After working with the team at Mainstream Aquaculture in Australia, we were contacted by their team after they had purchased a farming site in Phoenix to produce barramundi for the United States market. The location was ideal, sitting between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, allowing efficient distribution to key markets.

However, the site presented several challenges. The existing ponds were shallow and had not previously been used for barramundi grow-out. Being located in the Arizona desert, the farm experienced extreme temperature changes, very hot during the day and cold at night. These large ambient temperature swings caused significant fluctuations in pond water temperature, which negatively affected fish health and performance.

The Challenge

Barramundi are highly sensitive to temperature changes. Without accurate monitoring, it was difficult for Mainstream to fully understand how daily temperature swings were impacting fish growth, oxygen demand, and overall pond balance.

Mainstream needed a reliable system to:

• Continuously monitor dissolved oxygen (DO) and temperature in each pond
• Provide alarms for low oxygen events
• Log data to better understand environmental trends and improve production outcomes

The Solution

Technolab specified and installed two integrated OxyGuard Pacific systems, each monitoring 12 ponds, across the pond network.

These systems were designed to:

• Continuously measure dissolved oxygen and temperature
• Log data for long-term analysis
• Provide alarms to protect fish health

The ability to record and analyse trends over time was critical, allowing Mainstream to clearly see how temperature fluctuations affected barramundi performance and oxygen demand.

Scott (Managing Director, Technolab) and Tom (Technolab electrician) built both Pacific systems in Technolab’s Hobart factory before shipping them to the United States. Once on site, Scott travelled to Arizona to complete the installation and commissioning.

Research & Development Expansion

In addition to the pond monitoring systems, Technolab installed a separate OxyGuard system to support Mainstream’s research and development program.

Mainstream is trialing alternative grow-out methods using large tanks or raceways buried deep into the sand. This approach allows much greater control over water temperature and offers a potential pathway for more efficient farm expansion compared to traditional ponds.

A long-range Wi-Fi link was established between the R&D site and the hatchery office (over 1.5 km away). This allowed the OxyGuard web interface to be viewed locally, providing real-time oxygen and temperature readings, along with historical logs.

Integration & Connectivity

The OxyGuard systems were fully integrated with Mainstream’s central SCADA platform using MODBUS communication. This integration was delivered in collaboration with Insight Engineering, using the Ignition SCADA system.

As a result:

• Staff in Melbourne can view real-time data from the Arizona farm
• Environmental data from all sites can be centrally monitored
• Farm management decisions are better informed and more proactive

Any post-installation support was handled efficiently using FaceTime, allowing rapid troubleshooting and fine-tuning without delays.

The Outcome

The data collected by the OxyGuard systems has proven invaluable. Mainstream now has clear visibility of pond conditions, enabling better control of oxygen levels, improved understanding of temperature impacts, and stronger production outcomes.

With reliable monitoring, alarms, and seamless SCADA integration, Mainstream Aquaculture has strengthened both day-to-day operations and long-term planning across its US and Australian sites.

Results at a Glance

• 24 ponds continuously monitored, reducing risk of stock loss from low oxygen events
• Improved production consistency through better control of temperature and oxygen variability
• Data-driven decisions using logged DO and temperature trends to optimise pond management
• Reduced labour and manual checking, lowering day-to-day operational costs
• Remote visibility from Melbourne, enabling faster support and oversight across sites
• Stronger return on capital investment by protecting stock, improving growth outcomes, and supporting scalable farm expansion