Apex EL Aquarium Monitor - BRS Special Edition.

[pelphrey]

why am I getting this alarm? Seems backwards... the minimum range is 75 and the probe is reading 76.3

Tmp is less than 75.0 (76.3)

What does your alert code look like?

 

[PhilT]

What does your alert code look like?

It just says alert when out of range. It was programmed out of the box.

I just got off the phone with Neptune who were helping with my wifi issues. He said that if I rebooted my unit (I unplugged it for a minute so maybe that’s equivalent) that it’s not really reading the probe accurately when coming back. He said it’s not a problem.

 

[PhilT]

I'm trying to digest this new Product Package. What I am seeing is an Entry level Apex, with Temp, PH, and 2 Float Switches to monitor water levels. You get the Apex Brain, so the sky is the limit as far as expandability. EB832's can be added, and much more. I'm guessing this is the EL Apex Brain, so you don't get Salinity and Orp?? Which could both be added by more modules down the line if needed.

So it's an even less expensive price point for people to jump into the Apex EccoSystem. I like it....'

Curious if here is a new Task coming to configure the new Float Switch Device?
#Terence

This is what Neptune support setup for me. I had to exchange mine so not sure how the preprogrammed alarm was setup. If you get an energy Bar, not sure if this is where you’d put controls to turn off an ATO or pump.

note these 2 floats show up as 2 switch inputs, like if you had a breakout box connected. I renamed them hisump and losump.

 

[PhilT]

I will take a bet with you that you that within a week of getting it you will be thinking about an EB8.
Then as you research it further your going to buy an EB832. I love the marketing with this deal. Just about everybody is going to spend the $500 plus, it's just that your doing it in two parts a few weeks apart.

I’ve seen a ton of eb8s on reef2reef and ebay. I got one for $80. Not sure how much I will be using it to control outlets for various conditions. I’m sure I’ll put my heater on it as redundant control in case it gets stuck overheating. It’s already on the BRS inkbird.

I know EB832 is better but not sure how much better for what I paid for the used eb8?

 

[PhilT]

Well for some reason, I was having problems staying connected to my wifi. I had a wireless bridge and connected the apex to it via ethernet and it’s been solid since. Support said my connection quality was about 87% which isn’t horrible but I guess glitchy enough and once it drops it can’t reconnect Without hitting reset.

 

[robbyg]

Well for some reason, I was having problems staying connected to my wifi. I had a wireless bridge and connected the apex to it via ethernet and it’s been solid since. Support said my connection quality was about 87% which isn’t horrible but I guess glitchy enough and once it drops it can’t reconnect Without hitting reset.

I would never use WiFi with a controller, it just adds another layer of potential problems.
I have had Ethernet devices plugged in for years and never had a single disconnection. With WiFi you can get sudden disconnections or other weird problems.

 

[PhilT]

I would never use WiFi with a controller, it just adds another layer of potential problems.
I have had Ethernet devices plugged in for years and never had a single disconnection. With WiFi you can get sudden disconnections or other weird problems.

Unfortunately, it would be a royal pain if not impossible to snake ethernet cable from the router to the tank. Or move the router with a new coax from Comcast.

 

[robbyg]

Unfortunately, it would be a royal pain if not impossible to snake ethernet cable from the router to the tank. Or move the router with a new coax from Comcast.

I agree. It took a lot of work to get a cable to my controller but it was worth it.

 

[Sleepydoc]

I agree. It took a lot of work to get a cable to my controller but it was worth it.

The controller works fine whether it’s connected to the internet or not. The internet connection just gives you the remote monitoring capabilities.

 

[robbyg]

The controller works fine whether it’s connected to the internet or not. The internet connection just gives you the remote monitoring capabilities.

We all live in different worlds my friend. In my world my house has no one in it for at least eight hours per day. I am away from home for typically ten hours each day. If I was retired or working from home then sure it would not be an issue! In my case the ability to get reliable alerts of problems while I am at work is a huge part of why I invested in a controller.

 

[southerntnreefer]

We all live in different worlds my friend. In my world my house has no one in it for at least eight hours per day. I am away from home for typically ten hours each day. If I was retired or working from home then sure it would not be an issue! In my case the ability to get reliable alerts of problems while I am at work is a huge part of why I invested in a controller.

Part of my new build has me routing a cat 5 cable down through my walkout basement, and back up through the wall for the controller. Not sure which controller I'm going with get, but I prefer wired all day long.

