Why is automated power strips necessary? or is it?

[Saltyreef]

I agree about the MP40's, but I like my DC return pump to be on a GFCI. If my return pump develops a crack it can release copper and toxins into the water of my system. It may continue to run for weeks or longer in that condition. I want it to trip immediately to let me know it has an issue. For me, a GFCI/ground probe combination is just as much about protecting my reef as it is about protecting me.

I guess thats true. My return pump is marketed with "no copper components" so im hoping im safe there.
It wont help when the mp40 wetside cracks its ceramic shaft and exposes the rusty shaft though
Ive ran my vortechs for years in this condition without knowing.
Luckly no elevated values on icp.

 

[Saltyreef]

I agree that would be however running another outlet seems to be more work.

Yea...reefingainteasy. lol

 

[Dbichler]

16 years in is finally bearable lol

 

[Saltyreef]

16 years in is finally bearable lol

Lol. I would just replace the outlets with non gfci and make some plug in gfci boxes to isolate the pumps away from the heaters.
You can keep everything on GFCIs as recommended above.

 

[Brew12]

I guess thats true. My return pump is marketed with "no copper components" so im hoping im safe there.
It wont help when the mp40 wetside cracks its ceramic shaft and exposes the rusty shaft though
Ive ran my vortechs for years in this condition without knowing.
Luckly no elevated values on icp.

If your return pump doesn't use copper it almost certainly uses aluminum then. And all metals I am aware of corrode much faster when exposed to electricity than when not, so deenergizing it quickly is still important to me.

Not much you can do about the wet sides other than regular inspections. Nothing electrical there to allow detection of a failure.

 

[reefiniteasy]

@reefiniteasy how'd you work out the door switches and your hydros? I'm waiting on CoralVue to open back up after the hurricane to ship my quad cable and reed's door switch so that way I can make my sump lights come on when the door is open. I'd love to integrate what you've done too.

I used the quad cable and reed switches from CoralVue. It was simple. You’ll do the same thing I did. Watch the following CVTV episode.

 

[fragit]

FWIW, if I were to do it all again, I would get a $70 Kasa power strip and not $800 worth of Neptune. Being able to turn on and off things remotely is helpful (especially if you're gone for a weekend/week). Automated feed mode is very useful if you dose bacteria, since you want to turn skimmer and UV off for 4 hours while bacteria does its thing.

But unless you're fully inside the Neptune ecosystem, the Apex itself gives you very little that a Kasa smart power strip and a couple other monitors would not. Mobius controls my powerheads and lights. Inkbird controls my heater. For leaks, you could grab yourself one of these: https://www.hydrocheckproducts.com/product-page/waterwatcher-leak-detector . For pH monitoring, there are several cheap probes, including wifi ones. For Alk monitoring, every tester other than the Trident runs standalone. All together, you're still saving over half the cost of an Apex. Also, I really don't trust the build quality on the EB832 and the 7 amp relay is just sad.

Any link to this Kasa power strip you mentioned?