Seneye Reef+ Aquarium monitor

[bluebastion]

You order in packs of 3. All 3 are shipped at once. You can buy them from the seneye site, seneye also has an eBay presence if you prefer to order there.

 

I've no association with them at all. I'm not attempting to sell the product. Just passing on my limited (1 week) experience. Seneye states that they went with the slide model so there was no calibration/re-calibration needed for the end user. Soak the slide for 24 - 48 hours in your tank water. Put it it the device, DONE. No more work for the user.

 

Repeat monthly.

 

Navy, do you have a write up thread showing comparison readings of both the Apogee and the Seneye?

 

Rehype,

Great post. I was somewhat intrigued by this gadget on reefbuilders... but stayed skeptical because of lack of reviews (even from UK boards where it was first released). I feel better about a future purchase and the monthly fee since you get the refill slides.

 

However, I am still in waiting to see what my future slated controller will be capable of: Vertex Cerebra

ETA 1st Quarter 2012

[Rehype]

Just my opinion, but it seems like an expensive gadget that still has a way to go. Plus the monthly service fee is a downer for me. Some of the tests they do, I'm not sure I need. I don't remember the last time I tested for dissolved oxygen potential or calcium hardness.

 

As far as a PAR meter, my eyes usually tell me what I need to know.

 

Again.... Just my 2 pennies.

 

Well i agree at this point it still has a ways to go but any reefer that regularly tests for even a few of these parameters could see the benefit in just using one device thats capable of continuous monitoring.

As far as the PAR meter i really needed one since im switching lighting and i wanted to make sure i matched PAR levels to avoid any shock to my corals. I also figured in the long run its a good way to monitor bulb life

Hey basser im curious you never check your dkh?

 

Rehype,

Great post. I was somewhat intrigued by this gadget on reefbuilders... but stayed skeptical because of lack of reviews (even from UK boards where it was first released). I feel better about a future purchase and the monthly fee since you get the refill slides.

 

Thanks bastion i was skeptical as well but figured what the heck..might as well give it a shot.

 

 

 

Hey navy whats your dissolved oxygen reading(im curious)?

[NavyChief52]

Hey navy whats your dissolved oxygen reading(im curious)?

Free Ammonia .001 < Steady

pH 8.20

Temp 77.9

Dissolved Oxygen 8.1 < Steady

NH4 11.82 < Fluctuates with pH - Lower the pH, the higher this reading is.

[bluebastion]

Also forgot to mention this:

 

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/inter...-the-pond-video

[Rehype]

Sounds like a cool device but one disadvantage when compared to the seneye is it requires daily/weekly testing. The seneye test strip monitors tank parameters continually for up to 30 days. The seneye is also able to proactively alert the tank owner if these parameters drift outside a certain range. This device is more in direct competition with hanna checkers as its able to test all of the listed parameters with one device.

[siwelk]

I'm curious to see how they're going to jam in all these new features at the current price level.

[TheUnfocusedOne]

Seems like a great start. Definetly needs work though. I'd be interested to see how long each strip actually lasts before going out of calibration. Consumables is how instrument companies often make a good % of their money. Unless someone checks it out, we'll have to take their word for it though.

 

Cool device regardless.

 

 

 

I'm still waiting for something that will be able to test for everything, then dose accordingly. Now that would be something worth $10/month.

[Rehype]

Seems like a great start. Definetly needs work though. I'd be interested to see how long each strip actually lasts before going out of calibration. Consumables is how instrument companies often make a good % of their money. Unless someone checks it out, we'll have to take their word for it though.

 

Cool device regardless.

 

 

 

I'm still waiting for something that will be able to test for everything, then dose accordingly. Now that would be something worth $10/month.

 

 

 

Yea im curious too it probably could easily last about 60 days before calibration but like you said consumables is how they make their cash .

[siwelk]

consumables is how they make their cash .

Like crack.

[basser1]

Rehype..... Yes I do use the Hanna checkers for Alk, Ca, and PO4. I felt these were better than the current test kits... No counting drops and having to look for subtle color changes.

 

But I'm always open to looking into new things. Keep us updated on how your results are.

[Rehype]

Hey guys just wanted to give you an update. Fnard was awesome enough to send me his Apogee Par meter to do a comparison and see if the seneye measures up. I was really surprised and happy to see they are extremely close.

