inD Aquatics aF4 frozen feeder

[braaap]

Just got an email from inD about their frozen automated feeder. Has anyone seen anyone with actual experience with this? When I responded back to them about beta testers they were actually kind of snippy saying I likely wouldn’t even be able to get in on the first launch of them.

Seems snarky for a company who ran a kickstarter 4 years ago and never delivered anything. They seem to think everyone is going to jump on a $480 item with ZERO real world user feedback.

 

[Rcs_12]

I got the same email and came here looking for the same answers you are lol

 

[JonoH]

Yeah i'm super interested in it - but need the full how it works video, proper review etc!

 

[taulgrl]

I got the same email and came here looking for the same answers you are lol

same!

 

[braaap]

So looking at the kickstarter they had said their units would be 7-14 cubes of frozen food. But now it holds roughly 50 in a slurry form. People had ordered a main unit and a “slave” unit in the kickstarter. But an update makes it sound like they will get 2 units now because they didn’t make a slave unit with this model. And supposedly they are shipping the kickstarter rewards now.

 

[Mattiejay6]

Just got an email from inD about their frozen automated feeder. Has anyone seen anyone with actual experience with this? When I responded back to them about beta testers they were actually kind of snippy saying I likely wouldn’t even be able to get in on the first launch of them.

Seems snarky for a company who ran a kickstarter 4 years ago and never delivered anything. They seem to think everyone is going to jump on a $480 item with ZERO real world user feedback.

well based off what you said in terms of being snippy and this being crowd funded almost 4 years ago.. this company sounds like a customer service nightmare and flop

 

[BeanAnimal]

I think it may have started more than 4 years ago. 2020 was the original delivery date and was a year or years late. Somebody mentioned somewhere that the owner is so committed that he mortgaged his home for money to complete the project.

The math just does not add up for me. $42K collected in kickstarter funds.
Let's just say he spent $100K total and ignore the years of time spent working on this. But that is not even a reasonable number given the prototypes, injection molds, and other custom parts and electronics. If you look at the history there are numerous complete design changes.

How many potential customers of this thing are there, and of those how many can afford it, let alone actually buy it?

It is a highly technical/mechanical item that will require significant support and there is no RMR plan. How does he afford to support the customers long term for ONE TIME purchases that should last many years?

I could be very wrong, but I don't see any reasonable business plan here other than hoping a larger player will buy the rights and produce them at lower cost with distributed overhead based on other products and RMR.

In all, it is a simple enough concept. Keep food cold enough to not spoil by mixing it with water in a chilled container. Use a pump or two to push water through and carry food to the tank.

I hope it works out and the product is viable and produced, but like the majority of kickstarter's I have don't have a lot of faith. Maybe I am wrong.

 

[braaap]

I think it may have started more than 4 years ago. 2020 was the original delivery date and was a year or years late. Somebody mentioned somewhere that the owner is so committed that he mortgaged his home for money to complete the project.

The math just does not add up for me. $42K collected in kickstarter funds.
Let's just say he spent $100K total and ignore the years of time spent working on this. But that is not even a reasonable number given the prototypes, injection molds, and other custom parts and electronics. If you look at the history there are numerous complete design changes.

How many potential customers of this thing are there, and of those how many can afford it, let alone actually buy it?

It is a highly technical/mechanical item that will require significant support and there is no RMR plan. How does he afford to support the customers long term for ONE TIME purchases that should last many years?

I could be very wrong, but I don't see any reasonable business plan here other than hoping a larger player will buy the rights and produce them at lower cost with distributed overhead based on other products and RMR.

In all, it is a simple enough concept. Keep food cold enough to not spoil by mixing it with water in a chilled container. Use a pump or two to push water through and carry food to the tank.

I hope it works out and the product is viable and produced, but like the majority of kickstarter's I have don't have a lot of faith. Maybe I am wrong.

Well they also claim it is some sort of chilled saltwater system. They have 2 hoses running to the tank. So I don't understand how it even works. Nobody does because there is ZERO info on this new system.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Well they also claim it is some sort of chilled saltwater system. They have 2 hoses running to the tank. So I don't understand how it even works. Nobody does because there is ZERO info on this new system.

It pulls tank water in to push food out. There is an intake and a discharge hose.

I think the original design was to keep cubes frozen in a carousel and either drop the cube unto the reaction chamber or rotate it into place and then pump tank water through it to thaw it and transport it.

I think the new design (guessing due to issues keep cubes frozen and moving, etc.) is to allow them and the water to become a slush via temp control and push the contents of each cell through with tank water.

Poke around for some DIY designs built in coolers or mini fridges for cubes or phyto to get an idea.

 

[Mattiejay6]

id almost rather have an RODI line hooked up to it to keep it with fresh water then tank water. interesting all the different stages this has gone through in the years with out a release. very little information out there based on his facebook page and from what I can see.

 

[BeanAnimal]

There are various videos and photos of the different design stages. reefbuilders drooled over the different updates a few times.

Also "we are shipping" has been an ever evolving promise for a year or more. Maybe this time they really are. I am eager to see people get them in their hands.

 

[Mattiejay6]

I feel like a few years ago there was another product similar that almost made it to market that had some really cool marketing and then disappeared.

 

[David_CO]

My UPS label got printed yesterday so I except it in hand some time this week. Will be sure do provide a full rundown.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

My UPS label got printed yesterday so I except it in hand some time this week. Will be sure do provide a full rundown.

please post when you get it. I've been curious too.

 

[JP Reef]

I was an early investor in this product. I am glad to say that mine arrives this week. I can't wait to see how this thing performs.

 

[VintageReefer]

It doesn’t exist until it’s in a home and connected to someone’s tank

Following along. Hoping this works well

 

[Reefing102]

I didn’t invest but I wasn’t really in the hobby when the kickstarter came out. Anyway if it works and works well, it may definitely be something to consider.

 

[BubblesandSqueak]

Sales start tomorrow. Who’s first?

 

[ind.aquatics]

@braaap sorry for coming off snarky - as of that email many aF4s had been delivered to our original Kickstarter backers. We’ll do better in the future! As of this writing - nearly all aF4s for the Kickstarter folk have been delivered

As for real world reviews etc - we’ve shipped units to several reviewers so those SHOULD be coming soon. Totally get the apprehension on making a big purchase without knowing if it works. (Our testers signed documents sworn to secrecy!)

@JonoH our YouTube channel has a very lengthy getting started video intended for customers - but that should give everyone a good idea of how it works!

@BeanAnimal you've been very very helpful throughout my reefing career! Thanks for all the help and informative posts you make! Regarding reefbuilders, Jake and I became friends during the long development of this product- he helped keep me going and was instrumental in making sure this product was the best it could be and that we DID NOT SELL OUT. He urged us to stay independent because the industry needs innovators and less monopolies.

That said, we took on investors and have a large outside company handling the manufacturing and engineering and the after sales service.

Also - we did sell our home, and took some of the proceeds to keep the project going. We faced a lot of hurdles and adversity to get to this point but we were determined not to leave our Kickstarter backers high and dry. We believe in the product and love the way it works.

@Mattiejay6 the tank water is used to clean the inner workings and the feed / rinse lines, it doesn’t really go into the food reservoir.

There was a lot to cover here - but I think I covered everything!

Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions - I’ll try to answer stuff here as much as I can! I randomly found this thread searching for something unrelated!

Erik
PS. We also offered refunds to 100% of the Kickstarter backers that wanted them throughout this very extended process!

 

[JonoH]