# Thoughts on the Biopod a smart-viv!



## jprosser (Jan 4, 2015)

Not sure if there is a thread about this product on here yet, but I found people talking about it on another forum.

Biopod <-- a link to their website which explains all its functions.

personally I think that they look awesome and I will soon preorder one! price isnt too bad either. If these work like they are said to by the makers, it will make herp keeping a hell of a lot easier!


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## s6t6nic6l (May 15, 2010)

it's a shame the development did not go into a decent sized enclosure rather than promoting the standard inadequate glass coffins for our darts, gecko's and such.

i'd have one for tetra's mind but that would still have to be sold to me for £50 or so rather than pay.........how much you say :gasp:

my real concern tho' :yeahright: is with any all-in-one unit be it this or the vivarium habitat controllers is once the chip/electronics ceases to function properly the whole system breaks down. it's why I have separate units running for my vivs in case something fails then I need only replace or use alternate equipment to get by until.........

so even if this was implemented in a 6' x 5' enclosure it still would not be a viable purchase option for me although it would be a fascinating habitat to ponder on no doubt.


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## jprosser (Jan 4, 2015)

Yes I was hoping for a larger size viv, but maybe if the smaller vivs do well, they may introduce a larger size, although I can imagine that the price would skyrocket! 

That is also one of my largest concerns, which is why I think that I may keep the one I pre-order as just a planted viv with no animals, until I learn to trust it! Then I may put some thumbnails in there.

I do however think that it is a very fair price at its pre-order value! (as long as it all functions as claimed)


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Wow this still needs LOTS of work and is around £400...

I like the concept but I feel that it is not suited to livestock as is. 

John


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## jprosser (Jan 4, 2015)

Hi John,

Would you mind me asking what on it needs work?

£400 is expensive but I might risk it at £200 on the pre order. (im just too curious)

As I said I will only be using it for plants until I am confident with it, I may never even put livestock in it.

Jacob


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## Arcadiajohn (Jan 30, 2011)

Properly heating and lighting will be a challenge,mi feel it's too small also. Airflow is an issue, it will need good archive fan control.

The LEDs need looking at in terms of quality and spectrum from what I can see,

I think they have the basis if an idea but I feel more will be disappointed than delighted.

I myself have a biorbair. No live stock of course just plants. I love the look of it but it has issues like all product.i think in time these systems will be perfected but in all truth more thought needs to go in.

I think you will find that the price is £200 odd after you pay your investment. 

Maybe worth a go for plants, 

John



jprosser said:


> Hi John,
> 
> Would you mind me asking what on it needs work?
> 
> ...


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## Meefloaf (Mar 24, 2013)

i can see it going terribly wrong, also feel its an easy cop out for people not willing or arsed to do any form of research because you can literally set it to the animal you're going to be putting in there. i'd also like to know whether or not their selection of animals is varied enough to cover the varied differences.

now onto the size, 14" depth is pathetic if you're spending out this much out on a unit like this, the minimum i'd keep any of my frogs in is 18" (45cm) and even then, that would be during their juvenile stages. you'd have to go for the largest one available to make it even viable to keep an animal in long term. 

i get *annoyed* to high heaven with people who think because dart frogs are small you can keep them in small vivs. sure they'll live out their days in it, but they live in a large expanse of different layers of jungle floor. 14" isn't even the width of one of the tree roots they'd have to get themselves over


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## jprosser (Jan 4, 2015)

but if it doesn't go wrong (all ifs and buts I know) then at least the people who can't be bothered to do the research will have the right husbandry, regarding humidity and heating. I believe that you don't HAVE to use the selection of animals on the app, you can set it to what you want.

I do agree on the overall size on all of the vivs are small, but as a grow out tank it would be alright.

and John, I had thought about the LEDs, but I figured that if they weren't up to scratch, I would just use some of your jungle dawns on the top of it, as I use 22w on my phantasticus viv and the plant growth is awesome.

I believe that if and when these systems do get perfected, then it will benefit the hobby incredibly.

Jacob


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## Meefloaf (Mar 24, 2013)

but why would anyone rinse that sort of money on a grow out viv ?


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## jprosser (Jan 4, 2015)

you can see on the site that quite a few people have done.

I will be keeping plants in it, its a nice looking viv with lots of cool built in features, i especially like how there is a pump that feeds water through the back wall from the drainage layer.


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## Athravan (Dec 28, 2006)

Honestly it looks smart but unless you're looking to throw down a lot of money I don't see it being feasible. I just posted the start of my RETF build thread in Amphibians and commented that I thought £500 was a lot to spend on the build but that gets things like a 90x45x90cm tank, a mistking and a fair amount of lighting!


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