The “Nervous System” of Smart Aquaculture: In-Depth Analysis of Key Sensor Technologies and NiuBoL Product Solutions

I. Introduction: The Role of Sensors in Modern Aquaculture

Aquaculture is an important industry for ensuring global food supply. However, traditional farming modes relying on manual experience face significant challenges in water quality fluctuations, disease outbreaks, and feed waste.

The introduction of sensor technology has brought revolutionary changes to aquaculture. They act as the “nervous system” of the water body, monitoring key environmental parameters in real time and accurately, enabling farmers to make scientific decisions quickly and achieve refined, automated, and sustainable modern farming.

This blog will focus on the most core types of sensors in aquaculture and their implementation in NiuBoL products.

II. Water Quality Parameter Sensors and Principles in Smart Aquaculture

The key to successful aquaculture lies in clean and stable water quality. The following are several key parameters affecting the health and growth of aquatic organisms and their corresponding NiuBoL sensors.

2.1 pH Sensor: The “Balancer” of Water Acidity and Alkalinity (NiuBoL NBL-PHG-106)

Role and Function: Real-time monitoring of water body acidity and alkalinity (pH value). Appropriate pH values are crucial for fish osmoregulation balance, respiration, and immunity. Monitoring and adjustment can maintain water cleanliness and stability, promoting healthy fish growth.

Working Principle: Electrochemical measurement method. The NBL-PHG-106 uses electrochemical principles, determining hydrogen ion concentration in the solution by measuring the potential difference between a dedicated electrode (electrochemical, 3mol/L KCl) and a reference electrode, thereby obtaining the pH value. Built-in Pt1000 ensures automatic temperature compensation.

NiuBoL NBL-PHG-106 pH Sensor Technical Parameters:

2.2 Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Sensor: The “Lifeline” of Aquatic Organisms (NiuBoL NBL-RDO-206)

Role and Function: Measures dissolved oxygen content in water. DO is essential for survival and growth of aquatic animals. Timely oxygen supply adjustment can improve fish survival rate and growth speed.

Working Principle: Fluorescence quenching method. The NBL-RDO-206 is designed based on fluorescence principle. After excitation, oxygen molecules in water quench this fluorescence. By measuring fluorescence intensity or phase change, dissolved oxygen concentration is precisely calculated. This method has no external transmitter, no electrode polarization, no liquid flow requirement, and high reliability.

NiuBoL NBL-RDO-206 Dissolved Oxygen (DO) Sensor Technical Parameters:

2.3 Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)/Conductivity Sensor (NiuBoL NBL-DDM-106)

Role and Function: The TDS sensor reflects the total amount of dissolved ions, salts, organics, and inorganics in water by measuring conductivity. TDS is an important indicator for measuring water cleanliness and salinity, affecting osmoregulation of aquatic organisms.

Working Principle: Conductivity method. The probe is made of stainless steel, measuring the water's ability to conduct current. Higher dissolved ions lead to higher conductivity and higher converted TDS value. Features real-time measurement and temperature compensation.

NiuBoL NBL-DDM-106 Technical Features:

Measurement Principle: Conductivity method

Probe Material: Stainless steel

Performance Features: Real-time measurement, temperature compensation, high accuracy, strong corrosion resistance

Application Range: Suitable for general water treatment, reverse osmosis, seawater desalination, surface water, etc.

2.4 Temperature Sensor

Role and Function: Measures water temperature. Water temperature directly affects fish metabolism, immunity, and appetite. Accurate temperature data is the basis for farmers to take regulatory measures.

Working Principle: Precision thermistor method. Uses precision thermistor as sensing element (e.g., Pt1000), utilizing resistance change with temperature. Built-in signal sampling amplification, zero drift, and temperature compensation functions ensure high precision and stability.

NiuBoL Temperature Sensor Features:

Sensing Element: Precision thermistor

Advantages: High measurement accuracy, good stability, sturdy and durable stainless steel housing.

