What ever happened to the Vertex Cerebra?

hart24601 · May 20, 2019

So does anyone have one hands on yet? Sounds like from these posts they shipped out early this month?

Cyricdark · May 20, 2019

Blue Lip said:
I don’t believe they have a working controller yet. Vertex has done nothing but lie. Remember when all we were waiting for was housing? Remember they have all the parts but later they are still waiting on parts? Remember Vertex had people take apart their Cerebra and send them parts and in return were supposed to receive a new Cerebra first week of May? All tracking cancelled. If the Cerebra was really ready to ship then why cancel shipping. Turns out Vertex created shipping labels and after not shipping the carrier was going to have a fee so that lie was going to have a cost to maintain the facade and Vertex dropped it.

Yeah if they've cancelled shipping labels on you guys then that really needs to be the last straw I would personally say that anybody that has one of these units and it's been involved in this Fiasco needs to start emailing and calling everybody that carries vertex products Bulk Reef Supply Marine Depot all of them and ask them to stop carrying vertex products until they make this right by their customers. My guess is vertex would offer a better resolution to this immediately if that were to happen plus it would be a really good way to gauge how much all of these retailers truly care about their customers.

DarkSky · May 20, 2019

Blue Lip said:
I don’t believe they have a working controller yet. Vertex has done nothing but lie. Remember when all we were waiting for was housing? Remember they have all the parts but later they are still waiting on parts? Remember Vertex had people take apart their Cerebra and send them parts and in return were supposed to receive a new Cerebra first week of May? All tracking cancelled. If the Cerebra was really ready to ship then why cancel shipping. Turns out Vertex created shipping labels and after not shipping the carrier was going to have a fee so that lie was going to have a cost to maintain the facade and Vertex dropped it.

I don't think that's the case. They've sent out a unit to Jolly, and he's confirmed it is working.

Blue Lip · May 22, 2019

They have sent 2 units to Jolly. First one is as useful as a brick. Jolly isn’t allowed to talk about the second Cerebra he received other than it basically turns on. Jolly didn’t think Vertex would be able to ship working units by the first week of May as Vertex claimed they would. He was correct. I don’t think they have a working controller yet.

Blue Lip · May 22, 2019

hart24601 said:
So does anyone have one hands on yet? Sounds like from these posts they shipped out early this month?

No. Vertex said they were going to ship the first week of May to the first 80 people that took apart their old controller and sent parts back. People did this but no Cerebra replacements were shipped as Vertex claimed they would.

FirstContact · May 22, 2019

Vertex has gone silent again. The promise of shipping the first week of May was an obvious lie to get as many V1s destroyed as possible. Vertex does not have a working V7 unit.

FirstContact · May 22, 2019

Jolly’s units aren’t functional. The 2nd one just powers on. It doesn’t do anything.

Cyricdark · May 22, 2019

Yeah it's time for an BRSTV investigates on the title of this thread : "Whatever Happened to the Vertex Cerebra?" Cmon @Ryanbrs and @randyBRS , I know stepping into mess this probably feels like wading into hot lava, but it's time for someone that can get some answers to do so, obviously all the "beta" testers can't, and we trust you guys.

FirstContact · May 22, 2019

Cyricdark said:
Yeah if they've cancelled shipping labels on you guys then that really needs to be the last straw I would personally say that anybody that has one of these units and it's been involved in this Fiasco needs to start emailing and calling everybody that carries vertex products Bulk Reef Supply Marine Depot all of them and ask them to stop carrying vertex products until they make this right by their customers. My guess is vertex would offer a better resolution to this immediately if that were to happen plus it would be a really good way to gauge how much all of these retailers truly care about their customers.

Well this is the BRS forum on R2R and BRS hasn’t seemed to chime in. I’m not a technical person, but many in the Vertex forum claimed V1 was nowhere near to being a beta product.

Cyricdark · May 22, 2019

FirstContact said:
Well this is the BRS forum on R2R and BRS hasn’t seemed to chime in. I’m not a technical person, but many in the Vertex forum claimed V1 was nowhere near to being a beta product.

That's why I put the word beta in quotes, but at least they sold it as a beta they were trying to be as honest as they could be about it most of the other people that sold this product didn't mention anything about it being a beta.

FirstContact · May 22, 2019

Cyricdark said:
Yeah it's time for an BRSTV investigates on the title of this thread : "Whatever Happened to the Vertex Cerebra?" Cmon @Ryanbrs and @randyBRS , I know stepping into mess this probably feels like wading into hot lava, but it's time for someone that can get some answers to do so, obviously all the "beta" testers can't, and we trust you guys.

Yup, I’d also like to hear from Aquarium Specialty too that introduced this as a functioning product, and what BRS and Aquarium Specialty have to say about the fact that Vertex just lies and lies.

DarkSky · May 22, 2019

FirstContact said:
Jolly’s units aren’t functional. The 2nd one just powers on. It doesn’t do anything.

He verified that it was able to measure temperature and turn outlets on/off. He couldn't reveal more because of an NDA.

