Am I crazy for wanting a hydros when I have an apex?

[Sean Clark]

So one of the things that I appreciate about the Apex is that it doesn't require a cloud web service to use. Neptune could close its doors tomorrow and I would still have a fully functional controller. I can still access and program it. It is it's own independent system that I can access locally.

Does the Hydros offer this? Is my Hydros a paperweight when Coralvue decides to stop supporting it?

 

[Dabcrusher]

I replaced my apex with the hydros about 6 months ago . I just got a new apex

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

So one of the things that I appreciate about the Apex is that it doesn't require a cloud web service to use. Neptune could close its doors tomorrow and I would still have a fully functional controller. I can still access and program it. It is it's own independent system that I can access locally.

Does the Hydros offer this? Is my Hydros a paperweight when Coralvue decides to stop supporting it?

I didn't hear Carlos mention this on cvtv

 

[rmcrom]

You can direct connect to the Hydros devices with the mobile app.

 

[oreolk]

Just get the Tunze 3155 ato and the Avast Plank. Both superior to their Apex counterparts.

I second the plank and the Apex ATK sucks

 

[Sean Clark]

You can direct connect to the Hydros devices with the mobile app.

If the Hydros does not generate its own local web server that you can access through any browser (not an app), then the Hydros would be dead when app support is ended by Coralvue.

I do not know if the Hydros supports local web access or not. I am just pointing out that the Apex does offer this as an independent access solution.

Hopefully someone with a Hydros can chime in and clarify what/if any local access is supported.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

If the Hydros does not generate its own local web server that you can access through any browser (not an app), then the Hydros would be dead when app support is ended by Coralvue.

I do not know if the Hydros supports local web access or not. I am just pointing out that the Apex does offer this as an independent access solution.

Hopefully someone with a Hydros can chime in and clarify what/if any local access is supported.

I'm not sure but about access, I'd guess your right, I know the two systems get matched up in comparison all the time, but come on....lol

But I do have a hydros system its good enough for me, they do things like this occasionally... it's only 4hrs

 

[reefiniteasy]

Love my Hydros Collectives. That is all.

 

[DHill6]

Love mine also. Former Apex user who decided I didn’t need a controller and sold the Apex setup,DOS units, par. Saw the Hydros and decided this fits, easy, small and doesn’t look like a child’s plastic box. I’m impressed.

 

[areefer01]

I don't believe this a question if you are crazy or buyers remorse. Both have quirks. Both users will say the grass isn't always greener also. It really comes down to what you want out of a controller.

There is so much noise in our hobby be it controller, quality, salt, and other products. It can be mind numbing. Onus is on the hobbyist to set correct expectations and requirements then buy the product that matches. Really as simple as that.

tl; dr - hobbyist A and B can use the same product or salt yet have totally different experiences. This is true.

Edit: since this is somewhat related. I'm in the Apex ecosystem and have a Hydros Wave Engine LE. Coexist we can.

 

[MariahP]

Following because I’m coming back to this hobby after a long break and considering buying a system. I had been leaning Apex but after reading some reviews am now thinking Hydros. Sure seems like Apex stuff breaks frequently?

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

As someone who sells both and has both there are definitely pros and cons of either. I wish my hydros had an ethernet connection, but I wish my apex didn't need aquabus cables to connect everything. I like the Hydros hardware better but I can't code some of the advanced things I have done in Apex.

Ultimately I think that Hydros makes more sense on the entry-level end and for people who like piecing out a system while Apex makes more sense for people who buy the system all at once and plan to do advanced programming. I am pretty simple in how I prefer to use controllers so I lean Hydros most of the time but I can't program my kalk reactor the way I want to or control my kessil lights with Hydros so I still have an Apex on one of my tanks.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I have two tanks on two seperate hydros collectives, its the system for me and my control needs, im happy with it.

 

[BrianReefer]

Long time Apex user, have 2 tanks, setup hydros on second tank, after power outage and hydros inability to auto reconnect to the Wi-Fi, I quickly switched back to apex on that second tank. The old hydros Wi-Fi outlets (basically cheap Amazon rebranded Wi-Fi outlets) were garbage. Maybe the new head unit with the wired outlet strip is better. But between the connectivity issues and some issues with limitations on custom code needs, I sold it all and went back to apex and haven’t looked back. Fun experiment but wasn’t prime time ready yet (a year ago)

 

[n2585722]

As someone who sells both and has both there are definitely pros and cons of either. I wish my hydros had an ethernet connection, but I wish my apex didn't need aquabus cables to connect everything. I like the Hydros hardware better but I can't code some of the advanced things I have done in Apex.

Ultimately I think that Hydros makes more sense on the entry-level end and for people who like piecing out a system while Apex makes more sense for people who buy the system all at once and plan to do advanced programming. I am pretty simple in how I prefer to use controllers so I lean Hydros most of the time but I can't program my kalk reactor the way I want to or control my kessil lights with Hydros so I still have an Apex on one of my tanks.

