GHL Profilux 4 or 2016 - Neptune Apex ?

[FLSharkvictim]

I know everyone will have a different opinion, but I am thinking about selling all of my Neptune/APEX gear and buy a new Profilux 4.

My Apex Classic Controller consists of /ALD MOD (Leak Detector) w/ two, Leak Detector low profile probes / FMM (Fluid Monitoring Module) which includes 1'' FS-100 Flow sensor, 2 - 1/2 FS-50 Flow Sensors and 1/4 Flow Sensor / Two PM2 MODS / EB8 Power Brick and a Neptune Seloinoid for your RODI top off. Also, have all of the probes, PH, TEMP probe and a Salinity probe and much more.

I always have wanted a Profilux controller! I think I would much rather run with the GHL's 2.1 doser that has 4 pumps which can include doing water changes than running a DOS. Apex Fusion SOFTWARE is pretty user-friendly. Every now and then I will have to call Neptune for support and 90% of the time, you can get right through for tech help. Sometimes it may take them a day for Neptune to respond but they always HAVE. No offense, but more than half of their tech support crew is a little stuck up but maybe that's a California thing Also, I have a saltwater mixing station that's about 20 feet from my display. I have one EB8 power brick, a PM2 mod in two 25 gallon storage containers and some float switches and my DOS for Automatic water changes. My question is how is the TECH SUPPORT for the GHL Profilux gear vs Neptune's Tech support? Another question how user-friendly is setting up and working with the Profulix software on a MAC. I heard from a friend, and please tell if I am wrong, that Profilux/GHL tech support was Unbelievable compared to its competitors. Let me know your thoughts if you own one of these two controllers, which would be HIGHLY appreciated.

 

[Brew12]

I know everyone will have a different opinion, but I am thinking about selling all of my Neptune/APEX gear and buy a new Profilux 4.

My Apex Classic Controller consists of /ALD MOD (Leak Detector) w/ two, Leak Detector low profile probes / FMM (Fluid Monitoring Module) which includes 1'' FS-100 Flow sensor, 2 - 1/2 FS-50 Flow Sensors and 1/4 Flow Sensor / Two PM2 MODS / EB8 Power Brick and a Neptune Seloinoid for your RODI top off. Also, have all of the probes, PH, TEMP probe and a Salinity probe and much more.

I always have wanted a Profilux controller! I think I would much rather run with the GHL's 2.1 doser that has 4 pumps which can include doing water changes than running a DOS. Apex Fusion SOFTWARE is pretty user-friendly. Every now and then I will have to call Neptune for support and 90% of the time, you can get right through for tech help. Sometimes it may take them a day for Neptune to respond but they always HAVE. No offense, but more than half of their tech support crew is a little stuck up but maybe that's a California thing Also, I have a saltwater mixing station that's about 20 feet from my display. I have one EB8 power brick, a PM2 mod in two 25 gallon storage containers and some float switches and my DOS for Automatic water changes. My question is how is the TECH SUPPORT for the GHL Profilux gear vs Neptune's Tech support? Another question how user-friendly is setting up and working with the Profulix software on a MAC. I heard from a friend, and please tell if I am wrong, that Profilux/GHL tech support was Unbelievable compared to its competitors. Let me know your thoughts if you own one of these two controllers, which would be HIGHLY appreciated.

I have used both however I have never needed tech support from either company so I cannot comment on that.

I have found my Profilux 4 to be more reliable and stable than the Apex which was my main reason for switching. To me, that was the most important issue. Some of the advanced control options are superior to what you can do with Apex. The flip side of that is the Apex has some better built in advanced programming. Overall, the Apex was much easier to program.

Fusion is far superior to myGHL so if you like the remote online access you may be a little disappointed. Its not that myGHL won't do much of the same things, it just does them slower and it isn't laid out as well. The best thing I can say about myGHL? I have never found it not to work. My Apex didn't like to maintain its wireless connection so I would have to reboot it when I got home. My Profilux hasn't needed a reboot yet (only about a month) which is already longer than any single stretch with my Apex.

Mac support with GCC is weak at best. You pretty much need a windows emulator. I would spend the $150 for a netbook dedicated to the programming if I didn't already have a windows computer. If you already have a windows emulator than you shouldn't have a problem using GCC within it.

 

[reefwiser]

Well I have had great tech support form both companies. I know Marco and Vinny of GHL have helped me out as well as others with screen sharing and just a little PM on issues I have had. I use 3 GHL Dosers so I love their quality there can not get a better dosing system. I have a Profilux and it is nice and compact design that stays out of the way and easy to use. I use a Mac running VMware fusion to use the GCC software to program the Profilux after that if I need to change any parameters I use the myGHL cloud service or the Phone app's GHL Connect to adjust things that need to be adjusted.

 

[ca1ore]

I have the 2016 Apex and a standalone GHL Doser 2. No idea whether the GHL controller interface is different of not, but I just find working with the doser to be a bit counterintuitive - to me, at least. But I'm an old-school 'programmer' so I always just write my own statements in Apex anyhow.

 

[mrramsey]

@FLSharkvictim I am making this very decision. What did you end up buying?

 

[CoralCache]

I am old school and wish the Apex was a better product because I like to just write my own program and go. My mind does not think like GHL but I did figure with some help from Marco and Vinnie and forums how to get done what I wanted. And it was worked ever since.
I used Neptune a very long time but could no longer trust my tank with there controller on it. I made the switch. Much happier with the GHL.

