The Fisbit aquarium monitor and controller is one of the best and biggest success stories regarding crowdfunded aquarium products. About this time last year Fishbit launched their first Kickstarter to build 30 Beta units of their combination controller and monitor system, meeting their funding goals well under 24 hours.
In that time Fishbit delivered their Beta units, have tested the platform in the field, refined their smartphone app, and now they’re ready to bring the vision to market through another crowdfunding campaign. Starting today, the Fishbit monitor and controller will be available to pre-purchase through Kickstarter, and you can buy one or the other or a bundle depending on your specific needs.
At first we viewed the monitor and controller as one and the same but Fishbit has gotten more clear that these are two separate products which happen to work seamlessly with each other. So depending on your application, you can pick up a Fishbit monitor, or a controller, or both, and each will report back through the Fishbit app over wifi.
The Fishbit controller is available in two configurations, a basic controller for $195 which gives you 8 controllable, programmable outlets , and a Fishbit Controller+ which also adds current monitoring and eight channels of 1-10v dimming for $275. The Fishbit Monitor is similarly dual, with a basic monitor to measure pH and temperature for $225, and a Fishbit Monitor+ which adds salinity to the measurements for $275.
The bundled Fishbit monitor and controller system is pre-selling for $395 while the full-on Fishbit System+, the only bundle that also measures water level, will cost $455 for early backers, and $525 for the second round of supporters. Keep in mind that these are all Kickstarter prices for supporters of the crowdfunding campaign and when the Fishbits are offered up to retail customers the prices will be roughly 25% higher.
this is the aquarium controller that your parents could use on their own tank
We’ve dabbled in using the Fishbit controller and monitor and by far the best part of the budding ecosytem is the Fishbit app. Controlling and programming the Fishbit monitor and controller is dead simple, and it runs circles around just about every other aquarium controlling platform in terms of ease of use; this is the aquarium controller that your parents could use on their own tank.
We are extremely excited to see the Fishbit monitor & controller enter into the next phase of development for the wider aquarium market. We are even more excited to see the production Fishbit controller gain so much more functionality which will allow this base unit to expand into a huge number of aquarium functions.
Of course Fishbit has a long way to go before it is considered by diehard reefers right alongside the Apex and Profilux systems currently available and already proven. But with their really intuitive user interface, wireless control that is proving to work well and easily for the bet users, Fishbit is on the right track.
Fishbit will be displaying their new production monitors and controllers at ReefStock in Denver this weekend and we’re really looking forward to spending some time with them. We’ll be digging deeper into what the near future and long term roadmap is for the Fishbit in the aquarium world so stay tuned. Meanwhile, check out the full details of the new Fishbit funding campaign on Kickstarter.
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