I have yet to find anything that I was doing with my Archon that I could not do with the Hydros system. I control the normal things at the tank like skimmer, flow pumps, return pump, heaters, cooling fans and wifi feeder. I also use it to control ATO, AWC and All for Reef dosing. I also control my RODI and the three storage tanks. It refills the DI tank when it gets low. It will also transfer the mix tank contents to the fresh saltwater tank if the mix tank is ready to use and the fresh saltwater tank goes low. It then refills the mix tank with DI so all I have to do is add the salt mix and press a mix ready button when it is ready to use. I do have nine controllers in a collective doing this though.

 

[Jonreefer]

I had an ApexEL few years ago. It was my first time jumping into the controller arena.
it was fine and worked well.
last year when I had another tank I couldn’t justify the price of the apex for what it was. Got the hydros. I ended up taking that tank down from Dino’s. I recently just setup again and picked up the X3 kit again for Black Friday for $245. It does everything I was using my apex for. For half the price. I am not looking to add all kinds of crazy code or items. I wanted to monitor temp and ph and turn off heaters if needed and ph to shut off Doser of kalk if it spiked.
i wouldn’t consider Apex again because of the price and how they just keep upping it every year.

 

[Kathy Floyd]

This was an interesting thread. I too am looking for something so to hear all your opinions has helped.

 

[n2585722]

I had an ApexEL few years ago. It was my first time jumping into the controller arena.
it was fine and worked well.
last year when I had another tank I couldn’t justify the price of the apex for what it was. Got the hydros. I ended up taking that tank down from Dino’s. I recently just setup again and picked up the X3 kit again for Black Friday for $245. It does everything I was using my apex for. For half the price. I am not looking to add all kinds of crazy code or items. I wanted to monitor temp and ph and turn off heaters if needed and ph to shut off Doser of kalk if it spiked.
i wouldn’t consider Apex again because of the price and how they just keep upping it every year.

The thing is the Hydros can still accomplish the task without the coding. I have mine controlling my RODI and auto refilling the DI storage tank. It also will transfer the contents of the mix tank to the fresh saltwater tank when the fresh saltwater tank goes low and the mix tank is ready for use. Once the contents is transferred it refills the mix tank from the RODI. All I have to do is add the salt mix to the mix tank and press a button when it is ready to use. I would call that a complex task for any controller. So if you ever want to do any of the advanced things all you will need to do is get the appropriate controller or controllers and enough command buss cables to connect them all together and a couple of terminators. Then create a collective with your original controller so it retains it's settings. Then add the other controller or controllers to the collective one at a time. Then the collective acts like one large controller with all the inputs and outputs of each controller that is a member of the collective. I have 9 controllers in my collective currently. There are 4 at the tank and 5 in the garage where the RODI and storage tanks are located. The tank is 35ft from the garage. The original power pack that plugs into a command buss connector cannot be used with a Wave Engine or XP8 unless there is a data only cable used between them. Also you have to use a data only cable if the span is over 14ft between controllers. so the cable between the garage and tank is a data only cable. Other than that you can mix them together is a collective with the ones you want to use to do the task you want the collective to do.

 

[Kathy Floyd]

The thing is the Hydros can still accomplish the task without the coding. I have mine controlling my RODI and auto refilling the DI storage tank. It also will transfer the contents of the mix tank to the fresh saltwater tank when the fresh saltwater tank goes low and the mix tank is ready for use. Once the contents is transferred it refills the mix tank from the RODI. All I have to do is add the salt mix to the mix tank and press a button when it is ready to use. I would call that a complex task for any controller. So if you ever want to do any of the advanced things all you will need to do is get the appropriate controller or controllers and enough command buss cables to connect them all together and a couple of terminators. Then create a collective with your original controller so it retains it's settings. Then add the other controller or controllers to the collective one at a time. Then the collective acts like one large controller with all the inputs and outputs of each controller that is a member of the collective. I have 9 controllers in my collective currently. There are 4 at the tank and 5 in the garage where the RODI and storage tanks are located. The tank is 35ft from the garage. The original power pack that plugs into a command buss connector cannot be used with a Wave Engine or XP8 unless there is a data only cable used between them. Also you have to use a data only cable if the span is over 14ft between controllers. so the cable between the garage and tank is a data only cable. Other than that you can mix them together is a collective with the ones you want to use to do the task you want the collective to do.

I want to make sure I understand completely, so sorry if I sound a little 'dumb' here but I'm new to this. So a Hydro basically is the same thing as an Apex? Can the hydro be set up to also monitor say like ALK/MAG, etc? Can you also add a doser to it? Or is the Hydro just for basic monitoring and plug control?

 

[n2585722]

This was an interesting thread. I too am looking for something so to hear all your opinions has helped.

If you are wanting more information on the Hydros I have the Hydros system and go over converting to it from the Archon I was using in my build thread on R2R. The hydros stuff starts on page 7 of that thread. Just click on my build thread contributor's badge in one of my post to get to it.