Oh good, some overpriced crap that doesn't test the only 3 parameters I care about. Pass
Thoughts on new lamotte tester?
- Thread starter Aquadude1
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slingfox
2500 Club Member
I don’t believe there is any info on pricing yet. The cartridge for this system which tests every 15 minutes so supposed to last for 30 days.
That said, even if the product is cheap, what is the point of tracking these parameters? I am somewhat confused how this product ever got approved for release. Perhaps these parameters are useful for the freshwater side?
fryman
Active Member
I agree with the general skepticism but one parameter that piques my interest is oxygen.
We don't generally monitor O2 because we don't have easy ways of doing so, but I suspect it may be of use to monitor O2 in a reef tank. I've had fish deaths and seen tank crashes that would probably have been detected by an oxygen monitor. In one of my tanks years back I had a circuit breaker trip at night. Luckily I woke up and noticed the issue. Most of my fish were passed out and floating around the tank. I thought at first dead, but after tank flow was restored ~10min they "woke up". I've seen fish sleep, this was *not* normal sleeping behavior. I think I dodged a bullet.
I also think bacteria blooms lead to fish deaths due to oxygen deprivation.
I suspect many people have cronic low O2 in their reef tanks at night but have no idea because it's not something we ever test.
I'm not sure we need most of the other parameters on a continuous monitor, but I might be interested in phosphate.
We don't generally monitor O2 because we don't have easy ways of doing so, but I suspect it may be of use to monitor O2 in a reef tank. I've had fish deaths and seen tank crashes that would probably have been detected by an oxygen monitor. In one of my tanks years back I had a circuit breaker trip at night. Luckily I woke up and noticed the issue. Most of my fish were passed out and floating around the tank. I thought at first dead, but after tank flow was restored ~10min they "woke up". I've seen fish sleep, this was *not* normal sleeping behavior. I think I dodged a bullet.
I also think bacteria blooms lead to fish deaths due to oxygen deprivation.
I suspect many people have cronic low O2 in their reef tanks at night but have no idea because it's not something we ever test.
I'm not sure we need most of the other parameters on a continuous monitor, but I might be interested in phosphate.
o2manyfish
Valuable Member
Caveat Emptor! The video stated these units have been beta testing since 2024. And according to the video they have a dozen beta units out in the field. That's not beta testing. That's barely alpha testing. Those with memory of the Mindstream know how these stories go. Mindstream offerred XX number of parameters to test and then couldn't make it to market.
Now LaMotte, with 100 years of water testing, has been developing and testing a unit for almost 2 years (23 months) and they are offerring testing of 5 parameters? How many parameters did they intend for this to test initially (23 months ago)? And the teased future parameters - the ones everyone really wants to be able to see without having to do any work - what's been the status of the development of that testing.
Having been a big supporter and spent alot of time on the Beta team for Mindstream, and seeing how many people got stung who attempted to be early adopters - I repeat Caveat Emptor!
Technology in the world has developed exponentially in the last few decades, and yet water quality testing, outside of ICP, is pretty much the same as 4 decades ago.
In 40 years has it gotten more accurate? Maybe. Has it gotten easier? Maybe. Has it gotten faster? Maybe. But the automated testers on the market - that have come (and gone), are using the same testing methods from 40 years ago - just now we have the tech to accurately measure out dosages of water and reagent.
Primary parameters like temp, ph, ORP, DO -- There have been digital probe testers for all these parameter available to the hobbyist for over 30 years. ORP controllers for your Ozonizer (Sander of course :) were available long long before the first Neptune Model 1 came out. DO - also available in a small green Milwaukee (I think) hand held unit - albeit it the price tag was about $1k (If my feeble memory serves) from the mid 90's. PS My Milwaukee DO is brand new in the box to this day.
Those of us with more than a minute in the hobby know that stability is more important that a particular point value. But how many people really know how stable their parameters are.
I'm in a unique position that I have a 1500g water volume, and the ability to afford multiple testing equipment. 1500g of water means that my paramters don't jump around. If I dump (2) 50g bags of salt into my system, it will take 2-3 hrs before salinity rises from 1.023 to 1.024. And yet some controllers who measure salinity show a variance of .005 +- every 15 mins -- An impossible feat.
