Chinese company Xiaomi is launching a "smart aquarium"

[HenryC]

https://www.gizmochina.com/2022/12/26/xiaomi-mijia-smart-fish-tank-supports-remote-feeding/?amp=1

 

Crowdfunding has started today. It has tons of features for just $60. They claim it can go for 6 months without a water change but we all know that's BS (unless you got like 3 neons? Lol). Also BS is the claim that a 20L aquarium can keep so many fish as they say.

But it has lots of functions, including remote feeding and lighting, flow control, self cleaning pump, integrated siphon that starts with a button press, etc.

 

Peersonally I think it's very good that such a giant company is doing this. Maybe it's the beginning for innovative aquarium stuff that's in diré need, Cory himself has said the industry is kinda stagnant, we are still using tech from decades ago. Thoughts?

Edited December 30, 2022 by HenryC

[The endler guy]

Sounds like a scam ngl 

[TheSwissAquarist]

Looks great, but I’ll believe the price when I see it !

Anyway, they’ve asked for Crowdfunding….might not raise enough $$

[gardenman]

The technology exists to make vastly better aquariums with many functions monitored automatically. If you watch some of the videos from the Hong Kong fish markets where they show some of the fancier tanks and their options, some makers, at least overseas, are offering those features. Domestically, you still largely just get a glass box.

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 12/30/2022 at 3:15 PM, gardenman said:

Domestically, you still largely just get a glass box.

Glass boxes 😍

[BuzzDaddy21]

On 12/30/2022 at 7:19 AM, HenryC said:

6 months without a water change

It's possible, I haven't done a water change in almost a year and it really doesn't matter what kind of filter is used. 

Depends how you set the aquarium up.

[Andy's Fish Den]

On 12/30/2022 at 7:19 AM, HenryC said:

https://www.gizmochina.com/2022/12/26/xiaomi-mijia-smart-fish-tank-supports-remote-feeding/?amp=1

 

 They claim it can go for 6 months without a water change but we all know that's BS

LRBretz doesn't do any water changes I believe, but then he has a lot of plants in his tanks. Also, that LFS in San Francisco that @Zenzohas featured as well as on the Coop YouTube channel doesn't do water changes. Although some could argue water changes get done there, because I'm sure when they catch and bag fish for a customer, they take water out of the tank and then it will have to be topped off, so there is a small water change happening. 

[Biotope Biologist]

Why does a tech giant need crowdfunding for a fish tank? They aren’t reinventing the wheel.

 

I wouldn’t get my hopes up with these things. In the car industry these things pop up, suck up as much money as possible for 3-5 years and bail leaving their investors high and dry… literally.

 

As for needed tech in the aquarium trade, low tech is the best tech. We have tried and failed so many times to replace rather than replicate nature. Frankly no amount of tech could replace billions of years of innovation. Bacteria is king, and I know who my masters are 😋

[anewbie]

When I was younger and the internet didn't exist; we didn't do water changes for the year the tank was setup. It was a 20 long; we started the school year with 2 swordtails and finished the year with 30 or 40; all extremely healthy. The more swordtails that showed up the faster the anaters grew - it was a mass of plants after the year. So yea and aquarium can go 6 months. Back then we never 'tested' water so i have no clue what the parameters were but the fishes were extremely healthy and lively and had great colour that much i do remember. Sadly we go the whole lot to the lfs as we were leaving town.

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 12/30/2022 at 11:27 AM, Biotope Biologist said:

Why does a tech giant need crowdfunding for a fish tank? They aren’t reinventing the wheel.

 

I wouldn’t get my hopes up with these things. In the car industry these things pop up, suck up as much money as possible for 3-5 years and bail leaving their investors high and dry… literally.

 

As for needed tech in the aquarium trade, low tech is the best tech. We have tried and failed so many times to replace rather than replicate nature. Frankly no amount of tech could replace billions of years of innovation. Bacteria is king, and I know who my masters are 😋

There's probably more room for efficiencies and bringing costs down (to buy and operate technology) but I'm probably just thinking as the customer rather than as the aquarium tech company.

[Flumpweesel]

" The MIJJIA smart fish tank has an integrated design with a 16:9 widescreen ratio. "

I think that is the give away that we are not the intended customer. I'm surprised the phrase "Real hi-def experience" wasn't used

[eatyourpeas]

I have moved away from water changes. Almost a year for FW and 9 months for SW. My tanks are now just top-offs and plants. I feed once every two to three days, never vacuum substrate, and can leave them for three weeks without feeding.

