Neptune APEX Reliability (Shocking in my experience!)

[TheHarold]

Well sense I have had both older and the newer unit and running them both at the same time on 2 different tanks I think I do yeah, thanks.

Perhaps you don’t understand what an anecdote is..... a specific personal experience that provides little useful/applicable information.

For example,
“Because I added a clownfish to my tank, I got ich. Now I tell everyone to not add clownfish because it will give them ich! “

The first sentence is accurate- yes, you got ich from a clownfish. The second sentence is inaccurate, because your experience cannot be applied to the larger population.

 

[justingraham]

there are a few things they have done good with. Seems like that concentrate on a few things and make them good and dont worry about the rest. I have 2 DOS, Wav (which I hate and they will not replace I can hear it run across the room), ATO, 4 modules, 2 breakout box, DDR, and COR 20. I think I've named them all, LOL. There are very few things I recommend of neptune but the DOS is one if nothing else. I just wish they were easier to get to replace things. I have even filed a case with BBB about it and they just ignored the BBB and dont seem to care what their rating is with them, which is low. the way they treat people that has issue is very poor. Seems they know they cant make things right and just write those people off and stop caring and only worry about the ones that have never had issues or things they wont cost them a lot to fix. Thats just how I feel and see things. I use to have a jr. on my BioCube 32 before I sold it and let it go with the tank and never had a issue with it.

With the wav the noise you hear is the wire pull it right and the noise will go away until it becomes loose

 

[BedrockIOMC]

With the wav the noise you hear is the wire pull it right and the noise will go away until it becomes loose

Nope isnt that. they had me do a lot of things and when they found it to be the wav itself they stopped replying to me. I asked them to send me a replacement and I would send this one back and they wouldn't do it.

And the wire? really? so if I pulled it left it wouldn't fix it. As if pulling it one way verses the other has anything to do with it.

 

[ajhudson15]

I hated apex. the app was ncie and easy but it kept saying my ph was 7.6 at night. finally got around to buying a handheld ph meter and it was 8.2 so I recalibrated the ph probe and two weeks later still said 7.6. finally switched to ghl and will never looks back

 

[BedrockIOMC]

Perhaps you don’t understand what an anecdote is..... a specific personal experience that provides little useful/applicable information.

For example,
“Because I added a clownfish to my tank, I got ich. Now I tell everyone to not add clownfish because it will give them ich! “

The first sentence is accurate- yes, you got ich from a clownfish. The second sentence is inaccurate, because your experience cannot be applied to the larger population.

so you like treating people as if they are stupid with low intelligence? its usually, in my life time and from travels around the world, the ones that points to blame is the one that knows the definition.

For example,
you thinking you know more than every person that disagrees with you when in reality you in the 5th percentile. Because you know one thing you think you know it all.

ALways people like you that brings down a great topic and talk about something. Always one that screws it up for all.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

People should dump them and go with GHL or DHL or WWJD or whomever is making controllers these days! Vote with your wallets!!!!








Anyone have a salinity and ORP probe, and DOS for a good price, PM me!

LOL wwjd, funny!!

 

[BedrockIOMC]

The BBB is basically Yelp for old people. It isn't a government agency and has no bearing on a business' operations.

a agency doesn't have to be a government one to be able to help at all. that are words of someone that depends on the government way to much, and I was in the military for years. Its a same how people get attacked for speaking their opinion and experience on r2r anymore. maybe i shouldn't had done my partnership this new year.

 

[robbyg]

Adding a conformal coating to the pcb would be cheap and likely last longer. Why they choose not to do something that is subject to high humidity leaves an answer that is open for you to decide.

I have noticed that most Aquarium equipment does not have a Conformal coating and that is also baffling to me. If your handy with electronics or know someone that is you can add your own coating using a product like this. Conformal Coating (Amazon). For around $12 this will do several boards.

When I got home one day and found that my Dosing pump had gotten soaked by a broken RoDi water line. I dried it out and put it down for a few days to make sure it was completely dry inside, especially the motors and under the IC's. I thought what the heck, it should be fine it's not like it was salt water that got on it. Wow was I shocked when I looked at the board three days later. The RoDi water was like Acid, it rusted out the two USB ports, and it killed one of the manual pump switches. After replacing those I fired her up and nothing! I then started to troubles shoot the board and found four very thin circuit traces that had cracks in them due to oxidation. So I cleaned the whole board down with a chemical I have at work and jumpered past those traces completely with thin wire and soon it was working again. When that was all done I put on a conformal coating and the board is now so well protected that I think I could run it underwater.;)

 

[User1]

so you like treating people as if they are stupid with low intelligence? its usually, in my life time and from travels around the world, the ones that points to blame is the one that knows the definition.

