Threatened Controller Manufacturer Attempting to Shut Out New Lower Cost Competitor

[Reef Builders]

The Hydros Aquarium Controller is an exciting new ecosystem of connected aquarium devices from CoralVue designed to help aquarists put their reef tanks on cruise control. However, before it could even launch it seems that one of the incumbent manufacturers of aquarium controllers is threatened by the lower cost Hydros, and the resulting competition of…
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[ajhudson15]

this is absurd. the "other " company is just mad they got beat out b a better controller for cheaper. this is plain and simple how most things work. if you can make one cheaper and sell it cheaper to make sales than competitors then so be it. Every single thing is America is like this. Look at sony and Microsoft. one of them just lowered their price after the other released their sale price. stop being but hurt because a company found a way to do better than you

 

[EMeyer]

Brutal. Reminds me of how LiveAquaria got their competitors shut down by strong arming the wholesalers.

Articles like this are great, in exposing unethical practices by aquarium hobby suppliers. The question is will consumers act on it (by voting with their wallets), or continue to accept it?

 

[Lor]

 

[Lor]

The plot thickens. Found someone screenshot thos on fb.

 

[Snoopdog]

Was there any direct mention of the competing company? I do not even remember reading the name. I dare to guess which one it was though.

 

[dragon99]

I'm having a hard time believing this. Why would said mfg be threatened by a product that is the exact same price as something they offer (that's arguably better)? There is no massive price difference here. Apex EL is $500, Hydros bundle is $500....

 

[JoshH]

this is absurd. the "other " company is just mad they got beat out b a better controller for cheaper. this is plain and simple how most things work. if you can make one cheaper and sell it cheaper to make sales than competitors then so be it. Every single thing is America is like this. Look at sony and Microsoft. one of them just lowered their price after the other released their sale price. stop being but hurt because a company found a way to do better than you

I don't think it's about making a better controller, cheaper, because honestly taking a look at the "Competitors" (We all know which one they are referring to) and it's just a pile of cheap plastic made by the lowest bidder. I think they are mad that they are cutting into there profit margin which is probably massive considering there retail price tag.

 

[shred5]

I hope this is not true. This is really sad since I know some really nice people who have put so much time into this controller and it is anticompetitive. This is the stuff that shuts down innovation.


I guess this is just reaffirms how good the Hydros is and how scared they are of it.

 

[KStatefan]

Like all reporting i will assume there are some missing details in this.

 

[User1]

I really don't see anything here other than an attention getting thread. Provide some factual information please and then let the rest follow.

 

[wmo168]

Was there any direct mention of the competing company? I do not even remember reading the name. I dare to guess which one it was though.

It must be digital aquatics..... even BRS said in the Video they won't carry it yet until they "try it out" and decide.

 

[Viva'sReef]

MarineDepot has everything up on their site as of yesterday. I've been looking at all the sites waiting for them to put it up for Pre-order. MarineDepot has some message that the Hurricane has delayed shipments and that the controller will be shipping out next week.

 

[Viva'sReef]

It must be digital aquatics..... even BRS said in the Video they won't carry it yet until they "try it out" and decide.

I thought DA was defunct, why would they speak out? Unless I am taking it the wrong way and you are just being facetious

 

[burningmime]

I don't think it's about making a better controller, cheaper, because honestly taking a look at the "Competitors" (We all know which one they are referring to) and it's just a pile of cheap plastic made by the lowest bidder.

The price doesn't reflect the parts themselves. We're not ordering off Wish. The price reflects the engineering that went into designing it/writing the software, testing, web services, office/HR/payroll/etc while developing it, marketing, sales, legal, etc, etc.

 

[Variant]

The article clearly lacks sufficient information but to me, it does not take a genius to draw a possible connection here (please don't ask me for links to scientific evidence to support my claim )

That said, if this is true, I hope Coralvue and a few of these retailers have the moral compass to take legal action and have the Feds conduct an anti competition review of this incumbent player.

People should definitely have a choice on what they pay for. Also... BRS saying that they will not put it up for sale because they havent tested it sounds like BS.... I am certain they have plenty of products they carry that they havent tested. And what about GHL? They carry the dosers but not the controllers? Seems a bit suspect.

While getting free stuff from manufacturers is nice, but I do hope retailers like BRS are strong enough not to have these nicities sway their decision making.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

It must be digital aquatics..... even BRS said in the Video they won't carry it yet until they "try it out" and decide.

DA doesn’t exist anymore. BRS said they wouldn’t carry the Hydros, and the “unnamed” company is Neptune (Apex)

 

[eatbreakfast]

Not so sure I believe what was said on Facebook about CoralVue asking it be removed from saltwaterfish.com since CoralVue seems to be providing the info to corroborate the story on ReefBuilders.

 

[User1]

DA doesn’t exist anymore. BRS said they wouldn’t carry the Hydros, and the “unnamed” company is Neptune (Apex)

Data to back this up? As requested above can anyone provide the data otherwise it is all hyperbole.

Note - not calling anyone out but having some data to backup a statement goes a long way for all of us. Easier to send a email to complain. At least how I see it.

 

[Viva'sReef]

So where is this specially priced bundle they are talking about in the article? I want to order one right now