I did get a chance to visit the LFS in SF that Zenzo talked about, and Justin gave me some very useful tips on maintaining tanks. He does use CO2 and I do not, but other than that, his method seems to be working for me.

Only after meds I find a need for a WC, and I have not used any since the Columnaris outbreak.

I agree with @Biotope Biologist, the less tech the better to mimic nature. 😍

[lefty o]

On 12/30/2022 at 1:06 PM, eatyourpeas said:

I have moved away from water changes. Almost a year for FW and 9 months for SW. My tanks are now just top-offs and plants. I feed once every two to three days, never vacuum substrate, and can leave them for three weeks without feeding.

I did get a chance to visit the LFS in SF that Zenzo talked about, and Justin gave me some very useful tips on maintaining tanks. He does use CO2 and I do not, but other than that, his method seems to be working for me.

Only after meds I find a need for a WC, and I have not used any since the Columnaris outbreak.

I agree with @Biotope Biologist, the less tech the better to mimic nature. 😍

less tech is better. this is supposed to be a relaxing hobby, not some frustrating technogizmo aggravating experiment.

[jwcarlson]

On 12/30/2022 at 1:53 PM, lefty o said:

less tech is better. this is supposed to be a relaxing hobby, not some frustrating technogizmo aggravating experiment.

I don't disagree, but some people absolutely have some crossover hobby with the tech.  I don't think sponge filters are going anywhere anytime soon. 😄

On 12/30/2022 at 12:04 PM, Flumpweesel said:

" The MIJJIA smart fish tank has an integrated design with a 16:9 widescreen ratio. "

I think that is the give away that we are not the intended customer. I'm surprised the phrase "Real hi-def experience" wasn't used

Is it a touch screen, though?

[pseudomugil]

Somehow I keep reading “gizmochina” as “ex-machina”. Maybe “tank-machina” in this case.

“The cylinder body of the MIJIA smart fish tank consists of Jinjing ultra-clear UHA-grade five-wire glass.”

A bit suspect being that it looks like the tank is a rectangle.

[Katherine]

"The cutter head can effectively cut weeds, mucous membranes, and other impurities that are generated in the tank. Therefore there is no need to change the water in the fish tank for up to 6 months, according to Xiaomi."

I didn't realize that was why we were doing water changes. Uncut mucous membranes. Huh. 🤔

[Remi de Groot]

150 years ago it was also BS that People could fly. 

 

What's the deal with so many fish people hating about changes in the hobby.

 

Compared to other hobbys we didn't have that much big changes. I'm a big fan of mountainbiking. The bike I was using 10 years ago is almost completely different from the one I use now. Everything is updated (most of it for the best). But when it comes to aquariums change is a bad thing?

 

I'm happy someone decided to try somewithhing w led lights on top of an aquarium years ago. With the current prices I wouldn't be able to afford all the tanks I have atm. Thank God for change.

Edited December 31, 2022 by Remi de Groot
Spelling mistake

[Rube_Goldfish]

On 12/30/2022 at 6:40 PM, Remi de Groot said:

150 years ago it was also BS that People could fly. 

What's the deal with so many fish people hating about changes in the hobby.

Compared to other hobbys we didn't have that much big changes. I'm a big fan of mountainbiking. The bike I was using 10 years ago is almost completely different from the one I use now. Everything is updated (most of it for the best). But when it comes to aquariums change is a bad thing?

I'm happy someone decided to try something whit led lights on top of an aquarium years ago. With the current prices I wouldn't be able to afford all the tanks I have atm. Thank God for change.

 

 

 

 

 

You know, this a good point, too, and I love that there are "many paths up the mountain" so that folks who want no-filter no-heater no-tech tanks and folks who want the latest whizbang high tech gizmos can all have what they want. In terms of a relaxing, enjoyable hobby, there's definitely something to be said for technology like timers and auto-feeders and whatnot.

[gardenman]

A company could make as high tech a tank as you'd want. A false back hiding the mechanicals. A rolling mat prefilter to eliminate solid debris, a K1 type fluidized filter for biofiltration.  A heater chamber. A self-feeder. Automated water change at variable rates. Everything could be controlled by a built in microprocessor that would monitor tank conditions and adjust automatically. Some sort of a power rail to power everything and modular components (pump, air pump, heater, etc.) that would simply plug into the rail at the right place. A small display giving the fish keeper an update on the status. A green light for everything's good, or a notification of what needs help. (New roller mat, broken heater, pump, running out of food, etc.) The technology exists, just no one puts it all together. It's kind of like the early days of computers where they were mostly cobbled together by hobbyists using whatever they could find. You can find probes/monitors for most tank parameters. You can find auto feeders, rolling mat filters, K1 filters, and the rest, but you have to figure out a way to make them all work together yourself. Integrating it all into a single, cohesive unit could open up the hobby more.

