New Apex, what to do?

[DrBoxedWine]

So I'm about to get the apex with lab grade ph probe. My initial plans are to get a feed mode program going and float valves to alert to low ato and if the DT water level rises too much cause of a snail or something in the overflow. I'll be getting the breakout box for that. I'll also set the heater to shut off if the tank gets too warm cause of a heater failure. So i'm wondering, without buying too many extras (or just cheaper projects, I've already spent a fortune on the tank and funds are sort of limited right now), what are some other things I can do with this?

 

[m0nkie]

if you have LED, you can start ramping the lights

control your powerheads timing

salinity probe, temperature probe, flood warning (a little extra $$)

set up Fusion for the bling bling cell phone control

and I believe APEX doser is coming out soon. Can't wait.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Oh, my setup...

75g with 30 gallon sump /fuge
AI Hydras with Director
Eheim 1262 return pump
Tunze ATO
2 hydor 750 powerheads
Lifereef overflow
RO nwb-150 skimmer
brs reactor with gfo, maxijet pump

 

[ca1ore]

I found it easier to just rip all of my hair out before starting my Apex installation. Saved me a lot of time during the process. :lol:

 

[Yellow Eyes]

I found it easier to just rip all of my hair out before starting my Apex installation. Saved me a lot of time during the process. :lol:

I found that my apex was pretty much plug and play. Getting it set up on the interwebs took maybe 15 minutes at most; most of that time was spent connecting my wireless dongle to my router.

What I do wanna rip my hair out about is all the wires that I cannot seem to organize.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Lol, what are some things you guys use your apex for?

 

[davidfrances]

Lol, what are some things you guys use your apex for?

I use mine for:

- Remote monitoring of tank conditions including temp, salinity (conductivity) pH and ORP alarms via Fusion

- Controls the ATO on both my DT's.

- Emergency high water shutoff on my sumps.

- Skimmer shutoff when the waster collection containers are full.

- Leak detection, I have 5 leak sensors, including protocols to mitigate additional water spillage.

- mid-day feeding.

- Multiple, variable programs for my vortechs depending on the time of day.

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I found it easier to just rip all of my hair out before starting my Apex installation. Saved me a lot of time during the process. :lol:

+1 :lol:

 

[DivingTheWorld]

I really like the control over my Radions. Leak detection is cool. Emailed/texted alerts, heater failsafes, better control over maintenance (water changes), feeding schedules. Lots you can use it for!

Set up an account on the Neptune forums. Lots of great help there!

 

[Yellow Eyes]

I use mine to control:
-my main light dawn/dusk ramp or aclimation color and intensity (Kessil A360we)
-Fuge light
-Auto Top off (bought the breakout box, $30-$40? Worth it) I use a high/low float switch setup, and also a float switch in my ATO container to remind me to refill it). I also have an ATO timer programmed so the ATO can only be on for 5 minutes maximum. IME on my tank the ATO should never be on that long. It will also warn me that the ATO was on for that long so I can check to see what happened...cord come unplugged, line clogged somehow, etc...
-Return Pump
-Powerhead
-Skimmer
-Heater

Now my control of my return pump, powerhead, skimmer are only on/off, but I am able to set up feed cycle timers. One timer stops the return pump and skimmer during feeding for 10 minutes. Another is a 60 minute timer for maintence that turns off all pumps, heaters, ATO, and turns my lights to full brightness (both tank and fuge lights).

I also have the autofeeder that feeds once per day. It is programmed so that the return pump, skimmer, heater and ato shut off for the duration of the feeding.

I have e-mail and text warnings if my sump level gets too high (ATO didn't shut off, return pump broken, any # of other problems), if the water gets too hot or cold, when my ATO container runs low, or if my PH goes wildly out of wack.

Even though I get these warnings there are also safety features in place. Ex: If the water gets too hot, it will shut off my lights in an attempt to cool the water, as well as cut power to the heater.

I plan on getting the salinity module to monitor my salinity in the future (which will also act as a safety feature on many things such as ato).

I sometimes travel on the weekends and with the apex I don't have to worry about the other thousands of dollars I've spent on my tank because I can monitor *most* everything right from my phone or computer.

Oh, I also have a webcam on my tank, so I can view both the sump and DT. Apex Fusion has a window for this, but to all my trying I cannot get it to work.

