**** DO NOT BUY AN APEX****

[Ross Petersen]

I am curious as to why it didn't go into the fallback state, if you have that properly programmed it would do that if it lost connection to the brain. From a troubleshooting standpoint, might have a problem at your outlet with home electrical, or simply the energy bar is defective.

Unfortunately these things happen. At work we have millions of dollars invested in equipment for situations that can absolutely not fail, yet sometimes things happen and we have to rely on our backups.

Here are my list of steps for troubleshooting.

1) Check the physical outlet with either a multimeter (best option), plug checker (cheaper but ok option from any store), or worst case just plug a lamp in or anything that isn't expensive and see if it turns on.

Assuming your outlet is fine, lets move on to the next step

2) Plug in a power strip and get your essentials going. This will be your heater, powerheads/returns, and lights.

3) APEX has great customer support. I scheduled an appointment with them and spent 2 hours on the phone with them. They even went through my file to be sure my programming was right. They followed up via email to be sure my issues were fixed.

This forum has alot of experts on the APEX and we will certainly help you out. I understand that it can be frustrating especially when you spend alot of money, but I am certain we can get you going.

Ahhh, someone with class. Thanks for not further vilifying this person who clearly is having a tough go with the programming/execution of a product. Your tact is refreshing.

 

[fabutahoun]

I had the same issue few days ago , eventfully I started to disconnect every single equipment and test, didn't take long to find that the heaters have failed.

 

[Tamberav]

I don't see what proof of a HW colony has to do with the fact his Apex isn't working.

Obviously if you put everything on Apex you are basically putting all your eggs in one basket as they say. So if Apex goes down... everything goes down. This is the problem with this sort of set up.

I have everything on Apex but I know it is a risk. I don't believe they fail very often but it can obviously happen.

Stand alone ATO...dosers...etc that don't depend on an Apex brain help mitigate issues or at least make it so you can swap them to a regular outlet.

 

[Jon Fishman]

I don't see what proof of a HW colony has to do with the fact his Apex isn't working.

Obviously if you put everything on Apex you are basically putting all your eggs in one basket as they say. So if Apex goes down... everything goes down. This is the problem with this sort of set up.

I have everything on Apex but I know it is a risk. I don't believe they fail very often but it can obviously happen.

Stand alone ATO...dosers...etc that don't depend on an Apex brain help mitigate issues or at least make it so you can swap them to a regular outlet.

This, more or less. I run 5 powerheads on Apex/wxm but I have one on a separate electric outlet with the return pump on that outlet.

If one outlet at my house trips, either 5 powerheads will keep going, or one plus my return pump, so my tank will have oxygen.

I only have my Ozone reactor connected to my EB8, but will eventually put my skimmer on it.

My UV lights all have one outlet on a powerstrip, and I run 4 pumps (2 UV, 1 for algae scrubber, one for ozone) on another strip. I can turn off those pumps with one click of a powerstrip and turn off my UV lights with one click of another.

Pump for ATO is connected with stuff like wifi extender, heaters, etc. Stuff I never need to turn off basically.

It’s less user-friendly, but more diversified risk.

My LEDs are on the WXM but my T5 hybrids are on an old-school knob style manual timer, so the time my WXM failed, my T5’s and 1 powerhead and my return kept running

 

[TheOne]

I don't see what proof of a HW colony has to do with the fact his Apex isn't working.

Obviously if you put everything on Apex you are basically putting all your eggs in one basket as they say. So if Apex goes down... everything goes down. This is the problem with this sort of set up.

I have everything on Apex but I know it is a risk. I don't believe they fail very often but it can obviously happen.

Stand alone ATO...dosers...etc that don't depend on an Apex brain help mitigate issues or at least make it so you can swap them to a regular outlet.

I have a separate powerhead also on a separate circuit breaker not hooked up to my apex. And one of my 4 powerheads has a backup marine battery. I would never trust any controller or electronics device peroid not to fail. OP learned a valuable lesson and maybe someone else will learn from his mistake.

 

[x2uranium]

Yes, any piece of technology CAN fail, but saying it WILL fail so you shouldn't buy it is not sound advice. Plan ahead. Keep a backup copy of your config. Have a plan to substitute a regular power strip if necessary, keep spare parts in case something fails, or if you're really thinking ahead get a spare Apex pre-loaded with your config so if yours fails you can simply swap it out with a working unit and keep your tank alive, then contact Neptune Support to get the failed unit repaired or replaced. That's what I do.

Sorry if I'm not sounding sympathetic, but your attitude that it's junk and nobody should buy an Apex goes against the majority of successful Apex users.

bingo!
merry x mas....
The most valuable lessons are the usually hardest and will always make you remember.

