Ready to get a Profilux

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Total: 1, Members: 0, Guests: 1)

Aquaman6410

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
434
Reaction score
371
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So I'm ready to finally pull the trigger, ditch my old apex after much frustration, and purchase a Profilux! I'm wanting a profilux but can't decide if the 4 or 4e is for me. I've never tracked orp and don't use ozone. Salinity might be nice but I have a digital refractometer. I wouldn't do any logic based on those parameters that I can think of so maybe the 4e? But I'm just worried I'm going to miss out on something else later on. Can the breakout box work with the 4e or do you need the s ports? Besides legacy powerbars, is there really any accessories that need those ports?

Last question, does the 4e run the same firmware as the 4? I only want to use a 4e if it gets the same updates at the same time as the 4. Otherwise, I'll just get the 4 if that's the main model getting updates faster.
 

Ditto

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 25, 2017
Messages
2,229
Reaction score
2,970
Location
Albany, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The 4e uses the same exact firmware as the 4 no differences and I upgrade them both at the same time when new firmware comes out.

GHL does not offer a expansion card with S ports on it and have yet found anything I have needed it for my 4e that is running my one tank.

If later on you want to add salinity and orp just add the expansion card within the unit :)
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
Aquaman6410

Aquaman6410

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
434
Reaction score
371
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The salinity probe is a bit costly later on so if I want it, I would save quite a bit getting it all at once. Do you find the salinity probe accurate and useful? I know some people like them and some don't. Tough decisions!
 

vangvace

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
May 24, 2019
Messages
697
Reaction score
813
Location
IL side of St Louis
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The salinity probe is a bit costly later on so if I want it, I would save quite a bit getting it all at once. Do you find the salinity probe accurate and useful? I know some people like them and some don't. Tough decisions!
I would say more accurate than others, but usefulness is tough. If I were doing an AWC system or had a large top off reservoir then yes.
 
OP
OP
Aquaman6410

Aquaman6410

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
434
Reaction score
371
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah, I dont do AWC or have any plans to in the near future. I can see the ATO issue but I guess I can always use an additional float in my sump outside of my osmolators sensors to detect if its going crazy and overfilling the sump.

Hmmm, maybe the 4e is the choice for me. It's so hard to be sure since either option is an investment! I just need to pick so I can get started with it!
 

I’ma tempermental coral

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 7, 2019
Messages
2,985
Reaction score
3,772
Location
The mountains of Southern California
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So while I run an apex on my current mixed reef, the dedicated sps system we are building may very well get a GHL. That said I use the snot out of my salinity probe. I’ve figured out how to make it so stable my controls are 34.7 low and 35.1 high. Well I didn’t. My husband did but it was a no brainer kinda fix. Here’s a link that explains what he did. I use it as a safety net for my ato and protein skimmer.
So I can’t take the credit for this because it was my husband that put 2 and 2 together on this lol. All you need is a small basic pump and some supply line slightly larger than the probe. The probe has escape holes built in so you are pumping water and any air that gets stuck out of those constantly. This won’t work if you use the Neptune calibration solution though. You have to get your tank to 35 ppt or as close to that as possible! Set your temperature compensation to your preferred mark, mine is the standard 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit. And run the manual calibration. Make sure when it’s time to do the in solution calibration step the probe end is plugged into the supply line and the pump is running. This is what mine looks like.
43B82E2D-BE08-4E1B-B0E9-306B9B6CF64E.jpeg
Hope this helps!!!
 

robbyg

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Messages
2,303
Reaction score
2,859
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah, I dont do AWC or have any plans to in the near future. I can see the ATO issue but I guess I can always use an additional float in my sump outside of my osmolators sensors to detect if its going crazy and overfilling the sump.

Hmmm, maybe the 4e is the choice for me. It's so hard to be sure since either option is an investment! I just need to pick so I can get started with it!
Always get the biggest starter kit you can afford. This is the one point when you get the lowest price for each of the included accessories.
 
OP
OP
Aquaman6410

Aquaman6410

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 1, 2017
Messages
434
Reaction score
371
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Weeeeell, I did it. But since I won't use ORP and I'm on the fence about a salinity probe, I went with the 4e. Now I'm excited for it to get here! I also order the ph 9 calibration solution since the 4e comes with the 4 and 7 fluids which would be better for freshwater. I think using 7 and 9 I'll be much better for reef environment calibration.

I'm guessing this GHL section of the forum will be a new home for me!
 
Last edited:

Member No 1

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
Messages
625
Reaction score
429
Location
Rehoboth, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome! I'm sure you will be happy with your decision. I came over from a full Apex system. Was constantly having issues with modules dropping out, changing my outlets around, flow meters going missing, changing optical sensors to leak detectors, etc. It was a bit of a learning curve going to the GHL, but once the programming clicked, it's very logical.
It's been up and running since April, never a hiccup! So glad I switched. My only regret is why I didn't do it sooner.
 

ajhudson15

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 26, 2017
Messages
1,307
Reaction score
980
Location
Bloomington, IN
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I got the 4e last year and love it. I don't care about orp and I check my salinity on my own which takes a whole 5 seconds. it was a great cheaper route. the only thing is now I am doing a calcium reactor and I have to buy the ph expansion card.
 

Vinny@GHLUSA

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2016
Messages
1,144
Reaction score
1,503
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Weeeeell, I did it. But since I won't use ORP and I'm on the fence about a salinity probe, I went with the 4e. Now I'm excited for it to get here! I also order the ph 9 calibration solution since the 4e comes with the 4 and 7 fluids which would be better for freshwater. I think using 7 and 9 I'll be much better for reef environment calibration.

