Apex conversion to GHL

[Billldg]

I will be converting to GHL from Apex. I have had no big issues with the Apex 2016 setup, it is several small issues that is making me switch. I have never had any issues with the Apex 2016 and the modules, its the issues with the sensors and the Trident that made me make the switch. The Apex is a great aquarium controller that will help you in many ways, but, during my tank upgrade to my dream 225 gal tank, I realized that I needed consistency in the readings. I was initially intrigued with the introduction of the ION Director. In my line of work, I often have no time to analyze and test my tank as I am just way to busy during the summer months. I have seen my salinity probe on my Apex drift up and down for no reason. I have 2, 1 on my DT, and 1 on my mixing station. I have also had many issues and concerns with the drift of the Trident as the reagents get lower. I am currently using the Trident and a Dos to control the Alk and Cal thru the auto dosing program of the Apex. I have seen the readouts of the Trident drift constantly over the past 1.5 years as the reagents get lower. How consistent can the tank be with these drifts? My tank upgrade will be a 225 gal SPS tank, and thus, I need consistency in the parameters. With the introduction of the IOND, I feel you now have total control over consistency. I will be going off of @Ditto switching thread as it pretty much tells you everything you need to know. I will also be hitting him up as well for other questions...SORRY...LOL!!!

I will post in this thread my journey thru the conversion. I am pretty good at computer stuff, but, not as good at the programming as Ditto. This will be a down and dirt conversion.

So far I have ordered and coming:

ProfiLux 4 Mega set
KH Director w/slave Doser
IOND w/slave doser
several cables and sensors

I will order in the near future:

3 Profilux Powerbar 6E-PAB
ProfiLux Expansion Box
Temp and Conductivity probes
Propellar Control 2.1
4 or 5 fan Propeller Breeze 3
1528 gph, 1 1320 gph, 2 2377 gph flow sensors

and several other items.

For my Apex system I currently have and will be converting:

Apex 2016
3 EB832 powerbars
2 Cor 20's
1 Dos
1 WXM Module
3 FMM Modules
1 Trident
1 EB4 powerbar
1 PM2 Module

 

[SuncrestReef]

Wow! I'll miss seeing you around the Apex posts, but I can totally understand your reasoning to make the change.

Best of luck, and please keep us posted on how you find the overall GHL experience and stability.

 

[Clo]

I look forward to reading about your journey on switching from APEX to GHL if you decide to document

 

[BeltedCoyote]

This should be quite enlightening. I decided to go with hydros as I’m a new salt and also like the redundancy. But prior to the release of the hydros, I was considering both apex and ghl. I would have gone ghl despite the price.

very interested to read your take on ghl compared to your wealth of experience with apex. Not knocking either as a hydros user. Just like to learn

 

[Billldg]

Wow! I'll miss seeing you around the Apex posts, but I can totally understand your reasoning to make the change.

Best of luck, and please keep us posted on how you find the overall GHL experience and stability.

Thank you. I will keep the Apex active and compare the 2. I just got tired of the Trident reagent drift and the text book answers from Neptune. The Apex is a good controller and I will never bad mouth it, but I just wanted something else.

You have always helped me and I will miss not having your expertise to guide me. If for some reason it doesn't work out, I will change back to Apex.

 

[Billldg]

I look forward to reading about your journey on switching from APEX to GHL if you decide to document

I will document it and I will also keep the Apex active and compare the 2 until it becomes a pain, LOL!!!

I am getting tired of companies paying distributors to say that their product is the best. I will compare the 2 and give an honest answer as to which one is the best.

 

[rtparty]

Interested in how this all plays out. I too am leaving the Neptune ecosystem but chose Hydros.

I bought a GHL Mitras and it is easily the worst software experience I've ever had. I'd rather go back to MS-DOS than deal with GHL again. So GHL was immediately out of the running for me.

 

[Clo]

I will document it and I will also keep the Apex active and compare the 2 until it becomes a pain, LOL!!!

I am getting tired of companies paying distributors to say that their product is the best. I will compare the 2 and give an honest answer as to which one is the best.

Very excited! I’ve been leaning GHL over Apex because of everything I read about build quality. Even if Apex has more support in the US. But I’m convinced GHL would be overkill for a nano and I’m better going with something smaller but I’m not sold on the Hydros.
Reading more about your GHL v Apex would def help cement some decisions for me.

