Poll: Alkalinity Monitoring Options

[CJBuckeyes]

I woke up early this moring to work on my Apex code to build in fail safes so a bad reading or some other unknown doesnt nuke my tank.

Would you mind sharing that code? I have a KH Guardian en route

 

[brogers]

Cant believe Neptune is screwing its loyal fan base with the Trident not being compatible with Apex Classic.

 

[Eric Tang]

following this thread.....very interesting discussion here. Very likely, we will be able to send results to Apex users (including older Apex models) and we will confirm this next week!

Check on our thread for the Alkatronic. It has a lot of info with test data.

 

[Daniel Gustafsson]

Alkatronic !!!
Alkatronic is the machine I will buy! Though I have the new apex .... why? yes I have 4 reasons.
1. Will not just monitor and send the latest measurement it will also act when my existing CA reactor and balling station do not deliver the desired amount. and I do not need to buy any expensive doses pumps everything is available in alkatronic.
2. It will be cheap in operation. Ca and Mg are the values I might measure 1-2 times a month manually with red sea. and I submit the icp test to the triton every other month. so I see everything I need there.
3. I feel confident when I have followed alkatronic from beginning to end product.
4. The Alkitronic format makes it easy to place, it looks so awesome. so that it can hang outside on the cabinet. (if you have a white one of course, like me)

 

[Waalker]

I am using the Hannah Alk test. it provides quick accurate results provided that you keep the glass tube very clean during the test.

 

[Dueholm78]

Alkatronic any day of the week! I love that it is fully standalone instead of 2 separate units like some of the others.
The Trident seems decently priced but for me the overall cost would to big since it's not Apex Classic compatible and therefore I would have to invest in the 2016 also. Another aspect that draws me away from Neptune is that the European supplier seems very unproffesional. Ordered an additional Wav pump through my local fishstore and 2,5 months later it had not arrived yet so I think this could be the same thing regarding supply of reagents for the Trident.
No use in having a machine without reagents.

 

[Brian W]

Other - Whichever one is the easiest, most cost efficient, works the best via reviews on Youtube and from personal friends.

Was set on getting the neptine version until I heard that you have to shell out more money to get the new apex....not sure why they did that. They are smart people they could of just made something to where you can use the classic version. Not happy about that, so I will not be buying the spec version for sure. (Even though it is nice looking)

 

[agent462]

I am using the Hannah Alk test. it provides quick accurate results provided that you keep the glass tube very clean during the test.

In use of the KHG, a couple of us noticed that the Hannah was testing way off. I had the Hannah standards also and it tested to what the standard said it should. The KHG, Salifert and Red Sea test kit all agreed within their error tolerances. The Hannah was reading as high as 1.4 dKH higher. I tested multiple times with multiple cuvettes.

 

[KingJason]

I'm pretty annoyed I'd have upgrade my APEX to get the Neptune solution. Right now I'm leaning towards Alkatronic.

 

[Blue Lip]

It was stated on the Cerebra forum that Vertex is also working on a KH unit.

 

[Reef Builders]

The Mindstream is going to completely leapfrog everything.

 

[mwilk19]

The Mindstream is going to completely leapfrog everything.

Hopefully, you're right. As with all of these devices, it has to have a price point that is accessible to the mainstream aquarist. Otherwise, it will just be a novelty.

 

[andrew james]

The Mindstream is going to completely leapfrog everything.

Totally agree.The day it's released I'm going to jump into my flying car and be the first one at the store to pick one up.

 

[Pny]

Only the Alkatronic ticks all the boxes for me...

 

[Daniel Gustafsson]

Do you use a Calcium Reactor currently? And if so, would you continue to use it with the Alkatronic?

Yes it Will work. I Will still run it. 90-95% ca reaktor and 10% core7

 

[MartinWaite]

My vote is with the Alkatronic I am lucky to have one of their Focustronic lights and am hopefully going to be getting another soon and if the Alkatronic is as good as their light then this will be a top notch controller that has been designed and built by hobbyists and professional people who want the best for their aquariums and a world class controller that is as easy to use but is clever enough to be adaptable to fit within most people's systems. Aquarists have been consulted and kept totally up to date with the build on this which is quite groundbreaking in itself, this has given the hobbyists the rarest of opportunity to give feedback and remove the not necessary and to incorporate what they a. Either required or b. Would like to see incorporated within the build specification of this controller. Yet they are hoping to include the wish list of everyone and still be in the best price bracket for a controller.
This controller needs to be the go to for the majority of aquarists and it makes me wonder how they intend to top this on their next innovative build.

 

[Anthony Mckay]

I'm looking at either the KH director or pacific sun kH lab. I like that the KHD works with my P4 but I don't expect it to be in a competitive price ranges plus as others have mentioned to use the KHD and dose you'd need 2 dosers at over €400 a pop.
I'm interested in the Pacific sun as it doesn't use a pH probe and will come with a kore 7th so 4 spare heads after the 3 for the kH lab.
Unsure about the bluetooth connectivity that pacific sun seem to favour but the bundle price I heard was about 600 $ so good value.
The proof is in the pudding so will have to wait for feedback from the brave that jump straight in and get them.

