The NEXT Generation From Neptune?

[joshwaggs]

I think this is very good for Neptune. You have a lot of people that can’t afford the $800 for the full system. What I don’t understand is why didn’t they add a 4 port power strip like the apex JR.

This is a big f-u to all the other distributors of Neptune products. They already have very small margins and I am also sure everyone is tired with not having inventory of trident or reagents.
If I was a LFS I would be clearing out the Neptune product wall. Let BRS sell it.

I sure Neptune is also not happy that saltwater.com is selling other controllers.
BRS only sells Neptune.

This is what annoys the hell out of me about Neptune.

 

[ppatches24]

Well your not gonna devalue your own product or burn your old customers? lol half the price of the main unit and comes with stuff. They shot them self's in the foot. Not that it matters to them at all but I would not and will never ever spend more than 250 bucks on an apex control at this point. Thats there value not 400 bucks LOL ******* this dam company has people by the balls

 

[mike550]

I'm building a new reef system and I have to say I'm simultaneously impressed with Neptune's marketing and business strategy and unimpressed with their products and price. I'm intrigued that drygoods selling forums are clogged with old Neptune Apex products. What does that say about them?

I am thinking of going with some Kasa power strips, device-specific controllers for wavemakers and lights if they come with them, and DIY the doser and topoff functions with level sensors.

@SteveG_inDC I totally hear what you're saying. I've been at this for about a year, and I have a number of independent "systems" (lighting on their own controls, skimmer running off a Kasa outlet, doser on it's own schedule, etc). So I'm not sure how much "integration" of these systems I really want, need, or trust. I've come up with two main thoughts.

First, I'm mostly interested in a controller for monitoring stuff and telling me (email, text, etc) when things go wrong or an easy way for me to check that everything is okay. Stuff like parameters, heater malfunction, water leak, etc. Basically, stuff you don't see or notice right away. Not sure how much "control" I really want to give up -- maybe to turn off pumps for a water change, and simple things like that.

Second, "one controller to rule them all" won't happen. So I'm down the path of which seems to be the most broadly supported and reliable. I've written down the functions I want to monitor and control, and started looking at GHL and Apex. At this point, I'm leaning GHL.

 

[Crashnt24]

What's everyone's issue with the energy bar? I love my Apex, love the desktop app and functionallity.

I HATE their doser though. That thing sucks! All four heads on my two dosers were bad out of the box, doesn't hold liquid :mad:

 

[bam123]

I'm building a new reef system and I have to say I'm simultaneously impressed with Neptune's marketing and business strategy and unimpressed with their products and price. I'm intrigued that drygoods selling forums are clogged with old Neptune Apex products. What does that say about them?

I am thinking of going with some Kasa power strips, device-specific controllers for wavemakers and lights if they come with them, and DIY the doser and topoff functions with level sensors.

I love my apex, but its not needed. You can go mobius platform for all your ecotech products like pumps, lights and dosers. Get a ph and a temp probe and an ATO and you are good to go.

 

[litlsea]

First post fellow reefers. I'm an old time reefer. Started in the 80's yes thats right the 80's. First reef was a 72 gallon with a hamilton fixture with dual175 halides retro fitted with dual VHO actinics instead of the std ones. I used a 40 low for the sump with a mostly caulerpa refugium using reverse daylight. Worked great but the seaweed would go sexual occasionally so you had to watch that and pull it out when it started to fade. No testing just a lot of water changes. After more than 10 years it finally crashed when I was out of town. Caulerpa went which killed the huge LT nem and that wiped out everything before I got back.

Spring forward more than 35 years and things have changed a little. Current reef is a 50 gallon cube with a 20 gallon sump. Sump has a refugium with chaeto lit by a $30 50 watt passive cree led light off amazon. Its got 2 cheap black box lights with an aquatic life hybrid fixture and 4 T5 blue plus. Monitored by and Apex with Trident water testing and DOS dosing TM 3 part Balling. Grows anything. We went to Ecuador for a month and the tank ran without any intervention except for dosing adjustments remotely and my daughter cleaned the skimmer at the 2 week mark before she came down for 2 weeks.

This was probably not possible before Neptune. Without Fusion or DOS or Trident. Say what you will about quality or price but they work. No salinity probe issues, Trident reagents have always been available (2 month). If there was anything to complain to Neptune about it would poor implementation of a simple feature like the camera feed/picture window. I have a $40 Wyze cam that I use to watch the tank when I'm not around. Something like this could have been more revenue for Neptune. Thats it. This thing works and aside from initial cost its a game changer pure and simple. And its made in North America. This is what I call progress. If Neptune wants to add to the stable then I would upgrade the black boxes just because they have the most basic of control.

Just my opinion and what works for me may not work for you. Cheers from Canada!

 

[Reefahholic]

Any update on a new Apex yet?!!

It’s been 6 long years.

 

[Heabel7]

I am curious myself. Just ordered one under "customer appreciation". Figured it was just a way to dump stock they have of the old units. Hopefully the new one deosnt have mind blowing features that this gen does not have.