Hydros Questions

[Batman222b]

Thinking about buying a basic Hydros system. What's your experience with these systems. Want to make an attempt to go semi automated. Thanks

 

[scowall]

Very easy to use. No programming is required; adding modules is straightforward. You can make it as basic as a pH and salinity probe or as advanced as your tank requires.

 

[n2585722]

I have a build thread here on R2R that has quite a bit of info on the Hydros. I got my first Hydros controller over 4 years ago. The Hydros info starts on page 6 post 119. It is mixed with other things about the tank also. Just click on "My Tank Thread" banner in my post to get to the build thread. I currently have 17 Hydros controller in 2 collectives. There are 15 in the main collective. Let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Batman222b]

Very easy to use. No programming is required; adding modules is straightforward. You can make it as basic as a pH and salinity probe or as advanced as your tank requires.

Thanks. Really looking to measure ALK and CA. Any other features would be a bonus.

 

[2ndtimereefer81]

Super simple to use. I have the Hyrdos Launch and don’t regret getting it.

 

[n2585722]

Thanks. Really looking to measure ALK and CA. Any other features would be a bonus.

Alkalinity can be done but not calcium currently. For Alkalinity you would need the iV and a X10 which is not really a basic system. The X10 has 4 precision dosing pumps and 2 drive ports, 4 sense ports, a pH port and salinity port. The pH port would be used for the pH probe in the iV. You will also need 3 dosing pumps for the iV and a drive port. It will take a pH and salinity sample at the beginning of the alkalinity test so you can get pH, Salinity and a Alkalinity reading out of the test if you get a salinity probe to go in the iV. You can also hook a temp sensor to one of the sense ports for temp. That will leave three sense ports and a drive port. You will also have the 4th dosing pump to use. I have the iV and 2 of the X10's in my main collective. The Maven will do several different test but it is not out for purchase yet.

 

[reely989]

Thanks. Really looking to measure ALK and CA. Any other features would be a bonus.

You won’t have those features via hydros. You’ll need other equipment for that.

 

[n2585722]

You won’t have those features via hydros. You’ll need other equipment for that.

Hydros currently does alkalinity testing using the iV and X10 combination.

 

[reely989]

Hydros currently does alkalinity testing using the iV and X10 combination.

Yeah but that’s not what I’d call a straightforward implementation of it.

 

[n2585722]

Yeah but that’s not what I’d call a straightforward implementation of it.

It is the same as the Alkatronic and KH Carer. It even uses the same reagent. The iV and Alkatronic use a 4 to 1 mix and the KH Carer uses an 8 to 1 mix if you get the concentrate reagent.

 

[John Neuzil]

I have systems running on two tanks. Love it.

 

[reely989]

It is the same as the Alkatronic and KH Carer. It even uses the same reagent. The iV and Alkatronic use a 4 to 1 mix and the KH Carer uses an 8 to 1 mix if you get the concentrate reagent.

Can’t speak to those. I just know from reading up on it it isn’t exactly a plug and play solution.

 

[n2585722]

Can’t speak to those. I just know from reading up on it it isn’t exactly a plug and play solution.

Auto testing is not exactly plug and play on any system unless it is using just a probe or sensor. Even then you still need to setup things in the controller to use a probe or sensor.

 

[reely989]

Auto testing is not exactly plug and play on any system unless it is using just a probe or sensor. Even then you still need to setup things in the controller to use a probe or sensor.

Trident is pretty close. Otherwise I don’t disagree. Just wanted OP to realize measuring Alk and CA via hydros isn’t just a simple probe or plug in.

 

[Peace River]

I am a Hydros user and recommend the system

 

[Batman222b]

Appreciate all the feedback. Would I be
Better off with an Apex?

 

[christinna77]

It’s okay… I’ve got four controllers total and two wifi strips. If you like to tinker, you’ll be disappointed. As a sw engineer, I am, and the lack of local API access sucks. It's missing so many features - exporting data, more complex logic programming inputs/outputs, etc. I also hate that it has to go through the cloud. Sometimes the app's connection fails or takes forever to establish - just happened as I was about to shut off my wc pump, so I had to manually disconnect it before it pumped too much water into my tank.

The wifi on the strip is super flaky and disconnects a lot, so I don't dare to use it for anything essential. All my controllers reboot every few days for no apparent reason, and when they do, my return pump shuts off (no way to change it to keep it on). It's not my network - every other smart device works fine. I gave up on trying to figure out why it does that, and just live with it. For how expensive it is, it could be so much better, but at least the wired controllers have been reliable, and sensors as well (temp, pH, skimmer level, salinity, TDS, water level).

 

[n2585722]

It’s okay… I’ve got four controllers total and two wifi strips. If you like to tinker, you’ll be disappointed. As a sw engineer, I am, and the lack of local API access sucks. It's missing so many features - exporting data, more complex logic programming inputs/outputs, etc. I also hate that it has to go through the cloud. Sometimes the app's connection fails or takes forever to establish - just happened as I was about to shut off my wc pump, so I had to manually disconnect it before it pumped too much water into my tank.

The wifi on the strip is super flaky and disconnects a lot, so I don't dare to use it for anything essential. All my controllers reboot every few days for no apparent reason, and when they do, my return pump shuts off (no way to change it to keep it on). It's not my network - every other smart device works fine. I gave up on trying to figure out why it does that, and just live with it. For how expensive it is, it could be so much better, but at least the wired controllers have been reliable, and sensors as well (temp, pH, skimmer level, salinity, TDS, water level).

I have had no problem getting the controllers to do what I want. I had it controlling my RODI and refilling the reservoirs before they came out with the RODI output to do that. All I have to do is add the salt mix to my mixing tank after it is refilled with DI water and press a button when it is ready to use. From there the Hydros takes over and transfers the mix tank contents to the fresh salt water reservoir when it goes low. It also controls the AWC and ATO. It also does alkalinity testing 4 times a day. It uses the test data to dynamically dose a KH buffer also. It also controls my lighting including intensity for both the tank and the refugium section of the sump. I don't have any issue with my wifi strips currently. I replaced my router and that fixed my issue with the wifi strips dropping out. I have 15 controllers in one collective and 12 of those controller have not rebooted since the last firmware update. The wifi master is the one that will most likely reboot and I did reboot that one to fix my graphing. Also we had the power drop out for a second yesterday but I do have the Hydros on battery backup and that did not cause a mass reboot of the controllers.

 

[reely989]

Appreciate all the feedback. Would I be
Better off with an Apex?

They are both good devices. I’d just read through what they can both accomplish and go from there. I swapped from Apex to Hydros following a software issue but that was just me kind of losing trust in it. I think Apex currently has a couple of products that the Hydros ecosystem doesn’t have or at least have at the same quality. Trident automatic testing being one, and I think their DoS pump is fantastic compared to anything that hydros has for dosing. I do find that I prefer Hydros interface and I’ve faced many fewer connectivity issues with it.

If you’re dead set on auto testing all main parameters I’d go with apex. I will tell you though that I never found the trident to be very hands off. For testing now I’ve settled on a KH guardian for Alk and I just test calcium every now and again to make sure it’s in range.

 

[Pntbll687]

Appreciate all the feedback. Would I be
Better off with an Apex?

It depends on what you want to do.

If you're really wanting to test alk and ca, and go with a package deal from apex, you're looking at $1300 from the available options, then if you want to automate dosing, you'll need to get a dos system. So all in you'll be in for about $1500.

It's pretty easy to get the apex setup and running, and add modules. But in either hydros or apex, it's not going to be simple plug and play and you have auto testing. It's going to take some tinkering and know-how about what needs to be done.