I'm guessing this GHL section of the forum will be a new home for me!

Welcome to the GHL club! :cool:
We're here to help if you need it.

Yes, fluids 7 and 9 are ideal for saltwater aquariums.
 

mlandscape

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 27, 2016
Messages
173
Reaction score
40
Location
United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Welcome to the GHL club! :cool:
We're here to help if you need it.

Yes, fluids 7 and 9 are ideal for saltwater aquariums.
Sorry to intervene on this thread but if that is the case why were my Profilux and KHD supplied with fluids 4 and 7 which are more suitable for freshwater aquariums?
How does this affect the measurements given by the PH and KHD probes when these are used instead of 7 and 9
 

Kyl

And how does it feel like, to wake up in the sun
View Badges
Joined
May 11, 2016
Messages
2,474
Reaction score
3,140
Location
humble.fish/community
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have both a P4 and P4e, so one came with 7/9, the other 4/7. The PH on my 4e shows at about 8.5 when the other tank in the same room, calibrated with 7/9 shows closer to 8.2. I've never bothered to re-calibrate the 4/7 tank to 7/9, so I figure about a .3 drift between the two of them given the calibration points. dKH values are exactly the same in both tanks.

The KHD measures down to 4.3 PH internally IIRC in the calculation formula, as such a low range PH of 4/7 is idea for the KHD probe. It is not just a normal PH probe you would be using in the DT.

As to why they ship the 4e with freshwater focused calibration fluids, I have no idea. @Vinny@GHLUSA ?
 

Vinny@GHLUSA

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2016
Messages
1,144
Reaction score
1,503
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As to why they ship the 4e with freshwater focused calibration fluids, I have no idea. @Vinny@GHLUSA ?
Because much like the ProfiLux Mini, the 4e is tailored to FW aquarists...hence the 4 and 7 pH fluids. As long as the proper fluids are used for the intended application, the pH probe will provide accurate values.
 

Trivan

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
89
Reaction score
80
Location
NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I to came from a full Apex system to GHL. So far so good, all issue are self inflected. The one wish I had is that the app and website would be more responsive. its sometimes painfully slow. eg. something gets stuck into the wetside of the MP40, by the time the phone app refreshes, loads the module for maintenance, transmits the data to shut off the pump, I already removed the stand cover and pulled the plug. I don't do this often, but the speed of Apex Fusion was a really good benefit. It would take less than 10 sec to shut the pump down. The downsides of failure weren't.
 

robbyg

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 8, 2019
Messages
2,303
Reaction score
2,859
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I to came from a full Apex system to GHL. So far so good, all issue are self inflected. The one wish I had is that the app and website would be more responsive. its sometimes painfully slow. eg. something gets stuck into the wetside of the MP40, by the time the phone app refreshes, loads the module for maintenance, transmits the data to shut off the pump, I already removed the stand cover and pulled the plug. I don't do this often, but the speed of Apex Fusion was a really good benefit. It would take less than 10 sec to shut the pump down. The downsides of failure weren't.
Have you just tried to connect the app to the local network instead of the servers in Germany?
I am not 100% sure how the GHL system works, I assume its a full cloud based system like the Apex and the Local connection is also like the Apex?

If it is a full cloud based system I think GHL really needs to setup the GHL USA office with some servers that mirror the software in Germany so that people in the USA will have a lot less latency and overall better connections.
 

Trivan

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 1, 2014
Messages
89
Reaction score
80
Location
NJ
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Have you just tried to connect the app to the local network instead of the servers in Germany?
I am not 100% sure how the GHL system works, I assume its a full cloud based system like the Apex and the Local connection is also like the Apex?

If it is a full cloud based system I think GHL really needs to setup the GHL USA office with some servers that mirror the software in Germany so that people in the USA will have a lot less latency and overall better connections.

I ended up doing that on my iPad, but on my iPhone still on the cloud, because if I’m away from the house I can control/monitor what is needed. Not optimal but it works. Agree with getting US servers to speed things up.
 

Member No 1

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 17, 2017
Messages
625
Reaction score
429
Location
Rehoboth, MA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
One thing I noticed, when I log into myGHL to my P4, due to all the items I have on the dashboard, it's a little slow loading. However, when I connect to one of my LX7206 lights, with hardly any items, it loads very quickly.
Dashboard layout is device dependent. You can have several different layouts across different devices. Try removing some items see if that helps.
 

mlandscape

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 27, 2016
Messages
173
Reaction score
40
Location
United Kingdom
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Because much like the ProfiLux Mini, the 4e is tailored to FW aquarists...hence the 4 and 7 pH fluids. As long as the proper fluids are used for the intended application, the pH probe will provide accurate values.
Thre was no indication in the European online store when I bought my 4e that it was tailored for FW, in fact, the reverse "This Starter-Set 6E with the ProfiLux4e Controller is adapted for marine and freshwater aquariums" To be fair it does say fluids 4 and 7 included which I hadn't noticed and the P4 includes 7 and 9. I cant see why you don't include a 7 also in the 4e set so it covers both FW and Marine. I used the 4 and 7 to start with because I was told it wouldn't make any difference and yet when I decided to recalibrate using a well known other brand that I had leftover which uses 7.01 and 10.01 the PH measurement increased by almost 0.5.

So if we should be using 7 and 9 for marine why is the KHD supplied with 4 and 7 - surely this also can affect measurements?
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 71 53.0%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 68 50.7%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 34 25.4%
  • None.

    Votes: 30 22.4%
  • Other.

    Votes: 9 6.7%

New Posts

Back
Top