HYDROS MAVE....WHERE ARE YOU?!?!?!?!?

[Mr Vince]

I really want a solution to help monitor water parameters. I have been waiting on the hydros because it seems like the right solution. But I am starting to worry that I am waiting for a unicorn. I don't really need to automate EVERY single thing, or have every device interconnected(at least right now in my reefing journey - but a water parameter tester - I would LOVE!

I would love to hear thoughts on APEX, as it seems very complex and I want to keep a reef tank not learn to code lol. Also, to monitor the major elements, I would have to purchase an Apex Neptune, a trident, and a trident NP.

What are you guys using?
What are your thoughts on the Maven? APEX?

 

[Featherweight]

Under a tree I'd suspect

 

[rtparty]

All of it is just a bunch of unnecessary complexity bound to fail

Testing alkalinity, nitrate, and phosphate once a week is 15 minutes. Dose All For Reef and do your water changes. Look at SunnyX’s thread for how simple this can be done and don’t get trapped into the controller/automation game

 

[LPS_guy]

GHL has auto testers

 

[saltcreep74]

I really want a solution to help monitor water parameters. I have been waiting on the hydros because it seems like the right solution. But I am starting to worry that I am waiting for a unicorn. I don't really need to automate EVERY single thing, or have every device interconnected(at least right now in my reefing journey - but a water parameter tester - I would LOVE!

I would love to hear thoughts on APEX, as it seems very complex and I want to keep a reef tank not learn to code lol. Also, to monitor the major elements, I would have to purchase an Apex Neptune, a trident, and a trident NP.

What are you guys using?
What are your thoughts on the Maven? APEX?

I've actually been contemplating this decision ever since Maven was announced.... I recently bought a used Trident for $300, cleaned it and installed it in under 10 minutes. I watched plenty of videos on youtube on how to troubleshoot Trident common issues. Once I did a thorough cleaning it started working right away and going on 3 weeks without any issues....

Ultimately, I decided on a Trident for a few reasons. 1. Availability, Maven was supposed to be fully released last November and as of today they are still sold out everywhere. Plenty of used Tridents available on the for sale forum... 2. Price, $300 (used Trident) vs $1200 for a Maven is a tough pill (for me) to swallow.... 3. Resources, plenty resources available on Trident troubleshooting, if I ever need it.... 4. Vested Interest, I already have a full controller system with Apex (2 EB832's, Apex EL, Trident) to make a full controller change to Hydros I would need a Hyrdos Launch - $549, XP8 Energy Bar - $300, and the Maven - $1200 = $2050 to replace a system the currently does everything Hydros does.

For me at least... I would only consider a Maven if my Trident takes a dump or becomes too much of a PITA to maintain...and if I can get my hands on a Maven. As of right now, I see no need to make a change to the Maven. Trident is working just fine (for me at least)...

Main selling point for me on the Maven is the fact that it can run as a stand alone tester without having to purchase the another controller. The Trident needs a Apex to run. Also, I can test NO3 and PO4 in addition to Ca, dKH, and Mg on the Maven. With the Trident, I would need to purchase Trident NP to test NO3 and PO4.

:confounded-face:

 

[ShanePike]

I found the Hydros controller way more challenging than the Apex. As @saltcreep74 said, there are so many videos for the Apex. The Hydros instructions were just plain out of date, and I couldn't find any videos that were much better, so I just had to set things up through trial and error. It wasn't fun. I was super disappointed in how poor the experience was. It's also frustrating to not have a web interface for the Hydros system. You have to do everything in the app.

 

[Scottiemac]

All of it is just a bunch of unnecessary complexity bound to fail

Testing alkalinity, nitrate, and phosphate once a week is 15 minutes. Dose All For Reef and do your water changes. Look at SunnyX’s thread for how simple this can be done and don’t get trapped into the controller/automation game

Automation takes human errors out of the equation. It provides consistent results by doing testing at the same time and with the same method every cycle. Automation can also reed the results of such tests and modify the dosing dynamically without user interaction.

There's a lot more to automation than testing and dosing. It also allows for the monitoring of leaks can have dependencies when a leak occurs. It allows you to turn things off and on from anywhere int he world where you can get Wifi.

If you don't want to automate that's your business. A lot of us enjoy the process of automating just as much as the hobby of reefkeeping.

I find myself far more engaged with my automated tank than I ever was before automation.

 

[JeffB418]

It's also frustrating to not have a web interface for the Hydros system. You have to do everything in the app.

Hydros does have a browser interface: https://coralvuehydros.com/app

Link to it is on the hydros website

 

[ShanePike]

Hydros does have a browser interface: https://coralvuehydros.com/app

Link to it is on the hydros website

I had no idea

 

[rtparty]

Automation takes human errors out of the equation. It provides consistent results by doing testing at the same time and with the same method every cycle. Automation can also reed the results of such tests and modify the dosing dynamically without user interaction.

