• nexAir Now
  • nexAir in Agriculture: How Oxygen Plays a Vital Role in Fish Health

    nexAir in Agriculture: How Oxygen Plays a Vital Role in Fish Health

    nexAir works closely with many different industries, including one that may come as a surprise – the agriculture industry. Each industry requires different gases to successfully complete each unique project or task. For example, oxygen is just as critical to fish health as it is to human life. Dissolved oxygen is required in ample amounts to ensure a well-running pond or aquarium. Whether you are dealing with an outdoor pond or keeping an aquarium running, oxygen will always be needed in constant and consistent supply. Here’s our take and applied KnowHow on maintaining a healthy aquarium. 

    What is dissolved oxygen? 

    Dissolved Oxygen (DO) can be defined simply as what it reads – oxygen gas that has been dissolved in water. It is an important factor contributing to the quality of water and has a high influence on the health of the organisms living within that body of water. The amount of oxygen that is dissolved in whatever stream of water you may be dealing with, can tell us a lot about the quality of water. Fish actually absorb the DO directly through the water into their bloodstream through their gills and require sufficient levels to live. 

    How to Maintain Proper Levels

    Keeping a high level of oxygen in your tanks is critical to the growth and overall health of your fish, but consistently monitoring your levels can ensure that you are reaching your stocks fullest growth potential. Previous studies have shown that maintaining DO levels as close to 100% as possible, provides your fish with optimum appetite levels, therefore contributing to the growth of your stock. There are a variety of kits out on the market to help you measure levels of oxygen in your tank. However, if there are no kits available or if you just want to get a general idea on the health of your stock, as well as the quality of your water, you can look at these factors to determine whether or not there is an oxygen depletion:

    • Fish gulping for air near the top of water
    • Suddenly stop feeding
    • Rapid change in water color to brown, black or grey
    • Odor coming from the water

    In these cases, aeration can be applied to encourage oxygen levels to go back to the optimal levels. Specifically, in an aquarium, a system can be installed that consists of a pump, air tubing and air stone. This can help circulate the water and break the surface tension of the water to increase the rate of diffusion. Plants can also be placed within the tank as they produce oxygen through photosynthesis, a process where plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. 

    There are many critical reasons as to why oxygen is critical in not only the fish industry, but the agriculture industry as a whole. At nexAir, it is important for us to continue to educate our customers on the uses of each gas that we offer. Please reach out to us with any questions you may have in regards to nexAir gases, we’d love to chat!

    Don't see what you're looking for?

    Everything we offer is a click away and it will arrive before you know it.

    Manufacturing downtime costs American companies billions annually. When production lines halt due to gas supply issues, every minute translates to lost revenue, missed deadlines, and frustrated customers. At nexAir, we've spent decades developing solutions that keep manufacturing operations running smoothly.

    The Hidden Costs of Gas-Related Downtime

    When manufacturers calculate downtime costs, they typically focus on labor and lost production. However, gas supply disruptions create cascading effects that multiply these losses:

    • Production rescheduling that disrupts carefully optimized sequences
    • Rush shipping fees to meet customer deadlines despite delays
    • Quality inconsistencies when processes restart after interruptions
    • Overtime costs to catch up after unplanned stoppages
    • Reputation damage when delivery commitments are missed

    For a typical mid-sized manufacturer, each hour of downtime represents $5,000-$10,000 in direct and indirect costs. Our analysis shows that gas-related issues cause 7-12% of total manufacturing downtime - a substantial opportunity for improvement.

    From Reactive to Proactive: The Supply Continuum

    Most facilities follow a predictable pattern in their gas management evolution:

    Stage 1: Reactive Management At this stage, facilities order gas when they notice supplies running low or, worse, after running out. Emergencies are common, and disruptions are accepted as "part of doing business." One automotive parts supplier operating this way experienced 14 production interruptions in a single quarter.

    Stage 2: Calendar-Based Management Facilities advance to scheduled deliveries based on estimated usage. While better than the reactive approach, this method still results in either excess inventory (tying up capital and space) or shortages when usage spikes occur. A plastics manufacturer following this model maintained 40% more cylinder inventory than necessary while still experiencing occasional stockouts.

    Stage 3: Consumption-Based Management Our telemetry systems monitor actual gas consumption, automatically triggering orders based on usage patterns rather than calendar dates. This approach virtually eliminates both stockouts and excess inventory. 

    Stage 4: Integrated Supply Management The most advanced approach connects gas management directly to production planning systems. Upcoming production requirements automatically adjust supply parameters, ensuring resources are precisely aligned with needs. A medical device manufacturer using this approach reports zero gas-related downtime for 27 consecutive months while operating with minimal inventory buffers.

    Our expert KnowHow™ in industrial gas applications allows us to guide customers through this evolution at a pace that makes sense for their operations.

    Customizing Solutions for Maximum Uptime

    Manufacturing environments vary dramatically in their gas requirements and operational constraints. We've developed flexible approaches that address these differences:

    • For high-volume, consistent usage operations, our bulk systems eliminate the cylinder handling that frequently causes supply disruptions. Bulk installations include telemetry monitoring and automated ordering to prevent outages.
    • For variable-demand environments, our microbulk delivery systems provide the benefits of bulk supply with lower volume commitments. These systems reduce handling requirements while maintaining the flexibility needed for changing production schedules.
    • For specialized applications requiring multiple gas types, our gas management programs combine cylinder tracking, usage monitoring, and automated replenishment. This comprehensive approach ensures that specialty gases are always available when needed, regardless of how infrequently they might be used.
    • For multi-site operations, our enterprise supply programs coordinate deliveries and optimize inventory across locations. By treating the organization's gas requirements holistically, we minimize both stockouts and excess inventory across the network.

    This consultative approach ensures that manufacturers receive solutions aligned with their specific operational patterns rather than generic "one-size-fits-all" systems.

    Beyond Traditional Supply: Integrated Services for Total Reliability

    Maximum uptime requires more than just reliable gas delivery. Our integrated services address the full spectrum of gas-related reliability factors:

    Equipment maintenance programs that prevent system failures before they impact production Technical gas specialists who resolve application issues that could otherwise cause production problems Safety training that prevents accidents leading to downtime events Emergency response capabilities that minimize impacts when unexpected events occur Supply chain redundancy that ensures continuity despite regional disruptions

    These services complement our supply solutions to form a comprehensive reliability strategy. By addressing both everyday operations and exceptional circumstances, we help manufacturers Forge Forward with confidence that gas-related disruptions won't derail their production targets.

    Measuring Success: The Results That Matter

    The ultimate measure of any downtime reduction strategy is its impact on production metrics. Our manufacturing customers consistently report significant improvements after implementing our comprehensive gas management solutions:

    Downtime reductions of 85-95% for gas-related issues Inventory cost decreases of 20-30% through optimized supply management Administrative time savings of 5-10 hours weekly through automated ordering and tracking Production schedule adherence improvements of 3-7% due to improved supply reliability

    These performance gains translate directly to bottom-line benefits that typically deliver ROI within months rather than years. More importantly, they allow manufacturers to confidently make delivery commitments, knowing that gas supply issues won't compromise their ability to perform.

    Don't let gas supply issues impact your productivity. Contact us today to explore our tailored solutions.

    Looking out for your future

    Get your career going on the right track with nexAir

    Industry Knowledge and Expertise

    Find out how nexAir KnowHow has impacted businesses all over the Southeast

    nexAir in the news

    Our expertise makes us more than a valuable partner, it makes us headlines

    nexAir is always open!

    Learn how you can forge forward with