oxygenator

[GAR]

I have a question on my oxygenator, How do you know if it's working? I get NO bubbles or anything other then the little lite showing it's on. Have used twice in cool weather and the minnows died as if I had not use my Oxygenator, after reading all the good things about it then send for one,and I can't see where it has helped me any. GAR

[lumpy]

Some of your questions might be answered here. My unit was extremely crusted up after using it a few times. Most important I think is not to put too many minnows in at one time. Check out this thread on the second page...
http://fishingminnesota.com/ubb/Forum9/HTML/002308.html

[Guest]

If the light is on, it is working. If you really want to see bubbles, let it sit in a dish of water until it is nice and calm, then look for bubbles. The bubbles are too small and mix in too quickly if there are minnows in the bucket. That is why there is a light... If it's on it's working. Good luck and tight lines!

------------------
Adam Johnson
www.adamjohnsonfishing.com

[vikes40for60]

Gar, I am with you. Two seperate times I have used my Oxygenator to no avail. Maybe its just me, but I am little dissapointed. I tested the unit today at work and saw bubbles fine.

[Guest]

When you have minnows in the bucket with the Oxygenator, most of the time you will not see the bubbles. The current the minnows make swimming around the bucket causes the bubbles to mix with the water, but it is still working.

Good luck and tight lines!

------------------
Adam Johnson
www.adamjohnsonfishing.com

[vikes40for60]

No offense Adam, but still working doesnt mean dead minnows. The reason I tested in my office was to verify that the unit was indeed bubbling. Is there a specific bucket that I should use? Is the temperature important? Is too many minnows an issue? I am wondering if something else is the root of my problem, because everyone else has had such a positiiove experience and I have not.

[Guest]

Hi all -

Just wanted to pass on a few tips / pointers for using the Oxygenators:

- Battery life (on the Mini) is affected by the TDS (total dissolved solids) of the water. The higher the TDS, the shorter the battery life. The easiest way to tell if you've been running in high TDS water is the amount of buildup on your screen - if you've been getting a lot, chances are your batteries are lower than you think - keep a set of fresh batteries handy to keep the oxygen levels up!

- Sometimes, although rare, a unit may have slipped through QA and ended up in your hands. From this small number of units, an even smaller percentage might have a issue where the light comes on but there is no oxygen being produced. The test for this situation is (as mentioned elsewhere in the forums) to place the unit in a clear pitcher, turn it on, and look for wispy 'smoke' coming of the emitter. This is the oxygen.

- When you have minnows in a minnow bucket (usually a white or yellow color), it can be practically impossible to see the bubbles coming ff the emitter. That's why the light is there - to let you know that it is working.

- The 'crust' that builds up on the screen is mostly calcium / calcium carbonate. Typically, water will maintain a 50/50 balance of CO2 & CaCO3. Our units effectively 'sparge' this from the water column, thus the build-up on the screen. Since the CaCO3 will break down into CO2, this buildup is a good thing (keeps the CO2 levels down)!!

- Change at least 1/2 your water a couple times a day! This prevents the nitrogen cycle from running rampant and producing enough toxic ammonia to kill your minnows. This is a good general practice to have as well (for your bait bucket AND your live well).

- Try to stay around 1 dozen minnows per gallon of water, up to 5 gallons total (for the Mini).

- All of our products automatically adjust for temperature, so there is no need to be concerned about normal temperature changes throughout the day. We will produce enough oxygen to keep the dissolved oxygen levels near 100% no matter what the temperature. Obviously, if the temperature is outside the range that the minnows/fish can survive in, they aren't going to make it - no matter what the oxygen level is at!

- As far as materials, the only kind to stay away from would be straight PVC Type 1. Fortunately, we've never heard of anyone that makes enclosures out of this pricey stuff!!

As usual, if you have a defective unit we will replace it at no cost to you for two years from your purchase date! We want to make sure that everyone has a great experience with our products - please don't hesitate to contact us directly with any major problems or issues. If you don't need an immediate response - keep posting to the user groups. Most of the time you'll find that someone else has already run into whatever situation you're in and has some words of wisdom! I'll be trolling (pun intended) the boards here and will chime in occassionally.

Thanks!

----------------
E. Karsten Smelser
Aqua Innovations, Inc

[Note from Rick: If you have a problem, please use the Contact Us link below and I will be happy to make sure you are helped.]

[This message has been edited by Rick (edited 06-13-2003).]

[lumpy]

I called the manufacturer with the question of minnow preservation. They said the less minnows the better. I think not just for the lack of oxygen but for the sake of waste producting toxic conditions in the water. One post that I saw recommended 1 gallon of water per dozen minnows. One thing I don't have at home is well water so I'm getting my dehumidfier going to supply clean water for minnows that I'm keeping. I just cleaned my unit. Check yours out, the wires get crusted up from use and may need to be cleaned to make it work efficiently.
I actually thought mine wasn't working either, first time I used it must have had 3 scoops of minnows in a gallon and a half of water. They started croaking after a while.

[GAR]

Thanks everone for the information, I put mine in a clear glass of water and there is small bubbles coming out. I think my problem is I didn't chage water soon enough. GAR