The Mindstream is DEAD!! I'm getting mine soon!

[Daniel@R2R]

I won the Mindstream at MACNA back in 2015, and the wait has been long, but I'm super excited to announce that Step Ahead Innovation is now sending out the units to those of us who won raffles and backed them on kickstarter! I've got my order in, and I'll be stoked to be one of the first to receive a working unit! The report is that the Mindstream will soon be available for purchase to everyone!

Just wanted to share my good news! :D :D

 

[TMB]

Very Cool! Can't wait to see it in action! I hope you'll do something we can follow as you put it to use.:)

 

[TexasTodd]

What is it?

 

[bigpaul]

Very exciting! Keep us posted on how it performs.

 

[kchristensen8064]

I would definitely be following your experience with this if you post about it. This this sounds amazing!

 

[TheHarold]

I’m still not sold on the idea that the optical disks need to be changed every month, due to algae growth.

1. Does that mean that they get less accurate throughout the month?

2. Why is Mind-stream be determined to “kick you out” after a month, requiring a code from a new disk? Either results from day 29 are terrible (bad product), or they are fine (and one should be able to continue using the disk, without getting kicked off and requiring a new code).

I hate the “code” idea. Sounds weird that the disks can’t be cleaned too....

Any thoughts @mdbannister ?

I thought i also read that the monthly cost is 2x that of Trident- though it does measure many more things.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

What is it?

It's a monitor that keeps track of 10 different parameters in the tank: https://www.mindstreamh2o.com/

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I’m still not sold on the idea that the optical disks need to be changed every month, due to algae growth.

1. Does that mean that they get less accurate throughout the month?

2. Why is Mind-stream be determined to “kick you out” after a month, requiring a code from a new disk? Either results from day 29 are terrible (bad product), or they are fine (and one should be able to continue using the disk).

Any thoughts @mdbannister ?

Eh, if I had to venture a guess (because that's all this really is on my part), I'd suspect that they can be relatively sure the disks last at least a month, and that's why they won't go beyond that. I think the disk is probably still fine to use beyond a month, but not sure how much farther out it can be used (maybe that part varies from tank to tank?). I do know they require a subscription to keep monitoring. I see it from a couple of angles... on the one hand, there will be plenty of people who won't like the subscription and will refuse the product based on that. However, on the other hand, I do see how this could be good quality control in that the device should continue to provide accurate results over time if the disk is replaced each month.

 

[Snookin]

It's a monitor that keeps track of 9 different parameters in the tank: https://www.mindstreamh2o.com/

Are they still planning to charge a monthly fee for website access and new disks? Pricing doesn’t seem to be available on the updated website.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Are they still planning to charge a monthly fee for website access and new disks? Pricing doesn’t seem to be available on the updated website.

I'm pretty certain that's still the plan.

 

[TheHarold]

Eh, if I had to venture a guess (because that's all this really is on my part), I'd suspect that they can be relatively sure the disks last at least a month, and that's why they won't go beyond that. I think the disk is probably still fine to use beyond a month, but not sure how much farther out it can be used (maybe that part varies from tank to tank?). I do know they require a subscription to keep monitoring. I see it from a couple of angles... on the one hand, there will be plenty of people who won't like the subscription and will refuse the product based on that. However, on the other hand, I do see how this could be good quality control in that the device should continue to provide accurate results over time if the disk is replaced each month.

Fair enough. I am always the skeptic, lol.

Obviously different tanks have different algae growth patterns. My tank with zero nutrients will be very different algae growth from someone’s softie tank.

Their current claims regarding the subscription make ZERO sense to me.

If they did not force that it needed to be changed every month, I would be much more interested.

For their claim to be accurate, it has to fall within 2 areas.... either the results after 29 days are still perfect, or they are no good. And that’s based on algae growth..... which is a factor that varies a LOT.

 

[ScottR]

This is a really cool product. Quite small for all that it tests for. Although it requires a monthly subscription and changing out of discs, I’d say this is no different than buying reagents for similar products on the market.

