Mindstream

adamsfour

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The sad part to all of this is I really think they were on to something they just didn’t work out the kinks. The idea of no reagent sounds like the wave of the future. Maybe combine some features of Trident with MS. For example still pull a small amount of water sample to test thereby avoiding exposure of sensor to algae buildup. They could back down on the number of tests per hour
 

kzp

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I talked to someone there last Thursday but not this week.
Out of curiosity, what did this person at SAI tell you last Thursday? Did you get any sense that they are about to go insolvent? Also, I also thought that they indicated that they were financially stable in their recent company communication. But, perhaps that was simply a flat-out lie
 

TARHEEL78

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Out of curiosity, what did this person at SAI tell you last Thursday? Did you get any sense that they are about to go insolvent? Also, I also thought that they indicated that they were financially stable in their recent company communication. But, perhaps that was simply a flat-out lie

No,I didn't get that feeling at all. He indicated that they had production issues due to the skill required to build and calibrate the units and that they were working to have all orders fulfilled and to be taking new orders by February at the latest. Of course that could have all been lies so take it with a grain of salt. All I know is that if I haven't heard back from them by tomorrow I'm done with the mindstream and I'll go the same way @OLDREEFER44 did.
 

Oldreefer44

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Hard to believe after months of testing they didn’t see an issue with sensor getting dirty. Was your sensor in tank or sump.
Was in my tank at first. When I started getting readings that I felt were suspect (about 2 weeks after installation), I discussed it with them and they had me install the backup disc. Same thing happened. In both cases, the "cleaning brushes" remained intact. They decided that maybe the flow was insufficient around the monitor so they had me move it. The location did seem to affect it as the readings deteriorated at a faster rate after moving it. By that time, the next disc arrived, so I installed it and moved it back to the old location. Accuracy deteriorated much more quickly this time so I cleaned the sensors and moved it to my sump. It was worse there so I asked for a refund and sent it back. When it worked it was great. I did an ICP test with a new disc and it was right on. I know that it is working for others so perhaps it can be fixed. I hope it works out for all concerned.
 

kzp

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Uh, let's be honest....this last post looks pretty bad to me. Oldreefer tried different locations with different flows, multiple discs in different locations, etc., and kept getting deteriorations of his readings over time. Perhaps he had a 'bad' mother unit, but it's unclear. Another hypothesis is simply that the technology is inherently flawed.

Can anyone on this forum vouch for the unit's accuracy and reliability over time? Even if someone can attest to MS's reliability, it's really a moot point given the fact that we don't even know if this company is effectively still solvent as of right now given the fact that no one has been able to reach them (at least that we know of) since last Thursdday!
 

TARHEEL78

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Uh, let's be honest....this last post looks pretty bad to me. Oldreefer tried different locations with different flows, multiple discs in different locations, etc., and kept getting deteriorations of his readings over time. Perhaps he had a 'bad' mother unit, but it's unclear. Another hypothesis is simply that the technology is inherently flawed.

Can anyone on this forum vouch for the unit's accuracy and reliability over time? Even if someone can attest to MS's reliability, it's really a moot point given the fact that we don't even know if this company is effectively still solvent as of right now given the fact that no one has been able to reach them (at least that we know of) since last Thursdday!
Unfortunately, no one can attest to the reliability over time since they haven't been in thanks very long. Even if someone did have a unit that has been reliable the whole time they've had it that's a very very small sample size.
 

flagg37

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Unfortunately, no one can attest to the reliability over time since they haven't been in thanks very long. Even if someone did have a unit that has been reliable the whole time they've had it that's a very very small sample size.
Even that statement is a little surprising. Correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t the mindstream announced like 8 years ago?
 

Hair Algae Wizard

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Just out of curiosity, are there any reefers in Vermont local to where Mindstream is, that can possibly stop by and visit the company, and see what is actually going on?
 

chicago

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I sent them an e-mail today stating that a company That asked for $1000 for a product promised in eight weeks and it’s been now four months and can’t even return an email it’s not someone I want to do business with ..I said at the least you should be responding to an email advising and giving updates while you are holding payment and have been paid. If I don’t get a response to my email tomorrow my order is cancelled. In fact I told them that. Bottom
Line to keep me as a costumer I need an e-mail I stayed. If they can’t do that why would I wan to do business with them and be at the mercy of monthly disc replacements
 

SandJ

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Did anyone else order on September 2nd? If so, would you mind sending me a message. I am curious about the order numbers (if they are random or continuously issued).
 

SandJ

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This was my last email from them on 11/1/2019. This was at the 8 week mark.

From Ryan at Mindstream:
We are hoping to have an update ready to send to all customers who's orders have exceed the original estimated shipping estimation by the end of next week. This email will include a 10% discount along with greater details on your order. Please be on the lookout for this email.

