BRS Apex “value edition”? Am I missing something?

[jmatt]

Looking at this, it does conjure up some recent events with Ecotech releasing their G6 fixtures (with both companies being under the same umbrella).

G5 goes on sale, then a few weeks later G6 is announced. Is Neptune, or parent company Apature, pulling the same trick with the Apex controller? Neptune Apex 2022 Edition?

I immediately thought the same thing. "A new model that's compatible with the G6s!" We'll see.

 

[BanjoBandito]

The salinity probe is a piece of junk (this goes for all salinity probes. It this the technology that sucks) and not needed in any way.

So save $150 and save yourself the headache of using a pointless probe. Sounds like a win win to me. What would be even better is package it with the EB8 and skip the 832. Drop another $130 off the price and only lose a piece of junk power bar.

What would be even better is a Build Your Own style of setup where you piece it together and get a certain percentage off the whole thing.

I calibrated mine using the TC setting and haven't had an inaccurate number from it since. I understand a lot of people don't like it or have issues, but I think some of that is on the user, not apex. It's a conductivity probe, not a true salinity probe. I got a lot of guidence from long term apex users that have never had an issue from that particular probe once it was calibrated correctly. It's also kinda "unknown" out of the box the nuance of the calibration. But, as always, ask me 6 months maybe my mind will change.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

I'd have to find the poll on the BRS Facebook group but it was something like 70% had issues with the salinity probe. How much of that is user error I'm not sure. Doesn't matter though because you can make the best items on earth but if the average person can't use them, they're pointless.

70% had issues because their own video on the conductivity probe has the wrong procedure on how to calibrate it. I told them about this and they never corrected their video. If it's a BRS facebook poll, the chances that those users watched their video and had problems because BRS told them the wrong way to do it is pretty dang high.

You have to calibrate the probe at the same temperature as your tank or it will fail 100% of the time. It's based on the physics of conductivity itself and cannot be fixed in the design of any manufacturers probe. The only reason the Hanna probe doesn't have this same issue is because the temp sensing is built into it right next to the electrodes.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

The 'value' edition is the EL. No salinity, orp or dimming. Add modules later if you change your mind.

Yeah, I understand that version. Part of why I don’t get this one at almost twice price being called a value edition. I’m a total apex fanboy and am happy with mine. I just think having an apex system packaged twenty different ways (Apex Tuesday version, apex, Saturday version, special edition, limited edition, platinum edition, whatever they want to call it) is a bit much. Especially when it’s all the same product just packed differently and most of the time, when broken down into individual pieces, the pricing is the same packaged or not. I guess I’m old fashioned. I mean a least put a pattern on it, call it Louis Vuitton, and charge an extra grand.

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

My salinity sensor has worked great in my new sump where there is constant flow over it. Just this morning the dropping salinity alerted me to an issue. I filled my AWC barrel but forgot to add salt. It was sitting at 21 ppt.

EB832 is great. I have 2 that have worked without issue for over 2 years. In particular the 24V and 1link is very useful. For 1link I use 2 DOS and my Trident. 24V has GRO light and PMUP for ATK. Less bricks and cords is great.

Fewer bricks and cords would for sure be welcomed here! Trident would be bonus. I’ll upgrade at some point. If the trident 2 would come out already!

 

[fishmonkey]

Just got the BRS email about the “value” edition apex. Hmmm…..ph-check, orp-check, temp- check, salinity-oh, no salinity probe included “to save you money”…..just not a lot of money. I run a orp probe on my system but is it necessary? Is it really useful in the grand scheme of things? On a “value” system without a salinity probe? How many different ways does an Apex system need to be packaged? Just curious.

Get a robo tank and figure out reef pi. It’s not hard at all. https://www.robo-tank.ca/Reef-pi-Pl...ef-pi-Deluxe-Aquarium-Controller-Complete-Kit

for salinity I use a Hanna.

 

[ingchr1]

The question is why they would not excluded the ORP probe instead? For most reefers it's probably the least useful.

Are there shortages on salinity probes? Or are they just trying to cut the most off the price to lure potential buyers? But at that point, why not just get the EL?

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

The question is why they would not excluded the ORP probe instead? For most reefers it's probably the least useful.

Are there shortages on salinity probes? Or are they just trying to cut the most off the price to lure potential buyers? But at that point, why not just get the EL?

Pretty much what I thought. An el is under $500 and this value apex is $730. I don’t think I would have marketed it as a value unit. I’m not shopping for a value priced monitor, I’m happy with what I have. I just feel for the newcomers being sold this as some sort of bargain. Like others have said before, most all of the special packages they have cost the same as the individual pieces. I didn’t add this one up, but I can’t see the bargain here.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

The question is why they would not excluded the ORP probe instead? For most reefers it's probably the least useful.

Are there shortages on salinity probes? Or are they just trying to cut the most off the price to lure potential buyers? But at that point, why not just get the EL?

