# Irresistable high-tech gadgets that we don't need???



## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

OK, I'll admit it. I use an Neptune aqua computer to control pH and temp. That thing is awesome!

I also use a chiller and metal-halide lighting.


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## jerseyjay (Jan 25, 2004)

Art. 

You sure you don't have All-In-One tester ? NO3, PO4, KH, PH, GH, K, etc etc etc

Seems like you are your electricity bills are up there :lol: 

Whats Octopus aqua computer ?


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Jay,

Neptune AquaController actually. I made a mistake above. Please see it below. It can control everything even beep me if something goes out of whack. Had to mortgage my house for it.  

P.S. I use a LaMotte Colorimeter that gives me exact ppm readings.


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## jerseyjay (Jan 25, 2004)

Art,

Whats the price ?

Is it better to buy Titanium Heater and separate PH Controller. If something goes wrong, its only 1 thing instead of 2.


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

Jay,

Price is $300 something for my set up. I don't use a heater as I'm in Miami although this can control one.

The good thing about this is that it is intelligent. I controls pH to within .05 pH via CO2. It controls temp to within .5 degrees. If the temp gets above 77F it turns the chiller on. If temp gets above 80F it turns the lights off and an alarm lets me know. If temp decreases to under 80F it turns the lights back on.

The lighting feature can simulate the varying photoperiods throughout the year. A moon light can be added to simulate the phases of the moon. 

I can control ORP via ozone. I can control various pumps to simulate current , etc., etc., etc.


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## jerseyjay (Jan 25, 2004)

Art,

I don't know why, but I thought you were one of those low-tech guys. Boy, I was wrong.

So chiller is inline as well. 

As for as lights ON and OFF. 

- How many times per day you experience this ?

- Do you have default OFF for night time ?

- Does it work the same in winter and summer. Or you house temperature is the same all year long.


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

I was low-tech when I was in school and poor. Now I work and am still poor, but I have credit...  

The automatic light shut-off due to temp has never happened. Lights are turned on and off according to the photoperiod I set. The computer uses a built in algorithm that simulates the photoperiod time for the year so it will be longer during the summer and shorter during the winter. The simulated moonlight is an blue incandescent that is powered higher or lower based on the cycle of the moon.

My home temp is always between 76-78F as all Florida homes are A/Ced. The temperature shut off is just a precaution.


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## Rex Grigg (Jan 22, 2004)

One item I don't need and won't own would be the Eco-Aqualizer.


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## MiamiAG (Jan 13, 2004)

I know what you mean Rex.

ADA has a product line called Panac that is meant to restore the biorhythm of the aquarium resulting in good plant growth. Would any of you buy those things?


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## Ptahkeem (Feb 16, 2004)

how about a peristaltic pump for fertilizer dosing. unless you have the money to burn hehe.


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## Ptahkeem (Feb 16, 2004)

how about a peristaltic pump for fertilizer dosing. unless you have the money to burn hehe.


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

Rex Grigg said:


> One item I don't need and won't own would be the Eco-Aqualizer.


what's wrong with the eco aqualizer?


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

IMO it's for people who believe in magnets for improving fuel efficiency and similar gizmos. Personally I don't see how a few magnets are going to help anything, if so then our magnetic water pumps would do wonders for our water chemistry.

Here's the product examined and tested for effects on ORP:
http://www.inlandreef.com/Testing/Eco.html

Giancarlo Podio


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## Justin Fournier (Jan 27, 2004)

After looking at the inards of that thing, I wouldn't be suprised if they made $55 profit off of every $69 dollar unit. We should ban them from this site. :lol:


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

magnets!?!?! Well, I got a mag-float! Maybe that will make my water chemistry better! :idea: 

how do these companies survive?


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## AV8TOR (Mar 28, 2004)

Nothing like trusting your tank to Bill Gates! [-o< 
Just kidding, I am jealous.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

How do they survive? 
(1) There is a large number of potential customers who do not have the education to recognize psudoscientific 'snake oil' advertising. 
(2) They threaten to sue people who post statements on the internet critical of their product. (strategic lawsuits against public participation)


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

If I'm not mistaken they made some preliminary threats on another board which only made matters worse for them as they sparked an uprising and brought a lot of attention and negative threads about their product.

Another element that allows such companies to survive are publications that will positively review your snake oil for a price. FAMA published a nice review on this product without apparently even having tried it.

But quite frankly, our hobby is flooded with snake oils and remedies that fix one thing and break five others. As long as there are new and unexperienced people looking to get into the hobby, there will be miracle products that claim to solve it all in one shot. People will continue to buy them, lfs will continue to sell them, and money hungry publishers will continue to sell their pants to make an extra buck.

Considering that even us hobbists have to be careful when expressing our thoughts and experiences on the net, I think we would have to back track a long way in the US before a publication such as FAMA can safely come out and write an honest review about a product that fails to deliver the goods it promises.

