by AquaNerd | Apr 18, 2014 | Equipment, Industry, Technology
As part of the continued effort to integrate the VorTech pumps into EcoTech Marine’s EcoSmart Live system, an update to the EcoSmart Live app has been released that allows users to control their VorTech pumps via any iOS powered device. Just last month, EcoTech added VorTech control to their Reeflink, for the first time allowing the ReefLink and EcoSmart platforms to live up to their promises of simultaneous wireless control of the Radion XR30w LED fixtures and the popular pumps. The update app has the same look and feel of the previous verions that only offered Radion control, but adds the touch sensitive wheel right alongside the Radion controls. This touch sensitive wheel is dual purpose, allowing the speed of the pump to be adjusted, as well as the flow mode. This app is free to download from Apple’s App Store and an Android friendly version will shortly follow. by AquaNerd | Feb 14, 2014 | Science
Have we ever mentioned just how much we like contests and giveaways where free aquarium gear is involved? Well ladies and gents, we like them a lot and do our best to share them with all of you whenever we come across them, especially the good ones. In celebration of launching their highly anticipated Radion XR30w Gen 3 LED fixture, the crew at EcoTech Marine decided to just give one away in a little promotional Facebook contest. And they didn’t just stop at the light fixture, as the winner will receive other prizes like a bottle of Elements Coral Glue and T-Shirt. Like most Facebook friendly contests, the way to enter is to “Like”, “Comment”, and “Share” the contest post on the EcoTech Marine Facebook page. The contest will end February 28th at 11:59 pm and the winner will be announced March 3rd. Simple contest with an amazing prize…count us in. If you do hit up their contest via our link, be sure to let them know. by AquaNerd | Jan 10, 2014 | Science
Here’s a bit of a surprise from EcoTech Marine. They just announced the imminent release of the 3rd generation of the wildly popular XR30w and XR30w Pro LED fixtures. The fixtures will be available to the public starting next week, via your favorite authorized retailer of course, and there are plenty of new features for us to gush over. The big updates come in both form and functionality. The XR30wG3 and XR30wG3Pro will come with an updated look that is sleeker than previous generations, and part of that visual updates is illuminated tactile buttons, which make them a lot easier to see. In terms of performance, the new generation Radion XR30w will now include indigo/UV LEDs that will allow for greater output and a wider spectrum. by AquaNerd | Dec 12, 2013 | Corals, Science
At the end of November, EcoTech Marine officially launched their much touted and highly anticipated ReefLink wireless hub to the mass of aquarium keepers who have been yearning for a way to control their Radion LED fixtures via a real-time wireless connection to the EcoSmart Live platform. In conjunction with this release, EcoTech Marine also gave their EcoSmart Live a much needed mobile-friendly app that would allow smartphone and tablet users to be able to access and control their ReefLink from anywhere in the world. Available to download for free from the iTunes, the EcoSmart Live app has multiple menus that allow the light from the Radion fixtures to be finely tuned with a simple swipe of a finger. An Android app is also in the works, and EcoTech Marine has announced that internal beta testing will start this week and that they will be accepting external beta testers for that platform in the weeks ahead. Getting back to the app itself, we first saw it at MACNA 2013 when the ReefLink was initially being debuted. The app was being displayed on an iPad, and it ran quite smoothly and was very easy and intuitive to use. With the app, users can adjust the Kelvin (color temperature) of the Radions that are in use, as well as customize the RGB output or tinker with the intensities of any one of the six individual color channels. Also seen in the app is a “Radiant Color” tab, which is a special lighting schedule designed to hit your tank with some heavy blues in the morning to make the corals pop before ramping up to full spectrum during the middle of the day, then back down to the blues for some easy evening viewing. The ReefLink retails for $199 and is currently availble to purchase at your closes EcoTech Marine authorized retailer. The EcoSmart Live app is free and immediately available to download from iTunes. by AquaNerd | Nov 4, 2013 | Equipment, Fish, Science
According to a patent filing that was published ealier this year, EcoTech Marine may be cooking up a brand new toy that isn’t a light or a water pump. If the patent is seen through to a final product, the Pennsylvania based aquarium equipment company will likely be offering some type of “habitat viewing device”. Perusing through the technical terminology that is laced all throughout the patent, we have come to the conclusion that the device could either be finalized into any one of a variety of different configurations. The most heavily described version includes an interior magnet, lens, and exterior magnet that would allow users to get a closer view of their habitat’s inhabitants. The other configuration includes a top-down view of the animals, and based on the drawings and descriptions, an EcoTech Marine viewing device will likely be able to do both. For the top-down version, several different options are explored. As we mentioned, there is a model that looks to serve as a viewer that attaches to the side of the aquarium that will also have some buoyancy (or at the ver least a magnetic attachment) that will allow it to be convered into a top-down viewer. It’s a best of both world scenario.
