Quote:
Originally Posted by
2Quills http:///t/394320/neptune-systems-apex-controller-questions#post_3509629
Can't help ya with the experience thing. But what I want to know is, is it worth it to you? I'd love to be able to spend a lot of time in maintenance and keeping up with the needs of a hard core coral tank. But the fact is for someone like myself who unfortunately still actually has to work for a living, coupled with family or personal life it's a tough task keeping up with a reef tank from my experience. I can dream of a day where I'm semi-retired though when I can truely devote a much more appropriate amount of time in keeping up with water quality, creating charts and tracking progress. They don't call it a marriage for nothing. So for someone like me who has a busy schedule the majority of the time I can see how a controller would be a worth while investment. And if I had the choice I'd probably shoot for an apex.
Shawn, should be chiming in soon.
Thanks buddy....I'm a slow tonight....I'm with you on the Apex.....Seth I think you should bite the bullet, pull the trigger and go full Apex....By the time you buy the module to run your Tunzes and your LEDs the price is about the same......Heck the VDM module that you'd have to purchase if you bought the Lite version is going to set you back $100 today.....That's today's prices and just as we see everyday those prices won't be that in 6 months or a year.....Look at the price skimmers have jumped since the new year.....Reef Octopus I think I heard $30-$40 increase, but no product improvement....Just cost of labor and materials......So just with the added $100 module, your about even....Then if you want to run an extra PH probe or run ozone you'll need and ORP probe, so now your looking at another $85 for a PM 1 module, plus whatever probe you needed to add on.....Your behind the game somewhat IMHO......
I agree with hectic lifestyles a controller is a "perk", but also could be piece of mind.....Imagine coming home to a floor full of water or the wife calling you about it....Hmmmm at least with the Apex or a controller you could set up a waterbug sensor and the Apex would send you an email or text something was amiss......Better yet the tank is running warm the alarm goes off again.....The temp is high, wouldn't it be nice to see what your temp is on your phone....Yes you can control the Apex completely through your Iphone.....You determine you had a heater malfunction, so you shut the heater down till you get home.....Or better yet the tank is running warmer than usually and it's super hot outside....Ahhhh let me shut the lights off to cool it off or better yet let me back my lighting schedule back a bit.......
