Reefkinetics Reefbot

BIGGUN · Mar 16, 2019

But in those once upon a time scenarios those beautiful reefs crashed every few years or less. Just ask some of the leaders of the hobby how many crashes they had. Success was measured by keeping a brown stick alive for 6 months. Now with new technology entering the industry why step back.

I agree that this is just a tool to make reefkeeping a little easier, but at what price?

I can't even find my desired numbers in PO4 or NO3. The Alk is probably workable but the Alkatronics seems to be more precise at this time. So I am glad that there are users out there that will be able to use the ReefBot to their advantage and hope it does what you need it to do. I just can not be in that group yet.

Hopefully the numbers will get a little better with user input and it will work for me. I love the idea.

richiero · Mar 16, 2019

Dj City said:
My ReefBot is working fine.
I am not super interested in super exact numbers and I realize that ALL our tests are hobby grade.

Red Sea (hobby grade)
Giesmann (hobby grade)
API (hobby grade)
Tropic Marin (hobby grade)
Salifert (hobby grade)
Hanna (hobby grade)

I need to be in the correct ballpark. I need to keep within a certain range.

I think some people get too caught up in exact numbers and forget that all our tests are hobby grade tests.

The ReefBot lets me know if something is out of whack or out of my acceptable range.
Im happy with that because I realize that any test I get from any brand is still just hobby grade.

I agree , like with my alkatronic I don’t look for an exact numbers just a consistent rang of where I want my alk to be. Consistency is the key to success in this hobby.

richiero · Mar 16, 2019

I don’t think it would be to hard to implement an auto retest if the range is off to much from the last test result. Raspberry Pi is very easy to right code for

Dj City · Mar 16, 2019

To any that don't quite understand...

The ReefBot performs the tests the same way you would but with better accuracy.

If you use Red Sea test kit before getting a ReefBot and do the test by hand, then you get a ReefBot, it does the same thing you did with the Red Sea test reagents. It just does it robotically and automatically.

The tests are the same. The ReefBot takes human error out the equation provided i'ts set up properly.

richiero · Mar 16, 2019

Dj City said:
To any that don't quite understand...

The ReefBot performs the tests the same way you would but with better accuracy.

If you use red sea test kit before getting a ReefBot and do the test by hand, if you get a ReefBot, it does the same thing you did with the Red Sea test reagents. It just does it robotically and automatically.

I’ve been following this thread from the start and it seems like the unit is having trouble taken the proper amount of reagent when testing which then gives different results on each test. And the human element is still involved here also ex filling the vials , replacing the needle to that might have a factor in results also

BIGGUN · Mar 16, 2019

Has anyone been checking the 0 results from the ReefBot against manually testing with the same kit?

You are correct that if the kits are USELESS manually they will also be useless in a ReefBot.

Acro maniac · Mar 16, 2019

Pife said:
I don't have mine yet but I've been playing with my friends and when we were getting ratings that were off it was all due to a poor calibration. We calibrate of it until we got consistent results it took three or four times.

What did you do cals?

Acro maniac · Mar 16, 2019

Dj City said:
My ReefBot is working fine.
I am not super interested in super exact numbers and I realize that ALL our tests are hobby grade.

Red Sea (hobby grade)
Giesmann (hobby grade)
API (hobby grade)
Tropic Marin (hobby grade)
Salifert (hobby grade)
Hanna (hobby grade)

I need to be in the correct ballpark. I need to keep within a certain range.

I think some people get too caught up in exact numbers and forget that all our tests are hobby grade tests.

The ReefBot lets me know if something is out of whack or out of my acceptable range.
Im happy with that because I realize that any test I get from any brand is still just hobby grade.

Agreed just looking for a visible consistant reported level.

Pife · Mar 16, 2019

BIGGUN said:
Has anyone been checking the 0 results from the ReefBot against manually testing with the same kit?

You are correct that if the kits are USELESS manually they will also be useless in a ReefBot.

Yes. They are also 0

Pife · Mar 16, 2019

Acro maniac said:
What did you do cals?

I don't know what you're asking.

Hemmdog · Mar 16, 2019

Pife said:
Yes. They are also 0

If it was truely zero your corals would be very mad and soon to be dead. What test kits are you using ??

Pife · Mar 16, 2019

richiero said:
I’ve been following this thread from the start and it seems like the unit is having trouble taken the proper amount of reagent when testing which then gives different results on each test. And the human element is still involved here also ex filling the vials , replacing the needle to that might have a factor in results also

I don't think the unit is having any problems in taking the exact amount that it is calibrated to. There is a human factor in calibration.

