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User1
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View BadgesTo get a trident you need an apex. Together we are talking minimum of 1500 dollars and I don't need an apex for controlling my wavemaker (have tunze controller), lights (orphek has its own controller), skimmer (backup overflow turnoff monitor costs 60), or temp (backup turnoff monitor plug costs 60 bucks). Alkatronic costs 900 dollars. I don't want an auto doser. I don't want to deal with all the reagents and probes that need callibrating of the other auto testers. As for the mindstream, I am bothered by having to pay up front for a product that doesn't arrive for two months as it makes me think the company is on poor financial grounds. How do I get my money back if they go bankrupt? Just as bad, I have a useless piece of crap if they can't manufacture their discs. I don't mind the subscription service. At this point, going to do some wishful watching (unless they lower the price for early adapters).
The main take away for many hobbyist in your post is that each manufacture wants to do their own control. You have wireless for this, dongle for that, and in some cases duplicate things being measured because of this. It is really wrecking the hobby. Automation monitors for elements is just going to add fuel to the fire.
Let us say you have a controller. Apex, then the trident makes sense. MS does not. Why? Because the Apex is already monitoring several things the MS does. There is duplicate.
Let us say you have a reef angel. Again temp, ph covered. Some duplicates but not as bad as the Apex.
GHL? Same thing, more duplicate.
I like how you listed why it wouldn't work for you. I think that is actually a good analysis. I did the same thing but already owning an Apex I looked at what it would do differently and end the end said Trident was the better of the two options for me. What it tests is all I really care about at the end of the day. Had MS offered a smaller disc or subscription fee say like Netflix then it may have been an option.