 

[Pacific Sun HQ]

I got few request for taking a voice here and short product info because not so many informations are available for Customers(not so many like in Alkatronic thread - btw I know Jonas and I'm sure that it will be good device also! )
Our Kore7th have Bluetooth and Wifi(using Cube Wifi-Bluetooth bridge which will be compatible also with all existing Kore5th dosing stations, led lamps, hybrid , etc). USB port is used for safe firmware updates.
In October we start sales to closed group of chosen users which will do final beta tests for us and we plan release device in November/December this year.
Actual precision of kHLab in Precise mode is 0.02dKh - in normal mode - it's 0.05dKh.
Device come with initial reagent bottle which allow for perform 250 tests.
Cause it was pointed here - Kore 7th have 7 channels - 3 required by kHLab, 4 left for dosing alkalinity solution, calcium, magnesium and mineral salt(like in full balling).
The same about calcium reactor - it's only needed to check alkalinity and dial reactor because during corals growth calcium and alkalinity drop in relative same ratio like they are dissolved from media reactor(also magnesium, if you are using natural corals gravel).
When device work in "guard mode" - it adjust not only alkalinity doses - but also all other channels (growing corals take minerals from water in specific ratio) programmed to adjust flows depending from changes reported by kHLab module.

PS. Actual version of kHLab work using high precision/fast responding pH probe.
It have also second pH probe port which can be use to measure pH in calcium reactor/main tank and control solenoid valve(co2 dose) if its needed. So Kore7th is like Kore5th but with additional pH computer (2 x pH probe port) and WiFi/USB support.
It was very easy to implement because main board from Kore7th include all options available in Kore5th - digital temperature probe, AWC module, ATO module, stirrer connection etc.
About optical measuring - we have prepared "lab module" which use optical sensors and high frequency probe (for measuring more parameters than only alkalinity) but it's too fast to talk about that now - device is still in alpha tests (it have to be easy in operate and maintenance)
Definitely this year and next one will belong for alkalinity modules coming from many manufacturers!

Best regards

Przemek

 

[Tklb]

Cant believe Neptune is screwing its loyal fan base with the Trident not being compatible with Apex Classic.

I see this kind of response a lot, and while I understand where you are coming from, the whole point of coming out with a new version with additional capabilities, is to be able to offer products that take advantage of those new capabilities. I certainly wouldn't say that they are screwing their loyal fan base. It is not like they are no longer supporting or coming out with new, compatible products, its just that some products will take advantage of the new capabilities built into the new APEX. Otherwise, why would any company come out with a newer upgraded version of anything? So their "Loyal Fanbase" can be pi***d off at them?

Would you be mad if a company came out with a new version of a laptop that you owned, that had new features? The APEX Classic is a very solid, great controller. You still have a great controller that does everything it did before they announced the Trident.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

I got few request for taking a voice here and short product info because not so many informations are available for Customers(not so many like in Alkatronic thread - btw I know Jonas and I'm sure that it will be good device also! )
Our Kore7th have Bluetooth and Wifi(using Cube Wifi-Bluetooth bridge which will be compatible also with all existing Kore5th dosing stations, led lamps, hybrid , etc). USB port is used for safe firmware updates.
In October we start sales to closed group of chosen users which will do final beta tests for us and we plan release device in November/December this year.
Actual precision of kHLab in Precise mode is 0.02dKh - in normal mode - it's 0.05ml.
Device come with initial reagent bottle which allow for perform 250 tests.
Cause it was pointed here - Kore 7th have 7 channels - 3 required by kHLab, 4 left for dosing alkalinity solution, calcium, magnesium and mineral salt(like in full balling).
The same about calcium reactor - it's only needed to check alkalinity and dial reactor because during corals growth calcium and alkalinity drop in relative same ratio like they are dissolved from media reactor(also magnesium, if you are using natural corals gravel).
When device work in "guard mode" - it adjust not only alkalinity doses - but also all other channels (growing corals take minerals from water in specific ratio) programmed to adjust flows depending from changes reported by kHLab module.

PS. Actual version of kHLab work using high precision/fast responding pH probe.
It have also second pH probe port which can be use to measure pH in calcium reactor/main tank and control solenoid valve(co2 dose) if its needed. So Kore7th is like Kore5th but with additional pH computer (2 x pH probe port) and WiFi/USB support.
It was very easy to implement because main board from Kore7th include all options available in Kore5th - digital temperature probe, AWC module, ATO module, stirrer connection etc.
About optical measuring - we have prepared "lab module" which use optical sensors and high frequency probe (for measuring more parameters than only alkalinity) but it's too fast to talk about that now - device is still in alpha tests (it have to be easy in operate and maintenance)
Definitely this year and next one will belong for alkalinity modules coming from many manufacturers!

Best regards

Przemek

Awesome! Thanks for weighing in. Sounds like this will be a topnotch device as well. I'm excited about all of these innovations!