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?

 

[JHSteepat]

I'd love to have a Maven (if it works and is not too difficult in terms of maintenance), but I am not seeing it as necessary unless you love these things and feel/have the need to monitor things in real-time. Also, I ask if the maintenance and fiddling is more difficult than manual tests. If it turns out to be a robust system, I may be interested (if I come into some money).

To me, weekly manual testing is the easiest part of tank maintenance, using Hanna for Alk, nitrate, and phosphate, and Salifert for Ca and Mg. I also use a manual test to verify any anomolous Hydros pH readings.

I have Hydros because it is the system I am working with. It is a nice safety net having had fish deaths due to a return pump failure. So far (1 year into it), I have found the system easy and reliable, but I mostly use it as a monitor, as a power distribution system, and to auto-shut off water change, top-off, and kalk dosing systems if sump levels or pH are out of range. I use Waveengine (4 pumps), which also is easy. Like pH, if I get one, Maven would likely only be a way to monitor things.

 

[rtparty]

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.

If you aren’t calibrating pH probes weekly, they’re nearly pointless. No reputable lab will even run a pH test if they haven’t calibrated it beforehand. That means daily calibrating. They drift way quicker than people think

 

[lombeard]

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.

I'm not against automated testing at all, I think it's great - was just pointing out it's not really set and forget. I'd buy all these gadgets if they were cheaper, but I'd rather spend 2K on corals than equipment since I test once a week (only kh and po4) at best as my tank is pretty much in auto pilot and I know it so well.

 

[p1u5h13r4m24]

I also would like the maven, but I have an Alkatronic and if I have to get a mastertronic essential I will lol

 

[Scottiemac]

If you aren’t calibrating pH probes weekly, they’re nearly pointless. No reputable lab will even run a pH test if they haven’t calibrated it beforehand. That means daily calibrating. They drift way quicker than people think

A lab is being paid to provide as close to 100% accurate results as possible. They're not using probes when you send your sample in.

Nobody is paying me to run the tests on my system. Is it going to make a difference if my pH is 8.255 instead of 8.26? No. But if I find my tank unable to hold its range between 8.25 and 8.3 it's time to do a manual test, which will tell me if I need to calibrate the probe or if there's another problem somewhere.

This is simply a matter of, "I do it this way and always have so my way is the best."