[The endler guy]

On 12/30/2022 at 2:53 PM, lefty o said:

less tech is better. this is supposed to be a relaxing hobby, not some frustrating technogizmo aggravating experiment.

That’s reefing!

[Pepere]

On 12/31/2022 at 8:23 AM, gardenman said:

A company could make as high tech a tank as you'd want. A false back hiding the mechanicals. A rolling mat prefilter to eliminate solid debris, a K1 type fluidized filter for biofiltration.  A heater chamber. A self-feeder. Automated water change at variable rates. Everything could be controlled by a built in microprocessor that would monitor tank conditions and adjust automatically. Some sort of a power rail to power everything and modular components (pump, air pump, heater, etc.) that would simply plug into the rail at the right place. A small display giving the fish keeper an update on the status. A green light for everything's good, or a notification of what needs help.

They could even have a bluetooth push notification to the owner when in proximity….

 

”Sit down and watch the fish and get some enjoyment here….”

[Tanked]

On 12/30/2022 at 2:53 PM, lefty o said:

Less tech is better. this is supposed to be a relaxing hobby, not some frustrating technogizmo aggravating experiment.

Agreed.  The hobby is as complicated as we choose to make it.

 

On 12/30/2022 at 6:40 PM, Remi de Groot said:

150 years ago it was also BS that People could fly. 

What's the deal with so many fish people hating about changes in the hobby.

Compared to other hobbys we didn't have that much big changes. I'm a big fan of mountainbiking. The bike I was using 10 years ago is almost completely different from the one I use now. Everything is updated (most of it for the best). But when it comes to aquariums change is a bad thing?

I'm happy someone decided to try something w led lights on top of an aquarium years ago. With the current prices I wouldn't be able to afford all the tanks I have atm. Thank God for change.

Change for the sake of change, marketing, or profit is not necessarily good.  Powered flight was a great advancement for everyone because it did not previously exist.  Stuffing more passengers into the same space was not.  My 26# adult bicycle was a major improvement over the 56# monster of my childhood.  It is conceivable that 10 years from now my sponge, under gravel filters and LED lights will still work perfectly without an app on my phone.

Beware the app!😱

[Biotope Biologist]

I should clarify I am not a tech curmudgeon! 
 

But there is a difference between “smart tech” and “tech for the sake of tech.” The aquarium hobby is better for things like wifi timers and [cheap] capacitive LED lighting. But when people outside the hobby start giving solutions for problems that never existed, I become grumpy!  If this tank promised me that it could automatically adjust the light for the time of day and the surrounding light, switched power in case of a power surge or outtage, and had a roomba shaped like a snail that cleaned excess fish food and algae; Id be over the moon!

[OnlyGenusCaps]

On 12/31/2022 at 7:23 AM, gardenman said:

A company could make as high tech a tank as you'd want. A false back hiding the mechanicals. A rolling mat prefilter to eliminate solid debris, a K1 type fluidized filter for biofiltration.  A heater chamber. A self-feeder. Automated water change at variable rates. Everything could be controlled by a built in microprocessor that would monitor tank conditions and adjust automatically. Some sort of a power rail to power everything and modular components (pump, air pump, heater, etc.) that would simply plug into the rail at the right place. A small display giving the fish keeper an update on the status. A green light for everything's good, or a notification of what needs help. (New roller mat, broken heater, pump, running out of food, etc.)

🤤 Want.

In all seriousness, I like the tech in marine...  To a point.  I love socks, but roller mats are amazing!  I put in as much auto-water changing as I can.  I like tech that creates better conditions, and lessens the burden of the hobby while increasing the enjoyment time.  That said, I draw the line at "smart" gadgets.  I don't need to monitor my tank from my phone every minute, that makes things more work not less.  And speaking of phones, I wish companies would please stop telling me I need to download and use their crappy app as the controller because they were too cheap to put in a real controller!  Also, restaurants need to stop making me download their terrible apps to see their menu!!!  That's a related, but off-topic gripe.  But I really do hat that.