APEX or HYDROS?

[spencjw]

I have a IM25 lagoon, love it. I am in the military and have to leave pretty often. Trying to automate as much as possible, so obviously need a controller. I am leaning toward APEX, I heard the app is great and buying purpose the initial buy seems easy. HYDROS I feel just have too many options. Would love to hear your thoughts!!!

 

[BriDroid]

I can’t speak for the Apex, but I’ve jumped head first into the Hydros universe. I love it so far. It’s been a few months and I’ve got my nano completely automated where I can leave for a week on a pop up work trip and not have to worry. I ended up with an extra X2 controller, so I even automated my RODI in my laundry room.

 

[tsharpe291]

like asking ford or chevy, I run both controllers. pros and con's to both.
ultimately I vote apex just for ethernet connection alone. hydros is easier to use
as far as programing goes

 

[spencjw]

I can’t speak for the Apex, but I’ve jumped head first into the Hydros universe. I love it so far. It’s been a few months and I’ve got my nano completely automated where I can leave for a week on a pop up work trip and not have to worry. I ended up with an extra X2 controller, so I even automated my RODI in my laundry room.

How many controllers did you have to buy? That is what worries me, I could spend a ton of money and need 2-4 different controllers.

 

[BriDroid]

How many controllers did you have to buy? That is what worries me, I could spend a ton of money and need 2-4 different controllers.

When I added my Kraken, I no longer needed my X2 and my XD. It depends on how much stuff you want to control. I have a Kraken, an XP8, a Minnow, a XS and a X3. I use a single X2 to run my RODI. You can go as big or small as you want.

The Kraken was a game changer for me. Being able to get rid of 8 24VDC wall warts and 4 12VDC wall warts was worth it to me!

 

[areefer01]

I have a IM25 lagoon, love it. I am in the military and have to leave pretty often. Trying to automate as much as possible, so obviously need a controller. I am leaning toward APEX, I heard the app is great and buying purpose the initial buy seems easy. HYDROS I feel just have too many options. Would love to hear your thoughts!!!

Make a list of what you want the controller to do for you while away then compare. Both will work as would GHL. It really comes down to personal preference and bias.

My take on it:

• Make a list as I noted earlier.
• Label all of our cords, plugs, and equipment. Clearly.
• Throw together a one or two page document that lists what they all mean. What needs to be on, off, auto.
• In same document, list what to do if something common, or uncommon, happens.
• Have spares of important items (heater, power head, maybe even a return pump), label those, add to doc above their locations and how to swap out.
• Food both dry and frozen. In doc list how much to feed and when.

See the pattern? Make it easy for someone to help you while you are half way around the world doing other important things that your mind needs to be focused on. Not on the tank back at base or home. Spending time, and money, on this will go a lot further than buying a controller. In both my opinion, and experience, after serving for 27 years.

 

[spencjw]

I have a IM25 lagoon, love it. I am in the military and have to leave pretty often. Trying to automate as much as possible, so obviously need a controller. I am leaning toward APEX, I heard the app is great and buying purpose the initial buy seems easy. HYDROS I feel just have too many options. Would love to hear your thoughts!!!

Make a list of what you want the controller to do for you while away then compare. Both will work as would GHL. It really comes down to personal preference and bias.

My take on it:

• Make a list as I noted earlier.
• Label all of our cords, plugs, and equipment. Clearly.
• Throw together a one or two page document that lists what they all mean. What needs to be on, off, auto.
• In same document, list what to do if something common, or uncommon, happens.
• Have spares of important items (heater, power head, maybe even a return pump), label those, add to doc above their locations and how to swap out.
• Food both dry and frozen. In doc list how much to feed and when.

See the pattern? Make it easy for someone to help you while you are half way around the world doing other important things that your mind needs to be focused on. Not on the tank back at base or home. Spending time, and money, on this will go a lot further than buying a controller. In both my opinion, and experience, after serving for 27 years.

Make a lot of sense to me!!

 

[delock]

As someone who also travels frequently, I decided to use Hydro to run my setup. I also spoke to a few friends with much larger systems or who run aquarium installation/maintenance services.

The only thing I hate is not being able to use my ecotech power heads without jumping through hoops.

 

[TonyB]

After running both, I much prefer Hydros. Setup is far easier and connection has been more reliable for me.

 

[n2585722]

As someone who also travels frequently, I decided to use Hydro to run my setup. I also spoke to a few friends with much larger systems or who run aquarium installation/maintenance services.

The only thing I hate is not being able to use my ecotech power heads without jumping through hoops.

I have 2 pre Mobius MP10's that I control with my WEv2. I used the RF module out of my ReefLink in the WEv2. It will not work with EcoTech pumps with Mobius firmware installed. I am guessing since EcoTech was acquired by the same company that acquired Apex that has a lot to do with them now being incompatible with the Hydros.

 

[delock]

I have 2 pre Mobius MP10's that I control with my WEv2. I used the RF module out of my ReefLink in the WEv2. It will not work with EcoTech pumps with Mobius firmware installed. I am guessing since EcoTech was acquired by the same company that acquired Apex that has a lot to do with them now being incompatible with the Hydros.

This true but all my ecoech are mobius ready

 

[n2585722]

This true but all my ecoech are mobius ready

Unfortunately the newer ones cannot have the pre Mobius firmware installed on them. I think that happened after EcoTech was acquired by the same company that owns Apex.

 

[mstgkillr]

When I added my Kraken, I no longer needed my X2 and my XD. It depends on how much stuff you want to control. I have a Kraken, an XP8, a Minnow, a XS and a X3. I use a single X2 to run my RODI. You can go as big or small as you want.

