teenyreef Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 Yeah breakout box is awesome. Sends me a text when ATO level is low. Turns on stand lights when I open the door. Failsafes on ATO. Little button to turn on feed mode. Cool stuff.Sounds cool, I'll have to play around with some ideas Well, you never know. That heat may have messed with my brain. and it was Florida after all That's pretty much what I was thinking 1 Quote Link to comment
nickkohrn Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Finally, I saw that fellow N-R member Fishstiks was selling an Apex lite setup, so I snapped it up. Now I can automate all three tanks, and have a Ph probe in the 10g tank as well as in this tank. I'm saving for the new Apex as we speak. It might take a while, but it has everything that I will ever need for my current and future tank! I currently have a ReefKeeper Lite, which I basically use just for temperature control. I can't believe how much of a relief it is just having something take action if the tank's temperature goes out of range. Now, you just need to use it to automate water changes! 1 Quote Link to comment
aviator300 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Yeah breakout box is awesome. Sends me a text when ATO level is low. Turns on stand lights when I open the door. Failsafes on ATO. Little button to turn on feed mode. Cool stuff. Does it raise the toilet seat when it senses you're on the way. Hahah. 3 Quote Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Does it raise the toilet seat when it senses you're on the way. Hahah. No but it flushes when you close it! 2 Quote Link to comment
Slowtwitch Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Sounds like way too many points of failure to me. I don't trust technology. Too many disappointments. 1 Quote Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Sounds like way too many points of failure to me. I don't trust technology. Too many disappointments. I get what you're saying, but there are no "dangerous" points of failure. These things send you warnings, they do not take action. If I am sent a false alarm (which haven't happened) about the ATO being low I'll check it anyway 1 Quote Link to comment
aviator300 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Sounds like way too many points of failure to me. I don't trust technology. Too many disappointments. Actually I don't think we use these things primarily for reasons that make a lot of sense, I think we use them because they are FUN. 2 Quote Link to comment
Slowtwitch Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Actually I don't think we use these things primarily for reasons that make a lot of sense, I think we use them because they are FUN.If it's fun, more power to you. Makes me nervous. Probably the Amish side of me coming out. I'll go churn some butter now. 7 Quote Link to comment
aviator300 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 If it's fun, more power to you. Makes me nervous. Probably the Amish side of me coming out. I'll go churn some butter now. Didn't you ever love to play the board game "Mousetrap" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_Trap_(game) (probably before your time) The idea of it was a board game but almost no kid just played the game, but rather just spent hours putting the thing together and marveling at the automation. In a proper operation, the player turns the crank, which rotates a vertical gear, connected to a horizontal gear. As that gear turns, it pushes an elastic-loaded lever until it snaps back in place, hitting a swinging boot. This causes the boot to kick over a bucket, sending a marble down a zig-zagging incline (the "rickety stairs") which feeds into a chute. This leads the marble to hit a vertical pole, at the top of which is an open hand, palm-up, which is supporting a larger ball (changed later on to a marble just like the starter one). The movement of the pole knocks the ball free to fall through a hole in its platform into a bathtub, and then through a hole in the tub onto one end of a seesaw. This launches a diver on the other end into a tub which is on the same base as the barbed pole supporting the mouse cage. The movement of the tub shakes the cage free from the top of the pole and allows it to fall, trapping the mouse. This is the same excitement that I experience when I get a new Reef toy whether it be an ATO, an MP10, or a DUO on Bluefish. 3 Quote Link to comment
Slowtwitch Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Didn't you ever love to play the board game "Mousetrap" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_Trap_(game) (probably before your time) The idea of it was a board game but almost no kid just played the game, but rather just spent hours putting the thing together and marveling at the automation. In a proper operation, the player turns the crank, which rotates a vertical gear, connected to a horizontal gear. As that gear turns, it pushes an elastic-loaded lever until it snaps back in place, hitting a swinging boot. This causes the boot to kick over a bucket, sending a marble down a zig-zagging incline (the "rickety stairs") which feeds into a chute. This leads the marble to hit a vertical pole, at the top of which is an open hand, palm-up, which is supporting a larger ball (changed later on to a marble just like the starter one). The movement of the pole knocks the ball free to fall through a hole in its platform into a bathtub, and then through a hole in the tub onto one end of a seesaw. This launches a diver on the other end into a tub which is on the same base as the barbed pole supporting the mouse cage. The movement of the tub shakes the cage free from the top of the pole and allows it to fall, trapping the mouse. This is the same excitement that I experience when I get a new Reef toy whether it be an ATO, an MP10, or a DUO on Bluefish. I remember the game. Hated it. I'm just not a gadget guy. Luckily my son is. He does all my programming of anything for me. I'm quite happy with low tech options for everything. My one concession for my tank is my doser. It keeps me up some nights worried that I'll wake up to find that it got stuck on and overdosed the tank to death. Lol. 2 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 I remember the game. Hated it. I'm just not a gadget guy. Luckily my son is. He does all my programming of anything for me. I'm quite happy with low tech options for everything. My one concession for my tank is my doser. It keeps me up some nights worried that I'll wake up to find that it got stuck on and overdosed the tank to death. Lol.I loved Mousetrap! I think automation is great as long as it does whatever it does better than I could do myself, because it's more precise, or frequent, or guaranteed to happen when I forget. But I agree it's scary especially when it's dumping stuff in the tank. I crashed my 4g tank by leaving the doser on overnight. But that was a problem with me making a manual mistake, not with automation. No but it flushes when you close it!It's an ATF! Instead of an ATO 2 Quote Link to comment
