Anyone know of a reasonably priced (in relative terms of course) DO meter and what I should look for in one while shopping?

Alot of the people on here recommend the YSI DO200 I bought a hach drop kit and whished I spent the extra on digital. You have to keep in mind the cable and sensor are not included in the prices IRC.

Does anyone have experience with the milwaukee brand of DO2 meters.

I too am looking for one the cheapest I have found is a YSI for $510

I just found one on here.
http://www.forestry-suppliers.com
this is what it is; Extech ExStik® II Dissolved Oxygen Meter.
It is $300 I dont know how well it works anyone know?

Just Found a YSI DO 200 model for 245 same sight but the cable and probe are seperate from the meter.

I use as my back up meter the DO200. It is a good meter but once it fails, one might as well as throw it away. It will cost as much to repair it as it would to purchase another one.

If at all possible, the YSI55 is the best meter for the money even if it is $700.

Bucketmouth,


Are you sure you really need a meter? I have a $750.00 YSI D.O./ Temp meter and mostly use it for temperature. I sent it in to AES once for a check up and got a bill for $250.00 for a new probe. I was never aware I needed one. Problem was if I didn't send in the money no meter back.

I have an Extech, really nice unit. Got it from Graingers. Well made unit but you do have to change membranes and calibrate once in a while with the KCL solution.

http://www.americanmarineusa.com/

Value for $ Good experience with pinpoint in general

Thanks for the link Andy. I've bookmarked it. I'm especially interested in the PH meter.

Assuming the meter is accurate, what should we be looking for in Dissolved oxygen ppm or %?
I am waiting on a Hanna Instruments unit I just purchased.

In a pond? D.O. below 3.0 ppm/mg/l not good. Other wise you're fine.

Does anyone know if these meters are any good?
http://www.aquacave.com/detail.aspx?ID=609&gclid=CIDB0a3u66ACFSd75QodjHTTeA

AP, looks like a heck of a deal. Good specs., nice package; probe included. Looks like it would work fine for the averge pondmeister. Better than measuring O2 by counting dead fish.

Ap I bought the same do 2 meter in december on ebay. So far I am happy with it. I compared it to my drop test kit and seems close. It takes a minute or two to get the reading but easier then counting drops. I paid about the same price and would do it all over again. Not sure how long it will last but seems alright.

Thanks for the info guy's, I'd like to get one before winter but I want to be sure it actually works.

Don't know but the color scheme looks like a low quality item made in China. I made the mistake of buying something similar for an underwater camera. It only worked for five minutes and was not made to repair.

Yeah I was wondering what happened to that camera, you never posted any video, now we know why.
Is there anything that isn't made in china, it seems like your only choice is either high quality or low quality CHINESE.

Milwaukee Instruments are some fairly decent stuff. They are based out of Rocky Mount, NC. With global reach through Italy.

I would not fret about a purchase.

For that price i had to try them I will keep you posted as I use it going into spring and summer.

I finally received my Hanna Instruments unit. It is a Model HI 9142.
I took some measurements around the pond earlier today and found pretty consistent readings of 7.4 - 7.5 mg/l. The booklet says the probe must be kept in motion? Anyways, I also took some readings in the flowing water of the stream on our property. I found the readings there to be only 4.4 mg/l.

The lower reading in the stream kind of surprised me because I know for a fact that it is loaded with Brook Trout. I would of thought that this moving water would have more oxygen in it?

Any thoughts on this?

If it's a Hanna that is good quality and made in Italy. You're good there.

As far as it saying, "the probe must be kept in motion" , it simply means while it's taking a reading you move it back forth about 1 foot per second. You'll get a higher reading that way.

That does seem odd the reading is so low in the stream. Do you calibrate your meter every time you turn it on? Or if the temp was significantly lower in the stream vs. the pond perhaps you needed to wait until the meter adjusted? I assume the probe tip is kept in a moist receptacle? It didn't fall out and dry up?

The only other explanation would be there is something odd going on in the stream, like serious organic matter being washed in from flooding that is using up oxygen.

Thanks Cecil,
The meter is brand new. I conditioned the probe in the solution like the manual requested. It has a new membrane and it was in the solution when I did the tests. I want to check the levels at different times of day and see what kind of fluctuations I get.

The probe has a built in temperature sensor for temperature compensation. It just says to keep the sensor under water in the sample to get the compensation. I did allow time for the sensor to get to equilibrium with the water temperature.

Does the reading in the pond sound normal? I read that 3 ppm is a minimum, and normal would be 5 to 10 ppm? Is that about right?

What was the water temperature? Sounds a tad low for water in Canada this time of year. However it's still in the safe range.

I took another reading in the pond and in the stream this evening. The water temp in the pond is 63 deg.F. I did not check the stream temp though. The readings after a day of sunshine were 8.9 ppm in the pond, and 6.6 ppm in the stream. That is up from 7.5 in the pond the other day. I'm assuming all the sunny weather had something to do with the increase?

I'd like to get out there on a dull day or early in the am and see what reading I get.

I'm in the market for a do meter too but my bow is pretty deep anything you'd recommend that has a bit of reach to say 25ft?

YSI DO meters have probes that can be purchased from 12 foot to 100 foot lengths.

Milwaukee DO meter points simple instructions is easier way. It is reasonable priced.