Embedded Indicator Dye Monitoring System and Method For An Aquatic Environment

1 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus comprising:

a plurality of immobilized chemical indicators wherein the chemical indicators include:

a first chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting calcium in the aquatic environment, the first chemical indicator dye immobilized in a first immobilizing medium;

a second chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting magnesium in the aquatic environment, the second chemical indicator dye immobilized in a second immobilizing medium;

a third chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting carbon dioxide in the aquatic environment, the third chemical indicator dye immobilized in a third immobilizing medium;

a chemical indicator holder supporting the first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes;

one or more optical readers configured to illuminate the first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes.

2 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a dosing calculator configured to use an amount of calcium, an amount of magnesium, and/or an amount of carbon dioxide present in the aquatic environment in a decision for adding a corresponding one of calcium, magnesium, and/or a source of carbonate to the aquatic environment, the amount of calcium, magnesium, and/or carbonate being determined via the one or more optical readers illuminating the first, second, and/or third chemical indicator dyes respectively.

3 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the aquatic environment monitoring apparatus is connected with an automatic dosing apparatus.

4 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the first, second, and third immobilizing medium includes an immobilizing medium selected from the group consisting of a gel, a hydrogel, a polymer matrix, a cellulose matrix, and any combinations thereof.

5 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a light blocking backing positioned adjacent at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes.

6 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein said chemical indicator holder includes a window that is transparent to an illumination wavelength of light emitted by at least one of said one or more optical readers and wherein at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes is positioned on a first side of the window such that the illumination wavelength of light can pass through the window to the at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes, the window being on a first side of the at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes and said light blocking backing is on a second side of the at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes, the second side being opposite the first side.

7 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said chemical indicator holder has a shape selected from the group consisting of planar, discoidal, cylindrical, frusto-conical, spherical, ellipsoidal, and parallelepiped.

8 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes are configured to be illuminated by the one or more optical readers while said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes are submersed in the aquatic environment.

9 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second chemical indicator dye is a magnesium detecting dye including at least one of a PET-based dye and an ICT-based dye.

10 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first chemical indicator dye includes a calcium detecting dye selected from the group consisting of a calcium detecting aminonaphthalimide, a calcium detecting perylenediamide, and any combination thereof.

11 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional chemical indicator dyes immobilized in one or more additional immobilizing mediums, each of the one or more additional chemical indicator dyes being for detecting a constituent and/or property of the aquatic environment selected from the group consisting of pH, water hardness, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, phosphate, nitrate, and any combinations thereof.

12 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus comprising:

a plurality of immobilized chemical indicators wherein the chemical indicators include:

a first chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting calcium in the aquatic environment, the first chemical indicator dye immobilized in a hydrogel medium;

a second chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting magnesium in the aquatic environment, the second chemical indicator dye immobilized in a hydrogel medium;

a third chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting carbon dioxide in the aquatic environment, the third chemical indicator dye immobilized in a hydrogel medium;

a disc shaped chemical indicator holder supporting the first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes, said disc shaped chemical indicator holder for submersion in the aquatic environment;

an optical reader configured to selectively illuminate said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes when said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes are submersed in the aquatic environment.

13 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a light blocking backing positioned adjacent at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes.

14 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein said chemical indicator holder includes a window that is transparent to an illumination wavelength of light emitted by at least one of said one or more optical readers and wherein at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes is positioned on a first side of the window such that the illumination wavelength of light can pass through the window to the at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes, the window being on a first side of the at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes and said light blocking backing is on a second side of the at least one of said first, second, and third chemical indicator dyes, the second side being opposite the first side.

15 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the second chemical indicator dye is a magnesium detecting dye including at least one of a PET-based dye and an ICT-based dye.

16 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the first chemical indicator dye includes a calcium detecting dye selected from the group consisting of a calcium detecting aminonaphthalimide, a calcium detecting perylenediamide, and any combination thereof.

17 . An aquatic environment monitoring apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising one or more additional chemical indicator dye immobilized in one or more additional immobilizing mediums and supported by said disc shaped chemical indicator holder, each of the one or more additional chemical indicator dyes being for detecting a constituent and/or property of the aquatic environment selected from the group consisting of pH, water hardness, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, phosphate, nitrate, and any combinations thereof.

18 . A method of monitoring an aquatic environment, the method comprising:

measuring an amount of calcium in the aquatic environment by illuminating a first chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting calcium with an optical reader, the first chemical indicator dye being immobilized in a first immobilizing medium, the first chemical indicator dye being supported by a chemical indicator holder and being submersed in the aquatic environment;

measuring an amount of magnesium in the aquatic environment by illuminating a second chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting magnesium with an optical reader, the second chemical indicator dye being immobilized in a second immobilizing medium, the first chemical indicator dye being supported by a chemical indicator holder and being submersed in the aquatic environment;

measuring an amount of carbon dioxide in the aquatic environment by illuminating a third chemical indicator dye sensitive for detecting carbon dioxide with an optical reader, the third chemical indicator dye being immobilized in a third immobilizing medium, the first chemical indicator dye being supported by a chemical indicator holder and being submersed in the aquatic environment;

using the amount of calcium, magnesium, and carbon dioxide to make a determination regarding adding calcium, magnesium, and/or a source of carbonate to the aquatic environment.

19 . A method according to claim 18 , further comprising measuring one or more additional constituents and/or properties of the aquatic environment by illuminating one or more additional chemical indicator dyes immobilized in one or more additional immobilizing mediums and supported by the chemical indicator holder, each of the one or more additional chemical indicator dyes being for detecting a constituent and/or property of the aquatic environment selected from the group consisting of pH, water hardness, oxygen, carbon dioxide, ammonia, phosphate, nitrate, and any combinations thereof.