What’s next from Apex? (After Trident)

[kevin_e]

Reduce their costs

 

[Sleepydoc]

I think allowing users to document their code is paramount. It's one of those fundamental elements that should have been there from the very beginning. Other than that, I understand it's a limited resource company as we're a small hobby market. But, just because we are small doesn't mean we should accept cheap or poor quality. For example, I, like others, have never been able to get a conductivity probe to come even close to my refractometerr or even close to a hygrometer! Excited about the trident though.

This is easily the #1 most requested improvement on the Apex forums. Honestly, if there is a technical reason they can’t implement it they should say why, otherwise it’s a glaring omission that makes the system more difficult to use.

Re: the salinity probe, they are notoriously sensitive to interference and micro bubbles. I quit fussing with mine shortly after I installed my system. Now when I go back and look at it it actually tracks quite nicely showing only temperature variations. Of course I also realized that it’s really an unnecessary probe for the vast majority of people. In my case, I have a 120 gallon tank + 40b sump with a 10 gallon ATO reservoir. If the entire ATO dumped into my tank, the salinity would drop from 1.026 to about 1.024. Not ideal, but no where near catastrophic, either.

 

[Sleepydoc]

Reduce their costs

I’m going to defend the controller manufacturers here (all of them, not just Neptune.)

Despite the number of users on these forums, the market for these controllers is not that big. Consider the number of tanks, then consider the number of users that actually have controllers. Now divide that number up among all of the controller manufacturers. Now consider the market for new controllers, sine the majority of people who have working controllers have little incentive to pay $$$ to upgrade to a new model. Next we have to consider R&D costs and ongoing support costs. Neptune and GHL (and others?) maintain support forums and servers like Apex Fusion to allow web access to their controllers. These are ongoing costs for the companies despite the fact that they make no further money after the initial sale. What all this means is there are significant R&D and support costs that are divided up among a relatively small number of units.

Take a look at the Vertex Cerebra. i have no idea how much money Vertex has put into the project, but they spent years developing V1, released it and took a *huge* beating over it and are now trying to redesign the entire system from the ground up. If and when they finally release v2, they have to finish beta testing with users and then convince people to buy it over established companies like Neptune and GHL after the debacle with v1. I would imagine that the return on investment for them is going to be pretty long.

Digital Aquatics just left the business after making controllers for 14 years. Not necessarily a good sign, either.

 

[Heavymman]

Reduce their costs

Lol that would be awesome

 

[MPS]

Better compatibility with EcoTech pumps. The control of the vetra doesn't exist and the vortech control is missing functionality (how about low speed control)

 

[Chris155hp]

Better compatibility with EcoTech pumps. The control of the vetra doesn't exist and the vortech control is missing functionality (how about low speed control)

I believe that this is on eco tech as Neptune is ready “at the flip of a switch” but eco tech controls that switch at the moment

 

[rygh]

Suggestion:
A version with Mil-Spec parts, super heavy duty relays, an epoxy conformal PCB coating, and aluminum box.
All connectors angled down.
Basically, make an extremely robust version, that withstands salt water really well.
Yes, and charge extra.
For those of us that invest too much in large tanks, and want really reliable hardware.

The parts would be functionally equivalent, so no new firmware, and very limited electrical engineering changes.

 

[ca1ore]

Existential question .... what if Neptune never releases trident?

 

[ca1ore]

I believe that this is on eco tech as Neptune is ready “at the flip of a switch” but eco tech controls that switch at the moment

Yes, that ship sailed, and then sunk, years ago. ETM wants to sell you a Reeflink and use EcoSmart Live (or whatever they call it). Cannot really blame them. When I bought my Vectra I also bought Reeflink under protest. Turned out to be OK because I need it to get the most out of my Radion lights. Too many eggs in the apex basket probably not a good thing anyhow.

I'd actually like to see a less expensive version of the PM3. Not sure if it's even possible.

 

[Amoo]

Existential question .... what if Neptune never releases trident?

Please not here too. We already have 37 derailed Trident threads, we really don't need another one.

 

[ca1ore]

Ah, it was a joke ..... which you apparently completely missed .... Oh well.

 

[Amoo]

Ah, it was a joke ..... which you apparently completely missed .... Oh well.

No I got it in the way you worded it, my response was written in the same tone. Hence a random number of threads.