Giancarlo Podio


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

HeyPK said:


> How do they survive?
> (1) There is a large number of potential customers who do not have the education to recognize psudoscientific 'snake oil' advertising.
> (2) They threaten to sue people who post statements on the internet critical of their product. (strategic lawsuits against public participation)


'

I vaguely remember this happening. What ended up happening? I hope that whatever happened that the right of free speech was protected.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

The president of the company that produces the Aqua Equaiizer threatened to sue if two posts from APD members were not removed. These posts raised doubts that the device would work as advertised. Both posts were removed by the people who posted them. It was a victory against free speech, but I can't blame the posters for removing their posts given the damage that the two lawsuits instituted by Novak have done to the defendents in those cases, which seem to be dragging on forever.


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## gpodio (Feb 4, 2004)

Based on the posts I've read about this product on the reef boards and usenet, I doubt they are still chasing after individuals. It would be nice however if they would step in and simply show us some test results or documentation that using these magnets really does improve water quality. It would be great if they did! No one is against a valid product, we all want to better our systems, we just haven't seen any scientific proof or positive feedback from anyone about the validity of this product. The moment that someone expresses their doubts about it, they threaten you and request that you remove your post, wouldn't it be more productive for them to simply correct the person and prove them wrong? It's obvious that doubt is shed over a certain product when marketed in such a way.

I never had a bad experience with Novak for example, but as soon as the lawsuit started I myself had doubts about his willingness to provide customer support and decided to buy my goods elsewhere. And to think, all this over a couple of plants that arrived as mush, now what plant shipper hasn't had this happen to them in the past??? Heck it's probably happened to all of us at one stage or the other.

Giancarlo Podio


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## Corigan (Mar 15, 2004)

gpodio said:


> The moment that someone expresses their doubts about it, they threaten you and request that you remove your post, wouldn't it be more productive for them to simply correct the person and prove them wrong?


Oh such a valid point. You would think that would be the proper approach to a delicate situation dealing with their company. Having someone remove a bad review just makes it look like the review had that much more validity in their points. It makes them look like they are saying the reviewer was correct with his statements/assumptions and then makes them look even worse by trying to wipe out someones comments. What an awful approach at running a buisness. Any company I see running their PR/Damage control this way I would make sure I would boycott their product lines.

Matt


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

This country is just a sue-happy one. I mean, everytime something bad happens, people want to sue. Like what's up with people trying to sue McDonald's because it made them fat...or even suing McDonald's for your own mistake of pouring coffee over your dumblap...


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## Hanzo (Mar 9, 2004)

Hate to break this up with a on topic post, but here goes  

I was going to put my new UV filter on this list, but since I installed it a couple of days ago my angelfish startet breeding for the first time, my betta`s are making bubbelnests and my Rams have never looked better! So I guess its not all bad :wink:


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

Hanzo said:


> Hate to break this up with a on topic post, but here goes
> 
> I was going to put my new UV filter on this list, but since I installed it a couple of days ago my angelfish startet breeding for the first time, my betta`s are making bubbelnests and my Rams have never looked better! So I guess its not all bad :wink:


I'm happy to hear that your fish are breeding. So you think that it's your UV that has induced them to breed? I have never heard of this before.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

I have suspected for some time that UV does more than kill planctonic algae. It probably alters or breaks down many otherwise long-lasting organics in the water. Possibly some of those organics could have been keeping your angelfish and betta from breeding. Just speculation! Does anybody know if UV clears up brown or tea-colored water?


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

HeyPK said:


> I have suspected for some time that UV does more than kill planctonic algae. It probably alters or breaks down many otherwise long-lasting organics in the water. Possibly some of those organics could have been keeping your angelfish and betta from breeding. Just speculation! Does anybody know if UV clears up brown or tea-colored water?


Hey PK, I recall this exact question being asked in another forum, and the response was that it does not clear up brown or tea-colored water. HOWEVER, an offered solution was the addition of carbon in the filter.


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## HeyPK (Jan 23, 2004)

> Hey PK, I recall this exact question being asked in another forum, and the response was that it does not clear up brown or tea-colored water. HOWEVER, an offered solution was the addition of carbon in the filter.


Sometime, when I get time I am going to try out UV on tea colored water. I have noticed that when I was using UV, the snails seemed to do better than they usually do.


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## hubbahubbahehe (Mar 29, 2004)

what does that mean "the snails seem to do better?" could you elaborate?


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## Hanzo (Mar 9, 2004)

Its a bit to early to be sure, but I find it a bit odd that both my angels and my betta should start breeding just two days after I installed it. The angels Im not sure about, but my bettas has been of breeding age for 4-5 months now. Also, my Rams has never really enjoyed my tank. The would lose color after a few days, and in a week or two they would die. But now the have be best coloration I have ever seen. I run the filter on for two ours just before I do my dayly dosing of PMDD, so if it messes up the trace elements, it should not be to much of a problem


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