DIY instruments#
DIY projects are listed by: CTD, imaging, turbidity & fluorescence, and buoy. There are fur key points necessary for the proper presentation of a DIY project, which are explained in : What is a complete DIY project?
Contributions :
Clothilde Haristoy, Olivier Fauvarque, Adèle Moncuquet
CTD#
This table lists DIY CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) instruments with their specifications and capabilities.
| Project ⇄ | Variables ⇄ | Main material ⇄ | Reference ⇄ | Git ⇄ | Website ⇄ | Maximum depth ⇄ | Resolution ⇄ | Validation documentation ⇄ | Intercomparison / Connected papers ⇄ | Advantages ⇄ | Limitations ⇄ | Cost ⇄ | Size ⇄ | Runtime ⇄ | Repairability index ⇄ | Lifespan/maintenance ⇄ | Storage ⇄ | Interchangeability ⇄ | Communication type ⇄ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open CTD | Temperature, Salinity, Depth | Arduino, temperature (DS18B20), pressure (MS5803-14BA), conductivity (Atlas EZO K) | 🔗 | 🔗 | 🔗 | 140 m | depth accurate to<1cm,temperatureto±0.1°C,andasalinityerrorrateof1%,witha90%response time of 1 second. | — | — | — | — | $ 400 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Salinity (shrimp) | Salinity | - Microship (PIC16LF1518), temperature (Microchip NTSD-IXHI03FPB30) | 🔗 | — | — | — | 0.51 ppt | — | — | Low coast | Low sensitivity, make to be used in narrow salinity range | $ 5.29 | — | — | — | — | — | — | - |
| Salinity with Smartphone | Salinity | Smartphone, lens and optical filter | 🔗 | — | — | — | 0.1 ppt | — | — | Low coast, user friendly, compact | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| EC DIY | Température, Salinity , Depth | - Pressure sensor (MS5803-05BA), Pyboard, Thermistor (Littlfefuse PS103J2), | 🔗 | 🔗 | 🔗 | 40 m | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Imagery#
| Project ⇄ | Applications ⇄ | Main material ⇄ | Reference ⇄ | Git ⇄ | Website ⇄ | Maximum depth ⇄ | Resolution ⇄ | Validation documentation ⇄ | Intercomparison / Connected papers ⇄ | Advantages ⇄ | Limitations ⇄ | Cost ⇄ | Size ⇄ | Runtime ⇄ | Repairability index ⇄ | Lifespan/maintenance ⇄ | Storage ⇄ | Interchangeability ⇄ | Communication type ⇄ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOSMOS | Fish and habitats | Camera, pressure and depths sensor | 🔗 | 🔗 | 🔗 | 10 m | Video : 1080p30image : 3280 x 2464 | 🔗 | 🔗 | - Good value for money in terms of optical performance -opensource | - small depth - lot of material to deploy | 1360 EUR | 7kg, 300 mm length, 101 :: diameter | 8h | - | - | USB flash drive | - | — |
| Plankstoscope | Plankton | Camera | 🔗 | 🔗 | 🔗 | 10 m | Video : 1080p30image : 3280 x 2464 | 🔗 | — | — | — | < 1000 € | — | — | - | — | — | Lenses and flow-cell interchangeable | — |
| Maka Niu | Fish and habitats | - Camera- GPS- Temperature- Pressure | 🔗 | - | - | 1500 m | video 1080p30,Image 3280 x 2464, | 🔗 | — | — | — | 700 $ | — | — | - | — | — | - | — |
| IPAX | Zooplankton | - Camera - (optionnal temperature - pressure) | 🔗 | 🔗 | - | 100 m | Video : 1080p30Image : 3280 x 2464 | 🔗 | — | — | — | 427 $ | — | — | - | — | — | Interchangeable lense | — |
| FishOasis | Fish and habitats | - Camera- Speakers (passive acoustic system) | 🔗 | 🔗 | — | 60 m | 4256 x 2848 | — | — | - long terme measurement (for camera) | - expensive | 4350 USD | - | 1sem 2j 8h | - | — | USB flash drive | Camera can be interchanged | — |
| PlashPi | Fish and habitats | - Camera | 🔗 | — | — | 150 m | Video : 1080p30 Image : 3280 x 2464 | — | — | — | — | 200 EUR | — | — | - | — | — | — | — |
| STAVIRO | Fish and habitats | -Camera | 🔗 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Turbidity & Fluorescence#
