OP
OP
If I bought one, I wouldn’t test as much as they recommend. I think I head 4x a day will be that higher price. Let me find the video.
-
Welcome back Guest!MARSH is a private reefing group. Comments and suggestions are encouraged, but please keep them positive and constructive. Negative threads, posts, or attacks will be removed from view and reviewed by the staff. Continually disruptive, argumentative, or flagrant rule breakers may be suspended or banned.
Must have Reef items 2018? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Reefahholic
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Users who are viewing this thread
OP
OP
Heard** (sorry can’t edit as a GUEST!)
OP
OP
[video=youtube_share;TqJcoyCn4yk]https://youtu.be./TqJcoyCn4yk[/video]
That's called business longevity. Can you buy a att uverse box and not pay monthly subscription? Same concept except you are buying reagent in this case.
Neptune invested millions so they want to make sure they can survive this harsh reefing market in the future and generate regular revenue stream. Do you think we are using apex fusion for free? I don't think so. [emoji4]
Looking at cost of these frags what's a $1.30 a day cost to keep your corals thriving. You know how much frags cost. [emoji6]
I would prefer a machine that tests everything ALK/CAL/MG.
FarmerTy
Silver Sponsor
I used a terrible analogy in the first place, one that doesn't require an additional item for the original product to work versus any tester will require the additional reagent to test along with the original product.
So ignoring that glaringly terrible comparison I did earlier... How about this...
Alkatronic = $0.15/day to test alk
Trident = $1.30/day to test alk/Ca/Mg
Someone is ripping off the customers with reagent costs. You can clearly see who. Assuming costs are the roughly the same for Ca/Mg reagent as alk, that's almost 3x the costs of reagent being charged by Neptune. Of course this is all hypothetical as the Trident isn't even released yet but I had a high suspicion they would drag reefers over the coals with reagent costs.
Just for me personally, testing calcium daily is a waste of reagent and a waste of my tank water. With a calcium reactor, it doses calcium and alk at an equal ratio to coral uptake. So my Calcium will track with my alk very closely. If I keep my alk in line, my calcium will be in line. So if I'm testing alk daily anyways... I find testing Ca daily pointless.
Mg doesn't deplete as fast as alk/Ca... It can usually be tested and dosed quarterly if needed. Again, for me at least, seeing 1380ppm every day isn't needed... Waste of reagent and tank water.
So for my tank setup and my purposes, Trident is unnecessary. I just need to know my alk and test the other two on a quarterly basis. Others mileage may vary as not everybody runs a calcium reactor and those running 2-part will appreciate the daily calcium result as well.
I don't know of anybody who will actually benefit much from daily Mg results... Unless they like seeing the same number repeated for months at a time in between water changes.
Its a crappy business model for the consumer.
All I can say is most of us are on a budget. I personally don’t have infinitely deep pockets for every tom, ************ & harry to put their hand in and pull out another dime every month.
Those that want to have all 3 tested and are willing to pay the monthly expense will and thats fine.
Me personally i tend to toss out mag and calcium kits when there expired as I just dont test that often. Its just a matter of whats going to kill my sps quick if I take my eye off it. For me thats alk since i run at 7. If my pump quits working or whatever i lose about 1/2 a dkh/day.
I think they are all fine products. I just would rather spend my limited $$ on frags or fish or chemicals to actually dose in the tank.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
I wish someone would hurry up and develop a nitrate and phosphate titrator. Coralvue has the multi test machine but limited to liquid solution so only api kits for phosphate and nitrate for now. They are supposingly in talks with habib to come up with liquid reagent but who knows when.
Alkatronic is an amazing product given that it was a one man show development. Support is excellent. Machine is robust. They recommend two week calibration but doesn’t need it. Minor things they can update. Allow user to set start test time. Decrease minimum test to once a day instead of twice. Once stabilized you don’t need to test but once a day. Make the application connection via internet rather than blue tooth. The reagent is basically acid. Uses a stepper motor to titrate down to ph of 4.23. I got the concentrated solution and have used only about 30% in 5 months, so reagent cost is negligible.
They have development blurbs like any other. Initial loud pumps especially the waste water pump. Sounds and look like the Japanese Welco pumps. They upgraded those pumps and put a bunch of rubber gasket around the stepper motors. Can still hear the pumps but much quieter.
