AQUATRONICA Aquarium Controller

[jervismun]

Hi guys

I will be getting my Aquatronica sometime next week... as requested by some bros... I will do a comprehensive 360º review of the product.

Here's a list of items I ordered for this round:

Control Unit

Power Unit (6 plug with I/O USB)

PC Interface (USB)

Temperature Sensor

Water Level Sensor

pH Electrode

Redox (MV) Electrode

Salinity (Density) Electrode

Dosing Pump (3-in-1)

Stay tuned

[Jameshong]

Hi guys

I will be getting my Aquatronica sometime next week... as requested by some bros... I will do a comprehensive 360º review of the product.

Here's a list of items I ordered for this round:

Control Unit

Power Unit (6 plug with I/O USB)

PC Interface (USB)

Temperature Sensor

Water Level Sensor

pH Electrode

Redox (MV) Electrode

Salinity (Density) Electrode

Dosing Pump (3-in-1)

Stay tuned 

!

I'm waiting 4 U !

[Altantis]

Should I join to wait for the view, or join the reviewing party

[lyz77]

Great choice for your great tank!!!

[Tigger]

is this a 4 figure damage?

[jervismun]

Hi guys... thanks for the interests... yes 4 figure damage

[Melvyn Tan]

Jervis, me a little too lazy to read it all up, it will be most wonderful if you will be able to distinguish the functions from that of the IKS (believe you might have read that up before deciding).

Thanks

[jervismun]

Jervis, me a little too lazy to read it all up, it will be most wonderful if you will be able to distinguish the functions from that of the IKS (believe you might have read that up before deciding).

Simple... it is 35% cheaper in startup cost... 35% cheaper in maintenance (additional probes in the future)... and it offers a much larger screen that can show a lot of info at once and even graphs and charts.

In the technology side, the Aquatronica seems more updated to me with the smart use of USB ports... IKS is still using the old fashion parallel printer ports

Aquatronica allows a total of 60 plugs... IKS 16

The list will go on and on...

[Melvyn Tan]

Looks like the choice is obvious...may try to get it with the tunze skimmer from Janet, hope can have greater savings...

[jervismun]

But do bear in mind... we are comparing a German product with a Italian product... an Aquabee (German) costs twice as much compared to a Sicce (Italian)

Melvyn wait till you see my next posting!!!0

[jervismun]

One of the main highlight of the Aquatronica... the 3-in-1 dosing pumps... the only problem is... I may not be able to get it together with the rest... this item may come in slightly later

But let's talk about the possibilities of what the 3 Musketeers can do... oh they can drip according to setting... say 1 drop every 10 min.

I have some ideas, see if they make sense to you:

1) To replace my AM Dosing Pump SP3000 for AM NR1000 - much better control and dripping can be automatically controlled by Redox (Mv) monitor

2) Kalkwasser

3) Trace Elements

4) Strontium

5) Iodine

6) Coral Food

Oh I need not 1 but 2 dosing pumps

Comments welcomed

[Melvyn Tan]

Pardon me for my ignorance, but which is italian and which is german?

[jervismun]

Pardon me for my ignorance, but which is italian and which is german?

IKS is German... Aquatronica is Italian... however they are gonna be half German very soon coz Aqua Medic recently announced (during Interzoo 06 I think) they will market Aquatronica under the Aqua Medic brand... so I expect a bit of increase in pricing (the AM range).

Here's how the Aqua Medic version will look like... hate the blue... they make it look like a cheap China made toy

[jervismun]

Many thanks to Tedb for the pictures and information... our dear reefer from Europe

Although I have not seen the IKS computer is person... got a feeling the finishing for that piece of equipment is much more refined and premium looking... for the price they are selling... it better be

[weileong]

Quote from IKS website, these are functions that I am using at the moment. For dimming my T5 so to create natural sunrise and sunset. Control my tunze so I have more random waves. All these are not just on/off function but varies flow and brightness. I believe this is the most useful function. The rest of the function can be implemented via timer and pH controller etc.

