Android Apps for Reefkeepers

[CharlesFoxtrot]

Good morning, all! 

 

One of the best pieces of advice I got when starting out here was to keep a log of everything to do with my tank. After some frustration with Excel sheets, and after deciding that keeping a paper notebook would be too cumbersome, I began to research apps for my phone and tablet that might do the job. And so, this thread, where I will share my reviews of the various apps I've tried. Screenshots will eventually be added as soon as I figure out how to take them. Any guidance there would be much appreciated. 

 

So, I'll add my reviews one post at a time. If you learn of a new app, please let me know so I can give it a look. Hope you all enjoy! 

[TheBig053]

I didn't even know they had apps for this.  I am real interested to see the reviews.  I've been using a little notebook so far to record test results and water parameters.

[CharlesFoxtrot]

"Aquarium Manager" by Viselabs

 

Cost: free, with ads.  No ads available by subscription only. 

 

My general impressions: this app has a full suite of features, but the interface is clunky and difficult to manage. The developers are obviously not speakers of English as a first language, and I commend them for creating an English based app. However, the translated language manifests itself in a number of distracting ways. The ads consist of the standard bottom of the app variety, but also include full page pop ups, some of which play videos. Ads can be removed for one month for about $4, or for one year for about $45. As you will see in future reviews, this pricing is nothing short of ridiculous. My recommendation: run from this one as fast as you can. Making your log entries on the back of Burger King receipts is almost a better plan. 

 

Pros:

• Records a large number of water parameters, and automatically generates graphs. Parameters can be recorded multiple times per day. 
• Allows for tracking equipment and livestock, including attaching pictures for easy identification. 
• Provides a diary entry system, titles and text may be entered.
• Provides a notification system that will set alerts for items like water changes on a recurring basis. 
• Allows entries to be made for more than one aquarium. 

Cons :

• Interface can be difficult to manage. It's not always clear what info should go in what space based on the labeling. 
• There are a ridiculous number of water parameters that can be entered, including some things I'm not even sure the home aquarist can test for. The sheer number of them makes it hard to find the ones you want to enter. 
• The ads are very distracting. The bottom of the screen ads are mostly the sort that try to make you think you have a virus. The full screen ads interrupt whatever you were doing, and there are video ads as well. I confess that I might have done a better job reviewing this app had I not been interrupted as often. 
• The pricing is ridiculous. Other paid apps of this type cost from $4 to $12 or so that I have found, and they are free of ads and such forever. Paying almost $50 a year for no ads is almost insulting. 
• I was not able to figure out now to make the notifications actually pop up and notify. This was due in part to the interface, and in part to the ads. 

 

TL;DR: Don't use this app. Certainly don't pay for it. I will strive to put up a review of a good app as soon as I can. 

[CharlesFoxtrot]

"AqDiary" by Oliver Mihatsch

 

Cost: free, with no ads or in app purchases

 

My general impressions: This app lives completely up to its name. It is a very simple diary app, with a focus on fish keeping. If you like making notes in a notebook, and don't want any more functionality than that, AqDiary is a fine and really free way to go. The interface is simple but elegant, and will easily replace your paper notebook. Don't expect a full suite of features, though, and you won't be disappointed. 

 

Pros:

• Absolutely and totally free. No ads, no in app purchases, no locked functionality until you pay. 
• Simple, elegant interface. It took me about 30 seconds to learn all there was to know about operating this app. 
• Support for multiple aquariums. 
• Diary notes are highlighted in different colors depending on their category. Red for feeding, grey for parameters, etc. 
• A good preprogrammed list of parameters to measure for. 
• Reliable notifications are sent directly to the notification area of your phone or tablet, at the exact date and time you choose. 

 

Cons:

• There's no provision for keeping track of equipment or livestock. 
• There are no tables or graphs for your collected data.
• There are no pictures. 
• You can't specify additional parameters (like strontium, if you wanted to log that, for example)
• You have to open up the app to clear notifications. You might find this to be helpful, though; you can't just swipe your feeding reminder to the side and forget it. It's a matter of preference. 

TL;DR: If you don't mind not having any bells or whistles, this app is a fine way to digitize your paper notebooks. 