 

[ExoticAquaticsVa]

I’d like to see a version of the FMK in 1/4” to measure TDS and be able to set alerts to anything more than 0.

I would also like to see some fortification of the wire / connections on the Display unit. That hair thin wire has been the demise of more display units than I would like to admit.

A temperature probe that is tuned for air applications (inside canopy)

Skimmer with internal flow monitoring (for slowing) was a good idea mentioned above.

 

[Chris155hp]

a 3 headed dos

 

[BedrockIOMC]

A better UI. For a company just south of San Jose, I'm shocked they can't find at least one good UI person. Fusion was a big step up from their original UI but its still bad.

what is it that you dont like? just like others opinions on things. Im not saying its good or bad just asking.

 

[Handegard]

I’ve always wanted a integrated ground probe with stray voltage detection. I asked a EE friend and he told me it was certainly possible but wasn’t sure what components the EB832 uses to measure current, but in theory you could get a alert that “outlet skimmer_2_5 short to ground” and automatically turned off.

 

[IgnatiusRath]

I’ve always wanted a integrated ground probe with stray voltage detection. I asked a EE friend and he told me it was certainly possible but wasn’t sure what components the EB832 uses to measure current, but in theory you could get a alert that “outlet skimmer_2_5 short to ground” and automatically turned off.

This would be incredibly nice to have. I just wonder about liability if someone got electrocuted and the ground failed to alert or function properly. But I'd be more likely to upgrade to the new Apex for this than I would for the Trident on release.

 

[Mortie31]

I’d like to see a dedicated battery backup module. It would take any generic battery (say a car battery) as an input, and would power the Apex "brain" and run routines for outlets specific to a power outage. I think this could manage limited battery backup power much better than existing systems that power just one dedicated piece of equipment, like a pump. For instance, I'd like to:

1. Turn the lights, dosing pumps, reactors, etc. off (can live without them for 2-3 days).

2. Keep the return pump at low speed for say 3-5 turnovers per hour (assuming DC controllable). This will keep the heater and probes supplied with tank water as well.

3. Keep one heater running as normal. Surely this would be the biggest power draw.

4. Run wavemakers only when the heater isn't running (limit peak draw), and at only 10%.

5. When remaining battery charge drops to 10%, turn everything off and turn on an airstone that is always installed in the main tank.

I could imagine with a system like this you might get 24-48 hours of quality life support (depending on how cold it is outside), and maybe another 48 hours of emergency life support (air stone only) off a car battery.

This module could also have a cellular device built in (for a monthly fee, I'm sure) that could continue to give you notifications and updates even when the power was out.

sigh...dreaming...

Buy a profilux 4 it can do all the power management that you describe by hooking it up to a UPS/ gene, it has a sensor that detects a power out and changes setup to whatever you have programmed it to do

 

[Forsaken77]

I’m going to defend the controller manufacturers here (all of them, not just Neptune.)

Despite the number of users on these forums, the market for these controllers is not that big. Consider the number of tanks, then consider the number of users that actually have controllers. Now divide that number up among all of the controller manufacturers. Now consider the market for new controllers, sine the majority of people who have working controllers have little incentive to pay $$$ to upgrade to a new model. Next we have to consider R&D costs and ongoing support costs. Neptune and GHL (and others?) maintain support forums and servers like Apex Fusion to allow web access to their controllers. These are ongoing costs for the companies despite the fact that they make no further money after the initial sale. What all this means is there are significant R&D and support costs that are divided up among a relatively small number of units.

Take a look at the Vertex Cerebra. i have no idea how much money Vertex has put into the project, but they spent years developing V1, released it and took a *huge* beating over it and are now trying to redesign the entire system from the ground up. If and when they finally release v2, they have to finish beta testing with users and then convince people to buy it over established companies like Neptune and GHL after the debacle with v1. I would imagine that the return on investment for them is going to be pretty long.

Digital Aquatics just left the business after making controllers for 14 years. Not necessarily a good sign, either.

They also sell their controllers in multiple countries. The Apex also has a lot of proprietary accessories that only work with the unit. If it were just the controller, just in the US, I could get on board. They're doing just fine, imo.

I think the other controllers have it tougher because they aren't established and don't have a whole ecosystem of products already.

 

[mclark452]

Honestly, I would just like to see the trident....before I get tired of waiting and go out and buy an Alktronic.....beginning to think its just a myth.