There's a lot more to automation than testing and dosing. It also allows for the monitoring of leaks can have dependencies when a leak occurs. It allows you to turn things off and on from anywhere int he world where you can get Wifi.

If you don't want to automate that's your business. A lot of us enjoy the process of automating just as much as the hobby of reefkeeping.

I find myself far more engaged with my automated tank than I ever was before automation.

I’ve done this long enough with enough brands to know they aren’t consistent or reliable. Managing your tank from afar causes far more issues than it solves. When you can’t see and monitor exactly what’s happening in real time, it spells disaster.

If you like automating your system, have at it. Plenty do it and I was one of them. It becomes a full time job just to take care of and maintain the automation system.

 

[petcellar]

I'm pretty invested in the Apex system right now. My personal experience has been that the Trident has been quite reliable and has done well for me.

Trident NP not so much.

 

[Scottiemac]

I’ve done this long enough with enough brands to know they aren’t consistent or reliable. Managing your tank from afar causes far more issues than it solves. When you can’t see and monitor exactly what’s happening in real time, it spells disaster.

If you like automating your system, have at it. Plenty do it and I was one of them. It becomes a full time job just to take care of and maintain the automation system.

How is it a full time job to maintain an automation system? Once you set it up and fine tune it you're done.

Yes, when I can't see or monitor what's happening in real time that spells disaster. That's why automating the monitoring that prevents disaster. Unless you're going to be sitting next to your tank you can't see and monitor it manually 100% of the time. That's what automation gives you.

 

[JayM]

I’ve done this long enough with enough brands to know they aren’t consistent or reliable. Managing your tank from afar causes far more issues than it solves. When you can’t see and monitor exactly what’s happening in real time, it spells disaster.

If you like automating your system, have at it. Plenty do it and I was one of them. It becomes a full time job just to take care of and maintain the automation system.

I've never owned any automated test equipment, but from what I've read about all of them, you're essentially now maintaining X instead of Y.

Aside from that, even if automated testing was 100% reliable, at the price point for new equipment, there's just not enough value there for me. Testing and dosing just isn't that complex or time consuming in my opinion.

 

[John Neuzil]

I've never owned any automated test equipment, but from what I've read about all of them, you're essentially now maintaining X instead of Y.

Aside from that, even if automated testing was 100% reliable, at the price point for new equipment, there's just not enough value there for me. Testing and dosing just isn't that complex or time consuming in my opinion.

Your not wrong. I don’t need auto testing and don't mind manual. But I'll be a buyer because i love gadgets and automation

 

[reely989]

I hope it’s a good product but I seriously doubt they are going to magically fix auto testing. Alkalinity seems like it’s in a good place with other testers, especially the acid based tests. I haven’t read any reviews of any other units or had a good enough experience with the trident to really think calcium or magnesium auto testing is reliable long term.

 

[BriDroid]

I just joined the automation world and the Hydros ecosystem. I need something that I can automate my tank when I travel for work. My wife and kids have 0 interest in helping, and I don't want them to honestly!
As far as the Maven goes, I won't spend the money for that. Like was mentioned above, testing once a week is easy enough. Maybe if the price were half or less, I would consider.

 

[exnisstech]

Currently 5 tanks running and no auto testing or controllers and only one tank on a doser. Everytime I even think about automation I come on here and and read through posts of people having problems and the urge passes.
I look at everything electrical/mechanical as something that is going to fail its just a question of when and how much damage will be done. Auto testing is cool if that's what you want but it's far from a necessity and i trust myself with all my human errors before I trust the equipment being marketed.
The only people IMO that need automation are those that spend days away from home.

 

[lombeard]

How is it a full time job to maintain an automation system? Once you set it up and fine tune it you're done.

Yes, when I can't see or monitor what's happening in real time that spells disaster. That's why automating the monitoring that prevents disaster. Unless you're going to be sitting next to your tank you can't see and monitor it manually 100% of the time. That's what automation gives you.

Things need to be recalibrated and cross checked to ensure that they run smoothly. Testing wise anyway I'd think not much is set and forget.

 

[lombeard]

I love gadgets but then remind myself after seeing the cost that I only test stuff once a week at most (unless I'm making changes) and they run smoothly. For the most part.

 

[Scottiemac]

Things need to be recalibrated and cross checked to ensure that they run smoothly. Testing wise anyway I'd think not much is set and forget.

Recalibrating probes doesn't take long. Maybe five or six minutes every couple of months. Certainly it takes less time overall than manually running the tests every week. Plus I get real-time results with pH that can turn on/off my kalk reactor.

I don't automate testing other than Alk and pH. When using the crappy Mastertronic yes - that was a hassle because the device simply didn't work as advertised and for some reason they believed that allowing the use of multiple testing brands was a good thing.

I know how to do the testing manually. Most of us do. Yet if I can automate the process then why not do so? Sure, I have to cross-reference it every couple of months, but so what? It's still less work in the long run.