For example,
you thinking you know more than every person that disagrees with you when in reality you in the 5th percentile. Because you know one thing you think you know it all.

ALways people like you that brings down a great topic and talk about something. Always one that screws it up for all.

I called someone ignorant this morning during a meeting. They got all offended and hot. Few people messaged me on the side and asked me to lay off. I again clarified my statement that what they are asking for was a bit much and they are asking it out of ignorance. They again said this meeting was done because I'm calling them stupid. Account team came in hot and I proceeded to ask them to look up the definition of the two.

Bad bed side manors? Maybe. Correct use of the word? Very much so. Person just assumed I was calling them stupid rather than take a minute to A. ask me if that is what I was doing or B. pony up and own they over reacted.

My point is I do not believe this was the intent behind clarifying what anecdotal meant. This happens a lot and is actually a correct use of it in this thread. OP has a issue. Others do not. Few others come in and say they do as well. What are we supposed to do?

Because the OP has issues assume all Neptune products have crappy reliability? Because a few of us do not all products are golden bombs of light and love and run perfectly? No. Neither make the title of the thread the defacto standard with the product line. Thus anecdotal introduction.

There was no hidden intent or agenda. Specifically at what point do we agree to disagree and move on?

 

[BedrockIOMC]

WOW. This subject caught my attention and I glanced thru this thread a bit.

I am getting concerned about Neptunes Component Quality since a Friend of mine had his new Model of Apex break while I was watching his tank during a Month away in Europe. It luckily broke few days before he returned, so some manual re-config kept things going. Few weeks later after he got controller repaired, he told me an optical sensor also failed.

I've had apex for over a Decade and it's been the best. Yes there are many modern alternative ways to turn on a outlet.. but that's not the discussion here.

I still have a Apex Jr, and one Apex sys Classic. I have classic eb8 bars, PM modules,etc .....all the original Apex stuff made of Metal.

NOTHING HAS FAILED ME (In a salty, humid fish room, that has been torn apart a few times to upgrade tanks).

However Last Year I did buy a PM2 module to expand my setup and it came with the newer color to match the new apex controller line. It arrived new Dead on Arrival.
Sure Apex Took care of me quickly, and mailed a replacement quickly. I paid for it, but when they got the defective one back, I got full refund. AND I SPECIFICALLY asked to send me the Original Black Colored PM2 module to match my setup (and to ensure I got from the Original Line).

What I learned (not from Apex), is that their cheaper components in that newer PM2 modules fail more than the original legacy PM2 version. Just google rumours, nothing confirmed/proven.

So the message I'm getting is the Old Apex Line was built to last. Their APEX Jr advertizement even stated something like Made of Metal (bullet Proof). Wired for reliability, not Wireless.

This concerns me, and convinces me that I'm keeping my good Old APex Jr, Apex Sys, and all the stuff that has been reliable.
Certainly not interested in Modern Plastic stuff with unknown reliability parts inside.
Not worth upgrading for a DOS , or even to run a Trident (which doesn't run standalone), so the Whole Apex Line is becoming a single point of failure (Controller/PowerBar), and possibly not as reliable.

I certainly hope Neptune improves things, since I've been happy with what I have, and the support I've received.

That is the same point I am getting at. I have had both a Jr. and El at the same time and never had issues with the Jr. and its been none stop pretty much with the new one. BUt like I have been trying to point out also is that their customer service was better it would make the issue that are coming not such big issues. And stand behind their products. I would rather deal with getting something changed through the VA then deal with their warranty department. Make it the same for everyone you deal with and stop making it so hard to get something fixed and taken care. thanks for the info sorry about the rambling on. LOL

 

[Rhameen Kolyani]

No issues here but their optical sensors and leak detectors suck!

 

[BedrockIOMC]

I called someone ignorant this morning during a meeting. They got all offended and hot. Few people messaged me on the side and asked me to lay off. I again clarified my statement that what they are asking for was a bit much and they are asking it out of ignorance. They again said this meeting was done because I'm calling them stupid. Account team came in hot and I proceeded to ask them to look up the definition of the two.

Bad bed side manors? Maybe. Correct use of the word? Very much so. Person just assumed I was calling them stupid rather than take a minute to A. ask me if that is what I was doing or B. pony up and own they over reacted.

My point is I do not believe this was the intent behind clarifying what anecdotal meant. This happens a lot and is actually a correct use of it in this thread. OP has a issue. Others do not. Few others come in and say they do as well. What are we supposed to do?