Please post a review after you get it up and running.

 

[ScottR]

Fair enough. I am always the skeptic, lol.

Obviously different tanks have different algae growth patterns. My tank with zero nutrients will be very different algae growth from someone’s softie tank.

Their current claims regarding the subscription make ZERO sense to me.

If they did not force that it needed to be changed every month, I would be much more interested.

For their claim to be accurate, it has to fall within 2 areas.... either the results after 29 days are still perfect, or they are no good. And that’s based on algae growth..... which is a factor that varies a LOT.

If you have a triton, you need to buy reagents to be able to use it. If you use a Hanna checker, you need to buy reagents to use it. If you use salifert, you need to buy a new kit to replenish the reagents. I see no difference here.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

This is a really cool product. Quite small for all that it tests for. Although it requires a monthly subscription and changing out of discs, I’d say this is no different than buying reagents for similar products on the market.

Please post a review after you get it up and running.

Will do!

 

[TheHarold]

If you have a triton, you need to buy reagents to be able to use it. If you use a Hanna checker, you need to buy reagents to use it. If you use salifert, you need to buy a new kit to replenish the reagents. I see no difference here.

If you read my post, you would see exactly what I think the difference is :). I am not complaining about the price- just their (possibly; theoretically,) unusual system.

They claim that the disk has to be changed every 30 days, due to algae growth, hence they will LOCK your units test ability. I think that is VERY sketchy, and the explanation is insufficient.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

If you have a triton, you need to buy reagents to be able to use it. If you use a Hanna checker, you need to buy reagents to use it. If you use salifert, you need to buy a new kit to replenish the reagents. I see no difference here.

That's kind of how I'm looking at it as well. I know the subscription will cost more than I typically spend on reagents, but it tests a lot more (I think the site said every 15 minutes which is 96x daily), so I'm fine with it. It will monitor those parameters, and if the unit is as precise as they claim, then it will be more consistent than any of the other tests I have currently.

 

[ScottR]

If you read my post, you would see exactly what I think the difference is :). I am not complaining about the price- just their (possibly; theoretically) deceptive practices.

A subscription includes the disks. So I see nothing wrong with that. Don’t know the price. But I don’t think that’s being deceptive.

 

[ScottR]

That's kind of how I'm looking at it as well. I know the subscription will cost more than I typically spend on reagents, but it tests a lot more (I think the site said every 15 minutes which is 96x daily), so I'm fine with it. It will monitor those parameters, and if the unit is as precise as they claim, then it will be more consistent than any of the other tests I have currently.

It checks for something like 10 things. No other product on the market does that. It’s almost like receiving an ICP test every 15 minutes. I hope they’re accurate. If so, I’m shelling out some big bucks for one.

 

[TheHarold]

A subscription includes the disks. So I see nothing wrong with that. Don’t know the price. But I don’t think that’s being deceptive.

I updated my post with more explanation.

They claim that the disk has to be changed every 30 days, due to algae growth, hence they will LOCK your units test ability. I think that is VERY sketchy, and the explanation is insufficient.

They say algae grows on the disk and the results get worse over time. That makes sense to me.

Why does it mean day 30 is the “set point” for forcing consumers to buy another disk?

Surely my tank with 0 nutrients grows less algae than someone else’s filthy tank.

Their are clear holes in Mindstreams claims, that seem (to me) to be an attempt at making more money.

Let’s say I put the unit in RODI. They will still lock my unit at 30 days- even if there is zero algae growth.

I would love if they joined the forum so I could ask! I consider myself an informed skeptic. I look for things that “don’t make sense” in advertising and business practices. That’s just how look at new tech, and it’s up to the company to explain otherwise. I don’t just chug the advertising Gatorade, haha


(I was just as skeptical about the trident minimum dosing interval. After talking to many people, it seems like that “makes sense”)

 

[Fudsey]

@mdbannister do you have any clue as to what the costs are supposed to be? Unit and subscription?