Could this be the Trident announcement?

[User1]

Beta tester here, so those of you who think we're all biased can disregard this post.

The device has to alternate alk-only testing and triple testing to maintain proper calibration.
Testing frequency and timing is something that could perhaps change with future AOS and firmware updates; we certainly talked about it in beta.

I am currently testing 6 times a day. Was as high as 12 times, but you really burn through reagents with that.
The data on how your alk can fluctuate during the day is fascinating and very useful for adjusting dosing and then seeing the effects of that adjustment.
I wouldn't even have known about the daily alk fluctuation in the first place without the Trident, because I wasn't testing more than once a day generally.

Since I put the Trident in control of dosing, my alk level has fluctuated by no more than 0.3 dKH per week.
Before Trident control, it was up to 0.6 dKH every day.
This is significant. However it's too early to say for sure what effect this will have on coral growth.

Calcium and magnesium are also ridiculously well dialed in now.

And for those complaining about having to keep the box - At least you get a retail box! Round 1 beta testers didn't.

I do not recall if @o2manyfish fish was part of the beta but about a month or so back he was plotting measurements and saw some interesting usage patterns when testing multiple times a day. I think he was using another product but the point is that as you also point out the fluctuation over time and fascination, well, it is. It was something he showed and I thought it was interesting.

I'll have to try and dig up his post on it but you are raise probably the main use point out of the product with mature reef tanks. I don't think it will be essential for those of us that have limited coral growth or are maturing but the data logging aspect of it, well, is priceless.

Edit: I can see some incredible grafana graphs coming to my dashboard once I get a trident.

 

[vanpire]

It has been simply amazing controlling my alk, calcium, and magnesium with my Trident since January. I run a CaRx so my elements were reasonably stable prior to having the trident. I can tell you my swings were about 8.6 to 8.9

With Trident and DOS Control for supplementation, I have tightened alk to 8.7 to 8.8 on average. In the SPS world this is sensational.

Is it really? Is SPS growth or color that much of a difference when you had 8.6 to 8.9 than when you reduced it to 8.7 to 8.8?

 

[ca1ore]

The devil is always in the details. I’m not going to make any kind of extra effort to buy one upon launch, but unless any major performance issues arise, I’ll definitely be getting one once initial user reports emerge.

 

[smartwater101]

The device has to alternate alk-only testing and triple testing to maintain proper calibration.

Just to clarify, you can test alk and have it ignore mag and calcium? Assuming we can get the regents separately, this might be a decent option for people. Testing only one thing would be cheaper long term, and I wonder if this will help will prolonging the eventual servicing....

 

[Hitch08]

The funny thing is that I signed up for the we will email you when they are in stock' - that didnt happen - but its probably a computer thing. I wasn't going to jump right in - but I did want to know when they were in stock.

Same here. I happened to log in early and saw that they were available. After I received the email confirmation of the order, and after they sold out, I got the email that they were available.

Seems like this will be one of the things that will be discovered after people use it 'in real life'. My guess would be that though its testing you could figure out a way to program such that it only acted on one of the results (for example - the latest reading of the day, etc. I apologize if this has been answered - but is it possible to time the 4x daily measurements - or are they always evenly spaced (also - if you're doing 8 measurements, etc)

From what I recall of the live stream, you cannot change the times at which the tests run. You can only change how many times per day.

Just to clarify, you can test alk and have it ignore mag and calcium? Assuming we can get the regents separately, this might be a decent option for people. Testing only one thing would be cheaper long term, and I wonder if this will help will prolonging the eventual servicing....

The reagents are separate, but I don't believe that you can have it only run the alk test. I could be wrong, but that is certainly my impression from watching the live stream last night.

Note: I wasn't in the NSI.

 

[TinCanHero]

I wonder what UK availability is like.. will we get screwed like we did with the 2016 powerbar?

 

[anit77]

While I have been waiting patiently and see no issue with making sure everything is right before letting the public get their hands on a product. I've also got no problem with the product price, reagent cost or the biannual maintenance cost. But I must say this is about the worst product launch I've seen in a long time.

And BRS overselling and back ordering after the fact is pretty crappy.

The Neptune hype machine was on full force but there's insufficient stock to live up to the hype. This is the one instance that they should have been transparent with their customers. If they imported a limited amount based on testing or to get a price break on the initial order, cool I get it. Just say there will be a limited release and more will be in with in 6 to 10 weeks.