With outdoor tanks my pH is driven by the rise and fall of the sun. Once the sun rises it's impossible for the pH in my water volume to drop - unless black storm clouds fill the sky. And yet some controllers still can't show a smooth curve of the pH going up and the down.
The point of my rambling of the short comings of the majority of means we test our aquarium parameters, is unless you can afford to buy all the cutting edge (unproven gadgets) without it affecting your kids college fund, your coral purchase fund, or the keep wife/significant others happy with shiny objects fund...... Let idiots like me buy into the tech and wait for people who have used the product say they bought it and works as advertised and you should get one too, before jumping into something new.
If you are still on the wall... Look up the Eco-Aqualizer... Haha
Dave B
Now LaMotte, with 100 years of water testing, has been developing and testing a unit for almost 2 years (23 months) and they are offerring testing of 5 parameters? How many parameters did they intend for this to test initially (23 months ago)? And the teased future parameters - the ones everyone really wants to be able to see without having to do any work - what's been the status of the development of that testing.
Having been a big supporter and spent alot of time on the Beta team for Mindstream, and seeing how many people got stung who attempted to be early adopters - I repeat Caveat Emptor!
Technology in the world has developed exponentially in the last few decades, and yet water quality testing, outside of ICP, is pretty much the same as 4 decades ago.
In 40 years has it gotten more accurate? Maybe. Has it gotten easier? Maybe. Has it gotten faster? Maybe. But the automated testers on the market - that have come (and gone), are using the same testing methods from 40 years ago - just now we have the tech to accurately measure out dosages of water and reagent.
Primary parameters like temp, ph, ORP, DO -- There have been digital probe testers for all these parameter available to the hobbyist for over 30 years. ORP controllers for your Ozonizer (Sander of course :) were available long long before the first Neptune Model 1 came out. DO - also available in a small green Milwaukee (I think) hand held unit - albeit it the price tag was about $1k (If my feeble memory serves) from the mid 90's. PS My Milwaukee DO is brand new in the box to this day.
Those of us with more than a minute in the hobby know that stability is more important that a particular point value. But how many people really know how stable their parameters are.
I'm in a unique position that I have a 1500g water volume, and the ability to afford multiple testing equipment. 1500g of water means that my paramters don't jump around. If I dump (2) 50g bags of salt into my system, it will take 2-3 hrs before salinity rises from 1.023 to 1.024. And yet some controllers who measure salinity show a variance of .005 +- every 15 mins -- An impossible feat.
With outdoor tanks my pH is driven by the rise and fall of the sun. Once the sun rises it's impossible for the pH in my water volume to drop - unless black storm clouds fill the sky. And yet some controllers still can't show a smooth curve of the pH going up and the down.
The point of my rambling of the short comings of the majority of means we test our aquarium parameters, is unless you can afford to buy all the cutting edge (unproven gadgets) without it affecting your kids college fund, your coral purchase fund, or the keep wife/significant others happy with shiny objects fund...... Let idiots like me buy into the tech and wait for people who have used the product say they bought it and works as advertised and you should get one too, before jumping into something new.
If you are still on the wall... Look up the Eco-Aqualizer... Haha
Dave B
exnisstech
Grumpy old man
So for $200 you can test a product for them. Seems backwards to have to pay to test a product for someone. But at least they're calling it testing unlike neptune systems did when they released the Trident NP
As an original Mindstream tester, this sounds very similar. The primary issue, among others, with the mindstream was that algae grew on the discs. It used small brushes that were meant to clean the disc as it turned that obviously didn't work. Would be curious to know how LaMotte keeps the disc clean.
No No point. I have enough old equipment that I've convinced myself that I might need some day in my garage as it is
areefer01
5000 Club Member
This is similar to mindstream at least as it relates to the disc. The Seneye is free ammonia, ph, temp, out of water monitor, and PAR/PUR. A slide with 2 parameters.
With regards to the NP it is difficult to say if it was released early. They at least continued to provide updates and/or enhancements based on feedback. While not an automated tester Tunze has done similar with the ORCA and its updates. Not knocking it by any means as I own both.
So for $200 you can test a product for them. Seems backwards to have to pay to test a product for someone. But at least they're calling it testing unlike neptune systems did when they released the Trident NP
With regards to the NP it is difficult to say if it was released early. They at least continued to provide updates and/or enhancements based on feedback. While not an automated tester Tunze has done similar with the ORCA and its updates. Not knocking it by any means as I own both.
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