an important indicator of the relative health of an aquatic animal’s environment.
Because of this, we recommend and support the HOBO U26-001 Dissolved Oxygen Sensor & Data Logger. This technology is the data logger of choice for many of our aquaculture clients and research groups. You can find out how CCR Environment used these loggers to examine the levels of Dissolved Oxygen in an endangered Mussel habitat.
Working With the Hobo U26-001 Dissolved Oxygen Sensor & Data Logger
Click here to View
(Runtime: Approximately 18min)
Detect Salinity Events Such as Upwelling, Rainstorm, and Discharge Events
The HOBO U24 002-C is a cost-effective water conductivity sensor & data logger for measuring salinity, conductivity and temperature in saltwater environments with relatively small changes in salinity (±5,000 μS/cm) such as saltwater bays, or to detect salinity events such as upwelling, rainstorm, and discharge events.
It can also be used to gather salinity data for salinity compensation of HOBO U26 Dissolved Oxygen logger data.
The Importance of pH in Aquaculture
Because fish are totally dependent upon water to breathe, feed and grow, excrete wastes, maintain a salt balance, and reproduce; to a great extent water determines the success or failure of an aquaculture operation.
pH is important in aquaculture as a measure of the acidity of the water. Fish cannot survive in waters below pH 4 and above pH 11 for long periods. The optimum pH for fish is between 6.5 and 9. Fish will grow poorly and reproduction will be affected at consistently higher or lower pH levels. Sensitive freshwater fish species such as salmon prefer pH levels between 7 and 8, becoming severely distressed and suffering physiological damage due to absorbed metals at levels below 6.
Effect of High pH Levels
High pH levels (9-14) can harm fish by denaturing cellular membranes. At high pH, most ammonium in water is converted to toxic ammonia (NH3) which can kill fish. Moreover, cyanobacterial toxins can also significantly influence fish populations.
Effect of Low pH Levels
Low pH levels accelerate the release of metals from rocks or sediments in the water. These metals can affect fishs’ metabolism and their ability to take water in. Young fish are extremely sensitive and may die at pH levels below 5.
The Effects of pH on Warm-Water Pond Fish |
|
| pH | Effects on fish |
| 4 | Acid death point |
| 4 to 5 | No reproduction |
| 4 to 6.5 | Slow growth |
| 6.5 to 9 | Desirable range for fish reproduction |
| 9 to 10 | Slow growth |
| ≥11 | Alkaline death point |
The most popular pH monitoring system we configure combines the Onset HOBO RX3000 Remote Data Logger Station (pictured above) with the pHionics STs pH sensor.
Salmar (one of the world’s largest and most efficient producers of farmed salmon) chose this system because the Onset HOBO RX3000 provides 24/7 remote access to data and is compatible with a wide range of water sensors from Onset and other leading manufacturers.
The HOBO RX3000 is Onset’s next-generation remote data logging station that provides instant access to site-specific environmental data anywhere, anytime via the internet. The station combines the flexibility and sensor quality of more expensive systems, an onboard LCD display, and the convenience of plug-and-play operation.
The pHionics STs pH sensor is a submersible, water quality transmitter featuring an integrated preamp and an isolated ‘true 2-wire’, 4-20 ma transmitter. The STs pH sensor provides independent channels to simultaneously transmit a pH and temperature signal – two wires for pH and two wires for temperature. The rugged construction makes this sensor/transmitter ideal for aquaculture applications.
Contact Us Today
Our friendly team can configure the ideal complete monitoring system for your aquaculture requirements.
Call us on 01243 558280, or send us a question
Contact us Today
Our friendly team can configure the ideal complete monitoring system for your aquaculture requirements.
Call us on 01243 558280 or send us a question using the contact form