by AquaNerd | Sep 11, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
Neptune Systems was a big player at MACNA once again, and it wasn’t just new hardware that they were rolling out. Their biggest news is the release of their Fusion dashboard, which is a brand new interface that allows aquarium control freaks to access and modify the settings on their Apex controller via the cloud through all sorts of different Internet capable devices. Oooohhh, the cloooouuuud. The benefit to the Apex Fusion is that it is located entirely on the Neptune System servers, which not only gives more firepower to the software, but also streamlines the entire user experience in the process. This streamlining will be primarily accomplished through the use of wizards, such as the Lighting Wizard on display at the show, and by taking away some of the programming barriers that make wireless connection a challenge for those not well versed in programming and network design. Neptune Systems designed the Fusion dashboard with a mobile first mentality. This means that it was built specifically for mobile devices before making its way onto the computer. It’s an approach that is becoming far more common as our population continues its push towards mobility, and something we can truly appreciate as reef keepers constantly on the go. Neptune Systems promises that there are no differences in features between mobile platforms and the computer versions, meaning that the mobile dashboard isn’t some watered down version of the full platform by AquaNerd | Sep 10, 2013 | Equipment, Fish, Industry
Neptune Systems had quite the busy MACNA weekend. Besides their day one user workshop and the announcement of wireless Radion support, AI wireless support (more on that later), and Apex Fusion, they also released their new Automatic Feeding System (AFS). The AFS is the first controllable automatic fish feeder to make it to the aquarium industry, and with all of the safeguards and control functions built into the Apex controller, it will likely be the easiest and safest to use. On top of that, the feeder can be programmed to add food to the tank not only on a frequency interval, but also based on various water parameters, really eliminating the possibilities of feeding at the wrong time. The Neptune Systems AFS can handle various types of dry foods, including pellets or flakes, which can be dosed in varying amounts and frequency. You can feed as little as zero times up to as many as you’d like. Additionally, because the feeder is controlled, it can be programmed to skip a feeding if a certain water parameter is out of whack, and water pumps and skimmers can automatically be shut off during the feeding time if necessary. It truly is one of the last pieces to full aquarium automation, and a welcome site for hobbyists who vacation frequently or just want to set up a fully controlled system. The AFS connects via the Apex AquaBus-mini Cable and is compatible with the Apex, Apex Lite, and Apex Jr. by AquaNerd | Jun 28, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, Technology
Aquarium controllers are becoming increasingly mobile friendly, allowing users to access controls and view data, such as water parameters, through web servers that can be accessed from almost anywhere in the world. The biggest driving force behind this push toward mobility has been one of safety and disaster prevention, as aquarists traveling abroad are soothed by the idea of being able to check water parameters and even make adjustments to various items associated with the controller without missing a beat on their vacation or business trip. But up until recently, all of that data has been sort of without a face, meaning that hobbyists checking in on their aquarium were limited to just a handful of numbers and graphs. Thankfully, the ever evolving technology has allowed webcam access to the world of aquarium controllers, with the latest such updates finding their way into the ProfiLux line of controllers. Through new firmware and software updates, the ProfiLux aquarium controllers are following suit with the Neptune Systems Aquacontroller and allowing for communications with webcams, giving users the ability to actually see their aquarium instead of just of disembodied numbers. This means that aquarium keepers can actually see if the lights are on, instead of relying on the controller to tell them that they are on. The webcam will also allow hobbyists to see disasters as they are happening, which may not bode well for travel plans but it certainly helps with mitigating the hazards. In addition to the webcam support, GHL also recently announced the opening of a new USA warehouse that will allow them to further develop their brand here in the states. This new facility is located in Ogdensburg, New York, and it is said that the immediate benefit will be a reduction in shipping costs up to 80% and improved turnaround times for orders. « Previous post
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by AquaNerd | Apr 14, 2013 | Equipment
Aquarium controllers typically change the operation of specified aquarium equipment based on things like the time of day or a host of water parameters (pH, conductivity, or temperature for example). Such is the case for the Italy-based Aquatronica controllers as well, but they are adding one more input to their system for even more control options. Their new digital Light Sensor allows the Aquatronica controller to manipulate water pumps, filters, alarms, or any other piece of equipment attached to the system based on whether the lights are on or off. While many of these functions can be driven by time based controls, having the controller physically detect if the lights are off or on makes a huge difference, especially if you want to have certain safeguards in place to protect your valuable aquarium livestock. Aquarium controllers using time based controls usually work very well. But the drawback to using just this parameter to control various equipment is that the controller doesn’t actually know if the lights turn on or off. Sure, the controller can tell the lights to turn on at 10 am, but what if a bulb just never turns on? The light may have gone bad, or maybe it broke. That’s where a ight sensor comes in handy. If the lights are programmed to turn on, but don’t actually do so, you can receive an alarm letting you know of such a situation or you could preimptively program other equipment to respond to a lights out scenario. Or, say you have made some adjustments to the timers and made a mistake. Well, if the lights come on too soon, the Light Sensor would be able to detect that and adjust other pieces of equipment to appropriately respond to that situation. It’s just another form of control for the control freak aquarist in all of us, and it adds another layer of security to help protect our delicate aquarium systems. The Aquatronica Light Sensor (ACQ325) is compatible with the Tunze (ACQ460) and Koralia (ACQ455) modules for controlling their respective pumps.
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by danireef | Nov 14, 2012 | Equipment
The Seneye system is a new control system, just introduced on the market, that stands out for being extremely inexpensive. After hearing the price, we were eager to learn how this system can be so...
