Case Studies

Stories from people who are using Bluelab meters and monitors for measuring and managing system parameters.

See how you can easily improve system balance in a range of applications like aquaponics with Bluelab meters and testers,  as told by the people using our products on a daily basis.

If you have a story of your own to tell us, we'd love to hear from you - simply send our team an email.

Leon Jurgens
Tauranga, New Zealand

Before I started using the Guardian Monitor, I used to check my pH and temperature by hand and I would see the pH jump around and I wasn’t totally sure if the readings were accurate or if my system was in trouble.

pH is so important for both the fish and the plants that now I just look up and record my values once a day (or twice if I’m problem solving). The Guardian Monitor is fast and accurate, no messing around with test tubes and color charts.

Also, in the beginning I didn’t think EC was so important because the values were always low, now I’ve raised my EC my plants just rocket away so I know they’ve got the nutrient levels required.

I also use a Bluelab pH pen and EC pen to spot check all around my system to see if I’ve got any variation which could lead to trouble spots especially at the media beds.

They’re fast to use and accurate. I know my garden couldn’t run smoothly without the information these meters give me.

Kevin Gorham
Solution Farms, California, USA

The Guardian Monitor has proven to be a very useful tool in our aquaponic system. I’ve used various probes from a number of manufacturers and after returning many of them I can tell you the Bluelab makes quality products. The parameters that the Guardian Monitor displays are some of the most critical for aquaponic systems.

The temperature is important for our fish, plants and bacteria. It’s important to know at what temperature things start to die off however it’s also important to know what temperature produces optimal results! Temperature effects how much the fish eat and how fast the bacteria can do their job and therefore how many nutrients are being created. In turn this effects the growth of the plants. With the Guardian, any time I walk by the system I can quickly observe our water quality.

pH may be the most important factor monitored by Bluelab's Guardian. Plants prefer pH under 6.5 so they have access to nutrients but our nitrifying bacteria and our fish thrive in a pH of about 7.5. Aquaponics is about balancing the needs of all of your system components, and the first step to doing that is having access to key information. The Guardian provides us consistently accurate pH 24/7 so we as operators can attempt to keep everything balanced.

Electrical Conductivity (EC, TDS, ppm) is also important in maintaining healthy aquaponic systems. We fill our systems with municipal water that is dangerously high in salts. We trust the Guardian to monitor our EC levels and let us know if we’re approaching dangerous levels.

In any type of farming we have a very small window where we can react to observations in our crops. If we do not have access to the important information we as farmers are unable to respond correctly. 

Ben Jayne
Grow Haus, Colorado, USA

In our commercial aquaponics system, appropriate pH and temperature are critical for our fish, plants and bacteria. We often say "everyone makes a sacrifice", we maintain a pH that is not ideal for any one of the organisms but it is comfortably within tolerable range for all of the organisms. While we can make some adjustments to pH, substantial changes can be detrimental to the ecosystem.

Temperature is also an important factor based on fish species. Fish like Koi will continue to eat in a wide range of temperature conditions, but Tilapia (very common in aquaponics) will stop eating and subsequently producing nutrients when temperatures are lower than mid-60s.

Having a reliable, real-time pH, EC and temperature monitor helps us make decisions about when adjustments are necessary and generally observe the conditions of our system on-the-fly without taking additional time to prepare, execute, and quantify chemical assays. In northern latitude and high altitude, seasonal changes can have profound effects on the environmental conditions even in a greenhouse. Fluctuations in water temperature can correlate to fluctuations in air temperature. It is very important for us to be able to monitor these changes with a high degree of frequency.

Bluelab monitors provide the critical data we need to maintain a productive system while portable pH/temp pens allow us to test conditions in other parts of the farm and quickly and easily monitor remote gardens. They have undoubtedly helped us prevent issues with temperature and pH and saved us time and personnel resources. As often as I use both instruments, they easily pay for themselves in terms of pH testing kits in a matter of a few weeks. We use EC readings to make nutrient level comparisons to equivalent hydroponic systems.

Gina Cavaliero
Green Acre Farms, Florida, USA

The Guardian by Bluelab is a great tool we've integrated into our system monitoring, enabling an accurate pulse of our system pH and temperature at all times.

We rely on the Guardian Monitor to help fine tune our system for optimal production.

Matt Freshour
Aquaponic Source, Colorado, USA

In aquaponics we are creating and maintaining an ecosystem. The primary challenge and focus is to cultivate a thriving, balanced and symbiotic environment for the fish, plants, bacteria and worms. Diagnosing and troubleshooting system issues based on physical signs (fish behaviour, plant conditions) is an acceptable method but it is a reactive approach. If there are signs of distress it is likely the condition has been declining for quite some time and efforts remedy the situation may be too late. Consistent and accurate measurements of water chemistry, water quality, temperatures and nutrient levels are essential for proactively maintaining a healthy aquaponic system.

Most commercially available products for testing water chemistry rely on interpretation of the test results. A resultant color compared to a chart that correlates to a standard range. There are several variables that can affect the outcome of these tests. Incorrect dosage of reactant, improper agitation, truncated development times, lighting and the bias of the beholder (my green is not the same as your green) can all lead to misdiagnosis of an issue or to miss the issue altogether. The Bluelab pH Pen has dramatically decreased our interpretation of errors, number of re-tests and overall testing time.

There are several aspects of the Bluelab pH Pen and the Bluelab Guardian I appreciate as both a gardener and an engineer. I find the ability to glance at a display and get a snapshot of my metrics is the most helpful. Those numbers, coupled with a quick review of yesterday's results give you the real time health of your aquaponics system. Easy to understand instructions, simple calibration steps, testing accuracy and robust design are all hallmarks of the Bluelab design.