 

[homer1475]

Been running my classic for about 5 years now. Never a single hiccup with it.

I did have a day after a software upgrade that went wonky, but put my main life support on a power strip till I figured it out.

 

[DSC reef]

@Joedubyk sorry your having issues and more importantly sorry for the members who obviously don't want to help you and instead vilify you. Your always going to have fanboys that get mad when you have something negative to say about a product that they adore. To those members, you need to question why you even posted. Sad to see a member who is obviously distraught and panicked get heat like this then go and doubt if he even has a coral he mentioned. That's shameful, especially on Christmas. #reefsquad #MODS are there any members who have or run apex that can walk him through, if he hasn't left his thread from the barrage of attacks....

 

[reef lover]

So sorry to hear of your troubles! I would try the suggestions here and contact cs if they dont work.

I am curious as to why it didn't go into the fallback state, if you have that properly programmed it would do that if it lost connection to the brain. From a troubleshooting standpoint, might have a problem at your outlet with home electrical, or simply the energy bar is defective.

Unfortunately these things happen. At work we have millions of dollars invested in equipment for situations that can absolutely not fail, yet sometimes things happen and we have to rely on our backups.

Here are my list of steps for troubleshooting.

1) Check the physical outlet with either a multimeter (best option), plug checker (cheaper but ok option from any store), or worst case just plug a lamp in or anything that isn't expensive and see if it turns on.

Assuming your outlet is fine, lets move on to the next step

2) Plug in a power strip and get your essentials going. This will be your heater, powerheads/returns, and lights.

3) APEX has great customer support. I scheduled an appointment with them and spent 2 hours on the phone with them. They even went through my file to be sure my programming was right. They followed up via email to be sure my issues were fixed.

This forum has alot of experts on the APEX and we will certainly help you out. I understand that it can be frustrating especially when you spend alot of money, but I am certain we can get you going.

I hope things work out and happy holidays to you.

 

[Billldg]

I am sick as a dog in bed on Christmas Day, ya, but I will give it a go as I run a Apex unit. First things first, we all get emotional when our tanks, that we do spend a awful lot of time and money on, have problems. So let’s try and keep this in the spirit of Christmas.

Ok, now what is the problem or problems you are having, I have read that things have turned off and on, but let’s break this down so we can help. Is the problem with the PB, is it not powering on, is it not responding to commands?

 

[C. Eymann]

While I think controllers offer valuable monitoring capabilities, I dont rely on all in one controllers.

I had this exact same thing happen a long time ago with a Neptune Aquacontroller 3 pro, a on a clients 700gal reef system. Decided it needed a firmware update, then shut down all outlets in the middle of the night.

This should not be able to happen on a system people trust as a lifesupport for their animals!

All in one controllers are excellent tools for monitoring, but I do not trust them to be set as the backbone of a system.

Just my .02

 

[GlassMunky]

The OP is local to me and coming by today to grab a spare EB8 i have laying around to get him through till he can get his fixed.

 

[hotdrop]

While op is clearly just very upset there is truth in his madness. Your apex will fail! What’s your backup plan? If apex failure will result in tank wipeout you should probably rethink how you set your system up because the apex is likely just as reliable as everything else in your reef tank - so not very Reliable

 

[Crabs McJones]

Hi everyone.

Some posts in this thread have been removed and cleaned up. Let's please keep it civil and family friendly. The OP is frustrated with his equipment and was being poked at in a time of frustration. It has been handled. And to the users criticizing about the homewrecker: I dont care if it's a 1500$ homewrecker colony or a 20$ mushroom, the OP is clearly concerned about the wellbeing of his livestock and should not be scrutinized for it.

Thanks
Crabs

 

[DSC reef]

The OP is local to me and coming by today to grab a spare EB8 i have laying around to get him through till he can get his fixed.

Now that's awesome!

 

[Peace River]

The OP is local to me and coming by today to grab a spare EB8 i have laying around to get him through till he can get his fixed.

Nice! Thank you for stepping in and filling the gap!

 

[ccombs]

The OP is local to me and coming by today to grab a spare EB8 i have laying around to get him through till he can get his fixed.

Thanks for getting him hooked up on Christmas!

 

[ccombs]

Now that's awesome!

R2R at its finest.

 

[vetteguy53081]

i hav e a home wrecker colony the size of a bowling ball and now the heaters wonrt even turn on. how can i relax when I have so much invested in this

I challenge you to contact support on their website and create a ticket and SEE just HOW supportive they are and what customer care truly is !
If I were a hoarder, i'd have about 9 apex units @@ I hated them when I started with controllers as I did not understand how to set it up and became a faithful Reefkeeper owner and and now feel" Apex is the best controller alive ! "

 

[ZaneGreay]

Any update on what the problem was?