In this article, we’ll look at a few smart aquarium technologies that you can use to make your life a little easier as well as take your tank to the next level.
Evolving technology has opened paths to take everything to the next level by making everything almost automatic. The exact change is happening to Aquariums, with innovative aquarium equipment emerge in the market.
Back in the day, fluorescent lightings and biological filtration systems were a big thing in aquarium technology. Fluorescent lightings answered the lighting requirement of aquariums for the most part. Then led became popular with many colors, spectrums, and intensities.
Cleaning is a headache for most aquarium owners, especially marine aquariums, because it takes so much time.
For example;
If you have a garden eel tank, it takes a whole day to clean their tank. By introducing filtration systems, that part of the work decreased by about 50%. Replacing water was essential to provide oxygen inside the aquarium. And then water pump and air pump evolved.
Some might think that there’s nothing more to invent in aquarium technology, but scientists have proven them wrong with this intelligent aquarium equipment to take your tank to the next level.
Contents
What Is A Smart Fish Tank?
A smart aquarium is an aquarium programmed to monitor and control its fish, water conditions, cleaning, fish feeding, and lighting levels through software connected to an intelligent device such as an Android phone through the Internet.
With these systems, you can feed your fish even if you are not at home, check water conditions automatically, control light levels through your phone, and even clean the debris and other waste through a computerized device.
Smart aquarium equipment can do one or more things automatically or when instructed through a smart device. These upgrades can be beneficial to busy persons who own an aquarium at home.
These technologies are still emerging and are still expensive. However, if you own one, you will have a wonderful experience having a smart aquarium.
How New Technology Affect Aquarium Industry
Although new aquarium technologies are compelling to the user, this IoT (Internet of Things) technology is still developing. Hence the price of these devices is high, and the availability is still limited.
However, these new technologies will be so popular once companies make them available to the public on giant scales because people nowadays have little time to spend on their hobbies.
When these new technologies arise in the market, the demand for traditional equipment such as filters, lighting systems, vacuum cleaners will decrease because the requirements get fulfilled by the smart IoT devices.
However, you will not reduce the demand for air pumps because fish need a consistent air supply in aquariums.
With these smart aquarium types of equipment, you’ll have a cleaner aquarium with fewer algae problems, a controlled water environment with healthy water conditions, and fewer infections in fish due to healthy water conditions.
Your fish will be more stress-free because the contact with people decreases because of automatic feeding and cleaning. Overall, you will be able to provide more natural habitat to your fish in your aquarium.
While this smart aquarium equipment method is effective for fish, it may not be healthy for humans. As direct contact with your fish tank drops because of this equipment, you may lose your interest over time. The true happiness of having a fish tank relies on the time and dedication you provide to your fish tank. Watching fish swimming freely in an aquarium helps relieve stress, and you may lose that opportunity if you let the machines do all your work.
As you see, smart aquarium technology can be a time saver but also can be an enthusiasm Killer. It can be great for larger aquariums which feeding, cleaning, and monitoring fish takes hours, if not days, and can be pointless in small home aquariums because you may lose your passion for fish keeping.
What Do You Monitor In An Aquarium?
You can monitor your water level, water temperature, water parameters such as Ph level, ORM, and salinity. You can even monitor the toxins and nutrient levels in your aquarium which helps with maintaining a beautiful planted tank.
How Do I Automate My Aquarium?
A limited number of companies have introduced several smart aquarium pieces of equipment for your aquarium.
Many aquarium tech companies are still developing their high-tech aquarium equipment and raise their capital through crowdsourcing sites like Kickstarter and IndieGoGo.
Investing in those projects is a good idea for getting this innovative aquarium equipment for a lower price. Below are some brand new technologies already available for your aquarium.
Here are three smart aquarium tools that will help automate your aquarium.
MOAI Robot
If you own a fish tank, you know how irritating is algae buildup in your tank surface. If the tank faces an algae bloom, it is essential to clean it every day to eliminate algae problems. You know how hard it is to clean the tank every day.
MOAI Robot does that job automatically for you whenever and however you want it. You can schedule this robot to clean at a specific time and in particular places every day.
MOAI Robot is connected to your smartphone via the Internet. So, you can watch your aquarium life through the MOAI Robot camera at any time and guide it to clean whenever you want it via your smart app. Best of all is, it is easy to set up.
Programmable Auto Dosing Pump
- Model :DP-4, Idea for Dosing CA / MG / AB Water or other liquid
- 4 Channel Dosing Pump
- Each Channel Provides 1 to 9999ml per day,24 timer per day
- Can interval 30 days to dosing, Easy Set different time of the Dosing Pump
- Q max (L/m): 70, Dimension: 9.25 x 5.11 x 2.55
- NOTE: User manual and user guide attached in this page - kindly refer it
Keeping a saltwater aquarium is challenging because you have to keep the water chemistry at the right level by dosing necessary elements every day. It is a time-consuming task. A programmable doser is an intelligent device that does that job automatically for you.
A programmable doser can dose Fertilizers, Trace Elements, Balling Salts, Lime Water, and Liquid Feed automatically per your schedules. You can control these levels through a smart app or pc software connected to the Internet. It also has a level Indicator which is a lifesaver.