 

Check out the results:(test were taken under halide/T5)

Seneye:Yellow

Apogee:Red

 

 

I can now totally recommend the seneye as an accurate and in some cases cheaper alternative to the apogee par meter. It also gives you the added measurements of kelvin, lux and a spectral graph..... Thanks again to fnard for allowing me to use his meter for testing.

[siwelk]

If Seneye was able to stuff a decently accurate PAR meter in this thing, why hasn't there been a cheaper PAR meter alternative to hit the market? It seems that with the cost of the Seneye, including monitoring of certain water parameters, one could have already made a cheaper Apogee knock-off.

[Rehype]

If Seneye was able to stuff a decently accurate PAR meter in this thing, why hasn't there been a cheaper PAR meter alternative to hit the market? It seems that with the cost of the Seneye, including monitoring of certain water parameters, one could have already made a cheaper Apogee knock-off.

 

I wonder the same thing....especially since theres plenty of reefers that would invest in a more affordable option.

[paneubert]

Sounds like someone needs to find out the supplier of their sensors and see if they can make themselves a nice little business in cheap light meters

[Rehype]

Definitely sounds like a plan...

[drfu]

So i decided to invest in the new Seneye Reef+ Aquarium monitor. To all those that dont know what it is heres a brief overview.."Seneye is a new water monitoring device . Seneye works by dropping a digital all-in-one monitor into your water that reports a wide variety of parameters and controls them as well. "Seneye believes its products are a massive step forward in animal welfare, allowing any fishkeeper to monitor invisible pollution in aquariums or ponds. The revolutionary product constantly monitors, among other parameters, free ammonia (NH3), pH, water level, temperature, LUX, Kelvin and PAR. Importantly, the Seneye controller utlizes predictive software, warning owners before a dreaded aquarium crash. The device is available with a USB for connection to a PC as well as an optional USB power adapter, allowing it can work autonomously. The results are relayed to the customer's computer and uploaded to their on-line web space. Alerts are sent to the customer via text messages and e-mail allowing for remote monitoring. The sophisticated software analyses the results and raises a warning when parameters stray from the norm, as well as recommending corrective actions." The best part of Seneye is that it suggests and recommends actions when it detects something astray or not quite right. There will be three main models available at launch in July including a seneye Home, seneye Pond and seneye Reef version that offers different options depending on the device. You'll have access to a mobile version of Seneye that allows you to remotely monitor your aquarium perimeters and even report on them, address key deficiencies in your reef tank. The monitoring plan called Seneye+ is priced at around $8/monthly. The seneye Reef features include: Automatically monitors multiple key parameters Constantly watching your aquarium, 5600 readings per month Get healthier coral using the integrated LUX, Kelvin and PAR light meter Early warning, intelligent software predicts future water conditions Convenient alerts sent to e-mail and mobile phone Access results worldwide, data stored online for easy viewing Track your results with automatic graphing Connect to a PC or optional USB power adaptor"So i decided on one of these primarily to try out the par meter since im switching to LEDS soon.I wanted to be able to take PAR measurements from my current lighting setup and match them with my new setup and then gradually increase/decrease based on coral needs. I think measuring these parameters first is a good way to ensure a smooth transition. I was going to invest in a Apogee PAR meter but when i read about this i thought it may be a better/cheaper alternative. In addition the seneye is slightly better for measuring light in reef tanks (measures more light in the 400nm to 700nm range). Well i got it the mail the other day along with the floatation apparatus(this is great to use if you cant make use of the suction cup and/or need to get accurate readings from the light meter)Heres some pics of the mount optionsSuctionFloatationThe instructions are sparse but most reefers should be able to trudge through however most users would definitely benefit from additional documentation. The most important piece for users who plan to use this as an aquarium monitors are the slides that monitors ph and ammonia they must be presoaked in tank water for at least 24 hours however Many reefers are recommending soaking at least for 48 hours to ensure better accuracy. These slides must be activated in order to view any results for PH,ammonia and the results are then uploaded to the dashboard interface for review. These slides are only good for one month and then have to be replaced. They cost about 10 buck per slide. The company says this was done to prevent the need for calibration. The cost also includes the ability to upload to their "cloud" and view the data from any web browser. You can also receive email and text message alerts if your parameters go out of whack. I also heard that within 6 months the device will also monitor Nitrates, Nitrites, Chlorine, Carbonate Hardness and General Hardness. Heres a look at my dashboard (the dotted blue line is reading from my tank) My initial install of the software went less than smoothly. I encountered issues accessing my dashboard account and using the light meter(it was initially disabled by the software) but i sent an email to the support address and Tom coswell at seneye was extremely fast and helpful in resolving these issues. So i have to give an A+ for customer service. But i have to point out that in order to use this monitor effectively it must be connected to a PC 24/7 in order to upload the results to the seneye cloud. This method of monitoring just isnt realistic on most tanks. However the company has hinted at a wireless solution that will be able to do this without the need for a connected PC. Unfortunately this solution wont be available for at least another 6 months(according to reports). In the meantime if you cant have it plugged into your PC you can plug the seneye into any usb power adapter and the devices will continue to take and store readings.Once your able to plug the device back into your PC it will automatically upload these readings and then you can view them from your dashboard. Well the most important reason for me purchasing this device was the light meter so on to the results. I took some readings with all of my lights on (Halide,T5 and leds approximately 10" off the surface) Well i was satisfied with the readings but i can only hope that theyre accurate as i dont have another meter to compare it with. I also am curious as to why i dont get a kelvin reading when the halide is on (only with the T5 and LEDs) but its not really a big deal as long is get the PAR and LUX for now.. So overall its a pretty cool device but definitely has room for improvement.(Which i guess is ok since the device is still in beta) Hopefully the developers take in all the feedback and improve on what should be a really awesome addition to any aquarium. For now i would recommend this device to any one looking for a competitively priced PAR meter. In the future it should be a reliable way to view key water parameters without the need for daily testing(In addition to being alerted if they go out of whack) The biggest drawback is the need to have the device connected to a PC to upload data. So my advice to anyone wanting to take advantage of the water monitoring would be to wait for the wireless adapter update that would alleviate the need for a PC connection.My ratingsDesign:7Features:6(will be upgraded to a 9 once all additional features are released)Customer Service:10Price:7Performance:7Overall:7 (For now)Hope this helps anyone on the fence about buying the unit. Any questions feel free to ask and ill do my best to answer-Hype

