Comment

Comment by Jim Fisk on April 24, 2013 at 1:50pm

Hey Bob, don't get me wrong. Great to have but could have been down the road a bit

I don't think I really need it for my AP (plenty of aeration there) but ponds are another story and that's where I will use it soon as we have been stocking it. That too may need aeration and I can't "assume" anything there like I feel I can with the AP system.

Moderator Comment by Bob Terrell on April 24, 2013 at 12:56pm

Anthony  DO  is disolved oxygen in the water, the more DO you have the happier your fish and plants are.

Comment by Linda Logan on April 24, 2013 at 11:03am

Someone posted this link http://diyaquaponics.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=112&sid=b6f09be5...

I read some and it seems to be a through discussion of AP.

Comment by Anthony Payne on April 24, 2013 at 10:51am

OK I think this will make me sound dumb, but the things tossed around In this tex world like GB is grow beds AP aquaponics OK got it. But oh? DO meter? I thought that a test kit with the drops is all that is needed. Can you tell what the oxygen levels are how about salt or the different ammonia types or the how much is nitrate to nitrite? I'm still waiting on the dam book it seems to be on the slow boat from China. I'm reading watching and planing searching for things to make the system and a 10x16 greenhouse. I just cut down 45 foot fire tree that is the spot for the greenhouse   

Comment by Bob Campbell on April 24, 2013 at 8:07am

Jim I agree that a DO meter is not necessary, but for anyone who is serious about raising fish it is a very good tool.  A while back I visited a commercial fish farm and found the owner out at the ponds checking the DO on all of his 14 ponds.  He showed me his log book.  This was a regular routine for him.  He told me about the three types of DO meters and explained the advantages of the one he was using which he paid over a thousand dollars for.  

Tracking the DO will give you a heads up to developing problems, and allow you to raise fish in an optimum environment for maximum growth rate, and stocking density.  As an aquaponics hobbyist it might be a luxury, but not a waste of money.  

Comment by Jim Fisk on April 24, 2013 at 6:22am

@Michael, I purchased a DO meter almost a year ago long before my system was up and running. Well my system (2000gal) has been running great for about 10 mos. now and I have yet to try that meter. Point: don't blow your money on fancy stuff you may never need. Spend it on your system instead. I stole the DO meter off Ebay (45.00) but I still could have purchased another nice air pump or another IBC instead for what I spent. Some day I'll get around to playing with it. I concur: "an API fresh water test kit should be all you need." A good pond pump and a good air compressor are the $ essentials. Scrounging is kick butt too. I got 2 small oiless compressors out of the metal pile at the dump that sell on Ebay for 350.00 each used and just one of them is handling the entire system and one for spare, so keep your eyes open.

Comment by Matt Miskinnis on April 23, 2013 at 7:05pm

@Michael, an API fresh water test kit should be all you need.

Comment by Dave Lindstedt on April 23, 2013 at 7:04pm

I started my aquaponics farm, in 2011, with two tanks on an 8 x 8 deck and 4   4 x 8 grow beds under a 10 x 20 portable car port. Water gravitates from fish tanks to grow beds and drains into a sump where water is pumped back to fish tanks.

Comment by Matt Miskinnis on April 23, 2013 at 7:03pm

Hi Zac, the funny thing about these systems is "the bigger the better".  When you have a smaller system, things can go from good to bad in a hurry, in a bigger system it doesn't take as long, so you can hopefully find out what is wrong and fix it sooner (like ammonia or PH spiking)

Comment by michael heery on April 23, 2013 at 7:03pm

doi have to own a oh meter and also an analyser for testing ammonia and nitrates,.it scares me to get started ,.

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