How do I power up my apex. I got the dream bundle and am trying to get started, but there are no instructions for how to plug it in or how to plug anything into anything on their website that’s supposed to explain everything for newbs. So annoyed. It states where the auxiliary 12v power is but I wasn’t provided one of those just a 24v power supply and the website that supposed to explain everything to save the planet from paper just literally says plug it in to eb832. Any Auquabus usb? Seems like it should be freaking noted and explained. I don’t want to fry the thing guessing. Are all the instructions just pictures of what ports are called or what? Thanks for help with such a stupid question and also does anyone have links to a complete walk through of all my devices instead of just pictures of what I already have in my hand. So appreciated. This is for sure going to get a laugh but for $2700 worth of stuff I’m not guessing and expected instruction not pictures.
Apex
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ca1ore
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Apex brain gets its power through the aquabus connection to the power bar. You can buy a wall wart to power it directly too. Doesn’t matter which aquabus socket you use to connect. Daisy chain them any way you want.
The get started guide does skip a step or two ..... like the plugging in part.
The get started guide does skip a step or two ..... like the plugging in part.
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I probably wouldn’t watch this video lol.. I recently set mine up watching this video and got alllllll confused and bricked my apex.. had to do a reset, hardwire it to my router, goto apex local to preform an update, a bunch of other bs to get it working.
SuncrestReef
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1. Connect an AquaBus cable (the USB-like cable) between the Apex unit and the EB832 EnergyBar. Each of these have multiple AquaBus ports, and it does not matter which one you plug into.
2. Plug the EB832 power cord into a wall outlet or into a surge protector or a UPS battery. Any power outlet will suffice.
3. Wait for the Neptune logo on the Apex to turn blue, and the logo on the EB832 to turn orange.
4. Follow the instructions at the bottom of Neptune's getting started guide where you select the type of computer/phone you want to use to complete setup: https://www.neptunesystems.com/getstarted/apexng/
2. Plug the EB832 power cord into a wall outlet or into a surge protector or a UPS battery. Any power outlet will suffice.
3. Wait for the Neptune logo on the Apex to turn blue, and the logo on the EB832 to turn orange.
4. Follow the instructions at the bottom of Neptune's getting started guide where you select the type of computer/phone you want to use to complete setup: https://www.neptunesystems.com/getstarted/apexng/
Reading posts like the above keep me from buying an APEX controller. The sickening thing is that I have an electrical engineering degree, BSEE University of Miami Magna *** Laude. But I don't appreciate the runaround in the marine hobby business. I've purchased 3 Digital Aquatics systems, but they're out of business and its only a matter of time before that equipment fails. Then I gambled on the Vertex Cerebra -- and lost after my Beta unit stopped working and Vertex folded. I need a turn-key solution that doesn't require a customer support team to get me up and going. Anybody else out there feel frustrated?
I wish I could recommend Aquatronica to you, they will ship from Italy and while the price is very close to the Apex Gold they no longer have a North American support office since early 2019.
The thing that is so nice about there systems is that it is all Plug and Play. It is also super reliable and the programming is very flexible. It's menu driven with step by step screens to create each program. No weird naming conventions, just call a Plug, float switch, pH probe etc any name you want to. For eg just name a plug "ATO PUMP" and that name shows up in every selection menu during programing. The Salinity Probe uses Magnetic Resonance and never really needs to be calibrated and is just dead on for years and years. Mine will be reaching the six year point shortly and I have only calibrated it about three times just as a check. I clean it about once every 6-8 months but if it is kept away from light and has no major amount of growth on it the thing just keeps reading properly. They have pretty much all the same modules like Neptune but they use Vortex flow sensors instead of paddle wheels, so the reading are pretty much dead on with no flow loss penalty. Also they have an SMS module and there own LED lighting systems and support for all the major pumps including Vortech's.
Support is an issue, they are not good at it but the manual is good and has enough info to get you started with every device. They are also not into all the bells and whistles that you can get with the Apex fusion. It does have built in graphs and run timers etc but nothing as pretty as Fusion. It does have an export function that will allow you to create a file that can be opened in excel. That contains just about everything it has measured and done over the a several month period. So I guess if one was handy at programming you could design a very nice overlaying graphing system. It does have full cloud support, but its not really needed as it has a built in webserver, email etc. Personally I have gotten past the need for a pretty GUI. I just need flexible programming on a reliable platform.
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sarcophytonIndy
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I have had very good luck with Apex and R2R as support
Does it?
If you select the iOS setup, then it takes you through the new out of box experience with a video that shows the device being plugged in.
To the OP, sorry to hear you are having trouble. Please give us a call at 408.275.2205 if you need some more help.
Greybeard
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I'm an industrial software engineer. Been working with industrial control systems for decades. I resisted buying a controller until a few years back... BRS was extolling the virtues of using a Reefkeeper Light as a heater/lighting controller. So... I picked one up. A year later, they're out of business, and my RKL is giving me problems.
Ok... Apex Classic seemed to be the reasonably priced answer at the time. Picked one up.
Should have done this a long time ago. Yes, from an industrial PLC standpoint, the Apex is a child's toy... but it's a child's toy designed specifically to solve the kinds of problems we aquarists need to solve. If you're at all computer literate, installing an Apex and getting it up and running isn't a big deal. Even some fairly advanced functionality is made fairly easy... Email alarms, internet connected control, disconnect alarms, interactions between equipment (shut off the light if the tank temp gets over my setpoint... etc.)
I do have to say, the new EL or full Apex is much better than the Classic. Built in wireless, if nothing else, is a major plus.
