Parameter moniter business idea

[goosemans]

A lot of negative nancys. Yes there is a market for automated stuff. If this is your passion, send it. I’ll be in line to try it out

 

[exnisstech]

Hey everyone so just for the record the original base model will include a 3d printed case for the brain, 3 sensors, a ph, tds, and temp sensor.

Originally you mentioned alkalinity and calcium. Personally I would be a player for those two (not sure how it could be done) but I couldn't care less about pH temp or tds. I've never tested tds on anything but my rodi and I have inline meters and I don't care to chase pH and I have heater controllers that monitor temp. JMO

 

[sketh]

Do you have any plans to create an exterior casing for your product?

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

Sorry I didn't see this, but I want to create a product that only makes what I deserve not ripping people off. Each sensor cost close to 20 dollars. The brain cost 40 and the wifi controller to connect to the app cost 30. It's not worth 1k it's worth 300 or so. I just want to make people happy and do what I love.

this becomes the problem with a business, sure you can acquire those things for that price, but what is your time worth? how much mental capital went into making a functional app with quality UI? who is hosting the app? where are going to store products? are you making each one bespoke only when ordered if also whats the turn around time? if not where are you storing all of your pre assembled products? who are you using to ship? who is paying for shipping materials? what sort of warranty will the product have? all these things are built into a cost. let alone what you value your time at.

 

[Formulator]

sell circuit boards that I designed and had manufactured at JLCPCB in bulk.

This or even a project kit with everything needed to build your own controller. I’m envisioning something like this except for a reef controller instead of a robot:

 

[jayden kolonne]

Do you have any plans to create an exterior casing for your product?

I have 3d printers so it would be a sleek black case.

 

[jayden kolonne]

this becomes the problem with a business, sure you can acquire those things for that price, but what is your time worth? how much mental capital went into making a functional app with quality UI? who is hosting the app? where are going to store products? are you making each one bespoke only when ordered if also whats the turn around time? if not where are you storing all of your pre assembled products? who are you using to ship? who is paying for shipping materials? what sort of warranty will the product have? all these things are built into a cost. let alone what you value your time at.

I teach robotics to kids in my free time so unsurprisingly I became really good at setting up sensors motors and other things into a board. Once everything is tested and working it may only take 5 minutes of assembly for 1 kit. I will make an app or hire someone for like 100$. I have alot of space in my house so they can just be in my room or the basement. Customer pays for shipping. The product will have a 1 year warranty as long as it wasn't damaged due to being in water.

 

[jayden kolonne]

This or even a project kit with everything needed to build your own controller. I’m envisioning something like this except for a reef controller instead of a robot:

I know but why wouldn't I just build that pre-assembled. It would be easier for me and the customer.

 

[jayden kolonne]

A lot of negative nancys. Yes there is a market for automated stuff. If this is your passion, send it. I’ll be in line to try it out

Give me a month and I will message you.

 

[jayden kolonne]

Originally you mentioned alkalinity and calcium. Personally I would be a player for those two (not sure how it could be done) but I couldn't care less about pH temp or tds. I've never tested tds on anything but my rodi and I have inline meters and I don't care to chase pH and I have heater controllers that monitor temp. JMO

Makes sense. I can always remove those sensors and add a calcium sensor. The only problem is the alkalinity needs a reactant and spectrum analysis.

 

[reeefish]

sounds like a great idea in the making, perhaps a salinity sensor as well?

 

[exnisstech]

Makes sense. I can always remove those sensors and add a calcium sensor. The only problem is the alkalinity needs a reactant and spectrum analysis.

That's what I was thinking. I got pretty excited at first lol. I'm sure there still a market, monitoring pH is pretty popular. Good on you for considering the project. If it weren't for creative hobbiest we probably would have much of the equipment we do now. Good luck!

 

[BeanAnimal]

A lot of negative nancys. Yes there is a market for automated stuff. If this is your passion, send it. I’ll be in line to try it out

Reality tends to get in the way of poorly planned business ventures.

The OP is a high school student tanking business classes with an assignment to come up with a business.

Shall we aid in his education and understanding with constructive and factual discussion so that he can one day soon build a business, or shall we encourage him to blindly shoot for the moon based on positive thinking and allow the him to learn from the fall?

 

[jayden kolonne]

sounds like a great idea in the making, perhaps a salinity sensor as well?

A salinity sensor and tds sensor actually work the same way, meaning that you just have to enter a formula to change tds to salinity.

 

[jayden kolonne]

That's what I was thinking. I got pretty excited at first lol. I'm sure there still a market, monitoring pH is pretty popular. Good on you for considering the project. If it weren't for creative hobbiest we probably would have much of the equipment we do now. Good luck!

I was thinking the sensors are more for beginners who don't need all the sensors and they can expand when they need.

 

[Rollnwthdatide]

Skip to the ::: for the idea this is just my background. I am a highschool student taking my third buisness class this year and we have to create our own buisness as an assignment. I have had an idea for a while about building a system that can monitor ph, temp, Alkalinity, calcium and many other stuff. I am good with robotics and this would be fairly easy for me to develop but I need to know if there is a market.
:::
I want to build a cheap paramater sensor kit with an app which would be priced around 150-300 depending on price of materials. You can chose what sensors you would want from a list I will add later if there is enough people intrested. If you would be interested just like to post or comment. Thank you for your help and have a good rest of your day.

(Mods, I have a feeling I didn't put this in the right category or maybe needs to go into marketplace. Just let me know, I'm still somewhat new to r2r.)

You'll need more than just experience in robotics. It won't be "fairly easy" for you to do. And considering the amount of competition with companies with vastly more experience and funds. There's a reason why there's no sensors that will monitor all of your parameters. A lot require chemical reactions to test parameter levels. There's no sensor to do it.

 

[goosemans]

Reality tends to get in the way of poorly planned business ventures.

The OP is a high school student tanking business classes with an assignment to come up with a business.

Shall we aid in his education and understanding with constructive and factual discussion so that he can one day soon build a business, or shall we encourage him to blindly shoot for the moon based on positive thinking and allow the him to learn from the fall?

Reality is this is something he enjoys and wants to do. Maybe what he does isn’t just about the money.

 

[jayden kolonne]

Reality is this is something he enjoys and wants to do. Maybe what he does isn’t just about the money.

Exactly. I like to do this and I'll still make 100$ minimum per peice. That's enough for a nice coral. And I will still be helping people out. It's not always about the money.

 

[jayden kolonne]

People also don't understand that carging 800 and 1000 is pretty close to the same for someone like me, and I assume alot of other people as well. 200-300 leaves enough of a profit for me. Transparency and trust is important to gaining customers. Not just money. You also lose alot of the market you are advertising when making a product like this. You could sell to 3x the people at a lower price point. Making just as much money.

 

[BeanAnimal]

People also don't understand that carging 800 and 1000 is pretty close to the same for someone like me, and I assume alot of other people as well. 200-300 leaves enough of a profit for me. Transparency and trust is important to gaining customers. Not just money. You also lose alot of the market you are advertising when making a product like this. You could sell to 3x the people at a lower price point. Making just as much money.

But they have to account for all of the business costs in their product that you don’t. There is a tremendous difference in a real business and selling a few DIY controllers from your bedroom at your parent's house where you are not exposed to those real costs.


Their profit margin is far smaller than yours. If you are pocketing $100 out of $180 then your own logic would dictate that you should be selling far cheaper.

Your assigned project appears to be a business plan. I suggest working the process in the assignment.