 

[mrramsey]

that’s good to know. The only reason I am even considering Neptune is that I can source parts locally. I really like the architecture of the Profilux with their expansion cards over all of the additional modules and cords. I am also looking at the KH Director package as well.

 

[ZaneTer]

KH Director is great. Some people are having issues with bubbles in the reagent but personally I never had that problem.

 

[chefjpaul]

I have used both however I have never needed tech support from either company so I cannot comment on that.

I have found my Profilux 4 to be more reliable and stable than the Apex which was my main reason for switching. To me, that was the most important issue. Some of the advanced control options are superior to what you can do with Apex. The flip side of that is the Apex has some better built in advanced programming. Overall, the Apex was much easier to program.

Fusion is far superior to myGHL so if you like the remote online access you may be a little disappointed. Its not that myGHL won't do much of the same things, it just does them slower and it isn't laid out as well. The best thing I can say about myGHL? I have never found it not to work. My Apex didn't like to maintain its wireless connection so I would have to reboot it when I got home. My Profilux hasn't needed a reboot yet .

This.[emoji651]️

I have used both. Both companies are great and have awesome customer service IMO.

Pretty bells and whistles a minimal ease of some function doesn't compensate for the reliability. GHL will most likely catch up to the wireless aspects, but if not, it still works and is stable.

 

[mattgsa]

Have you decided on a controller?

 

[Torx]

I have used both. Both companies are great and have awesome customer service. I personally prefer the P4 over my old Apex. I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had purchased it first as the learning curve from one to the other I think made it harder to learn GHL. I typically recommend the GHL to people. Although both have great customer support, I rarely see issues posted anywhere on GHL, however major issues daily on the Apex forum and FB page. I personally had to use support a few times for my Apex, but other then programming support, I have never had an issue with my P4 ever since I plugged it in 8 months ago.

 

[Torx]

I have used both. Both companies are great and have awesome customer service. I personally prefer the P4 over my old Apex. I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had purchased it first as the learning curve from one to the other I think made it harder to learn GHL. I typically recommend the GHL to people. Although both have great customer support, I rarely see issues posted anywhere on GHL, however major issues daily on the Apex forum and FB page. I personally had to use support a few times for my Apex, but other then programming support, I have never had an issue with my P4 ever since I plugged it in 8 months ago.

 

[ZaneTer]

I have used both. Both companies are great and have awesome customer service. I personally prefer the P4 over my old Apex. I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had purchased it first as the learning curve from one to the other I think made it harder to learn GHL. I typically recommend the GHL to people. Although both have great customer support, I rarely see issues posted anywhere on GHL, however major issues daily on the Apex forum and FB page. I personally had to use support a few times for my Apex, but other then programming support, I have never had an issue with my P4 ever since I plugged it in 8 months ago.

I had massive issues with GHL resulting in a chemical overdose that killed almost every coral I have. To be fair, the American side were great and exactly what I had hoped for. They were very friendly. The german side was a nightmare. Deliberately uncooperative and always took a very long time to get any kind of response.

I truly dare them to raise their voice on here as I still have all the emails correspondence and photographs surrounding the problem I had. Eventually I threw away all of the equipment. I couldn’t even sell it in good conscience.

 

[Fritzhamer]

I use a 2.1 doser and the new Apex. I was less than thrilled with the DOS but I cringe every time I have to adjust the GHL settings.

I’d go Apex but use GHL dosers.

 

[Savo]

who sells the GHL controller?

 

[Torx]

who sells the GHL controller?

Bigshow Frag sells them. That is where I got mine.

 

[tiggs]

I have used both. Both companies are great and have awesome customer service. I personally prefer the P4 over my old Apex. I think I would have enjoyed it even more if I had purchased it first as the learning curve from one to the other I think made it harder to learn GHL. I typically recommend the GHL to people. Although both have great customer support, I rarely see issues posted anywhere on GHL, however major issues daily on the Apex forum and FB page. I personally had to use support a few times for my Apex, but other then programming support, I have never had an issue with my P4 ever since I plugged it in 8 months ago.

To be fair, there are probably 100x (if not more) the number of Apex units in the wild than there are GHL, so going by incident numbers isn't really apples to apples. GHL has definitely had their share of failures and customer support incidents. Personally, I use Apex, but both make good products. IMO, Apex is better on the software side of things and GHL is better on the hardware side. You can really see the German build quality on the GHL components, but Apex definitely shines on the software end of things. In any case, both make a good product and either would make a great choice.

 

[Brew12]

who sells the GHL controller?

I purchased mine online.
https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/usa/store/

 

[Brew12]

To be fair, there are probably 100x (if not more) the number of Apex units in the wild than there are GHL, so going be incident numbers isn't really apples to apples. GHL has definitely had their share of failures and customer support incidents. Personally, I use Apex, but both make good products. IMO, Apex is better on the software side of things and GHL is better on the hardware side. You can really see the German build quality on the GHL components, but Apex definitely shines on the software end of things. In any case, both make a good product and either would make a great choice.

Agree with almost all of this. Both are fine products but both have had their issues.

For me, the user interface software for Apex is better. Operating software for GHL is my preference. The Apex is easier to program and Apex Fusion is far better than MyGHL. I do prefer the programming methodology used by the GHL and how it executes its functions.

 

[Torx]

Until a few nights ago It had been a while since I logged into myGHL, I didn't realize that it has changed for the better and is running much smoother then before. I updated the firmware, which was a breeze, but updating the WiFi adapter was a pain, only bacause I didnt realize it has it's own update application. Their videos were a great help and got me fixed up.