I don't have an apex and have never used one. The reefbreeders app works well enough I'm not sure why you would even want to bother using an apex for lighting
You can even buy a photon without an app and just use the remote... less things to break down... or at least you could in the past. LEDs with just a knob for color might be a good idea in the future (pay attention builders) - heck with terrible apps, wifi chips and all of that!
2 rows of the 48" photons is what I would use on this tank. 36x48 footprint is not something that one row of LED can handle after stuff starts to grow in unless you have just a skinny row of rock and corals that need lit.