What is still to be Automated

[redpine42]

I started Salt water originally about 30 years ago. Came back to it this year and everything seems to be automated. Being a techie, I'm automating everything I can think of.

So my question is what is left to automate?

 

[Brew12]

Dynamic phosphate measurement and removal. How awesome would it be to have real time phosphate measurements control flow through a GFO reactor? ;Singing;Singing;Singing;Singing

 

[Reefpuck]

Well as soon as I get my hands on the Trident...all I really need tested/ controlled at this point is nitrates/ phosphates.

After that...I think we're good to go!

 

[BigAl07]

I'm looking forward into the anticipation of perpetual/automatic water changing.

 

[Brew12]

I'm looking forward into the anticipation of perpetual/automatic water changing.

I'm thinking we are already there. That is pretty much what this was designed for. One pump to fill, one to drain.
https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/products/ghl-doser/ghl-doser-maxi/

 

[WWIII]

I'm thinking we are already there. That is pretty much what this was designed for. One pump to fill, one to drain.
https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/products/ghl-doser/ghl-doser-maxi/

I've been using the maxi doser for constant auto waterchanges for a couple months now. It's amazing! No float switches, just the calibrated dosing pumps doing their thing. Only complaint is I have to buy salt more often than before. Theoretically I did the same water change amount before, but when the doser is doing them for me 24/7 they are never delayed or put off for another day/week.

I agree automated phosphate control would be great!

 

[tiggs]

I think automated parameter testing/monitoring is going to be the next big thing. Sure, we have the KH Director and the upcoming Trident, but these devices are just pulling water, then mixing/reading reagents the same way we do. I think something will come out within the next few years that pretty much does away with the whole reagent thing and allows us to constantly monitor most/all parameters with different probes. For example, probes for calcium, magnesium, nitrate, and many other things already exist. They just haven't been improved to the point where we can use them for constant use yet.

 

[Brew12]

I agree automated phosphate control would be great!

I know the new Alk monitors and control are the "holy grail" of reefing.

I think phosphate control would still be a nice glass of wine!

 

[Dennis McGrath]

I know I'm going to probably get ripped apart, but I will never use an automated system for anything in my tanks. I trust myself to maintain the water level and to check all the water parameters, I don't trust machines, $4it happens...
How many people have been away from their tanks and the ATO kept dumping water and didn't stop?

 

[WWIII]

I know the new Alk monitors and control are the "holy grail" of reefing.

I think phosphate control would still be a nice glass of wine!

Couldn't have said it better!

 

[tiggs]

I know I'm going to probably get ripped apart, but I will never use an automated system for anything in my tanks. I trust myself to maintain the water level and to check all the water parameters, I don't trust machines, $4it happens...
How many people have been away from their tanks and the ATO kept dumping water and didn't stop?

That's a fair point. Personally, I'm all for automating most tasks, but one thing I will absolutely never do is automate something without a failsafe in place. For example, my ATO is controlled by a float switch like most on the market. It has a built-in safety feature to automatically shut off after 2 minutes of constant use, but that's not good enough for me, especially since I live in a 10th floor apartment. So what I've done is program my controller to only provide power to the ATO outlet for 20 seconds every half hour. Even if the float switch is stuck open, it would take over a week of constant pumping to surpass evaporation and overflow the tank.

I agree with what you're saying though. I feel like many people try to automate every single thing without considering what would happen if that one piece of equipment ever failed.

 

[WWIII]

I know I'm going to probably get ripped apart, but I will never use an automated system for anything in my tanks. I trust myself to maintain the water level and to check all the water parameters, I don't trust machines, $4it happens...
How many people have been away from their tanks and the ATO kept dumping water and didn't stop?

When I add all this automation I always try to think of worst case scenario. Any time a machine is adding to or taking away, heating or cooling, one has to assume it can either stick on or off permanently. There are ways to add redundancy and mitgate risk. Limiting run times, capacities, having back ups, alarms, shut down scenarios, etc... all can help when it hits the fan!

For example, my ato is limited to 10% total tank volume, it is triggered by an optical sensor, there is a backup float sensor above that, the pump has a maximum run time of 1 minute, the pump is also shut down if salinity drops too low.

 

[Reefpuck]

Is a auto fish feeder for frozen foods to much to ask for?

 

[BigAl07]

I'm thinking we are already there. That is pretty much what this was designed for. One pump to fill, one to drain.
https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/products/ghl-doser/ghl-doser-maxi/

I just meant for me the next hurdle is going to be AWC. I'm thinking I might have missed the point to the Original question now LOL.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Automated QT/Hospital tank. Doses proper type and amount of meds per type of fish. Monitors O2 levels, sends alerts via email.

Anyway, something like that. Lol

 

[redpine42]

Automated QT/Hospital tank. Doses proper type and amount of meds per type of fish. Monitors O2 levels, sends alerts via email.

Anyway, something like that. Lol

Is there anything that automates to monitoring of Oxygen. That seems like something that would be useful?

And the Hospital sounds cool.

 

[SuncrestReef]

How about automatically un-burying the coral frags my pistol shrimp grabs and drags over to his burrow??? ;Bored