- Neptune Systems recently reached out to me
with some brand new sensors that they've been cooking up
and they look awesome.
There are three to be exact,
two of which are upgraded solutions
to sensors that we already know and love,
while one is a completely new design
that might just change the way
that we monitor liquid levels, forever.
So let's kick things off by looking at a new take
on the old, reliable leak detection sensor.
Rather than the conductive strips
that we're used to seeing on leak sensors,
the new LD-3 sensors are optical
and have two distinct advantages
over their conductive counterparts.
Firstly, the LD-3 Optical Leak Sensors are reusable,
over and over, no matter how many times
they come in contact with saltwater.
And that's because all of the components are epoxy sealed,
unlike the LD-1 and LD-2 sensors,
which have their conductive strips on their circuit boards
which are exposed to the saltwater
they come into contact with
which can essentially make them a one time use,
if they become corroded.
The LD-3 Optical Leak Sensors
are also immune to false alarms
based on the surfaces that they're placed on,
unlike the conductive strips on the LD-1 and LD-2,
which can trip if they're placed on
another conductive surface like metal.
So you're able to use the Optical Leak Sensors
on more surfaces
and essentially more places than its predecessors.
Next up, we've got the V3 Magnetic Optical Sensor.
This one is also a huge improvement, in my opinion,
especially when it comes to form factor and magnet quality.
The V2 Optical Level Sensor was a basic threaded sensor
and then used a separate magnetic mount
with a tubing clip to hold it in place.
Instead, the V3 has a built in magnetic mount
with a completely silicone encased external magnet,
which is not only completely waterproof,
but also really cuts down on the size
for a much smaller form factor,
making it easier to sneak into tighter spaces
or on baffles inside of the sump
without worrying about swelling magnets.
The V3 is also just a much nicer looking sensor
sporting the Neptune Systems' gray and orange,
and kicking that generic look of the V2 to the curb.
The most exciting sensor, however
is the brand new LLS or Liquid Level Sensor.
It is an entirely new type of water level sensor
that is so much more capable than a simple optical eye,
and this is the first time we're seeing this tech
in the reefing hobby.
Instead of just being able to detect
the presence or absence of a liquid,
it can quite accurately tell you the exact depth of a liquid
and when that depth changes and by how much,
which opens up some very cool opportunities.
The LLS will be available in four sizes,
a 4 inch, a 15 inch, a 23 inch and a whopping 35 inch,
which means you can use them in something
as small as a dosing container
and as large as a mixing station.
The LLS stick itself
looks like a thin ruler inside of a clear tube
and will be able to mount to panels
using a clip holster to keep it in place.
It'll connect to your Apex through an FMM port
just like an optical or leak or flow sensor would,
and you'll have a widget right on the Apex Fusion's new UI
with an animated visual readout and water depth
listed in either centimeters or inches,
which looks really sharp, in my opinion.
You'll also have a tile on the Classic Fusion Dashboard
with a graph to show you, not just the current liquid level,
but also the history of the liquid level over time,
which could definitely come in handy.
Like I was mentioning earlier,
the LLS is going to give you the ability
to tell the exact depth of water in your sump,
or your ATO reservoir, or your mixing station,
and you can have your Apex send you notifications
or even take action for you,
if that level changes by a specific amount.
You could, for example, have your DC Return Pump slow down
just enough to prevent cavitation,
if the water level in the return section drops too far.
Or you could track your aquarium's evaporation rate.
You'll even be able to set up multiple reminders
as your ATO reservoir gets lower and lower,
so you know exactly how much more time you have to put off
before filling it back up.
Not gonna lie, probably gonna use this one
for that exact reason, because I am absolutely terrible
at refilling my ATO reservoir on time.
But I digress.
I truly think that the ability to monitor liquid level
to this degree is really gonna give us reefers
an opportunity to come up with some creative and novel uses
that we just wouldn't have thought of
before this sensor was available.
Like, I don't know, optimizing roller mat functionality
much more accurately so that you have less
overflow fluctuation and noise
while also making sure it advances exactly when it needs to.
While these new sensors should be available very soon
as add-on accessories,
so keep your eyes peeled,
I would also really love to see Neptune Systems
include these new sensors, especially the LLS
along with an FMM module in the Apex bundles
instead of less popular probes
like the salinity probe or even the ORP probe,
since the average reefer will get much more use
out of these types of sensors.
Speaking of which,
if you'd like to see some really cool ways
you can use these types of sensors,
check out our master, Your Apex playlist,
where we walk you through how to set them up
in all kinds of different ways
that can change the way you reef,
and just make things a whole heck of a lot easier.
So have a watch.
(energetic synth music)