Please help, Can't decide.....

[fernalfer]

Ok my tank is going along nicely besides the constant attention it needs from being a new tank. I feel like i'm constantly doing something with it. Cleaning, Feeding, Observing. I see these reef controllers. Apex, Reefkeeper and Cerebra.

I'm interested but wanted the opinion of people who actually own one of the three above on whether it actually made the whole reefing experience more enjoyable or do you regret making the purchase because we all know they are not cheap.

 

[JackDE]

I started reefing because I needed a winter hobby. I actually like that it requires my time and attention. I don't own any of those three things just wanted to give my .02 cents.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

I started reefing because I needed a winter hobby. I actually like that it requires my time and attention. I don't own any of those three things just wanted to give my .02 cents.

Same here. I like tinkering and looking at my tank. Mornings I feed and let the dogs out, then check the tank. Same thing happens in the evenings. Granted my main tank is a nano so there's not much to it other than a water change every week or so and changing out the media in the filter. I like investing time in my tank and watching it grow.

 

[Salty1962]

It depends on how involved you want to be. Reefkeeper is a solid basic system APEX will give you all of the control you can handle. Also your budget

 

[Wrasse]

I have previously owned an Apex Gold from Neptune Systems and years ago a Reefkeeper from Digital Aquatics. Both made the experience more enjoyable but neither were without their odd little issues. It was the simple little things which I found most enjoyable and as a result would do them more often. Pressing 1 or 2 buttons and you can reduce flow for awhile, shut off the skimmer for a half hour after feeding. Press another button and your pump starts moving water for a change. Automate dumb lights. Keep an eye on pH and ORP when using ozone. Things like that were great. I wanted to put a Profilux on my tank after these but it was darn-near impossible to get my hands on one. As a result I feared what would happen if I needed an odd little replacement part down the road or wanted to expand the system? Fat chance I figured. Couldn't even find anywhere in North America to buy one at the time so that was never more than just a thought.

The hobby has come a long way since then. Pumps now have their own fancy controllers. Light figures now manage their own schedule. Skimmers have 'feed mode' buttons and all manner of other tricks. Devices have wifi you connect to for management. Powerheads have hubs that sync with everything else... it's insane. Give it another year and your carbon will send you a text when it's time to replace it. I'm not sure if I like the change or not but for now I'll go with the flow.

Getting back to the Apex: I had huge hopes for the 'salinity probe' and in fact that was one of the primary reasons I got it. That was a total flop. Dreams of an automated salt mixer that can check salinity and manage water changes completely autonomously... smashed. I absolutely hate the thin-as-fishing-line USB connector on the display (it's literally the same cord as these retractable USB cords you can get online for 99 cents) and despise how they use USB connectors in such a risky non-standard way. I've had more troubles with that silly AquaBus system than any other. At one point I had to get a technician involved from Neptune because the system just entirely screwed itself up. Completely out of the blue. This scared the crap out of me as it's something I'm supposed to entrust with my tank. But after he fixed it everything except my nerves were fine past that point. Also the accessories are grossly overpriced for what they are. Much like a lot of things in this hobby unfortunately.

As for the ReefKeeper I found it absurd one had to pay extra for the 'net module' but alas all the configuration I wanted at the time was possible with the display. I didn't like the icons or size of them but functionally it was just fine. I preferred it to the Apex in every way imaginable except for the lack of a web interface. It was far cheaper to get what I wanted done with the Reefkeeper. I did not particularly like how plasticy the whole setup was and same goes for the Apex modules.

Speaking of web interfaces. The Apex interface didn't really knock my socks off. Everyone raved about it and how functional it was. Sure it's possible to get things done but it's by no means groundbreaking. I'm a fussy character by all accounts. The Apex interface is just janky and reminds me of something from 2005. With the way the web is today and all the cool stuff available to developers I think this is total nonsense.

Now as for the Cerebra by Vertex I'm itching to get my paws on it. I can't find one. I'd walk a thousand miles to get one. Over the years I've thought about just putting my own together but alas time is not unlimited so it hasn't happened yet. But the Cerebra has a lot of what I'm after and at this point is what I have my heart set on. The only thing I don't like is the device appears to be locked down so I'm not sure precisely if you can do anything with your data or just sit and watch it on their proprietary interface. If they do decide to smarten up and allow people who own the unit to actually get at their data without needing to get all hacky I'll be just over the top and even more ecstatic about it than I am now.

tldr I'd only buy a Cerebra right this second and am holding off on all others until I can get my hands on one because the current options all feel so outdated and janky.