 

[TTNuge]

Just to clarify, you can test alk and have it ignore mag and calcium? Assuming we can get the regents separately, this might be a decent option for people. Testing only one thing would be cheaper long term, and I wonder if this will help will prolonging the eventual servicing....

He means the machine has to alternate between testing Alk and then testing Alk/Mag/Calcium each time.

 

[Potatohead]

But I must say this is about the worst product launch I've seen in a long time.

Well, it's a step up from the Cerebra.

lol

 

[Millimylilly]

I just called my LFS to order one. He called Neptune directly they told him they aren’t shipping to LFS for 3 months at least. I won’t be getting one until I can support my LFS. Is this like greedy by Neptune to only sell online? I feel like this is bad for the hobby

 

[Saveafish]

18 months from now, thousands will be sent in and it'll be months till you get it back, hundreds and thousands of tanks crashes every where. This is going to be a spectacular sport!!

 

[TTNuge]

I just called my LFS to order one. He called Neptune directly they told him they aren’t shipping to LFS for 3 months at least. I won’t be getting one until I can support my LFS. Is this like greedy by Neptune to only sell online? I feel like this is bad for the hobby

He may not be a Platinum reseller with Neptune so they may not be shipping HIM any for 3 months but I have confirmed several other LFS received them including my LFS that got 2 today.

 

[ca1ore]

I must say this is about the worst product launch I've seen in a long time.

How would you have done it differently?

 

[MnFish1]

How would you have done it differently?

Well - I think they were smart - actually to stagger the launch - especially if in 12-18 months they are going to be getting multiple modules in for maintenance. there is no other way they could have done it IMHO

 

[Antics]

How would you have done it differently?

What do you think the manufacturing cost is on the Trident? I wonder if it would have been possible for Neptune to approach large online retailers and request they offer preorders for X months prior to launch (Terrence already said the current launch date was known in advance) and then use whatever they actually produced for the current launch for brick & mortar as well as restocking.

It might cost 600$ but Neptune's cost/manufacturing could have surely met demand if they wanted to, no?

 

[road_runner]

How would you have done it differently?

Let's not pretend the product launch from 2 years ago announcement is anything but reactive to the industry and its news.
They announced they will have trident more than 2 years ago when khg and ghl canto market.
They released with very limited quantity now because ghl on brs, ion based no reagent testers announced and other testers became comodity.
For sure they lost some customers who are not hardcore Neptune and went with others after waiting.
They frustrated so many people and it's clear in the forum reactions..
So yeh it couold have been done differently.
You do not see any other consumer product announce a product 2 years in advance..

 

[ca1ore]

Well - I think they were smart - actually to stagger the launch - especially if in 12-18 months they are going to be getting multiple modules in for maintenance. there is no other way they could have done it IMHO

I agree.

 

[Bleigh]

Well - I think they were smart - actually to stagger the launch - especially if in 12-18 months they are going to be getting multiple modules in for maintenance. there is no other way they could have done it IMHO

I didn't even think about that. Super smart to try and get an even flow back in for maintenance rather than a giant surge every year.

 

[ca1ore]

What do you think the manufacturing cost is on the Trident? I wonder if it would have been possible for Neptune to approach large online retailers and request they offer preorders for X months prior to launch (Terrence already said the current launch date was known in advance) and then use whatever they actually produced for the current launch for brick & mortar as well as restocking.

It might cost 600$ but Neptune's cost/manufacturing could have surely met demand if they wanted to, no?

I don’t know what their cost is, but if it’s broadly comparable to the high tech industry, gross margin will be in the 50-60% range. I also don’t know anything about their manufacturing/assembly process except they’re not Apple. A small company like Neptune will have limited working capital to build large inventories, particularly for a new product where demand forecast is directional at best. Also, if units are going to have to be sent in for service, it actually makes sense to stagger the launch.

Seems quite well thought out actually.

 

[Antics]

I don’t know what their cost is, but if it’s broadly comparable to the high tech industry, gross margin will be in the 50-60% range. I also don’t know anything about their manufacturing/assembly process except they’re not Apple. A small company like Neptune will have limited working capital to build large inventories, particularly for a new product where demand forecast is directional at best. Also, if units are going to have to be sent in for service, it actually makes sense to stagger the launch.

I think 50-60% is accurate for truly high tech industry items. But I'm kind of curious if the Trident really belongs in that category? I'm asking cause I'm honestly not sure. I just imagine that Neptune has enough capital to make more than 200 units to share between BRS and Marine Depot. LOL!