by AquaNerd | Jun 16, 2014 | Science
AVAST Marine Works has a new toy on the way, and it’s one that looks to further automate aquarium maintenance, specifically topping off evaporated water. This yet to be named product (more on that below) combines AVAST’s reliable pressure sensors with a smart control heavy duty solenoid unit that detects the water level in a sump and allows an RODI unit to respond accordingly. Product X, the unit’s temporary name, uses two pressure sensors to measure the minimum and maximum water levels in the sump, obviously flipping open the solenoid when the minimum water level is reached and allowing the aquarium to fill with freshwater until the solenoid is deactivated once the water level reaches the top level sensor. In addition to maintaining water level, there is also a handy Quick Fill button that allows the unit to completely fill a tank even if it hasn’t triggered the low water level alarm. This is great for those times where extra water is anticipated. Lastly, a set of indicator LEDs are included to let users know what is going on at a glance, whether the unit is filling or sitting idle. As for the product’s name, AVAST is holding a little naming contest over on Reef2Reef that offers up one of these units as a grand prize for the winning name. Forum users just have to log on and suggest a name for the AVAST solenoid unit, with the naming scheme falling under a pirate theme. As for pricing and availability, AVAST lists the item as being in stock and running $200. by AquaNerd | Oct 15, 2013 | Equipment
AVAST Marine Works is looking to shake things up a bit in the world of zeolite use with the release of their new Vibe media reactor. Because zeolites have to be agitated daily, many hobbyists simply avoid the nutrient control system altogether, favoring less time intensive methods instead. That attitude might change for some with this new reactor, which automatically agitates the media throgh the use of “Amplitude Resonance Reactor” technology. The Vibe works by using a special vibration-inducing assembly to agitate the media gently and for short periods of time. The media jumps around and rotates, knocking off layers of bacterial film (called mulm) that often accumulate on the surface of the zeolite stones. In addition to agitating zeolites, the Vibe also works well for other media like carbon, GFO, and calcium carbonate. The “correctly calibrated vibration frequency and amplitude” agitate the media enough to break up channeling and to knock of any buildup, while at the same time being gentle enough to not grind up any friable media. Priced at $379.99, the Vibe has a footprint of 9.5″ around, with an overall height of 15.5″. It can house roughly 10 cups (2.5L) of various media
