Aquarium controller

Andyr005

New member
Im looking to upgrade my display tank. I want to add a controller to monitor PH, salinity and tempature. Perhaps add an ATO down the road. I don't think I need to monitor ORP. I was looking at an apex controller but wasn't sure what would be the most appropriate unit. As being able to balance affordability and function are important to me. Obviously being able to web control is a huge plus. However I've read mixed reviews about Apex; on one hand I hear apex is the best but on the other I read they have a horrible warranty and customer service. What are general thoughts and experiences?
 
The things you mentioned can be done by most of the controllers. I would imagine that you can find negative post on most of them as well. I do not use an Apex, so I have no experience with their customer service.

BRS does offer a RKL system with the SL2 module at times which will do the things that you mention with the exception of network connectivity. Otherwise you would have to get the SL2 (module with salinity port) and or the NET (Network module)as a seperate modules. The RKL has a 4 module limit(the net module does not count against the module limit), so once your needs exceed this limit you would have to upgrade to the RKE or Archon head unit to save your investment in modules with the system and be able to expand past the limit.
 
Im looking to upgrade my display tank. I want to add a controller to monitor PH, salinity and tempature. Perhaps add an ATO down the road. I don't think I need to monitor ORP. I was looking at an apex controller but wasn't sure what would be the most appropriate unit. As being able to balance affordability and function are important to me. Obviously being able to web control is a huge plus. However I've read mixed reviews about Apex; on one hand I hear apex is the best but on the other I read they have a horrible warranty and customer service. What are general thoughts and experiences?

You are probably picking up a lot of bad reviews on Apex only because they recently released a new product and were working the bugs out. I had an Apex classic that I used for six or seven years. I always found their customer service to be very good, and they are the dominant company in our market with probably the most resources available to customers for support. I did sell mine recently and bought a Vertex Cerebra. I always wanted to try the Cerebra, and I looked at it as a way to purchase a more modern, feature rich, brand new controller and swap it out at no extra cost for one that I had used for six or seven years. That being said, Apex is a great company with great customer service. They totally redefined the industry in regards to price point and what to expect from a controller when they came out with the Apex classic. It was a lot of fun and never let me down. If you ask me why I did not purchase the new version of the Apex, it is because I did not like the plastic design of the new controller, and the entry price point with all of the included probes was high for me.
 
I feel like the Apex is the way to go due the upgrable nature of the apex jr. The price of similar units are around the same as the junior but it appears to be the only expandable one. Any thoughts of the Jr. vs the classic?
 
Never used the Jr. But i think its limited on the amount of modules you can use, including the energy bars. For the small bit of price difference, I personally would go with the classic.
 
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