 

[DracoKat]

I have a Reefkeeper light, and I am currently using it as a timer for my dosers. Mainly because the pH probe is broken and I don't feel like spending money on the replacement probes- I feel like it's unimportant because I can do my own testing and it doesn't take me long to test everything I need to know in the tank. I have a digital thermometer, so I do not need a temp probe either (why spend $100+ on a probe when I have a thermometer anyway?)

I am sure I am missing half the benefit and understanding of controllers, but I like to be hands on. I do not want to rely on any equipment that has the potential of failing on me.. monitoring the old fashion way ensures all is under control.

Maybe if my tank was worth the price of a brand new car, a controller would make more sense.. but not for me right now.

 

[Bdog4u2]

I started reefing because I needed a winter hobby. I actually like that it requires my time and attention. I don't own any of those three things just wanted to give my .02 cents.

I feel the same way and with almost 20 years in the hobby I like the hands on approach but with that said I don't play in my tank a whole lot I let the cleaners do their job and besides feeding my fish and changing socks every few days I don't do much I don't even do water changes but 2x a year I do dose needed elements.

 

[Salty1962]

I have a DA RKE if anyone is interested

 

[Triggreef]

I have a Reefkeeper light, and I am currently using it as a timer for my dosers. Mainly because the pH probe is broken and I don't feel like spending money on the replacement probes- I feel like it's unimportant because I can do my own testing and it doesn't take me long to test everything I need to know in the tank. I have a digital thermometer, so I do not need a temp probe either (why spend $100+ on a probe when I have a thermometer anyway?)

I am sure I am missing half the benefit and understanding of controllers, but I like to be hands on. I do not want to rely on any equipment that has the potential of failing on me.. monitoring the old fashion way ensures all is under control.

Maybe if my tank was worth the price of a brand new car, a controller would make more sense.. but not for me right now.

Does the digital t kill the heater power of the greatest malfunctions?

If your looking at apex chances are you have a fair amount of money invested and a little extra protection wouldn't hurt... And it makes life so much easier if your dosing.

 

[glweek]

Im also in the hobby for the tinker but as a person that has also lost a tank to a heater failing on, ill never run a tank without a RKL. I love the RKL because its cheap and it has some very good safety preventions. Turns heater off and sounds an alarm if tank gets to hot, audible alarm if tank is to cold. I use kalk in my ato and it will turn off my ato if the ph gets to high indicating a malfunction in my ato (extra module not included with RKL) For me its not about the tinker aspect as that is never ending with so many parts of the tank, its more of piece of mind thing.

 

[fernalfer]

Yes i like to tinker as well. But would like a little extra prevention if possible because i do have a lot invested in this tank. I have tried to do everything right this time. Quarantining everything even inverts. Just trying to justify spending all that money on a controller and not sure which one would be best to buy if i decide to do so.

 

[atoll]

I think this answers how I feel about my ways.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/if-it-aint-broke-fix-it.271632/#post-3262652

 

[NanoDJS]

Honestly I have a different approach and K.I.S.S. method it spending as little $$$ and using as little gadgetry as possible keeping it an organic hobby for me. I like to have my routine it is tried and true and I have outlasted quite a few "controlled" reefs in my day. I think that automation and alot of the new " "controlability " features on some of this new stuff are exactlly what cause people to NOT have success in alot of instances . probes grounding ... false readings , ato going haywire , heater stuck or not on , the list goes on forever ...... the cost $$$ . I suggest to learn "analog" reefing to all first , go berlin , stick to the tried and true stuff then when you feel comphy move onto high tech reefing and be able to tune it with your experience and knowledge and $$$ to create a better environment for our beloved inhabitants. I have seen to many threads on EPIC problems which could have been easily avoided with less tech. just my 2c

 

[DracoKat]

Honestly I have a different approach and K.I.S.S. method it spending as little $$$ and using as little gadgetry as possible keeping it an organic hobby for me. I like to have my routine it is tried and true and I have outlasted quite a few "controlled" reefs in my day. I think that automation and alot of the new " "controlability " features on some of this new stuff are exactlly what cause people to NOT have success in alot of instances . probes grounding ... false readings , ato going haywire , heater stuck or not on , the list goes on forever ...... the cost $$$ . I suggest to learn "analog" reefing to all first , go berlin , stick to the tried and true stuff then when you feel comphy move onto high tech reefing and be able to tune it with your experience and knowledge and $$$ to create a better environment for our beloved inhabitants. I have seen to many threads on EPIC problems which could have been easily avoided with less tech. just my 2c

You've nailed my thoughts that I couldn't put down in my previous post.