Sometimes I wish Jim welsh chose someone else to help develop his product. Jonas developed his product after Jim and has brought his product to market before apex who is still fudging around. One can argue that trident suppose to test more but on the other hand the main values that fluctuates most are alk, nitrate and phosphate.
Alkatronic is an amazing product given that it was a one man show development. Support is excellent. Machine is robust. They recommend two week calibration but doesn’t need it. Minor things they can update. Allow user to set start test time. Decrease minimum test to once a day instead of twice. Once stabilized you don’t need to test but once a day. Make the application connection via internet rather than blue tooth. The reagent is basically acid. Uses a stepper motor to titrate down to ph of 4.23. I got the concentrated solution and have used only about 30% in 5 months, so reagent cost is negligible.
They have development blurbs like any other. Initial loud pumps especially the waste water pump. Sounds and look like the Japanese Welco pumps. They upgraded those pumps and put a bunch of rubber gasket around the stepper motors. Can still hear the pumps but much quieter.
Sometimes I wish Jim welsh chose someone else to help develop his product. Jonas developed his product after Jim and has brought his product to market before apex who is still fudging around. One can argue that trident suppose to test more but on the other hand the main values that fluctuates most are alk, nitrate and phosphate.
Yes!
I keep banging hanna about a nitrate checker every time i get a chance and having something automated would be even better.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2017
- Messages
- 989
- Reaction score
- 929
Me. Now you know someone who has to monitor and dose mag daily. My tank eats up 30ppm daily. Gotta love those softies.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
mclark452
Supporting Member
The Neptune Trident is supposed to be in the neighborhood of $600....But you need the new "brain" to run it. It wont work with the classic Apex. Also, it is unclear if you will need an EB832 as well.
Last edited:
With the GHL KH Director you need 3 free pumps on their Doser (Which I am already using 3 of my 4), if not, you have to buy a slave unit for extra pump space which will cost over $800 for both. 
FarmerTy
Silver Sponsor
Ouch! How much money do they think we all have?With the GHL KH Director you need 3 free pumps on their Doser (Which I am already using 3 of my 4), if not, you have to buy a slave unit for extra pump space which will cost over $800 for both.
It definitely sucks. I have also ready some bad reviews about the Alkatronic.
reeftopia
Supporting Member
For that kind of money people would have to be raving about them before I would even consider one.
FarmerTy
Silver Sponsor
Its a wonderful machine. I can only see anyone complaining about the android app issues but that is still beta so can't be too hard on them.
There is going to be a software update that will address some small changes that people have been requesting. I'm looking forward to that update.
Its doing everything I want it to do... Can't complain.
reeftopia
Supporting Member
The one who builds a better mouse trap will corner the market. These fools trying to combine
test that only need to be checked weekly or montly will be left in the dust. Alk is the only test
that needs to be checked daily in my system. While I do check everything weekly some really
only need monthly
test that only need to be checked weekly or montly will be left in the dust. Alk is the only test
that needs to be checked daily in my system. While I do check everything weekly some really
only need monthly
OP
OP
I’m fixing to start reefing like Ali! This dude keeps it so simple.
That one 30x30 cube with softies has 4 plugs for the entire system and looks incredible. He’s got a plugs for Return, Light, powerhead, Skimmer. No heater, no doser, just WC’s.
Of course I can’t go without a doser, but just saying this dude has amazing tanks with very minimal equipment!
[video=youtube_share;6h-LkLHmxYo]http://youtu.be/6h-LkLHmxYo[/video]
You can easily keep it simple. I guess I like going overboard and experimenting. Probably one of the main thing that keeps me in the hobby haha.
FarmerTy
Silver Sponsor
That's like every 90s and 2000s tank there, except the lights are bluer. [emoji23]
I feel like people get caught up in all the new technology and equipment, when those that are running large fish populations or tons of stoney corals are the ones that truly benefit from the technology. Most can just keep their tanks with just water changes and careful fish and coral stocking... And a whole lot of patients with the results.
I feel like people get caught up in all the new technology and equipment, when those that are running large fish populations or tons of stoney corals are the ones that truly benefit from the technology. Most can just keep their tanks with just water changes and careful fish and coral stocking... And a whole lot of patients with the results.