Rick Strauss · Mar 16, 2019

Where can a person buy consumables. Like syringes needles and bottle caps? Looks like we all are going to need them fairly soon. Any US options?

rushbattle · Mar 16, 2019

BIGGUN said:
But in those once upon a time scenarios those beautiful reefs crashed every few years or less. Just ask some of the leaders of the hobby how many crashes they had. Success was measured by keeping a brown stick alive for 6 months. Now with new technology entering the industry why step back.

I agree that this is just a tool to make reefkeeping a little easier, but at what price?

I can't even find my desired numbers in PO4 or NO3. The Alk is probably workable but the Alkatronics seems to be more precise at this time. So I am glad that there are users out there that will be able to use the ReefBot to their advantage and hope it does what you need it to do. I just can not be in that group yet. Hopefully the numbers will get a little better with user input and it will work for me. I love the idea.

I think the alk is just fine with salifert and Red Sea, though I've only tested salifert and API. I will use Red Sea next. Overall, I think the reefbot will do just fine with testing NO3 and PO4 in the future, which is what I wanted to test for anyhow. It is nice to have good enough alk and Ca numbers until Mindstream gets to market. Once I have continuous alk and ca, I will add Mg into reefbot, because I hate doing that test manually.

rushbattle · Mar 16, 2019

Rick Strauss said:
Where can a person buy consumables. Like syringes needles and bottle caps? Looks like we all are going to need them fairly soon. Any US options?

I looked for the needles and haven't found them so far. I found the syringes on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/B-D-Plastipak-Syringe-303172-Pack/dp/B01M7X2OAE

I haven't looked for the bottle tops yet, but I bet they last a long time.

If anybody finds the needles in the US, it would be a big help to all of us as I am bending needles pretty regularly, although knocking on wood I haven't for 5-6 tests now.

MyReefRobbedMe · Mar 16, 2019

Rick Strauss said:
Where can a person buy consumables. Like syringes needles and bottle caps? Looks like we all are going to need them fairly soon. Any US options?

I’m still in search for the right needles , but I got some extra bottles here for cheap , they don’t have the PTFE caps , I found them on eBay but are expensive. I order some but they haven’t came in yet , but I did get these bottles and they are the same

https://www.sciplus.com/20ml-amber-glass-bottles-with-caps-61687-p

Hemmdog · Mar 16, 2019

rushbattle said:
I looked for the needles and haven't found them so far. I found the syringes on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/B-D-Plastipak-Syringe-303172-Pack/dp/B01M7X2OAE

I haven't looked for the bottle tops yet, but I bet they last a long time.

If anybody finds the needles in the US, it would be a big help to all of us as I am bending needles pretty regularly, although knocking on wood I haven't for 5-6 tests now.

I’ve heard on the news you can get free clean needles at methadone clinics

;Facepalm

MyReefRobbedMe · Mar 16, 2019

Finding 2 inch hypodermic needles is tougher than it looks . I ordered these but these are the ones that twist and lock .. I figured I could shave off that part with a razor blade .. just showing what I ordered .. o also am waiting on these so can’t give feed back

https://www.amazon.com/Blunt-Dispensing-Needle-14ga-25ga-Needles/dp/B07M6Q3LMX

MyReefRobbedMe · Mar 16, 2019

I was getting pretty normal and consistent readings “with-in “ the hobby grade test kits at first .. last couple days just been horrible though and way off from any hobby grade reasoning of error . As for The p04 they shouldn’t even advocate the Giesemann for the Reef bot if it doesn’t work . Everyone I spoke with has came back with 0 . I did see the directions was different on the Po4 Giesemann, did they change since maybe that’s why it isn’t working ? Or is it just a error printing the instructions . I’m not a tech geek but I thought The colormeter would’ve been able to read better than my eyes but it apparently can’t . I hope this gets sorted out

rushbattle · Mar 16, 2019

MyReefRobbedMe said:
Finding 2 inch hypodermic needles is tougher than it looks . I ordered these but these are the ones that twist and lock .. I figured I could shave off that part with a razor blade .. just showing what I ordered .. o also am waiting on these so can’t give feed back

https://www.amazon.com/Blunt-Dispensing-Needle-14ga-25ga-Needles/dp/B07M6Q3LMX

I saw those, they are blunt tip rather than hypodermic. I think they will tear up or not pierce the silicone vial covers. Let us know how they work. Thanks!