Aquatronica

[Greybeard]

Why is there no love around here for Aquatronica controllers?

I bought a RKL, 8 months or so back... added a pH probe, and a 2nd PB4. I'm _really_ regretting it now. No support. DA seems to be abandoning it's customers. I've got a PB4 that is going nuts... DA has removed their phone number, and emails to their support account are being returned as undeliverable. So... I'm looking to replace it. Unstable is _not_ something I'm willing to deal with in running my aquarium.

Apex: $800, bring your own UI device. I may yet go this way, but I can't say I'm thrilled to do so. I _like_ being able to enable/disable a device from my RKL touch pad quickly and easily, from inside my sump closet, without breaking out a tablet. If I want that little UI device they offer? Add another hundred bucks.

GHL is even _higher_ on the top shelf.

Look, I don't mean to come off sounding cheap... I don't mind paying for something if it's worth it, but I'm not certain these things are.

Aquatronica, Italian designed units, for the same price as the new Apex, you get a 7" touch screen, 8 controlled outlets, pH, Salinity, Temp, and Redox probes, and a float switch.

Company seems to have been around a while, at least they're trying to stay with reasonably current technologies.

I'm not saying Aquatronica is better... I've never even seen one in person, just that I'm surprised that a search for Aquatronica on this site returns ZERO results!

 

[Brew12]

I've never even seen one in person,

I think this is the key issue. It doesn't look like they have made much of a push to enter the US market. It looks like they did a little work on RC to build exposure but not much else. I don't know how long Marine Depot carried them for.
I know if I were not tech savvy and was going to shell out for a controller I would want to be able to talk to others who have used them that could help.

 

[Greybeard]

Well... after much research, I just ordered an Apex Classic. Can't see the difference in price for their wifi version, and I _like_ having a small UI device mounted. Guess I'm getting email alerts and pH probe, as well as the 8 controllable outlets, temp, and small display I had with the RLK.

I'm an industrial software engineer, I've got all kinds of old network gear laying around here... guess I'll dig around and get a wireless bridge up and running while I'm waiting on BRS to deliver. Beats crawling around under the house running Cat5 cable

 

[Breadman03]

Well... after much research, I just ordered an Apex Classic. Can't see the difference in price for their wifi version, and I _like_ having a small UI device mounted. Guess I'm getting email alerts and pH probe, as well as the 8 controllable outlets, temp, and small display I had with the RLK.

I'm an industrial software engineer, I've got all kinds of old network gear laying around here... guess I'll dig around and get a wireless bridge up and running while I'm waiting on BRS to deliver. Beats crawling around under the house running Cat5 cable

Well, the Wifi version brings more to the table than just Wifi. It has a more powerful computer that is capable of running more advanced devices such as the Trident, their new alkalinity monitor, as well as monitoring power consumption at the outlet level instead of just the power bar level. The features aren't compelling enough for me to upgrade to it, but those features just might sway my opinion if I needed to purchase a new controller.

 

[Greybeard]

I looked at the features... I get it, but it's not worth $250 to me. I very nearly went with an Apex Jr and added a EB4 to it, but the pH is worth something to me. I run kalkwasser, so monitoring pH would be a good thing. I'm also thinking about several nifty features I could do with a breakout box, which you can't add to the Apex Jr.

 

[radiata]

If we both lived in Europe, we'd probably both have Aquatronica controllers. But the user base here in the US is an unbeatable resource.

If you had bought a Junior, couldn't you have just added a PM1 module for both pH and I/O Breakout box capability?

 

[Greybeard]

If you had bought a Junior, couldn't you have just added a PM1 module for both pH and I/O Breakout box capability?

Yup. And it would have saved a few bucks... $30.15, if my math is correct... Still have the limitation on modules and expansion that the Jr gives you...

I'm happy with my choice, so far. We'll see, when it arrives on Tuesday

 

[mcarroll]

it's been a while since I've contacted digital aquatics since my Reefkeeper Lite just keeps on chugging with no issues, but I don't think they ever had a support phone number. They mostly go through their support forum.

 

[Greybeard]

I've tried to join their support forum several times, can't get a response. Tried to email their 'support@' address, returned as undeliverable. For the first 6 months, I was overjoyed with my RKL... until it wigged out Base unit, temp probe, and one PB4 are fine... the other PB4, I can't trust. It'll work for a while, and quit... seemingly randomly, leaving things either on, or off. I've gone as far as I'm willing to go with it... Bought an Apex, and the RLK is sold, pending my taking it out of service... hopefully tomorrow.

 

[Breadman03]

@Greybeard, drop this link into your bookmarks if you haven't already: https://www.neptunesystems.com/support/docs/

 

[Greybeard]

Thanks... I got it. Resurrected an older Apex for a friend a few months ago. Their docs are out of date, but still handy. Aside from a few quirks, it's not a terribly complex piece of equipment.

