My apologies

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 29, 2020

Ive came here to simply say im sorry. Ive always talked against the apex with the thought that an aquarium controller that cost almost $1000 is complete highway robbery.

Well i purchased an Apex EL. I dont want orp or salinty but i will be adding the 0-10v controller module at a later date but after going through the setup last night i understand the value behind this thing. The thing is amazing and im sorry.

SuncrestReef · Jan 29, 2020

Congrats on your new Apex. Once you’re up to speed on the basics and want to do some more advanced coding, take a look at my 8-part Apex Programming Tutorial series here on R2R: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptune-apex-programming-tutorials-part-1.685/

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 29, 2020

SuncrestReef said:
Congrats on your new Apex. Once you’re up to speed on the basics and want to do some more advanced coding, take a look at my 8-part Apex Programming Tutorial series here on R2R: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptune-apex-programming-tutorials-part-1.685/

hell ya i will need it. I figured it wouldnt take long last night to hook it all up....well it took me a good 4 hours. Was 3:30am before i got to bed

Greybeard · Jan 29, 2020

I long resisted buying a controller. I'm an industrial software engineer... I do this stuff for a living, why would I want to incorporate it into my hobby?

A few years ago, BRS did a video extolling the virtues of buying a Reefkeeper Light as a heater controller. Plug your heater into that, you've got some redundancy in what is probably the most common point of failure in a reef system, plus you can turn your lights on and off, no need for independent timers. Made sense to me... so I bought one.

A year later, I've got that Reefkeeper doing all kinds of things. Never really thought about what all would be possible, until I started using it. Aaaannnd.... it quit. About the time that Reefkeeper went out of business.

So... Apex Classic.

Oh, yeah. Way, way better than the old point of sale Reefkeeper. Still a child's toy, in comparison to the 'real' PLC's I use for work... some of my professional system designs have tens of thousands of inputs and outputs. Eventually upgraded to the EL, handing my Classic down to a friend.

Picked up a DOS, a Trident.... yeah, I'm all in.

Welcome aboard

Yes, it could be WAY better than it is, and yes, it's expensive for what you get, but IMHO, it's the best thing going.

SuncrestReef · Jan 29, 2020

Greybeard said:
I long resisted buying a controller. I'm an industrial software engineer... I do this stuff for a living, why would I want to incorporate it into my hobby?

A few years ago, BRS did a video extolling the virtues of buying a Reefkeeper Light as a heater controller. Plug your heater into that, you've got some redundancy in what is probably the most common point of failure in a reef system, plus you can turn your lights on and off, no need for independent timers. Made sense to me... so I bought one.

A year later, I've got that Reefkeeper doing all kinds of things. Never really thought about what all would be possible, until I started using it. Aaaannnd.... it quit. About the time that Reefkeeper went out of business.

So... Apex Classic.

Oh, yeah. Way, way better than the old point of sale Reefkeeper. Still a child's toy, in comparison to the 'real' PLC's I use for work... some of my professional system designs have tens of thousands of inputs and outputs. Eventually upgraded to the EL, handing my Classic down to a friend.

Picked up a DOS, a Trident.... yeah, I'm all in.

Welcome aboard

Yes, it could be WAY better than it is, and yes, it's expensive for what you get, but IMHO, it's the best thing going.

Just curious...Approximately what would it cost to use "real" PLC equipment like you use at work to mimic what the Apex does?

(I'm not trying to troll; I just honestly wonder since there are a lot of DIY-type folks and know this could be a possibility)

Greybeard · Jan 29, 2020

SuncrestReef said:
Just curious...Approximately what would it cost to use "real" PLC equipment like you use at work to mimic what the Apex does?

(I'm not trying to troll; I just honestly wonder since there are a lot of DIY-type folks and know this could be a possibility)

Depends. There are cheap little 'brick' type PLCs, 10 to 16 DIO ports, some even have Ethernet. Like $100. You could write your own web interface, but it'd be a lot of work. Build your own power distribution... hardware wouldn't be that bad. Programming? You could spend man years in development.

The Allen Bradley ControlLogix platform I use at work? An inexpensive L72, EN2T, IO card, and a small rack, you're looking at 10k. It'd be a huge waste... you're just not going to be doing anything that calls for this sort of scaleable controls solution.

The Raspberry PI based project on here would probably be a better place to start for a DIY controller.

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 29, 2020

Greybeard said:
Depends. There are cheap little 'brick' type PLCs, 10 to 16 DIO ports, some even have Ethernet. Like $100. You could write your own web interface, but it'd be a lot of work. Build your own power distribution... hardware wouldn't be that bad. Programming? You could spend man years in development.

The Allen Bradley ControlLogix platform I use at work? An inexpensive L72, EN2T, IO card, and a small rack, you're looking at 10k. It'd be a huge waste... you're just not going to be doing anything that calls for this sort of scaleable controls solution.

The Raspberry PI based project on here would probably be a better place to start for a DIY controller.

I built the reef-pi. It was what i was using and its good but there is no way it beats the apex. I didnt have time to commit to the reef-pi anymore due to change in careers. Im glad i made the switch. Im super impressed and couldnt imaginevusing something like an industrial plc system.

Greybeard · Jan 29, 2020

Jonathan Troutt said:
I built the reef-pi. It was what i was using and its good but there is no way it beats the apex. I didnt have time to commit to the reef-pi anymore due to change in careers. Im glad i made the switch. Im super impressed and couldnt imaginevusing something like an industrial plc system.

Wait 'till you get in a little deeper. That $600 Trident? Awesome. DOS pumps that auto adjust to alk/calc uptake? So cool. A DIY ATO system based on a few cheap sensors and an electric ball valve that's got multiple failure point redundancy and the ability to email you if something goes wrong?

All with just a few minutes of setup.

Cool is right

TvanB1 · Jan 29, 2020

Jonathan Troutt said:
Ive came here to simply say im sorry. Ive always talked against the apex with the thought that an aquarium controller that cost almost $1000 is complete highway robbery.

Well i purchased an Apex EL. I dont want orp or salinty but i will be adding the 0-10v controller module at a later date but after going through the setup last night i understand the value behind this thing. The thing is amazing and im sorry.

both are correct
Absolute rip off, but it works pretty well. Occasionally....