PS. I like my gadgets on my tank. The apex is just one more exciting gadget to play with.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

I use mine to control:
-my main light dawn/dusk ramp or aclimation color and intensity (Kessil A360we)
-Fuge light
-Auto Top off (bought the breakout box, $30-$40? Worth it) I use a high/low float switch setup, and also a float switch in my ATO container to remind me to refill it). I also have an ATO timer programmed so the ATO can only be on for 5 minutes maximum. IME on my tank the ATO should never be on that long. It will also warn me that the ATO was on for that long so I can check to see what happened...cord come unplugged, line clogged somehow, etc...
-Return Pump
-Powerhead
-Skimmer
-Heater

Now my control of my return pump, powerhead, skimmer are only on/off, but I am able to set up feed cycle timers. One timer stops the return pump and skimmer during feeding for 10 minutes. Another is a 60 minute timer for maintence that turns off all pumps, heaters, ATO, and turns my lights to full brightness (both tank and fuge lights).

I also have the autofeeder that feeds once per day. It is programmed so that the return pump, skimmer, heater and ato shut off for the duration of the feeding.

I have e-mail and text warnings if my sump level gets too high (ATO didn't shut off, return pump broken, any # of other problems), if the water gets too hot or cold, when my ATO container runs low, or if my PH goes wildly out of wack.

Even though I get these warnings there are also safety features in place. Ex: If the water gets too hot, it will shut off my lights in an attempt to cool the water, as well as cut power to the heater.

I plan on getting the salinity module to monitor my salinity in the future (which will also act as a safety feature on many things such as ato).

I sometimes travel on the weekends and with the apex I don't have to worry about the other thousands of dollars I've spent on my tank because I can monitor *most* everything right from my phone or computer.

Oh, I also have a webcam on my tank, so I can view both the sump and DT. Apex Fusion has a window for this, but to all my trying I cannot get it to work.

PS. I like my gadgets on my tank. The apex is just one more exciting gadget to play with.

What return pump do you use? I can't have my return startup without me pushing the return into the water bit or else it splashes everywhere.

 

[Yellow Eyes]

I have a Eheim Compact+ Pump 2000. My return just hangs over the back plumbed with rubber hose and I have no problem with it jumping on startup. I have a check valve in line that I have bracketed to my stand to help hold everything in place.

 

[dkeller_nc]

You might want to download the Neptune Apex comprehensive reference manual here. There are quite a few examples of sophisticated control schemes beyond the usual wavemaking/ATO/heater controls in the back.

You might also want to read a series of 3 articles in The Reef Hobbyist magazine titled "Extreme Automation" in Q1, Q2 and Q3 of 2014 issues. Access is free, though you need to register to access the archives.

 

[Teenreefer15]

just go onto the BRS youtube and look at there videos. They have over 200 videos of what you can do with the apex and how.

 

[Scallywag]

Thanks for starting this thread. I just bought an Apex too. Good info.

 

[garyinco]

I'd most definitely get at least one of the leak detectors and the corresponding module.

One thing I'm glad I did was mount the energy bars not under the tank, but safely next to it. I had to buy a little cabinet/stand from a furniture store. All the cords run on the floor from behind the tank to the backside of that cabinet where the energy bars are. That way the outlets & plugs are accessible. Also the cords paths all made nice drip loops. And they aren't sitting under all the tank water. The downside is you save to snake the cords behind the stands. But I'm not a big fan of wads of cables either.

Neptune doesn't warrant modules and energy bars for water damage. My stands have all had some salty mist residue inside them over time. I chose to mount all the Apex pieces not inside the stand.

A must-have for me is either a Dymo or Brother labeler. Their pretty cheap if you don't go nuts with the label tape. Label the ends of everything. Anywhere there is a connection. Dymo makes models that let you print sideways on the label, they're perfect for cabling. I never put mine away, use it almost every day all around the house.

Read as much of you can on the Apex website forums. Set up an account at reeftronics.net when you get all the controller stuff. Handy tools there.

Plan, plan, plan your installation. Much easier than changing later. Include some expansion room for modules, you will most likely end up with more than you start with. If you plan and do it all well, you'll end up with an install that is both convenient and safe.

 

[DamonG]

Loop Wow! Asking what you do or can do with that thing is like a loaded question.. My thought is what can you imagine to or not to do? The thing is extremely versatile..

I think the most interesting things I did with mine was cabinet door lighting, the leak detectors on the cabinet floor and a vertical one in the sump, my auto top off system that I set to flush and I could turn it off in the basement 30 feet away(I was planning on setting up an automatic water change and mixing station but never got to it), the vortechs programming (I had those things changing constantly throughout 24 hours), my kalk stir, 2 dosing and ato programming, the delays for turn ons, and complete control over my fuge lighting.

There are tons of things you can do with the apex. Honestly, the question is, can you figure out a way to program what you want to do.

And I also have a Dymo labeler and love it specific for the aquarium.

 

[DrBoxedWine]

Thanks Everyone! I have some stuff to look into!