Note: Old, greybearded fatman ≠ technophobe.

 

[don_chuwish]

I'm an industrial software engineer, I've got all kinds of old network gear laying around here... guess I'll dig around and get a wireless bridge up and running while I'm waiting on BRS to deliver. Beats crawling around under the house running Cat5 cable

Pull a Cat5e cable to it if you can. More reliable connectivity and firmware updates have to be done wired anyway.

 

[Greybeard]

Pull a Cat5e cable to it if you can. More reliable connectivity and firmware updates have to be done wired anyway.

That's where the 'old, greybearded fatman' thing rears it's head... I'm not crawling under my house anymore... if I need a cable run, I'll have to pay some monkey to run it for me.

Firmware has to be done wired... says who? I know... the docs say to do it that way, and if I loose connection while updating firmware, I'll brick the thing... I got it... but since I'm going to be running a wireless bridge, and the Apex will be plugged into a local switch, how would it know?

Even if I were to run a cable from my switch to the Apex, eventually, that cable goes up on my roof, and is then transmitted to a tower about a mile from here... wireless. No getting around it, my internet connection is wireless. I have an old Amped SR300 802.x wireless network extender. 300MB/S wifi to the router, 100mb wired ethernet switch... Used it for years to get a wired streaming TV device onto my wireless network, worked great. It'll work well enough for this.

 

[[Cameron]]

Shame about RKL seeming to struggle with support. They have a great price point in the lower end market with the RKL.

 

[Greybeard]

Shame about RKL seeming to struggle with support. They have a great price point in the lower end market with the RKL.

I agree... I _liked_ the RKL, until it proved itself unreliable. Simple, easy, no permanent internet connection required... just does what it's supposed to do... until it didn't.

If I could get some support, I'd still be using it. As it is, my Apex is due in today, and I'm looking forward to getting it up and running tonight.

 

[mcarroll]

I've tried to join their support forum several times, can't get a response. Tried to email their 'support@' address, returned as undeliverable.

A bummer it worked out that way!

As a concerned DA customer (and maybe to avoid spreading the wrong idea)....

I just emailed DA support and got this:

From: Digital Aquatics Support Team <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: (Case xxxxxxx) [...]
Date: February 13, 2018 at 4:25:58 PM EST
To: myemailaddress

Thank you for your message. We have received it and will get back to you as soon as possible.

Digital Aquatics Support Hours
Monday thru Friday (8:30-4:30)

You may want to save your case's tracking ticket for future reference: xxxxxxxxxxx

We are implementing an upgraded support tracking system here at DA. Please help us help you by using the "Reply" feature of your email system when corresponding on this case. If you have a new issue please send a new email so that we can better serve you.

Thank you,

--
Digital Aquatics Support Team
[email protected]

Their forum signup also seems to work and folks seem to be posting. But they do have some unusual bot-checks in the forum sign-up sheet that you might have gotten caught by, on top of the usual "modern" password requirements.

So they seem to be alive and well and normally-functioning, at least as far as I can tell. (And I hope I'm not wrong! )

(Their phone # does seem to be live, but the IVR seems to be disabled....I suspect they don't do phone support anymore since the number is not listed on their site. They never really did phone support anyway so this isn't surprising.)

Aquatronica has historically lacked distribution and support in the USA.

HydorUSA had taken this over last time I checked so I had expected some improvements, but I've been a little out of the loop recently. Certainly availability stopped being a problem, at least in theory. I'm not sure if it's any easier to find outlets selling and supporting the hardware though.

 

[Greybeard]

Here's what I get when I email:

This, twice, from a perfectly valid email account, on a good working mail server (not a free Google or Yahoo email).

I did try and sign up for their forum... I'm a software engineer, and about as tech savvy a person as you're likely to find. If I can't manage to get past their spambots, well, they're obviously not interested in helping. Not having a phone number on their website doesn't help either. Add in the fact that this thread has been in a prominent reefing forum for 5 days now, without a company representative making any attempt to contact me... At some point, you just have to cut your losses and move on.

I truly hope they come back around, start offering decent support for their products... More choice is a good thing.

It just won't be me buying.

 

[mcarroll]

At some point, you just have to cut your losses and move on.

Not arguing that, and I'm glad you got something you like AND that works!!

I just have no idea what was going on when you tried support! Coulda been bad luck!

For what it's worth, DA has never been a high-support company. (Thankfully their prices reflect that pretty well, at least IMO.) In keeping with that, I'm not sure whether they have any rep's on R2R or other sites to expect a response from. If it weren't for the ultra-nerdy programming I see folks post for the Apex I'd say that the RK line is the nerd's line of controllers because with RK it's more or less you, a few interface buttons and their support forum. That's it – love it or leave it. (I know they have a newer controller that's more friendly, but...)