MasterTronic Pricing Released

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

Well, the MasterTronic is currently listed on the Focustronic website for a whopping $1299. http://www.focustronic.net/products/core-products/mastertronic.html

When I saw that price tag I almost gagged. Yeah knowing PO4/NO3 are great, but not to the tune of $1300.

As much as I want to support Focustronic, I just cannot find myself stomaching that price tag. To me they are pricing themselves out of the market. What do you guys think?

infinite0180 · Aug 11, 2020

I wonder what reagents it uses?

tdhnry · Aug 11, 2020

I thought the ION director was a lot of money at $820. Now it doesn't seem like a bad deal

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

tdhnry said:
I thought the ION director was a lot of money at $820. Now it doesn't seem like a bad deal

No it does not. And I'll have to give it another look too. They are out of their rabbit butt mind with that pricing. I could see if the unit was similar to the ION Director and not need reagents only calibration but OMG. That pricing cannot be right. Gotta be a misprint

.

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

infinite0180 said:
I wonder what reagents it uses?

I believe they are starting out using the Salifert reagents. Heck just like Ca/Mg I don’t test them frequently enough to justify spending $1300. That’s like a lifetime of reagents lol

infinite0180 · Aug 11, 2020

mitch91175 said:
I believe they are starting out using the Salifert reagents. Heck just like Ca/Mg I don’t test them frequently enough to justify spending $1300. That’s like a lifetime of reagents lol

Yea, thats a bit crazy. My Trident was hard enough to justify at 600$

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

infinite0180 said:
Yea, thats a bit crazy. My Trident was hard enough to justify at 600$

Yeah I was thinking $600 would be my breaking point to own one. They shattered that 2x. Unless you are really desperate to know NO3/PO4 automated they have essentially priced themselves out of my price range (strictly for feasibility). Just cannot justify spending that amount on a testing system and still need to provide the reagents. Almost like they are trying to make up some $$$ for the DIY reagent for the Alkatronic being know by many.

Now maybe somewhere down the road when I hit the lottery and have a lot of cash just laying around maybe. But even then I do not know about that pricing.

PO4 is the primary reason I was even considering getting one since I already have a means to check NO3 using the American Marine NO3 tester (and barely even use that since doing more of an eye test these days).

User1 · Aug 11, 2020

I don't think pricing is a issue. Really, I don't. People pay that amount for corals and more than that for fish.

I'm not saying I agree with it just saying in my opinion that the price won't matter in the end. If it works as advertised people will buy it.

ichthyoid · Aug 11, 2020

I could pay someone to run a lot of tests for $1300!

At $25/week that would last exactly 1 year.

TheHarold · Aug 11, 2020

ichthyoid said:
I could pay someone to run a lot of tests for $1300!

At $25/week that would last exactly 1 year.

I think you are under-estimating the cost, did not include reagents etc.

ichthyoid · Aug 11, 2020

My point! ^

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

saf1 said:
I don't think pricing is a issue. Really, I don't. People pay that amount for corals and more than that for fish.

I'm not saying I agree with it just saying in my opinion that the price won't matter in the end. If it works as advertised people will buy it.

Alkatronic was priced appropriately I feel, but this one just escapes me on pricing. Even they have mentioned that calcium/magnesium isn't all that important to test nearly as frequently, but I guess that all has changed with the upcoming release of the Mastertronic. The way I see it is the manufacturer feels that calcium/magnesium aren't nearly as important (which they've been more than open about that feeling), price for those test appropriately. I run a CaRx and never really worry much about calcium/magnesium anyways so for me it's more about are those even necessary.

I'll eventually get one I'm sure, but not at $1300.

Also, sure if a poll is taken of those that will spend $1300 on a coral/fish it'll be a small percentage that would. I have a CSB, and I didn't pay the outrageous price for it. Came included in a tank breakdown (that's the only reason I have one lol). Being honest, I'd pay $1300 for a piece of equipment before doing so on a coral/fish.

piranhaman00 · Aug 11, 2020

What’s the point without alkalinity?

How does it measure NO3 and PO4with such accuracy? I don’t buy it

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

piranhaman00 said:
What’s the point without alkalinity?

How does it measure NO3 and PO4with such accuracy? I don’t buy it

The Alkatronic is a good machine so we shall see what this has to offer. We will see when/if we can get some unbiased reviews on the unit.

Fishingandreefing · Aug 11, 2020

So is this automatically test for all the major parameters? If not, why would anyone pay $1299. But then again, people are willing to pay $500 for a powerhead so.

Hausser · Aug 11, 2020

I have both alkatronic and trident. I do not trust my trident but trust my alkatronic. As far as the price on the mastertronic I do not know what reagents they use and if it is salifert I will pass on the mastertronic. I currently have alkatronic and dosetronic. People also pay almost 900.00 for 1 radion light. 1300.00 is high but not super high.

amps · Aug 11, 2020

Dang! I was interested but looks like I'll be going for the Ion Director

User1 · Aug 11, 2020

Hausser said:
I have both alkatronic and trident. I do not trust my trident but trust my alkatronic. As far as the price on the mastertronic I do not know what reagents they use and if it is salifert I will pass on the mastertronic. I currently have alkatronic and dosetronic. People also pay almost 900.00 for 1 radion light. 1300.00 is high but not super high.

Why not trust the trident?

Side question - out of ignorance - if the mastertronic is using 3rd party test kits why not just buy a reefbot? Isn't that retail for 900?

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

Hausser said:
I have both alkatronic and trident. I do not trust my trident but trust my alkatronic. As far as the price on the mastertronic I do not know what reagents they use and if it is salifert I will pass on the mastertronic. I currently have alkatronic and dosetronic. People also pay almost 900.00 for 1 radion light. 1300.00 is high but not super high.

amps said:
Dang! I was interested but looks like I'll be going for the Ion Director

Yeah this is a marketing blunder (could be totally wrong). The anticipation was there for the device but they will take a hit at that price point. With nothing else out ATM with a pricing structure in the $500-$800 range, I believe they would have hit a homerun and taken major market share from the other players.

Now if the device ALSO tested alkalinity, then the $1300 price point would be easier to stomach.

mitch91175 · Aug 11, 2020

saf1 said:
Why not trust the trident?

Side question - out of ignorance - if the mastertronic is using 3rd party test kits why not just buy a reefbot? Isn't that retail for 900?

OMG no you didn't

Have they fixed the what seems major concerns with that device? At least what I've read about it (could be way off base)