Four months into my experience with Apex 2016 and the reefkeeping hobby and spending $$$ on extras such as FMK (with 3 flowmeters), FMM (with three optical sensors and leak detector), 1LINK (powering WAV and PMUP), DOS+DDR and BoB (with 3 on/off switches and 3 floatswitches). I was about to buy PMK.
I have had a lot of fun learning how to program all sorts of automation based on water levels, switch positions, temp, pH, time and flow rates. It all worked beautifully.
Until this morning I felt I had my rig dialed in with stable temp, Alk, Ca, Mg, pH, extremely low Phosphates, Ammonia and just starting to dial in trace elements. Livestock looking great! Even SPS is happy. As a newbie my learning curve is steep but it's been rewarding with only a few bumps.
This morning Apex took a dump (documented elsewhere under "Apex 2016").
This event has profoundly shaken my confidence in automating and controlling parameters with the Apex 2016, and especially in the use of flow monitoring for flow control. Switching the 24V ACC ports is also startlingly unreliable, especially the Neptune Solenoid Valve (these two matters are under an open ticket with Neptune).
My philosophy now will be to strip away as much primary control from the Apex and use stand alone and independent controllers to monitor and maintain temp, water level and flow parameters. Lighting was already independent and for sure will stay that way (AI Hydra 26HDs are not Apex compatible).
Apex is just not reliable enough to stand as the primary or sole means of control. This is an appalling insight to have to learn given the $ and considerable time I have invested! I wanted to have nothing but success with Apex.
With today's event the Apex gave away its "right" to temp control, return pump flow control and power head control. For now I will leave refugeum light, skimmer and dosing under Apex control but will implement alternatives over the coming weeks.
How do others use Apex? For me it's no more a trustworthy reefkeeping controller. Monitor, maybe. We will see.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Bookmarks