There is still a significant backlog of orders ahead of yours that we are actively working on fulfilling so unfortunately your order will not be shipping in the immediate future. We will be keeping you updated with order progress but feel free to check in at any point.
 

kzp

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Let's be honest with ourselves....this thing started to get 'fishy' (no pun intended) fairly early in the process. 1st the unexplainable long delays. Then, people getting almost verbatim canned responses from whoever they talked to at SAI. These responses included multiple broken promises of 'coming probably next week', then a 'week later', then 'probably next month', then 'you are high on the list', and then the e-mails and phone calls started becoming spaced further and further apart, and then the e-mail and phone call responses went stone silent.

All along, we kept making excuses to ourselves for this gross malfeacance every time our expectations were dashed..."it's a new start-up", "they need all hands on-board to produce units, so there is no one to answer the phone"; there's no reason to answer e-mails because they have no new news to offer"; they are "producing a robot to produce discs that just takes time", etc., etc. We all put up with this just because we so badly wanted to believe that it's true---that this almost unbelievable revolutionarly technology is here to make our lives and reefs better.

At least speaking for myself, I should have just listened to my better instincts; "if something sounds too good to be true, then it usually is" and "if it looks like a rat, acts like a rat, and smells like a rat, then it's probably a rat". Lesson learned. By the way, in one of my last verbal communications with MS well over 1 month ago, I was told that it would be 'almost inconceivable and not a good thing' (paraphrased by me) if my unit did not get delivered by what I termed as the "Christmas shopping season". Well, the Christmas shopping season is just about here and I still haven't gotten my unit--or even any communication regarding my unit!!! MS is right--this is almost inconceivable and not a good thing.....indeed, not a good thing at all!
 

TARHEEL78

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Let's be honest with ourselves....this thing started to get 'fishy' (no pun intended) fairly early in the process. 1st the unexplainable long delays. Then, people getting almost verbatim canned responses from whoever they talked to at SAI. These responses included multiple broken promises of 'coming probably next week', then a 'week later', then 'probably next month', then 'you are high on the list', and then the e-mails and phone calls started becoming spaced further and further apart, and then the e-mail and phone call responses went stone silent.

All along, we kept making excuses to ourselves for this gross malfeacance every time our expectations were dashed..."it's a new start-up", "they need all hands on-board to produce units, so there is no one to answer the phone"; there's no reason to answer e-mails because they have no new news to offer"; they are "producing a robot to produce discs that just takes time", etc., etc. We all put up with this just because we so badly wanted to believe that it's true---that this almost unbelievable revolutionarly technology is here to make our lives and reefs better.

At least speaking for myself, I should have just listened to my better instincts; "if something sounds too good to be true, then it usually is" and "if it looks like a rat, acts like a rat, and smells like a rat, then it's probably a rat". Lesson learned. By the way, in one of my last verbal communications with MS well over 1 month ago, I was told that it would be 'almost inconceivable and not a good thing' (paraphrased by me) if my unit did not get delivered by what I termed as the "Christmas shopping season". Well, the Christmas shopping season is just about here and I still haven't gotten my unit--or even any communication regarding my unit!!! MS is right--this is almost inconceivable and not a good thing.....indeed, not a good thing at all!

I can't remember who posted what and I'm too lazy to go back and read again. Are you one of the people who has cancelled(or tried to cancel since they haven't responded)? If not and it comes in the next couple weeks, do you have enough confidence in SAI to keep it and get a subscription?
 

kzp

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I did not cancel as of yet, but it's crossing my mind. As for your question, I have very little "confidence" in this company at this point. Does anybody?

Quite frankly, the only reasons I haven't cancelled are the following: 1. the hope of this actually being 'real' is so great because, conceptually, it would be a game-changer. 2. I am told by my credit card company (AmEx) that I will get my money back regardless of how long it takes if this thing doesn't eventually deliver. 3. I've already waited so long (since 7/1/19), that I've already decide to be a 'martyr for the cause', 4. Luckily, I don't 'need' the $1000.00 that is being held at the current moment, and 5. I am holding out hope that perhaps MS is about to sell this technology or total operations to a 'real' company that can actually deliver a working product and values something called "truth".

That being said, this entire scenario still absolutely sickens me because I, like most people, don't like being lied to, scammed, or promised something that doesn't deliver.
 

Silver14SS

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Let's be honest with ourselves....this thing started to get 'fishy' (no pun intended) fairly early in the process.

Some people posted about all the red flags and got grief about being negative, having no skin in the game since they hadn't ordered, having an agenda, etc. Turned into a bit of an echo chamber wanting to believe the promises.
 

robbyg

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If for some reason this unit does not pan out it would be a greater loss to the Aquarium industry than even a scenerio in which the Vortech had been shelved after being introduced. Just like the Vortech this thing has numerous patents that would make it almost impossible for someone else to ever make a design this simplistic. Who know, the fact that the other companies have gone with ion probes makes me believe that even the Florescent dye reflectivity stuff may be patent for aquarium water testing. You can bet the rotating disks of dye are patented along with probably a bunch of key stuff that would make it near impossible to replicate one. Even if someone else could build the exact product, I am pretty sure that after seeing the demand for this one the price would be even higher. I am really hoping that this is just a setback that they can fix and get ahead of. IMHO this is my dream water testing system and if I have to buy anything else, it is going to be a huge compromise.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

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