by AquaNerd | Sep 16, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
One of the neatest products we’ve come across at MACNA is this set of ramping digital timers from Current USA. These timers are designed to be used with the LED strip light products from Current USA and Ecoxotic, though they will work for other brands. The Ramp Timers work by slowly increasing the brightness of the LEDs at a user programmed time, then slowly dimming the lights at a second time point at the end of the day. The timer ramps the light over a 15 minute period, slowly changing the brightness over a whopping 227 steps. That’s such a gradual change that you’ll probably never notice the change happening. Two models will be available, with one targeting single LED strips and the other being capable of handling two at once. Both are super simple to use and are run inline with the power connectors already on the strips. The retail price starts at $39.99 and we should start seeing these show up at fish stores in no time. by AquaNerd | Sep 13, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
As we’ve said plenty of times this week and last, Neptune Systems was working overtime for MACNA, showing off several new products that only add to the already immense level of control that their Apex aquarium controllers bring to the hobby. One of the newest items on the list is the AquaIllumination Wireless Module (AWM), which serves as the first ever wireless control interface between the Apex controller and several AI wireless products. With this new module, not only can hobbyists control the lights wirelessly, but they can also control each and every one of the numerous color channels through all sorts of mobile devices or remotely located computers. With the rising popularity of AI’s LED products, including the release of several products with dedicated wireless communication in recent years, it was only a matter of time before Neptune Systems would take advantage of these features. The AWM can communicate with the AI Vega, Hydra, and the brand new Hydra FiftyTwo, but will not be able to control the AI Sol or Nano modules whose abilities have been augmented with wireless dongle. The AWM connects to the controller via the AquaBus, and a 3′ long cable is included. The expected retail price on the AWM is $124.95 with a proposed release date sometime in November of this year. « Previous post
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by AquaNerd | Sep 13, 2013 | Aquaculture, Cephalopods, MACNA, Photography
embedded content Some of the biggest news of MACNA 2013 was the announcement of the captive bred flamboyant cuttlefish from ReefGen. These gorgeous cephalopods represent the first ever captive bred flamboyant cuttles to be offered for sale to the aquarium community, and we got to see them all kinds of up close. The tree 1″ long cuttlefish were not shy by any means, many times striking at live mysis shrimp with their tentacles. They also performed many rhythmic color changes, which thy are known for, and thankfully we were to capture then on video, though I’ll admit that the quality is somewhat lacking. It was an exciting time for us, as we have a special spot in our hearts for these amazing creatures, and we’re glad to be able to share that with you today. by AquaNerd | Sep 12, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
Tunze had some news for us at MACNA this year, and while it may not be ground breaking, it certainly is telling about what’s possibly in store for the future. The German pump makers quietly announced that their LED strip lights will receive an infusion of graphite, upping the percentage to around 75%. The remaining percentage is made up of plastic, keeping the fixture waterproof. This move is mostly due to heat dissipation, as the higher graphite percentage comes pretty close to the dissipating abilities of aluminum. While the improved efficiency of the cooling is good news, it’s the possibilities for future fixtures that have us more interested. As the cooling ability improves, Tunze can now up the intensity of the strips, and possibly even incorporate larger models. The Tunze LED should start seeing the higher graphite models later this year, or possibly even at the beginning of next year. by AquaNerd | Sep 12, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
After a few years of development, the Hydor Smart Level Controller is finally ready to hit the aquarium equipment marketplace. The automatic top-off unit uses the same form factor as their popular Koralia Wave Controller, but instead of controlling pulsing powerheads, it monitors the water level of a sump or aquarium and starts a top-off pump when necessary. The Smart Level controller can handle pumps up to 50 watts, though for top-off situations, that is a bit excessive. The Smart Level probe has three ports that indicate a maximum and minimum water level, as well as an alarm level, all of which have indicator LEDs. It operates on temperature changes that occur when water fills the probe chamber, causing it to turn the top-off pump on or off as needed. The probe has a magnet/suction cup hybrid mounting system, with additional cable clamps to keep the probe horizontally positioned. The magnet can handle a wall thickness of 10mm or less. The Smart Level controller will see a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $105.95, with minimum advertise prices falling somewhere in the mid-$80 range.