Application Range: Automatic weather stations, reservoir water temperature detection, industrial automation monitoring, etc.

III. Other Key Water Quality Sensors and Smart Aquaculture Applications

In addition to core water quality parameters, the following sensors are crucial for comprehensive automation and intelligent aquaculture:

IV. Installation, Maintenance, and Parameter Analysis of Water Quality Sensors in Smart Aquaculture

Correct operation is the foundation for ensuring long-term sensor reliability. NiuBoL sensors have industrial-grade reliability.

4.1 Installation Method and Environmental Requirements

Submersible Installation: NiuBoL water quality sensors (e.g., pH, DO) use submersible installation and are fixed via 3/4 NPT pipe thread.

High Protection Level: Most water quality sensors have IP68 protection, meaning they can be submerged long-term with excellent waterproof and dustproof capabilities.

Power Supply and Output: Uniform 12-24VDC wide voltage power supply and industrial standard RS-485 (Modbus/RTU) protocol output ensure high reliability and long-distance data transmission.

4.2 Maintenance and Calibration Requirements

Regular Cleaning: Recommended monthly electrode cleaning to remove biofilms and dirt, preventing measurement errors.

Regular Calibration: pH and dissolved oxygen sensors require periodic calibration. Recommended every three months; NBL-PHG-106 uses standard two-point calibration.

Electrode Replacement: pH electrodes are consumables; recommended replacement every year for optimal performance.

FAQ

Q1: What are the main advantages of fluorescence dissolved oxygen sensors compared to traditional electrochemical (polarographic) methods?

A: The fluorescence method used in NiuBoL NBL-RDO-206 has the following advantages:

No Consumption, Low Maintenance: No need to replace electrolyte or membrane, basically maintenance-free.

No Flow Requirement: Does not consume oxygen during measurement, unaffected by liquid flow speed.

Long-Term Stability: Solves electrochemical method issues like ion interference and easy polarization, with higher long-term stability.

Q2: What is the role of the “automatic temperature compensation (Pt1000)” function in pH sensors?

A: Water pH value and electrochemical electrode output potential change with temperature in a non-linear way. Automatic temperature compensation (via built-in Pt1000 thermistor) measures water temperature in real time and automatically corrects pH measurement results based on temperature changes. This ensures accurate, true pH data output in environments with large water temperature fluctuations.

Q3: How to judge if water salinity is appropriate using a TDS sensor?

A: TDS (total dissolved solids) value is highly correlated with salinity.

Principle: Higher TDS value means more dissolved salts and other ions, harder water.

Application: For freshwater aquaculture, TDS should be low; for seawater or brackish water, TDS represents salinity. Through NBL-DDM-106 sensor monitoring, farmers can timely detect high-salinity seawater infiltration or low-salinity rainwater dilution, ensuring aquatic animals are in optimal osmoregulation environment.

Summary

The future of aquaculture lies in intelligence and data-driven approaches. High-precision sensors represented by NiuBoL, including NBL-PHG-106 pH sensor, NBL-RDO-206 dissolved oxygen sensor, and NBL-DDM-106 TDS sensor, form the core of modern aquaculture intelligent monitoring systems.

These sensors provide real-time, accurate, and highly reliable water environment data, enabling farmers to early warn diseases, optimize feeding efficiency, precisely regulate water quality, and ultimately significantly improve fish survival rate, growth speed, and economic benefits. By introducing and integrating NiuBoL sensor technology, the aquaculture industry is accelerating toward a more efficient and sustainable modern new stage.

NiuBoL is committed to providing comprehensive aquaculture sensor solutions, empowering your farm to achieve scientific and intelligent management.

 Water quality sensor Data Sheet

NBL-RDO-206 Online Fluorescence Dissolved Oxygen Sensor.pdf

NBL-COD-208 Online COD Water Quality Sensor.pdf

NBL-CL-206 Water Quality Sensor Online Residual Chlorine Sensor.pdf

NBL-DDM-206 Online Water Quality Conductivity Sensor.pdf