FirstContact · May 22, 2019

DarkSky said:
He verified that it was able to measure temperature and turn outlets on/off. He couldn't reveal more because of an NDA.

He’s not allowed to say anything Negative about the unit according to the NDA. He can say all the positives about the unit he wants to. Basically the software still doesn’t work. He has no probes. Just temperature? Really?

Smarkow · May 22, 2019

Cyricdark said:
Yeah it's time for an BRSTV investigates on the title of this thread : "Whatever Happened to the Vertex Cerebra?" Cmon @Ryanbrs and @randyBRS , I know stepping into mess this probably feels like wading into hot lava, but it's time for someone that can get some answers to do so, obviously all the "beta" testers can't, and we trust you guys.

I was a version one beta. The thing shocked me a few times. Could never get any accessories. Sold it on ebay to a guy who just wanted to play around with the thing, I told him before I sold it I thought the thing was not safe for use, full disclosure.

In the for what it’s worth their calcium reactor came with a pump block where the glued on PVC piece had dripped glue into the propeller piece, burned out the motor. In keeping with their inability to get parts in stock, I waited 6+ months to get a replacement. How vertex has the reputation they do is BEYOND me.

Oh yeah, the CaRx leaked from day one as well.... To be clear, @Bulk Reef Supply took care of me, went above and beyond. Vertex was polite but unapologetic for what was an obvious manufacturing flaw. Never get a penny from me again.

Pics below

This piece of glue sealed off tge propeller outflow. I was able to chip it out after taking the pump down to 20 pieces...

Discolored creep from the leaking area, seen above.

Cyricdark · May 22, 2019

Smarkow said:
I was a version one beta. The thing shocked me a few times. Could never get any accessories. Sold it on ebay to a guy who just wanted to play around with the thing, I told him before I sold it I thought the thing was not safe for use, full disclosure.

In the for what it’s worth their calcium reactor came with a pump block where the glued on PVC piece had dripped glue into the propeller piece, burned out the motor. In keeping with their inability to get parts in stock, I waited 6+ months to get a replacement. How vertex has the reputation they do is BEYOND me.

Oh yeah, the CaRx leaked from day one as well.... To be clear, @Bulk Reef Supply took care of me, went above and beyond. Vertex was polite but unapologetic for what was an obvious manufacturing flaw. Never get a penny from me again.

Pics below

This piece of glue sealed off tge propeller outflow. I was able to chip it out after taking the pump down to 20 pieces...

Discolored creep from the leaking area, seen above.

Wow so it took them six months to get back to you that's crazy did they even get you a new pump or was that the last you heard out of them?

Smarkow · May 23, 2019

Cyricdark said:
Wow so it took them six months to get back to you that's crazy did they even get you a new pump or was that the last you heard out of them?

I should clarify, they got back to me right away at first to say they didn’t have parts, but then radio silence. They were polite. I think 6-8 months later I had the privilege of paying $49.99 plus shipping to get the replacement pump.

6-8” acrylic tubing is not cheap, I get it, and they put real weight into their pieces. But when you sell a $500 retail reactor the customer expects a functioning product. I feel like I got taken advantage of as a new reefer, because it was my first calciun reactor and I was busy with work, assumed the problem was on my end. Finally had some vacation time to really investigate the thing but it was out of warranty by then. Looking back with 5 years in this hobby, it was sooooo incredibly obvious that Quality Control failed.

Now, every time I watch @Bulk Reef Supply BRS investigates they are using the vertex carx. It just makes my stomach churn. I bought a Geo 618 a while back and could not be happier.

I tell this story not to derail the thread, but I just felt the same way when hands on with the cerebra controller. Their online forum/club cerebra SUCKED at that point as well. I remember wondering “what kind of company can’t get a message board functioning in 2017?” It may be a “beta” or a V1 or whatever, but the thing is still expected to have basic functionality.

Now I know better

FirstContact · May 24, 2019

And magically, Jason is shutting down the forum. The 2 new moderators are G Carroll and Tobe, both of whom are not impartial and are friends with Jason. They claim to be starting a new forum on the cloud. It seems you may have to have a V7 to participate in the new forum as this was broadcasted as “part of the Cerebra experience.” They claim the old forum won’t be shut down until the new one is up. But, it has been nothing but lies since 2016 thru shipping this 1st week of May; so, why would this be different.

Blue Lip · May 25, 2019

News of shutting down the forum but no news of a ship date. Tobe started a Facebook group a long time ago in the event Vertex shut down their forum. It’s interesting how things have changed. Tobe has purchased many Cerebra units from people calling it quits with this debacle. Tobe has turned into the biggest cheerleader for Vertex and now he is going to be a moderator. I didn’t send in for replacement because I was in disbelief Vertex would ship the first week of May as they stated. Would be nice if Vertex would just be honest.

Bj’s Reef · May 25, 2019

I have a question for everyone. What if Vertex were able to buy back most of the units thru a second party. Probably for less than the purchase price in some cases. Would they then be able to walk away from the whole thing? I’m just asking a question I’m not Accusing anyone of anything, it’s just a thought that crossed my mind.