Duke Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 My step brother ownes a large eletronic manufacturing company and this is the sort of thing he does. I have asked him to look at a simple alarm system which will contact you if the tank has a power cut etc by text. No problem. Use an GSM modem which will recieve four inputs, this will allow us to monitor 4 differnt things. I was thinking of the following. 1) Flow meter either inline or in a high flow area in the sump. This can be set to a minimum flow rate. 2) Min and maximium temperature. 3) Sump or tank level sensor 4) Main power The system would use a prepay phone card so there is no contract and would send you a text if there are any problems. My step brother has made simular systems for power companies and has estimated the cost to be $800 - $1000. Is anyone interested in some insurance for their tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 was interested, until i saw the price Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tel Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 a better idea is 20 reefers get together, form a group and self insure......$100 p/a each x 20..... disburse any excess unused. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 For $1000nz you could probably buy an aquarium computer which includes all of that(Except for the flow meter, that seems basically useless) along with timers, wavemakers, PH monitors, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhindry Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 Lol, I was only researching all of this today. The most expensive part of the setup is the GSM modem. The frontend of a microprocessor etc isn't the expensive bit. There are already some of these sort of things on the market in new zealand, suited more towards farmers, but thats not say we can't use them for our tanks. Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aquatopia Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 a better idea is 20 reefers get together, form a group and self insure......$100 p/a each x 20..... disburse any excess unused. Hmm, well that works for the first wipeout - what about the other 19 if something goes wrong ? Or some of the guys on here would not have all their stock covered by a long shot with just $2k. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tel Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 cheaper than 20x $800-$1000 in your step brothers pocket :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 Cheap considering the controls we sell if you want to use the Software to dial/page/e-mail or SMS you could pay upto $8-10K just for the licence on the software, only ever seem to use them on big sites funnier enough :lol: . But the cheap option is use an external dialler like above, theres heaps of different ones out there and you dont have to use SMS diallers why not phone line diallers be cheaper initially. Duke you got any prices on normal phone diallers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 Cheap considering the controls we sell if you want to use the Software to dial/page/e-mail or SMS you could pay upto $8-10K just for the licence on the software, only ever seem to use them on big sites funnier enough must be feature rich software, you can get free/shareware type packages for $50 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 A big corperate company software , it's cos it's part of our front end software package they have to use ours, complicated to explain but we network our controllers back to the a computer(s) which have our software for user interface so if they want to dail any alarms out they have to purchase a notification licence to do so, and the sites are ussually hospitals airports etc that purchase it, if you know what a building management system (BMS) is then you'l understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 i work in computers everyday. have also setup an alarm companies network and alarm monitoring system so know quite a bit about how it all works. well as ira has said you can buy an aquarium computer for about that price (neptune is one that comes to mind) still it would be a good little product to sell if you could make a unit small and cheap enough - especially if sold in the states! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drifty Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 my brothers friend is looking into the same thing, he thinks he can build it for around 5-600 wanted to know if anyone was keen, wont have all of the above features Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 I like the idea of setting up a web cam, the disadvantage is you wouldn't get notifications so not really 25/7 monitoring, but the big advantage is being able to watch my tank at work! Surely it wouldn't be hard to make a power monitor that connects to your PC and get the PC to SMS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 Far to rich for my blood. Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiverJohn Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 OK, might be a really stupid suggestion but why dont you put a "normal" alarm on your house, with a dailer. Rig up the sensors (theres the DIY part for you )so that if any one of your really important parameters is out it sends a signal to the alarm, the alarm company rings you to say "There is a problem on circuit 4"... you know thats your tank. You go home and check everything. Usually the phone call is free too. We do this for our shop alarms to add in monitoring for over temp alarms on chillers etc. You (should?) get cheaper insurance to!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 True. Ive got the mother of all alarms at home (not hooked up yet) Its actually an alarm system for companies as opposed to homes, but has a few inputs. Has a voice system and dialup to cellphone thingee so might have a read of the manual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelifaxNZ Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 Chimera, what's the point of having a mother of an alarm when it isn't hooked up! What a waste, or was it so you get cheaper insurance??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 Rennovations still in the middle of them. almost done and alarm is on next list of priorities. if only there were 30 hours in a day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kermit Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 Ok got some prices for you's on the EDAC dialers. Dialler the EDAC 222-02 RRP $340+gst this gives you 2x digital inputs and 2x digital outputs, with 8seconds voice messages that you reacord. SMS diallers the EDAC 300-G (vodafone network, purchase of SIM card and aireal is extra) RRP $770+gst this has 8 universal inputs (10bit analohue or digital) and outputs packed with heaps of functions great little device. the EDAC 300-C (Telecom network, purchase of an aireal is extra) RRP $890+gst features are the same as the EDAC 300-G. Heres there site http://www.edacelectronics.com/images/products/4493.jpg Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookie extreme Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 if only there were 30 hours in a day... if you wouldn't spend half the day on this forum your house could be finished by now! how many post have you done in less then 2 years? 4020 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 it's called work when you work on computers all day your brain fries so you need a break, what better than to stay on the computer and visit fnzas :lol: didnt even realise i'd broken the 4k mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Feelers Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2005/1 ... sic-sleep/ Come on, take the plunge. :lol: Effectivly you could get 29 hours out of the day, 30 if you push it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 21, 2006 Report Share Posted March 21, 2006 i only get 4-5hrs a night at the moment anyway. its called polycoffeephasic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pies Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 Dialler the EDAC 222-02 RRP $340+gst this gives you 2x digital inputs and 2x digital outputs, with 8seconds voice messages that you reacord. SMS diallers the EDAC 300-G (vodafone network, purchase of SIM card and aireal is extra) RRP $770+gst this has 8 universal inputs (10bit analohue or digital) and outputs packed with heaps of functions great little device. the EDAC 300-C (Telecom network, purchase of an aireal is extra) RRP $890+gst features are the same as the EDAC 300-G. So how do these detect a power outage or equipment failure? Pie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimera Posted March 22, 2006 Report Share Posted March 22, 2006 they txt your cellphone and tell you that your sump is empty, your heaters have failed and your fish are all dead when you are away on 2 weeks holiday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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