Because the cond probe is more expensive. Save $100 now, buy it later for $200. An orp probe you can buy the pinpoint one for $50 and they don't get a sale later. Makes perfect business sense, just not good customer value sense.

 

[131696]

Just buy the apex brain 400.00 and the 2 probes you need temp/ph there's the deal there

 

[131696]

Just buy everything separate the pieces you need and save money

 

[Karen00]

…..and I know orp is useful with ozone and whatnot. I’m not arguing that. Just that on a “value” edition that doesn’t even include salinity doesn’t make sense to me. But not much does these days. I feel like I’m turning into the old guy that yells at you to get my lawn or turn down the music!

Couldn't resist. ;-)

 

[Coral Your World]

Forget about apex, just buy the brand new Ghl ProfiLux 4e I’m trying to sell

 

[Shooter6]

The salinity probe is a piece of junk (this goes for all salinity probes. It this the technology that sucks) and not needed in any way.

So save $150 and save yourself the headache of using a pointless probe. Sounds like a win win to me. What would be even better is package it with the EB8 and skip the 832. Drop another $130 off the price and only lose a piece of junk power bar.

What would be even better is a Build Your Own style of setup where you piece it together and get a certain percentage off the whole thing.

Isn't that the hydros? Build it how you want by pieces

 

[rtparty]

70% had issues because their own video on the conductivity probe has the wrong procedure on how to calibrate it. I told them about this and they never corrected their video. If it's a BRS facebook poll, the chances that those users watched their video and had problems because BRS told them the wrong way to do it is pretty dang high.

You have to calibrate the probe at the same temperature as your tank or it will fail 100% of the time. It's based on the physics of conductivity itself and cannot be fixed in the design of any manufacturers probe. The only reason the Hanna probe doesn't have this same issue is because the temp sensing is built into it right next to the electrodes.

Any instructions given by BRS now has been to calibrate it to your tank. Use it for trends more than anything.

To me, it's still a pointless probe. If you can't keep your salinity in check, you need to go back to Reefkeeping 101. It is one of the easiest things to get right

 

[rtparty]

The question is why they would not excluded the ORP probe instead? For most reefers it's probably the least useful.

Are there shortages on salinity probes? Or are they just trying to cut the most off the price to lure potential buyers? But at that point, why not just get the EL?

The salinity probe has been out of stock for months with no real ETA for more.

After using ozone for the last week, I can't figure out what took me so long to try it. I'd much rather have an ORP probe and get ozone than get a salinity probe that will tell me something I already know. That's just me though. My tank is between 33-35ppt right now. I don't need a probe tracking that or telling me. Especially for $150 more

 

[rtparty]

Isn't that the hydros? Build it how you want by pieces

Yes?

My Hydros has been a love hate relationship from day one. It's currently running my 250g tank though and doing a good job....minus the XP8 being weird

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

Any instructions given by BRS now has been to calibrate it to your tank. Use it for trends more than anything.

To me, it's still a pointless probe. If you can't keep your salinity in check, you need to go back to Reefkeeping 101. It is one of the easiest things to get right

I look at it like a dummy light on the dash. Do I check the oil every time I get in the car…hard no. If I’m on vacation and something crazy happens where the ato relay welds closed and drops the salinity, I get a notification and call a neighbor to go to my house. It hasn’t happened, but I can sleep better at night

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

The salinity probe has been out of stock for months with no real ETA for more.

After using ozone for the last week, I can't figure out what took me so long to try it. I'd much rather have an ORP probe and get ozone than get a salinity probe that will tell me something I already know. That's just me though. My tank is between 33-35ppt right now. I don't need a probe tracking that or telling me. Especially for $150 more

Yeah I hear ya. I just don’t know many budget, value bargain people running ozone. I get it, I monitor orp, but I’m not a budget, value kinda reefer either.

 

[Shooter6]

Yes?

My Hydros has been a love hate relationship from day one. It's currently running my 250g tank though and doing a good job....minus the XP8 being weird

Is that the wireless bar? The wired one is supposed to fix any issues with that right?

I dont use either. I get tempted to, for monitoring only. I don't see a reason for many of the functions touted as benefits.

I'm an old school reefer, and my main reason to not get one yet is they become a linchpin. People plug everything into a single point of failure, give control of every device to a single computer. ( a rudimentary one at that.)

The hydros multi brain is the only one that makes sense as it removes that single failure point. Now I don't claim to know enough about hydros to know if it's solved that issue entirely, and that is why I have not bought in for my 1200gal system yet.

I also am intrigued with the Reef factory equipment since each part runs independently but they communicate with each other. Testing parameters to include temp, and dosing / reporting results are the only functions I see needed with a controller.

Modern lights have apps/programming, dosers have apps/ programming, many return pumps do as well. All wavemakers do. So what really needs to be controlled by a single linchpin/ possible failure point?