The extensive day/night simulation makes child's play of your aquarium's lighting and optimises it too. You can use it to set a wide variety of lighting on- and off times. If the lighting you use can be dimmed, you can simulate sunrise and sunset. It's even possible to recreate the sunrise and sunset of a particular region of the world (by entering the latitude and longitude.This function even makes the period of the reduction in nocturnal values possible (pH-value, temperature, current etc.).

The integrated lunar-phase simulation gives you everything you want. You can choose between two alternatives. A practice-related one for the "aquarium enthusiast" and the and one for the authentic simulation of moonlight (for coral cultivation), taking into account the duration as well as the intensity of the light. It too allows you to simulate the lunar phase of a particular region of the world, the tropics for example (again, by entering latitude and longitude!

There is also a very wide spectrum of possibilities for current simulation such as pulsating waves or high/low tide. No matter how large your aquarium is and regardless of the shape it may have, this simulation function, thought out right down to the last detail, makes it possible for you to create the optimum current for any tank. You can control up to 16 pumps!

[jervismun]

Hehe bro thanks for the IKS information... I've read those before deciding on the Aquatronica. Aquatronica also offers exactly the same functions you mentioned... but without the expensive adapters.

If you are an IKS user, you probably need to buy a dimmer unit, a wave unit... blah blah... and those 2 I mentioned already cost almost $1000!!!

Aquatronica have all those built into the original unit... so no need to buy expensive add-ons... I can use the functions once I unpack the pack!!!

That's why I chose Aquatronica

[jervismun]

Emm... bro Weileong... I'm not too sure about Aquatronica enabling pulsating effect though... well I'm sure the IKS is superior in terms of design and technology or else it will be totally irrelevant in the market place... a complete IKS costs more than twice of Aquatronica

But if I have $4000... I will still go for an IKS... nothing beats the German...

[weileong]

Perhaps I missed the information when I was deciding which one to go with previously.

From what I know the aquatronica only have ON/OFF function which is similar to how a timer works and not dimming or the ability to control variable flow rate pumps, perhaps you could enlighten me? So in-future I can consider the Aquatronica as well.

[weileong]

bro, we're not here to say which product is better than the other. I just state what IKS has which is important for me. Few other reefers that are using IKS also find that the sunrise/sunset simulation function is very use. The fishes doesn't get stressed out due to the lights getting cut off suddenly.

We're all eager to see your review.

[Melvyn Tan]

Wah...the price difference that much? I thought they have that IKS try out or something in the UK (free trying) and thereafter you can purchase it if you like it.

Aquatronica seems more bearable for me in terms of cost. This hobby really expensive ! Just purchase a fridge that cost S$1400 and had wanted to purchase another skimmer of the similar pricing - i paused for a moment when i think of a pump and a container that produce bubbles for S$1300+ ! better DIY.

[Melvyn Tan]

bro, we're not here to say which product is better than the other. I just state what IKS has which is important for me. Few other reefers that are using IKS also find that the sunrise/sunset simulation function is very use. The fishes doesn't get stressed out due to the lights getting cut off suddenly.

We're all eager to see your review.

This dimming is useful ! i always shudder when the lights suddenly goes off, afraid the fish frighten and jump into the overflow box !

[jervismun]

Confirm no dimming effect for Aquatronica... but again, according to LFS... Aquatronica been aggressively updating their software and functions... so probably the function is not available at the time of printing... will go update the software once I get the unit.

[Tedb]

To dim Mh U still need electronic ballast so for the best Lighting setup on the market go for sfiligoi´s ACLS.

[lyz77]

To dim Mh U still need electronic ballast so for the best Lighting setup on the market go for sfiligoi´s ACLS.

Can normal electronic ballast be use for dimming or need to use those dimmable electronic ballast for both T5 & MH?

[weileong]

Only dimmable ballast can be dim.