AquaWiz Gen 4 (Blue unit) - Week 2 report

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I bought this for 2 reasons:
1) I’m having serious issues with my new Alkatronic. It’s been out of service a month now, and I think Focustronic, well, I’ll leave that comment for the right forum.
2) I’m waiting to purchase the CARX add on. I’m super intrigued by the automation this claims with that bolt on feature.

Days 1-7:
-The first 7 days I just I let it run doing hourly tests day and night
1 on day 2 I realized I needed to shim the unit to get it level front to back.
- I calibrated my trident thinking this would be dialed in out of the box. It is not.
Days 8-14
Day 8:
- I followed the instructions and calibrated the unit. Super easy. I used my Hanna to set the base line. My Trident was spot on to the Hanna, as I calibrated my Trident 7 days earlier.
- After I calibrated the unit, it was dialed.
- Today is day 14:
In the picture DKH is my AquaWiz

 

[Rocks reef]

It looks like you have it dialed in!

 

[bubbgee]

Any updates? Is it still worth the purchase after a few months? I was planning to get this but I was able to get my Dos kinda dialled in but still dealing with the .5 dkh swings so I was thinking the AquaWiz can even get that flattened out.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Any updates? Is it still worth the purchase after a few months? I was planning to get this but I was able to get my Dos kinda dialled in but still dealing with the .5 dkh swings so I was thinking the AquaWiz can even get that flattened out.

So, that’s a tough question. Let me start this by I have 3 DKH testers. A Trident, AquaWiz and a Alkatronic. So, here are my thoughts. Let’s cut the useless piece of crap, from a platform that is also a giant turd that Eric also doesn’t stand behind the junk he is selling, The Alkatronic. If you watch the videos online where Focustronic gear is repaired and pay attention, the chips used are some of the oldest (20+ years) designed in their class, and basically worthless. I would never recommend Focustronic gear to any of my ex-wives or their new boytoys.

Now that I got that out of the way - it comes down to this statement. Don’t dose 2,3 or 4 part or do you use a CARX?

If you use 2, 3 or 4 part I would not go with the AquaWiz. In my humble opinion, something like the Trident is more useful in that scenario due to the CA and MG testing. Due to the price point of the AquaWiz being priced absolutely too high for the quality of parts it is made from, it’s not rational to purchase an AquaWiz then also purchase something no to test CA or MG, as if it tests CAnit likely tests DKH.

If, (for this display 7 days ago I fully transitioned to using only a CARX and Kalk) then, it would make sense to purchase an AquaWiz. I am taking my Trident offline, sending it in to be refurbished. I’ll put my back up online for my second system and manage that system via 2part. For my big system now only utilizing a CARX and Kalk, I’m not so concerned at all about CA or MG on a daily basis. I’ll check it once a week and if I need to I will manually adjust. But, the CARX is maintaining a 455 CA for 7 days now and prior to this I was bouncing between 415 and 440, this afternoon dosing 400 - 500 mil of CA, and using my old undersized CARX and Kalk. So, I’m not really worried about CA. With a CARX, you chase DKH and CA follows, or at least that is how I deal with it.

I hope this helps. As for the functionality of the unit, I posted this earlier today on a thread I have going about the AquaWiz CRA that I am bringing online this weekend:

My reviews of the AquaWiz are mixed. It works great for what the prime reason it is needed, measuring Alkalinity. But, being it’s way overpriced, the ph measuring is a useless piece of crap, it’s prone to algae growing in it and when you go to clean the algae, the white lines to fill and level the tubes instantly disappears. But, so far, it really measures alkalinity very well without the need for reagent.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Below, Alkalinity is my Trident and DKH is my AquaWiz. The Teident tested at 8:30, the AquaWiz will test in 8 minutes. I’ll try to remember to post in 30 minutes to see where it lands compared to the Trident. Often the gap between the two is much tighter than this. But I am totally fine with this. If I tested with my Hanna, it would be slightly different too.

 

[bubbgee]

Any updates? Is it still worth the purchase after a few months? I was planning to get this but I was able to get my Dos kinda dialled in but still dealing with the .5 dkh swings so I was thinking the AquaWiz can even get that flattened out.

So, that’s a tough question. Let me start this by I have 3 DKH testers. A Trident, AquaWiz and a Alkatronic. So, here are my thoughts. Let’s cut the useless piece of crap, from a platform that is also a giant turd that Eric also doesn’t stand behind the junk he is selling, The Alkatronic. If you watch the videos online where Focustronic gear is repaired and pay attention, the chips used are some of the oldest (20+ years) designed in their class, and basically worthless. I would never recommend Focustronic gear to any of my ex-wives or their new boytoys.

Now that I got that out of the way - it comes down to this statement. Don’t dose 2,3 or 4 part or do you use a CARX?

If you use 2, 3 or 4 part I would not go with the AquaWiz. In my humble opinion, something like the Trident is more useful in that scenario due to the CA and MG testing. Due to the price point of the AquaWiz being priced absolutely too high for the quality of parts it is made from, it’s not rational to purchase an AquaWiz then also purchase something no to test CA or MG, as if it tests CAnit likely tests DKH.

If, (for this display 7 days ago I fully transitioned to using only a CARX and Kalk) then, it would make sense to purchase an AquaWiz. I am taking my Trident offline, sending it in to be refurbished. I’ll put my back up online for my second system and manage that system via 2part. For my big system now only utilizing a CARX and Kalk, I’m not so concerned at all about CA or MG on a daily basis. I’ll check it once a week and if I need to I will manually adjust. But, the CARX is maintaining a 455 CA for 7 days now and prior to this I was bouncing between 415 and 440, this afternoon dosing 400 - 500 mil of CA, and using my old undersized CARX and Kalk. So, I’m not really worried about CA. With a CARX, you chase DKH and CA follows, or at least that is how I deal with it.

I hope this helps. As for the functionality of the unit, I posted this earlier today on a thread I have going about the AquaWiz CRA that I am bringing online this weekend:

My reviews of the AquaWiz are mixed. It works great for what the prime reason it is needed, measuring Alkalinity. But, being it’s way overpriced, the ph measuring is a useless piece of crap, it’s prone to algae growing in it and when you go to clean the algae, the white lines to fill and level the tubes instantly disappears. But, so far, it really measures alkalinity very well without the need for reagent.

Thanks for the insight. That is rather helpful. For me, I’d like to know when the bulk of alkalinity consumption happens and aquawiz can test every hour. I was hoping the dosing would be helpful but I am using kalk and 2-part but based on your findings, I agree with you to stick to the trident and dos.

Much appreciated!

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Thanks for the insight. That is rather helpful. For me, I’d like to know when the bulk of alkalinity consumption happens and aquawiz can test every hour. I was hoping the dosing would be helpful but I am using kalk and 2-part but based on your findings, I agree with you to stick to the trident and dos.

Much appreciated!

Well, I should add. You bring up something I left out. The dosing feature. It works well. I used it as a crutch when I was getting off the 2 part. But when I was on 2 part, I did and loved, controlled dosing. So, I didn’t want to use the AquaWiz Doser. But, if I wasn’t a fan of controlled dosing, I may not be a fan of the AquaWiz Doser, as it’s very similar too me. So, I like it since I like controlled dosing. I’ll tell you, I attempted to use the controllable dosing on the Alkacraptronic, it it was an instant headache and a bigger instant regret.

All in all - The AquaWiz should not have a PH probe, It should have a window you look through to help prevent algae growth and for the tubes to have lines that wont wash away. And it should be priced around $399-449. But it should not change a thing on how it works for measuring DKH and dosing. Wish me luck on my adventures with the CRA.