 

I know its three years later but are you still using this? How is it after 3 years, has their been any upgrades for testing more parameters? I didn't see a direct comparison for accuracy vs the apogee.

[shoe_465]

Definitely curious about an update on this as well. After traveling for sometime I am finally in a location again I am going to be setting up my Nano Cube 12g again and wanted a nice little gadget to help measure it easier. I do see on their website they state you can connect wirelessly to a Belkin Home Base or a Wifi USB Bridge.

[Rehype]

I know its three years later but are you still using this? How is it after 3 years, has their been any upgrades for testing more parameters? I didn't see a direct comparison for accuracy vs the apogee.

 

 

sorry for the ridiculously late reply. Unfortunately they havent made any major updates to the device However im still using it as a PAR meter as its pretty accurate. Heres the results from a test I did a few years back:

 

"Fnard was awesome enough to send me his Apogee Par meter to do a comparison and see if the seneye measures up. I was really surprised and happy to see they are extremely close.

 

Check out the results:(test were taken under halide/T5)

Seneye:Yellow

Apogee:Red

 

The values if you cant make it out:

 

165/170

305/315

202/200

268/235

 

 

I can now totally recommend the seneye as an accurate and in some cases cheaper alternative to the apogee par meter. It also gives you the added measurements of kelvin, lux and a spectral graph..... Thanks again to fnard for allowing me to use his meter for testing."

 

Definitely curious about an update on this as well. After traveling for sometime I am finally in a location again I am going to be setting up my Nano Cube 12g again and wanted a nice little gadget to help measure it easier. I do see on their website they state you can connect wirelessly to a Belkin Home Base or a Wifi USB Bridge.

 

Well you would be happy to know they finally are about to release the Seneye Web Server:

 

 

[shoe_465]

Thanks for the follow up. I am definitely looking into this as an option but to start back to the old ways to monitor. : )