MindStream Monitor - Now for Sale. Worth It?

[LittleMaui]

Looks like the MindStream Monitor is now being sold. It costs $995 + a monthly subscription fee of either $39.95/mth or $34.95/mth. Has anyone been a beta tester. This is a step price to pay, but I'm sure many will be willing if the monitor works as promised. It tests ALK, CA2+, MG, Salinity, pH, Temp, O2, CO2, Ammonia and potassium.

https://store.mindstreamh2o.com/shop/products

 

[roberthu526]

My tanks are doing fine with manual testing. It takes about an hour tops every week to test ALK, CAL three times; nitrate, phosphate, and MAG once a week. I don’t see the value of this kind of auto testing to be honest. Manual testing is a way for me to enjoy the tanks.

 

[Butuz]

Btw, I read that it doesnt test Alk in a traditional sense, but uses some new Alk measurement. Dont remember the specifics, but I am curios if its easy enough to “convert” their Alk measurement into a standard one to adjust dosing etc.

 

[Silver14SS]

Neat product, hopefully it works out My concern about being an early adopter is this being a company new to the aquarium industry and as far as I can tell this is their only product. If it's a hit, great! If not, I'd hate to see anyone with a $1k paperweight and no discs.

 

[Erica-Renee]

I Can not see this as a successful product with the Price tag and Monthly fees being so Steep. My thinking is wait until they Realize this for themselves and Drop the price. also 6 to 8 week shipping tells me they have not yet Received the product from production yet and trying to collect some money to do so..

My opinion its Risky

 

[roberthu526]

Neat product, hopefully it works out My concern about being an early adopter is this being a company new to the aquarium industry and as far as I can tell this is their only product. If it's a hit, great! If not, I'd hate to see anyone with a $1k paperweight and no discs.

Exactly. For a new comer to charge this much is pretty risky. For $1000 initial cost and another $400 a year, I can think of a lot of other ways to make my tank better. But if this doesn’t work out I would be throwing away those cash and potentially ruin my tank.

 

[tqpolo]

My tanks are doing fine with manual testing. It takes about an hour tops every week to test ALK, CAL three times; nitrate, phosphate, and MAG once a week. I don’t see the value of this kind of auto testing to be honest. Manual testing is a way for me to enjoy the tanks.

Depends on how much you value your time. If you are worth $50 an hr, at 52 hrs a year that's $2600.

 

[tqpolo]

Depends on how much you value your time. If you are worth $50 an hr, at 52 hrs a year that's $2600.

With that being said if they priced this at half, $500 and $17/month, it would sell like hot cake.

 

[WWIII]

No nitrate, no phosphate. I understand the limitations, but 1k goes a long ways towards a full aquarium controller with auto testing of the other major parameters. If I'm gonna spend 1k on an auto tester it better be able to do calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate, phosphate. They also better be able to show their margins of error.

I don't think the price is a problem if it had all the major parameters reefers want to test for, but it doesn't. Just glad to see it finally coming to market... hopefully

 

[ShepherdTech]

No nitrate, no phosphate. I understand the limitations, but 1k goes a long ways towards a full aquarium controller with auto testing of the other major parameters. If I'm gonna spend 1k on an auto tester it better be able to do calcium, alkalinity, magnesium, nitrate, phosphate. They also better be able to show their margins of error.

I don't think the price is a problem if it had all the major parameters reefers want to test for, but it doesn't. Just glad to see it finally coming to market... hopefully

The device has come to market and someone here already shared that they have received and are using it. Ordered mine today and will be glad to have something more accurate than my Apex is, or even my test kits, which are less accurate as well as being dependent on the human eye. Adding dosing later, win win for me.

 

[WWIII]

The device has come to market and someone here already shared that they have received and are using it. Ordered mine today and will be glad to have something more accurate than my Apex is, or even my test kits, which are less accurate as well as being dependent on the human eye. Adding dosing later, win win for me.

What's the accuracy for the different tests? I couldn't find it anywhere

 

[ShepherdTech]

What's the accuracy for the different tests? I couldn't find it anywhere

Precision

• Carbonate Alkalinity*: +/- 0.1 dKH
• Calcium: +/- 4 ppm
• Magnesium: +/- 15 ppm

https://www.mindstreamh2o.com/product

 

[roberthu526]

Depends on how much you value your time. If you are worth $50 an hr, at 52 hrs a year that's $2600.

You are right calculating the opportunity cost if it was a job for me. However that is an hour I get to spend to learn my tank and observe.
Think it in a more extreme way: if you get everything automated including adding fish and corals. Then what’s the difference between a public aquarium and a tank at home? I think it goes down to what you actually enjoy in this hobby. To me saving time is awesome but to a certain extend.

 

[tqpolo]

You are right calculating the opportunity cost if it was a job for me. However that is an hour I get to spend to learn my tank and observe.
Think it in a more extreme way: if you get everything automated including adding fish and corals. Then what’s the difference between a public aquarium and a tank at home? I think it goes down to what you actually enjoy in this hobby. To me saving time is awesome but to a certain extend.

If you enjoy manual testing then this product is not for you. Myself, I don't enjoy testing. It is a chore such as cleaning the skimmer or lugging water around. I won't spend $1k plus on this product because I don't test weekly or even monthly. This product is for someone to test frequently but rather use their time for something that bring more values to them.

 

[PranK]

I find it funny that its a limit of 1 per customer. I mean, at that price if somebody wanted to buy 2 or 3 then why not?

I gotta agree about the price. If these tester devices are going to become more available, I'm hoping this is the top of the market.

 

[DocPaulo]

I find it funny that its a limit of 1 per customer. I mean, at that price if somebody wanted to buy 2 or 3 then why not.

Someone anticipated they would meet trident like demand.. lol

 

[chicago]

After much thought and looking at the product I jumped on and will post my thoughts once it is on hand and in use.

 

[Kalibur2]

I think they are overpricing themselves out of the market.

 

[Kalibur2]

I think they are overpricing themselves out of the market

 

[ShepherdTech]

I think they are overpricing themselves out of the market

I think some would like to see it at a price more affordable, but I’m not sure how they are overpricing themselves out of the market. This is much more accurate than anything in the market, tests every 15 minutes and doesn’t require waste water disposal, etc. No reagents to mess with or purchase (thinking more of reefbot than Trident, since Trident only tests 3). Those who can afford it and want the detail and frequency this provides will buy it, others will not. I’m excited about getting the amount of detail this provides. Much less to go wrong (seeing a fair amount of RMA with Trident in their Facebook group) and hate to RMA things. I just had to RMA a Radion XR 30 Pro and a Neptune lunar module (poor QC) and hope this will be more of a medical grade quality (less like a cheap toy of today vs old metal Tonka trucks) when compared to Neptune’s products.