The Kraken was a game changer for me. Being able to get rid of 8 24VDC wall warts and 4 12VDC wall warts was worth it to me!

Just wait until it fails like mine did! The failure highlighted what I now see as a significant weakness of the Kraken. For me, it became a single point of failure. It powered my XP4, two Wave Engines, two return pumps, and multiple 12V and 24V components. When the Kraken failed, it took hours, essentially my entire weekend, to get my system back online. I was digging out my old power bricks. That kind of vulnerability is something I can’t ignore moving forward. Even if I decided to stay with HYDROS, I probably wouldn't use the Kraken for anything critical.

After running both, I much prefer Hydros. Setup is far easier and connection has been more reliable for me.

I've also ran both, and I much prefer Apex. HYDROS has certainly not been more reliable for me, even though it "appears" to be better built. I will say the Apex has a much steeper learning curve though, but it is also much more customizable.

 

[n2585722]

Just wait until it fails like mine did! The failure highlighted what I now see as a significant weakness of the Kraken. For me, it became a single point of failure. It powered my XP4, two Wave Engines, two return pumps, and multiple 12V and 24V components. When the Kraken failed, it took hours, essentially my entire weekend, to get my system back online. I was digging out my old power bricks. That kind of vulnerability is something I can’t ignore moving forward. Even if I decided to stay with HYDROS, I probably wouldn't use the Kraken for anything critical.


I've also ran both, and I much prefer Apex. HYDROS has certainly not been more reliable for me. I will say the Apex has a much steeper learning curve though, but it is also much more customizable.

I have 2 Krakens and I have not had an issue with either of them. Both have battery backups attached. One is at the tank and the other is in my garage at my mixing station which is controlled by my Hydros. It controls the RODI unit and the refilling of my DI reservoir. It also transfers the contents in the mix tank to the fresh saltwater reservoir when it goes low and the contents in the mix tank is ready to use. It also refills the mix tank with RODI after the transfer completes. All I have to do is add the salt mix and press a button when the contents is ready for use.

 

[mstgkillr]

I have 2 Krakens and I have not had an issue with either of them. Both have battery backups attached. One is at the tank and the other is in my garage at my mixing station which is controlled by my Hydros. It controls the RODI unit and the refilling of my DI reservoir. It also transfers the contents in the mix tank to the fresh saltwater reservoir when it goes low and the contents in the mix tank is ready to use. It also refills the mix tank with RODI after the transfer completes. All I have to do is add the salt mix and press a button when the contents is ready for use.

I didn't have an issue with my Kraken either, until I did. I also had a battery backup attached, which did not do me any good when the Kraken itself failed. Just ask yourself, if the Kraken failed on your tank failed, how would that impact your tank if you were home or away for the week? And, is that worth it?

 

[n2585722]

I didn't have an issue with my Kraken either, until I did. I also had a battery backup attached, which did not do me any good when the Kraken itself failed. Just ask yourself, if the Kraken failed on your tank failed, how would that impact your tank if you were home or away for the week? And, is that worth it?

I also have separate battery backups for my flow pumps so not too much of an issue since one of my kids would be going by the house to feed or cat anyway if we are out of town. What would happen on an Apex if you loose the head unit? I have heard of those going bad. At least with Hydros you still have the other controllers that will still try and keep things going. The only thing your loose is the controller with the issue and it's inputs and outputs. If you loose the head unit on the Apex you loose control of everything controlled with that head unit. I still have all the power supplies to the things that the Kraken powers and they are all together in the same spot. So I can always hook up those to the devices that are critical and keep them going.

 

[John Neuzil]

Hydros

 

[mstgkillr]

I also have separate battery backups for my flow pumps so not too much of an issue since one of my kids would be going by the house to feed or cat anyway if we are out of town. What would happen on an Apex if you loose the head unit? I have heard of those going bad. At least with Hydros you still have the other controllers that will still try and keep things going. The only thing your loose is the controller with the issue and it's inputs and outputs. If you loose the head unit on the Apex you loose control of everything controlled with that head unit. I still have all the power supplies to the things that the Kraken powers and they are all together in the same spot. So I can always hook up those to the devices that are critical and keep them going.

Redundancy is key. Glad you have separate backups for the flow pumps. As for losing an Apex head unit, "Fallback On." My return pumps, flow pumps, heaters, ATO, still run. If the Kraken is powering your other HYDROS components, if it fails, so do the others.

 

[BeanAnimal]

How many controllers did you have to buy? That is what worries me, I could spend a ton of money and need 2-4 different controllers.

My advice? The fact that you can’t spend 5 minutes and figure out what Hydros controllers that you need, should tell you all that you need to know about the company. If that isn’t enough, look at the naming conventions. Nothing matches, no theme just cutesy nonsense.

Each brand certainly has its issues, but The other two (GHL and Neptune) were born as aquarium controller companies, not wholesalers who decided to jump into the controller market. I don’t think Hydros is bad, I just think it is seat of the pants design and roadmap and being not being fully autonomous (cloud required for setup and changes) is a no go for me.

 

[n2585722]

Redundancy is key. Glad you have separate backups for the flow pumps. As for losing an Apex head unit, "Fallback On." My return pumps, flow pumps, heaters, ATO, still run. If the Kraken is powering your other HYDROS components, if it fails, so do the others.

My heaters are on my XP8 and it is not powered by the Kraken at all. Besides my heaters do not run between April and October. My evaporative cooling fans are on quite a bit keeping the temp at 77 degrees. As for my ATO it is in the garage and it is a Sole pump. It is not powered by the Kraken out there. My AWC which is pumps on the Blenny are powered by the Kraken in the garage but if I am out of town the AWC is halted. I have also been known to add a second ATO that uses a different ATO sensor when I am going to be out of town.