Best Controller

[luisagos]

Alright I have a question. Everyone says the Profilux is better and is capable of doing more. What can it do that the Apex can't? Also curious as to if both are user friendly and have great customer service? It seems my local club is more all about the apex than any controller and I haven't gotten any yet and am trying to decide which one I should go about.

Thanks
Conrad

The quality on the Profilux is the highest, most would agree.
This is the most important to me. I do not need a fancy timer or something that sends me a email now and then. Profilux does all of that, plus much more.

But I want is a watchdog, a controller that i can trust 100%.
Now with the fun toys.

1) Touch Screen Panel. I just ordered this. You can program icons to do maintenance sequences that you normally do.

For example, if you had to change your socks. Just program the icon, when press on the screen, it will turn off the skimmer, main pump. Just press the same icon to deactivate it.
Same thing with AWC, press the icon and walk away, ProfiLux will drain the water and refill it to your level you had.
The touch Screen Panel is going to make my maintenances a breeze, just touch the screen.

2) Analog inputs, 0-10. You can hook up anything that sends a 0-10v signal.
CO2 sensors, flow meters, apogee instruments par sensors, too many to list them all.
FYI, this option was asked by me, and GHL listened, now we have it.

3) DO probe, I might buy this one day, just to see the data it produced against PH and Orb. The all have some relationship with each other, something fun to play and learn from.

4) Every 0-10v analog output has relay options. Buy the board that makes it easy to connect everything together, its about $30 for 2 signals. So the basic Profilux has 4 extra relay, and the EX has 6. When you dimmed the signal below 1% it will shut the relay off, and anything above 0% turns it on. These are not the powerbar sockets, these are extra hidden relays built in to the 0-10v outs.

5) Built in AWC and ATO functions, these are not logic statements you create. These are real software functions design to run AWC, ATO with safety features.

6) Optical Level Probes, not DYI ones. These are true maintenance free sensors.

7) Tons of software features, EcoTech Marine products are super nice, I run different settings through out the day all set with timers. I can program certain pumps to copy or run opposite or even run there own program from the screen. (Apex may have this but not sure)

These are some that I am aware of.

 

[rezaktp]

Neptune systems Apex Lite here works great! Started with a a ACjr, and upgraded about 1 1/2 years ago. No issues.

 

[foxrazr]

Have no prior experiences with aquarium controllers. One of the most important reasons I went with Profilux because it controls it's own slave doser. To my knowledge no other controller has its own doser. Also the doser is very high quality and looked for bad experiences with people and the profilux doser and found none. The doser also comes in a tight package which makes installs look clean as compared to multiple doser pumps controlled by timers which look like a 5 minute hack job.

 

[DrBegalke]

First off, it depends on what you need.

Many of the high-end controllers have functions that most reefers will never use.

You mention ability to control LED's. Which brand of LED?

The most common way to control LED's is via 0 to 10V interface.

For example, AI Sol/etc is controllable this way, and most reef controllers are able to control them.

I personally use Neptune Systems and think the Apex is a good choice, but the Reefkeeper, ReefAngel, Profilux, and others will also work.

 

[chadfarmer]

profilux

seen a lot of things come and go and this has stayed strong-- my controller is 4 years old and still working good

i have upgraded my original equipment with out having to sell or get rid of my older controller

they are always making new stuff for use on the controller, even stuff i wouldn't use but some will


the thing that sold me is that u can ask for new products from them

 

[bayoupr]

I have had Apex, RK and Profilux. Profilux by far is the best that I've used. Easier to program and no issues like the other two. Of course IMOO.

 

[parrotchute]

+1 on the Profilux - slightly steeper learnign curve, but the things you can do with it are amazing. Mine controls my lights, timers on my scrubber lights, texts me if my tank parameters are out whack (temp/salinity), simulated thunderstorms (sound,waves, and light) controls my vortechs, doses, and allows me to monitor it from away.

 

[Steved13]

I'd recommend the Apex. I thought about switching to the Profilux, but couldn't find any reason to spend the money. Everything I've seen people say the Profilux will do, my Apex will also do.

More Apex users, means more community support. When I check the forums here on RC, I see 3 times as many folks in the Apex forum, as the profilux. That's 3 times more people that my be able to help.

By the way that's good advice, lurk around in the forums and you can see what issues folks are having, and how they are fixed.

I have a Profilux doser, and I love it, (one of the reasons I was thinking of switching) I wouldn't let the doser interface sway you, the price difference for the doser with it's own control isn't that much, very easy to use, I wouldn't buy it any other way.

I had a ReefKeeper, I found it limited, and switched to the Apex. For instance no Vortech interface for the ReefKeeper.

 

[psyrob]

Another plug for ReefAngel....love the versatility, the controller is only limited by my imagination...it is constantly evolving and the forum support is outstanding...and yes, you have to program it some to get advanced functions, but most code is already on the forums, so if you can cut and paste, you can have what you want with no programming of your own...give it a look....

 

[Steved13]

Can you interface with the wireless Vortech program, and change the modes and percentage of output throughout the day, on the Reef Angel?