| Project ⇄ | Variables ⇄ | Main material ⇄ | Reference ⇄ | Range ⇄ | Git ⇄ | Website ⇄ | Maximum depth ⇄ | Measurement error ⇄ | Validation documentation ⇄ | Intercomparison / Connected papers ⇄ | Advantages ⇄ | Limitations ⇄ | Cost ⇄ | Size ⇄ | Runtime ⇄ | Repairability index ⇄ | Lifespan/maintenance ⇄ | Storage ⇄ | Interchangeability ⇄ | Communication type ⇄ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SmartFluo (chlorophylle a) | Chlorophyll a Fluorescence | - Smartphone, adapter : LED and filter | 🔗 | Min : 10 µg/LMax : 250 µg/L | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fluoromètre Phytoplancton | Chlorophylle a Fluorescence | Silicon photodiode, Arduino | 🔗 | Min : 0 µg/LMax : 100 µg/L | — | — | 2 m | 0,3 µg/L | — | — | $150 | — | $150 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Chlorophyll-a HD DVD | Chlorophyll a Fluorescence | Low-coast optical pick-up unit from an HD-DVD | 🔗 | Min : 0,35 µg/LMax : 100 µg/L | — | — | — | 0 µg/L ≤ e ≤ 4 µg/L | — | — | $137.5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Fluoromètre Rhodomine | Fluorescence | — | 🔗 | Min : 0,2 µg/LMax : 60 µg/L | — | — | 500 m | 0,11 mV ≤ e ≤ 0,37 mV | — | — | $ 750 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| SSC Sensor | Turbidity | - ESP32 microcontroller- turbidity sensor (Turbimax CUS52D) | 🔗 | Min : 0 NTUMax : 4000 NTU | 🔗 | — | — | 0,4 g/L ≤ e ≤ 16 g/L | — | — | 64,00 € | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| STAR | Turbidity | - photodiode- led | 🔗 | Min : 8 NTUMax : 100 NTU | — | — | — | 0,3 % ≤ e ≤ 5,4 % | — | — | $ 70 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Smart Turbimeter | Turbidity | - Arduino possible- photodiode- photorésistance | 🔗 | Min : 12 NTUMax : 200 NTU | — | — | surface | e ≤ 3,27% | — | — | 9,00 € | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Low power sensor | Turbidité | - phototransistor- photodiode | 🔗 | Min : 0 NTUMax : 1000 NTU | — | — | surface | 0,1 NTU1 NTU when < 100 NTU | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Buoy#
| Project ⇄ | Applications ⇄ | Power ⇄ | Reference ⇄ | Git ⇄ | Website ⇄ | Resolution ⇄ | Validation documentation ⇄ | Intercomparison / Connected papers ⇄ | Advantages ⇄ | Limitations ⇄ | Cost ⇄ | Size ⇄ | Runtime ⇄ | Repairability index ⇄ | Lifespan/maintenance ⇄ | Storage/communication type ⇄ | Available sensors ⇄ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| maker Buoy | Lagrangian drifter | Solar panel | — | — | 🔗 | - | - | 🔗 | - low cost -open source | - fog limit the ability of the solar panel to fully recharge | 20 - 815 USD | - | - | - | - | - | Inertial measure unit, - temperature, -pressure |
| SailBuoy Ocean Currents | Autonomous Surface Vehicle | Wind and solar energy | — | — | 🔗 | — | 🔗 | x | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Data sent real-time | - ADCP, oxygen, CTD, turbidity |
| Kduino | Diffuse attenuation coefficient | — | — | — | 🔗 | — | 🔗 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
What is a Complete DIY Project?#
A complete DIY (Do-It-Yourself) project in oceanographic instrumentation typically includes:
Hardware Components
Sensor elements and electronics
Waterproof housing and mechanical parts
Assembly instructions and diagrams
Software Elements
Data acquisition code
Calibration procedures
Data processing scripts
Documentation
Build instructions
Parts list with costs
Testing procedures
Validation results
Validation
Comparison with other instruments
Field testing results
Known limitations
A project is considered complete when all these elements are publicly available and have been validated in real conditions. It should also be clearly stated the limitations and advantages of the instruments. The reparability and environmental impact is secondary but nevertheless important. An example on how assess the carbon footprint of a reusable glassware is automated in EcoLabware [Sophie et al 2025].
References#
Sophie Schbath, Max-Henri Chanut, Marianne De Paepe (2025). EcoLabware: Assessing the carbon footprint of single-use plastic ware versus reusable glassware.