I'm unwilling to ever run a reef system without a controller. Now... if someone comes out with a more stable, better designed system than the Apex, I'd be happy to jump on board. Neptune is the best thing going, but that doesn't mean they're wonderful. Quality control appears to be spotty, prices are high, reliability isn't all that great...
I suspect we'll see a full blown controller from Ecotech at some time in the near future. They've got top tier lights, the best in flow pumps, an excellent quality dosing pump system, return pumps, battery backup systems... It's a natural progression. I'd have loved to see Neptune and Ecotech work together, but IMHO, Neptune screwed that up, when they started selling their own line of pumps and such.
Ok... Apex Classic seemed to be the reasonably priced answer at the time. Picked one up.
Should have done this a long time ago. Yes, from an industrial PLC standpoint, the Apex is a child's toy... but it's a child's toy designed specifically to solve the kinds of problems we aquarists need to solve. If you're at all computer literate, installing an Apex and getting it up and running isn't a big deal. Even some fairly advanced functionality is made fairly easy... Email alarms, internet connected control, disconnect alarms, interactions between equipment (shut off the light if the tank temp gets over my setpoint... etc.)
I do have to say, the new EL or full Apex is much better than the Classic. Built in wireless, if nothing else, is a major plus.
I'm unwilling to ever run a reef system without a controller. Now... if someone comes out with a more stable, better designed system than the Apex, I'd be happy to jump on board. Neptune is the best thing going, but that doesn't mean they're wonderful. Quality control appears to be spotty, prices are high, reliability isn't all that great...
I suspect we'll see a full blown controller from Ecotech at some time in the near future. They've got top tier lights, the best in flow pumps, an excellent quality dosing pump system, return pumps, battery backup systems... It's a natural progression. I'd have loved to see Neptune and Ecotech work together, but IMHO, Neptune screwed that up, when they started selling their own line of pumps and such.
ca1ore
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Does it?
If you select the iOS setup, then it takes you through the new out of box experience with a video that shows the device being plugged in.
To the OP, sorry to hear you are having trouble. Please give us a call at 408.275.2205 if you need some more help.
The usefulness of any online guide is a function of its ease of use. I went here (as apparently did the OP) and could not find the 'pugging it in part. Perhaps it's in the In-App instructions.
Absolutely agree with you and something we have been working on. I think the ease of setup with the Trident, for example, is the direction we will continue to go in.
In regards to the system get started guide, If you choose your operating system at the bottom of the page you will be brought either to the the download the iOS App instructions or the plugging it in part if you are using PC, Mac, or Android.
ca1ore
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I do think, BTW, that the tasks are excellent. I was fortunate to land a trident almost out of the gate and the setup and subsequent reagent replacements couldn’t have been easier ..... even for someone like me who can be a bit tech challenged sometimes.
I hope what I said didn’t come off rash.. I love my apex and the control ability of it!
The video Terrance put out for 15min setup is unfortunately not true lol.. and the probes aren’t accurate..
The video Terrance put out for 15min setup is unfortunately not true lol.. and the probes aren’t accurate..
Butcher333
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LOL me too. Now I don’t feel so bad. I kept reading instructions and watching YouTube video’s and was so frustrated and then (I’m not sure where) I stumbled on the correct link and it started with plugging it in to any Aquabus port. But I was so discouraged to realize I must not be as smart as I think I am if I can‘t figure out how to plug it in. It didn’t come with a 12v power supply.
Aside from this, it’s just been a matter of becoming familiar with it and I love seeing everything in the dashboard. I’m taking it slow and sticking to the basic programming offered that seems most common and rational. When I am way comfortable with it I’ll get more into programming and added safeguards. I’m glad to hear the Trident will be easy because I’m waiting to set that up when I get ready to add occupants to the new tank.
Today’s issue I’m trying to figure out and have logged a ticket for is that my 2nd EB832 seems to be reading off of power consumed from my 1st EB832. I tried renaming it in case the unit was getting confused by the similar naming, but that didn‘t fix it. I’m not comfortable with command prompt or logging into the head unit to zero it out because 1) I’m not an IT person and 2) it doesn’t make sense that zero-ing it out to calibrate it, would be related to it showing power readings from the other EB832. But I’m not discouraged or worried about the issue “yet”. Seems like something they would know how to fix and know why its happening. However, if I add another light it might trigger an alarm for exceeding the wattage for that outlet on both units. They’re not exact duplicate readings but are definitely relatIve to each other, because I I unplug something from out 1 on 1st unit power reading for outlet 1 on 2nd unit drops.
mitch91175
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Unfortunately have a college education doesn’t equate to everything in life . You invested in some terrible brands. Good research helps prevent these types of issues 99% of the time.
The Vertex equipment itself like skimmers were good pieces of gear, but a quick search would have shown that they lacked support in the US.
With that said, setting up an Apex is pretty straightforward. You create an account, plug it in, connect to it via the Apex***** SSID, connect it to your Wifi, and get to programming it.
It also depends on what you want to accomplish with your system. If you just need timers just use smart strips that you can get from Amazon. Things like pH, salinity do not change that much so they are more of a nice feature but not a necessary feature. Any equipment you do purchase will require some type of setup. No matter where you get it from.
I do agree that there are so many cash grabs in this hobby (and not just equipment) you have to develop a BS meter about some stuff and stay away like the plague. More or less use a little common sense and you’ll be ok majority of the time.
Out of the controller available on the market today, the Apex is by far the easiest to get started. They do have great customer support if/when you have an issue.
if you think Apex is a challenge, try looking at figuring out what you need to get started with GHL equipment. That’s much worse but from everything I hear, once setup it is usually rock solid.
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