Because the OP has issues assume all Neptune products have crappy reliability? Because a few of us do not all products are golden bombs of light and love and run perfectly? No. Neither make the title of the thread the defacto standard with the product line. Thus anecdotal introduction.

There was no hidden intent or agenda. Specifically at what point do we agree to disagree and move on?

Well that shows their ingronance of meanings of words because it only means they do not have full knowledge of a topic which that's totally different than stupid. You speaking to me and explaining something to me as if I am in first grade is putting someone in a stupid label and that is what you had done to me and worst about something that had nothing to do with you. You didnt same it or was even in the talk. So jumping in and trying to belittle me made it even worst. I started reading your reply above and then it hit me. What's the point I've dealt with plenty through my life with thoughts the same as you in and out of the military and I am glad that I have come to the conclusion that it isn't worth my time or effort. SO with that, I have stuff to do best wishes to ya.

 

[Dr RBG]

Using mine foe 3+ years with NO hardware issues. Any programming problems fixed quickly through their support.:)

 

[BedrockIOMC]

Using mine foe 3+ years with NO hardware issues. Any programming problems fixed quickly through their support.:)

just for my wonderment. Do you have older model or newer one?

 

[User1]

Well that shows there ingronance of meanings of words because it only means they do not have full knowledge of a topic which that's totally different than stupid. You speaking to me and explaining something to me as if I am in first grade is putting someone in a stupid label and that is what you had done to me and worst about something that had nothing to do with you. You didnt same it or was even in the talk. So jumping in and trying to belittle me made it even worst. I started reading your reply above and then it hit me. What's the point I've dealt with plenty through my life with thoughts the same as you in and out of the military and I am glad that I have come to the conclusion that it isn't worth my time or effort. SO with that, I have stuff to do best wishes to ya.

Blue Angels are over my head now doing their thing. It is always nice to step out and see them. I only raise this as you mentioned military ;) I always caught flack for liking the BA better than the Thunderbirds because, well, I was in the AF...go figure.

Anyway again I was just saying no one implied or said you are stupid. On the other hand I do hear what you are saying. Probably one reason why I dislike the internet so much. That whole table talk or face to face dialog is lost you know?

 

[BedrockIOMC]

No product has a 100% No Failure rate! Anywhere.... For every complaint or negative post you read, you don’t hear about the 100 happy customers that don’t have issues....

I am heavily invested into the Apex Ecco System on my Aquarium’s , things have gone wrong, modules have died after a few years. For the most part 95 percent of what I have bought from Neptune Systems since 2007 has lasted. I have no complaints......

Agreed, that's why I feel if they approved on their customer service that having issue with the product wouldn't be such a big issue. Having someone do anything they can to help make things right over shades any issues that come along. WIth me that one be the thing that would change my mind about Neptune. Because like you say there will always be issue that come up with anything. Well if you have a paperweight I guess there should never be a issue with it. LOL I love the products that I have that work great. That is where I stand with the topic.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

Blue Angels are over my head now doing their thing. It is always nice to step out and see them. I only raise this as you mentioned military ;) I always caught flack for liking the BA better than the Thunderbirds because, well, I was in the AF...go figure.

Anyway again I was just saying no one implied or said you are stupid. On the other hand I do hear what you are saying. Probably one reason why I dislike the internet so much. That whole table talk or face to face dialog is lost you know?

Well I can understand that I am the same way. You always hear more about the BA's. LOL

It the way he wanted to jump in and explain something that wasn't asked of him and there wasn't even a reply form me to imply that I didn't understand what was being said. Then he brings out examples to try to simplify it even more as if I am on a elementary level. Just really hit me the wrong way.

Thanks for coming in there and smacking me straight there, I guess that's the Infantry in me. LOL Thanks

 

[justingraham]

Nope isnt that. they had me do a lot of things and when they found it to be the wav itself they stopped replying to me. I asked them to send me a replacement and I would send this one back and they wouldn't do it.

And the wire? really? so if I pulled it left it wouldn't fix it. As if pulling it one way verses the other has anything to do with it.

I didn’t mean to the right haha I meant to tight but was spell checked to right

 

[BedrockIOMC]

I didn’t mean to the right haha I meant to tight but was spell checked to right

Lol got ya, no it's loose.

 

[BPF42]

My experience with the Apex over the last year and a half has been really good. The add-ons from Neptune I use are the DOS, Trident, WAV (two) pumps, and the fish feeder. I have also contacted Neptune’s support group twice and they were really friendly and helpful. I have read about other people having issues, but I have been so happy with mine, I bought a second one for another tank I am setting up.