[CharlesFoxtrot]

"Aquarium Note" by dyhwang

 

Cost: free with ads, ads can be removed with an in-app purchase of about $4.

 

My general impressions: This is an app with a full suite of features, and also some very nice tools and toys. Fair disclosure: I use this one myself, for now at least. The interface is functional, but not as beautiful as some apps. The app is very flexible, and can be adapted to many of the individual aquarist's specific needs. The interface is intuitive, but some features can be tricky to find and to remember where they were found. All things considered, I would call this a winner. 

 

Pros:

• Able to add inventories for equipment and livestock, with comments and pictures. 
• Good variety of default water parameters, and you can set up custom params easily to be added to the list. 
• Integrated line graphing and creation of tables for your measured values. 
• Log entries can be made with titles, notes, web links, and pictures. You can view them by calendar date, or by a chronological list. 
• Any entry can have its date and time independently set. 
• Integrated timer function on the water testing screen will allow you to easily time your tests: how long to wait for the result, for example. 
• A backup and restore function will send your data to Google Drive. You can use this to move your data between devices, too.
• A reminder can be sent to your notification area to complete a task at any date and time. 
• Multiple aquariums can be independently managed.  

 

Cons:

• The photo gallery feature is clunky to use, and slows down the time to backup considerably. Also, it won't store very high res images. 
• Backup and restore takes a longish time, especially if you have a lot of stored pictures. 
• It does cost money to get rid of the ads. 
• The interface, while functional, is not beautiful. 
• The graphs generated can't be zoomed or scaled. 

 

TL;DR: This is a pretty great app. You should try it for free, and see if you like it enough to get rid of the ads. 

 

[CharlesFoxtrot]

"EHEIM" by Eheim GmbH & Co.

 

NB: This app crashes on my tablet every time I try to open it. Hopefully I'll be able to fully review a future version. 

[CharlesFoxtrot]

"Aquarium Logger" by Malekodvlp

 

Cost: free with ads, no ad removal option

 

My general impressions: This is a capable app, although it takes a little getting used to. It's especially good for logging and analyzing your water parameters, and creates a relatively simple log sheet concept that allows consistent tracking of the same variables. Multiple log books can be easily created for different aquariums. Keeping descriptive log entries is not its strongest suit, but it makes up for it with its graphing system. 

 

Pros: 

• Fully zoomable, stretchable, scalable graphs of water parameter records. 
• Your choice of colors for water parameter graphs. 
• Simple check box system for choosing which variables to track. 
• Keep as many logs as you like for different aquariums, or even multiple logs for the same aquarium.
• Can keep notes on different topics along with the water parameters.
• Each set of entries can be independently time and date stamped. 

 

Cons: 

• Ads can't be turned off,  not even for money. On the bright side, most are not obnoxious. Full page pop ups have been infrequently observed.
• The same entries are available on each log sheet, based on your checked box preferences, whether you need them there or not.  
• This app is not well suited to keeping textual logs. There is a provision to make notes along with the parameters, but it is not particularly well developed at this time. 
• The interface is, frankly, ugly. On the tablet it is cramped, and I would definitely not try to use it on a phone. 
• The backup function is incomprehensible to me. 

TL;DR: If you want really good graphing for your water params, and don't mind the crowded interface, this is a good one to try out. Plan to keep your text log entries elsewhere, though. 

[CharlesFoxtrot]

"Aquarium Logger" by Nativnux

 

Cost: free with ads, ads can be removed for $1.

 

My general impressions: This could be a good app to use if you just wanted to keep a chronological list of your tasks and comments. Like AqDiary, there are no data manipulation tools available in this app. I found the interface to be somewhat confusing and finicky, and I would recommend that you not try to track your water parameters with this one. It's okay for what it does, but there's nothing spectacular to be found here. 

 

Pros: 

• Multiple aquariums are supported. 
• An option to make an entry as a categorized action or an uncategorized note is available. 
• Entries can be independently tagged for date and time. 
• This app is easy to shut down when you're done with it.

 

Cons:

• The interface is dark and unintuitive.
• Water parameters can only be entered one at a time. 
• Entries are sorted by day only in the log interface. 

 

TL;DR: Save your time and go with AqDiary if you want something with this sort of functionality.