What should I expect to spend to get a decent D.O. meter? Any value to getting one with other test parameters?

You can get one for between 2 and 3 hundred dollars but I question if they can do the job of the more commonly used meters in the 6 to 7 hundred dollar range.

Are you sure you really need one? Even in my operation where I hatch, grow out, bring inside for the winter, and haul fish, I rarely use mine. I use it much more to check temperatures.

In a typical recreational pond low D.O. is rarely a problem and even if it was there's not much you can do about. If you do anticipate oxygen problems you're better off investing in an emergency aerator for the same amount of money.

I plan to install an aeration system and would like to set up a timer system - supplying enough D.O. while keeping electrical usage down. I want to do a good job with it but I have to keep my costs within reason.

What kind or aeration system are we talking -- diffuser or surface? Obviously you can't regulate a diffuser system output in oxygen and they are really not designed for that. They are designed to break up stratification.

If it's a surface aeration system you wouldn't need it in a normal recreational pond unless you had an emergency as in an an algae bloom crash -- not something you usually have to deal with in northern recreational ponds.

Can you give us more information?

Diffuser - placed deep in summer, shallow in winter. 1/4 ac. pond max depth 20+, Stocked 300 4"-5" YP - want to add some WE this fall.

I agree with Cecil. I foresee very few instances where you would need a quality DO meter in a pond such as yours. You can monitor how well the diffused aerator is mixing the water column by simply measuring the temperature at 1 or 2 ft increments top to bottom. Airguide used to sell a good temp gauge with a 20ft probe sensor for around $20.00. Not sure if they still sell that unit but someone not doubt currently does have a similar style.

Yeah save your money or use it for something else on the pond. You do not need a D.O. meter.

Check out these ebay items. Short cord-probe of 10 ft can be lengthened by cutting, splicing, soldering and waterproofing the cable splice.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Humminbird-New-Tempe...=item27b9c8c9bf

http://cgi.ebay.com/Minn-Kota-Water-Temp...=item256254d326

Thanks for the info guys. I am happy to save money by not buying things I don't need.

Errick - stay in touch here to let us know how things are progressing with the pond

Errick,

My "RC51 system" as we have called it, does great in ponds 1 acre or less and my cost is not that much. Last year I ran mine 6 hours a night and it cost me like $8.5 to $9 bucks a month. Just a suggestion. I would think for your 1/4 acre pond it would work pretty good. Not sure at 20 feet but I know Joker put one like mine in at 13 feet I think and it's been working great for him. Just FYI. Good luck bud.

I got (2) water temp meters for $1.88 ea online at Cabela's - same as Minn Kota above - must have been my lucky shopping day.

I would not recommend that unless you knew exactly what you are working with and knew what you are doing.

Each type of sensor needs a certain type of wire with values, and the length is calculated in with respect to the receiving unit, as far as it is engineered to receive it.

Type K wire will not work with type J Thermocouples... nor will they work with RTD's... Who knows what these are, they dont say... So just cutting and splicing and adding a chunk of wire would probably screw everything up. Really Bad!

Measuring Temperature has a lot of venues, but you need to pick your receiving device and stick with the sensor guidelines. If it is a Canned System, you are stuck with what they offer. If Variables are offered, then it is more flexible.

Hope I did not bore you.

Thanks, JKB. I'm aware of the issues you mentioned. Thats why I bought two. They are cheap enough to play with and if I can't recalibrate a unit after I add wire, I should be able to figure out what the offset is by comparing the readings from unmodified v. modified wire lenght. If not, I guess I'll be limited to 10' depth.