Additionally, this device can refill with evaporated water exchange tank water in small volumes. Having a programmable doser in your saltwater aquarium ensures correct water conditions are met in your aquarium. Hence, your fish will thrive as they are in the sea.
Inkbird Dual-Stage Temperature Controller
- ??【Plug-n-Play Easy Operation】
- ??【Precise Control】PID digital controller provides accurate temperature control at the range of -50~125℃/ -58~257℉, and the accuracy of the temperature is ±0.1℃ or ±0.2℉.
- ??【Independent Pump Function】
- ??【Safety】The controller with overload protection has adopted high quality metal case and aluminum cooling plate, 6.5’ power cord and 2 prong plugs to ensure the safety of your electrical appliances.
- ??【Working environmental temperature】-10～55ºC/14～131ºF（not freezing or condensation sta
Different fish species need certain temperature levels to thrive in an aquarium. Hence it is essential to control water temperature with equipment. Y
ou can do it in two ways; either place an aquarium heater or use a room temperature controller. While an aquarium heater can turn up the water temperature on cold days, it can not cool down the water on hot days.
But, if you use an Inkbird Dual-Stage Temperature Controller, you can do both raising or reducing the temperature automatically.
This device monitors the room temperature and activates the heater if it is too cold or the cooling device if it is too hot. It has two connections for the cooler and the heater. You just set your preferred room temperature, and this device will take care of the rest.
How Do You Monitor Aquarium Water?
You can monitor your aquarium water using smart systems that rely on WiFi technology so that you can get up to the second information about your water temperature, water parameters, and even the living conditions of your aquarium.
Here are three aquarium water monitoring systems you can try;
Auto Top Off Controller
- the Duetto is the perfect ATO for your aquar
Auto top off controller, is an automatic water level controller which controls water level by consistently checking the water temperature. This device is a sound system for freshwater and saltwater aquariums because maintaining the water level is vital for freshwater and marine species.
The device pumps water to the aquarium when the “min” finger senses hot. Topping off time of this controller is between 25 seconds and 10 minutes. The system takes a minimum of 25 seconds to read the “max” level.
If, after 25 seconds, the water level goes beyond the “alarm” level, the system immediately turns off the pump and turns on the alarm. This system is helpful if your aquarium often faces evaporation and drain malfunctioning problems and reduces the issues related to Lime Scale deposits, bacterial film, and Wave action.
Neptune systems APEX
APEX is an all-in-one solution for aquariums manufactured by Neptune Systems. It monitors temperature level, Ph level, ORM, and salinity.
When it detects any problem, the system takes necessary actions immediately and notifies you through their pc software or smartphone app. This system also can control all the equipment such as lightings, filters, pumps, and ATO through simple setups and via the app.
It also monitors all the equipment, power usage, and other essential factors and lets you know if there’s a catastrophe. Neptune didn’t stop from there. They have also included a tracking system to track your manual test results, maintenance, livestock purchases, and tank observations and provide guidance to prevent the problems from occurring inside the aquarium.
The price tag for the APEX system is ridiculously high but worth every cent because it can ensure you have a safe and thriving aquarium even though you don’t monitor the aquarium for weeks. Rest is assured that you have a problem-free environment for the fish inside your tank.
Cellular IoT
With the help of IoT Networks, nowadays, you can build a connected network for aquarium management through WiFi.
This platform can ensure optimal living conditions of aquarium life and perform comprehensive health monitoring across the aquarium. You can even tag your fish with RFID chips to enable immediate identification during tank cleaning, maintenance, and breeding programs.
These IoT Maintainance applications are beneficial when you have an extra-large aquarium with bigger fish.
Advantage And Disadvantages Of Novel Aquarium Technology
Novel aquarium technologies arise to ease aquarists’ work and provide connectivity to the aquarium through smart devices.
There are many benefits of Smart Aquarium equipment for fish keepers as well as some drawbacks. While these solutions may be a good option for busy folks, you may lose the mental well-being you get from aquariums if you let the machines do all the stuff of your aquarium.
Advantages
- Novel aquarium technology saves your time by taking control of the daily routine of feeding, water controlling, and cleaning.
- It saves your money by preventing infections and diseases in your aquarium life.
- It keeps your aquarium clean and pleasant at all times without disturbing the fish and other species.
Disadvantages
- It lowers the time you spend with your aquarium. Although maintaining a fish tank is difficult, it reduces your stress level, improves your sleep quality, decreases anxiety, blood pressure, and heart problems. Aquariums help you to stay healthy. You may lose this benefit if you only control your aquarium through your smartphone.
- You will spend more time with your smartphone. Even experts believe excess usage of smartphones is not suitable for your health. When your favorite things are connected to your smartphone, you tend to use them more and more, leaving more time with your phone. That is not good for your health.
- A single power blackout may kill your aquarium life. As all the things are connected to the power unit, a sudden blackout may cause your fish to suffer until they die. While this is more likely will not happen, you may still expect such circumstances.
Conclusion
With modern aquarium technology, it is easier than ever to cultivate and maintain a thriving home aquarium. Smart Aquarium Equipments are the next level of home aquariums that you can monitor and control your aquarium by lifting a finger. They are the best solution for busy folks who love to own an aquarium at home. However, these modern devices are still available only for the rich folks as their price tag is still high.
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