 

[DHill6]

Also following.

 

[Billldg]

Very excited! I’ve been leaning GHL over Apex because of everything I read about build quality. Even if Apex has more support in the US. But I’m convinced GHL would be overkill for a nano and I’m better going with something smaller but I’m not sold on the Hydros.
Reading more about your GHL v Apex would def help cement some decisions for me.

The Coralvue Hydros will probably be a good setup, but, as it is new, I have no knowledge of it. When you say overkill, I think, is anything overkill when it comes to what we think about our tanks and monitoring it. It doesn't matter whether its GHL, Neptune, or Coralvue, its about us having a piece of mind being able to monitor our tanks.

I am switching for a few reasons, some are listed above, but either way you decide to go, their is no such thing as overkill.

 

[Clo]

The Coralvue Hydros will probably be a good setup, but, as it is new, I have no knowledge of it. When you say overkill, I think, is anything overkill when it comes to what we think about our tanks and monitoring it. It doesn't matter whether its GHL, Neptune, or Coralvue, its about us having a piece of mind being able to monitor our tanks.

I def understand where you’re going with this. But a 800 dollar controller is harder to justify with a 35 gallon versus a 500 gallon lol.

My other concern with the Hydros with how new it is was how much support it would get down the line and what kind of issues/limitations there are with it right now :’(

 

[Billldg]

I will NOT try to convince anyone one way or the other until I have enough, AND CONRETE evidence, to do so. Which ever way you go with a controller, it is the right decision. Having the piece of mind to monitor our tanks is the right thing, and peaceful thing, to do. I decided to convert from a full Apex system to a...soon to be...full GHL system. Not many people can do that, and WE ALL, fully understand that. Whether you go GHL, Neptune, or Hydros, they are all great decisions. I decided to go to GHL for the reasons that are posted above.

 

[Billldg]

I def understand where you’re going with this. But a 800 dollar controller is harder to justify with a 35 gallon versus a 500 gallon lol.

My other concern with the Hydros with how new it is was how much support it would get down the line and what kind of issues/limitations there are with it right now :’(

I feel Coralvue will give you great support. I use their skimmers and love them. I had a Reef Octopus Regal 150SSS on my last tank and currently have a Reef Octopus 250SSS on my tank upgrade. They have always treated me right and I feel they will do the same to you for the Hydros if that is the route you want to go.

 

[Clo]

I’m definitely not trying to argue one way or another. Just trying to provide a view point for why I’m looking forward to reading on your change of systems.
A full blown change from one to the other is very rare. Will you be trying to get the ion director as well?

 

[Billldg]

I’m definitely not trying to argue one way or another. Just trying to provide a view point for why I’m looking forward to reading on your change of systems.
A full blown change from one to the other is very rare. Will you be trying to get the ion director as well?

LOL!!! I already have it ordered. That was one main reason I switched.

Trust me when I say the change will cost me a small fortune, but this being my tank upgrade and dream tank, I felt it was worth it.

 

[Clo]

LOL!!! I already have it ordered. That was one main reason I switched.

Trust me when I say the change will cost me a small fortune, but this being my tank upgrade and dream tank, I felt it was worth it.

Congratulations! Any shipping information yet?!
I’m so excited for you! Hopefully it arrives sooner than later!
Did you go with white or black?

 

[GoVols]

Tagging for some incite of the ION Director.

 

[Billldg]

Congratulations! Any shipping information yet?!
I’m so excited for you! Hopefully it arrives sooner than later!
Did you go with white or black?

I am a sucker for Blue and Black, SO, I went with Black, LOL!!! It will not be available until the Fall, unless something helps with forwarding the timeline due to the epidemic. I have a GHL ProfiLux 4 Mega set, Ion Director, and a few other things coming shortly.

 

[Clo]

I am a sucker for Blue and Black, SO, I went with Black, LOL!!! It will not be available until the Fall, unless something helps with forwarding the timeline due to the epidemic. I have a GHL ProfiLux 4 Mega set, Ion Director, and a few other things coming shortly.

Lots of photos please when things come!! Cannot wait to see where everything will be placed and organized!

 

[Billldg]

Lots of photos please when things come!! Cannot wait to see where everything will be placed and organized!

Its gonna be a slow process as I will have to build and assemble it along side the Apex unit. I will take pictures as I feel the GHL stackability is sexy to say the least.