 

[southerntnreefer]

We all live in different worlds my friend. In my world my house has no one in it for at least eight hours per day. I am away from home for typically ten hours each day. If I was retired or working from home then sure it would not be an issue! In my case the ability to get reliable alerts of problems while I am at work is a huge part of why I invested in a controller.

We seem to be the same. My house is empty other than the dogs, and they cant fix crap, for up to 11 hours a day. My daughter stops in from time to time, and the controller will be there to say hey call her to have her do this for you before you get home etc. As an IT professional, i hate Wifi, and much rather have it wired.

 

[Sleepydoc]

We all live in different worlds my friend. In my world my house has no one in it for at least eight hours per day. I am away from home for typically ten hours each day. If I was retired or working from home then sure it would not be an issue! In my case the ability to get reliable alerts of problems while I am at work is a huge part of why I invested in a controller.

My world isn't so different - I am frequently gone for > 24 hours; I have my controller set to automate what I can and to react appropriately as it can. Most days there is no one at home that could do anything anyway. When I had mine on wifi it would disconnect from time to time but typically come back online within a few minutes and never more than an hour later.

Just how often do you have issues that require intervention? The only time I've had anything close to a catastrophe is when we were out of town and my folks were caring for the fish and my dad forgot to plug in the float sensor cable for the skimmate jug (partially my bad for not setting up the float switch/BOB to default off if there was no switch connected.)

 

[robbyg]

Just how often do you have issues that require intervention? The only time I've had anything close to a catastrophe is when we were out of town and my folks were caring for the fish and my dad forgot to plug in the float sensor cable for the skimmate jug (partially my bad for not setting up the float switch/BOB to default off if there was no switch connected.)

Your probably not going to believe this but I just had one 5 minutes ago.
It seems like the power went off for a few minutes and my Son switched over power to the generator. I actually got an SMS text message from the contoller 40 minutes ago saying that the power had gone out. I was about to call him when he called me. He said the power returned in about two minutes so he turned off the generator and flipped back the switches.

Stupidly I never looked back at my phone to see if the "Power Returned" SMS message had come in. About 30 minutes later he calls me and says he just noticed that the Aquarium lights had not come back on and everything was quiet. I told him to look at the transfer switch and sure enough he had not thrown two of the breakers back to mains power.
Once he flipped the Transfer switch breakers I got an SMS that the Power was restored.
I then remotely logged in and noticed the Roller Mat was dispensing Fleece which was odd, as it should have been automatically cut off in 20 seconds and sent an alarm. I waited a few secs and it did not cutoff so I cut the power to the plug. I checked the float sensor on the Rollermat and it was indicating the water level was high. I called him back and asked him to Jiggle the float sensor on the Rollermat and sure enough on my PC it showed the water level suddenly dropped from High to Normal.

So remote control just saved me a roll of fleece and could have spared me the 40 minute power interruption had I payed attention and looked out for the SMS message.


Now I have to find out why that float sensor got stuck on high and why my program did not automatically kill the power to the rollermat after 20 seconds. I suspect the float sensor is rubbing against something in the tube and I may have to brace it so it running 100% parallel down the 1" pipe. I had tried the 20 second timeout on the rollermat several times and it always worked so I am not sure what is going on with that. I will update you guys when I get home and can see for myself.

 

[southerntnreefer]

If anyone decides they don't want it, and want to sell, lemme know

 

[trmiv]

Finally was able to make the float switch setup useful to me. Got an old AC adapter and cut the cord and extended the cords for the float switches. Also got a stand for my Tunze ATO pump with a spot for a float switch. So now I’ve got one float switch in my ATO container that lets me know when it’s low and needs filling. The other one is in my sump so in the rare case that my sump gets too high for whatever reason, and I don’t hear the Tunze beeping at me, the apex will alert me.

 

[rsumner]

Saw these were discontinued on the BRS website. What’s up with that?

 

[Devaji]

Saw these were discontinued on the BRS website. What’s up with that?

it was a special run to test the waters to see if there was interest in an basic controller from apex. they still sale the apex EL. worth looking into. or pick up a used orange label apex .

 

[Leiph86]

should be preprogrammed

Set mine up today, got pH and Temp fine on fusion but nothing about float valves...can someone help?

 

[TheHarold]

Set mine up today, got pH and Temp fine on fusion but nothing about float valves...can someone help?

The alarms should be automatic already. To drag them to the main screen, click that lock on the upper right and then pull the two switches (and or the virtual outlet that has the alarm programming) to your display