aviator300 Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 Despite my opinions and comments, I'm really not a big fan of modern technology. I was dragged into the computer age back in the early 1990s kicking and screaming and still get frustrated when society lacks the basic know how and skills needed to live everyday life (like memorizing family phone numbers, reading a road map or actually speaking on the phone instead of texting). I just enjoy some of the toys that I'm actually able to learn how to use. 3 Quote Link to comment
FlowerMama Posted June 21, 2016 Share Posted June 21, 2016 I held off getting a cell phone as long as I could. My parents did same with microwave, answering machine, etc. 80s child & mom always reheated it on the pan or pot. 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 21, 2016 Author Share Posted June 21, 2016 I held off getting a cell phone as long as I could. My parents did same with microwave, answering machine, etc. 80s child & mom always reheated it on the pan or pot. I was an early adopter of technology with my Blackberry. I reluctantly gave it up years after I should have just moved on. Then my kids all laughed at my inability to type on a smart phone 1 Quote Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 I was an early adopter of technology with my Blackberry. I reluctantly gave it up years after I should have just moved on. Then my kids all laughed at my inability to type on a smart phone My favorite phone was still my original Motorola Droid with a hardware slide out keyboard. Was fantastic to type on, took a while to get used to using a touchscreen for typing. 3 Quote Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted June 22, 2016 Share Posted June 22, 2016 I work in tech and finally got a smartphone 2 years ago after the CTO and CEO kept making fun of me. I had a crappy but indestructible flip phone for the longest time. Now I am addicted to my smartphone.... 2 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 22, 2016 Author Share Posted June 22, 2016 I work in tech and finally got a smartphone 2 years ago after the CTO and CEO kept making fun of me. I had a crappy but indestructible flip phone for the longest time. Now I am addicted to my smartphone....Yeah, I thought it was pretty ironic that I was on the "internet" in the early 80's when it was called Arpanet, built networks back when token ring was cool, and had a personal computer before they were actually PC's, but couldn't make the jump to smartphones, lol. My favorite phone was still my original Motorola Droid with a hardware slide out keyboard. Was fantastic to type on, took a while to get used to using a touchscreen for typing.That was a great phone, but I was still stuck on Blackberry back then 2 Quote Link to comment
aviator300 Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 I was an early adopter of technology with my Blackberry. I reluctantly gave it up years after I should have just moved on. Then my kids all laughed at my inability to type on a smart phone Smart Phone?? I'm going to really date myself now..When I was 6 yrs old growing up on a farm outside of Mt Vernon TX (home of Dandy Don Meredith), we still had to take the old phone off the hook, wait for Amy the operator to answer, and tell her who to connect us with. For long distance we had to drive into town and pay Amy in cash to place the call. BTW, we didn't have running water or an inside bathroom till 1958. Hardships? of course not; we didn't know any better. 4 Quote Link to comment
Nola Bear Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 When did this become the meeting house of the curmudgeon club? Lol. Get some corals already, you old salts~ 1 Quote Link to comment
aviator300 Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 When did this become the meeting house of the curmudgeon club? Lol. Get some corals already, you old salts~ HEY FELLAS, i think this guy just called us "curmudgeons". Sad thing is i think he's right Hahah. How to Become a Curmudgeon http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Curmudgeon 2 Quote Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted June 25, 2016 Share Posted June 25, 2016 Sounds cool, I'll have to play around with some ideas That's pretty much what I was thinking So I'm with member Mooker at RAP and your tank is a frequent topic of conversation 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 26, 2016 Author Share Posted June 26, 2016 HEY FELLAS, i think this guy just called us "curmudgeons". Sad thing is i think he's right Hahah. How to Become a Curmudgeon http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Curmudgeon Ha! I'm pretty sure I've been one since about 20 So I'm with member Mooker at RAP and your tank is a frequent topic of conversation That's funny! I guess I need to get some corals and fish in this thing. I'm driving back from our vacation in Panama City, FL today. I got sick today but hopefully I'll be able to get some stuff done on the tank then! How was RAP? Someday I'll be like a grown up reefer and go to a coral show. But as a confirmed curmudgeon I'd rather stay home and just order my corals online 3 Quote Link to comment
spectra Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 How was RAP? Someday I'll be like a grown up reefer and go to a coral show. But as a confirmed curmudgeon I'd rather stay home and just order my corals online ASD for the win until I can drink beer and visit the local shop I will just hang out in my chair and order 1 Quote Link to comment
Nola Bear Posted June 26, 2016 Share Posted June 26, 2016 Next time you come to Florida, you should come a bit further south to St. Pete. We can meet at one of the breweries and talk shop. Hope you enjoyed PC. Haven't been up there in at least ten years. 1 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted June 27, 2016 Author Share Posted June 27, 2016 ASD for the win until I can drink beer and visit the local shop I will just hang out in my chair and order This. So much this. If the LFS could figure out how to serve beer while we browse their corals, they could increase business by several orders of magnitude. the ASD live sale mixed with beer is a very dangerous combination for me Next time you come to Florida, you should come a bit further south to St. Pete. We can meet at one of the breweries and talk shop. Hope you enjoyed PC. Haven't been up there in at least ten years. Awesome! Hoping to get back there next summer 1 Quote Link to comment
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