Automation Saga (Apex, Hydros, GHL, oh my!)

[valoraquatics]

Hi all. Just purchased our second salt tank, a 120 gallon Planet, off of a local fragger. Got a full setup, but now wanting to add in an “all-in-one” type setup. Equipment specs at the end of this post.

Originally, we thought we wanted APEX. First lesson learned, you can’t just dive into Apex unless you wanna spend the big money. Bought a trident, but it had no cables. Bought a EB832, but it was just a surge protector in glory. Come to find out, needed a brain. The first two were bought secondhand, but, to my utter surprise, can’t find a newer Apex brain (wanting the A3 Pro). Found an old gen 2 brain, but had no power cables or anything. In short, we bought the used equipment from our LFS and they offered to take it back full refund. Phew!

Our other favorite small LFS and our big-momma store in our area (DNA) are all looking like they are moving to Hydros. Even the store we bought the second hand apex from is moving to Hydros. Downside? It is so new you can’t really find second hand.

Okay, so maybe we are thinking second hand isn’t an option. Fine! Maybe we just bite the bullet after saving $4k on a like new tank with excellent equipment. So, we started to research.

Opinions aside, we still are landing firmly in the Apex, Hydros, GHL debate (are we missing any, or are those the big three?).

So here is where we stand…and I’d love to say money aside, but honestly if two systems are mostly similar we will let price break the tie:

What system will support the equipment we have below? I THINK that the Apex checks the boxes but, opinions aside, finding new products (since used don’t seem to have all of the cords or the brain) seems to be almost impossible with all of the big Discontinued banners on them.

If we had it our way, we might lean toward the Hydros. But, I discovered GHL and I am a software engineer/nerd by trade, and it looked interesting to my geek brain. Ultimately, though, we want a system that will cleanly allow us full control over as much of our setup as possible. I say clean because one forum post, albeit an old one from 2022, said that the MP10 could be controlled on/off by Hydros but no fine tuning via hardware or Mobius integration (maybe this isn’t the case anymore?).

Also, Trident isn’t a deal breaker since we know Maven is on the horizon. But it may be a deal breaker for GHL (I can’t tell)?

Equipment:
ReefBreeder Light Bar
Ecotech Vectra M2
Ecotech MP40 wave maker x2
Tunze ATO
BRS Dual Reactor
Red Sea Doser 4
Finnex controller with two heaters

TIA!!

 

[iReefer12]

It’s everyone’s personal opinion, but the Apex ticks a lot of boxes. I’ve used Apex for 12 years, very happy with the controllability, it can be as complex as you want it to be, but it’s simple and easy to use, and also a nice clean UI.

I’ve gotten pretty automated with my build, and I like what apex delivers.

 

[Connor At CoralVue]

My reply is going to be 100% biased as a HYDROS employee. However, I think our system can really assist you. And yes, we are working to get in to every store, service tech, and users hands to show how simple, yet customizable this can all be. However when it comes to USED HYDROS equipment, you may be hard pressed to find any, as the "Collective" as we call it, is always expanding, that OG device you picked up never goes obsolete. And I hear you about picking up modules with the other systems, thats unfortunate that it cant work without that brain, and it all tumbles down if the brain goes down or any of the extremidy modules....NOT with HYDROS.

We are working hard to create a collective of controllers to automate any and all portions of your aquarium by creating a modular system, that is always expanding at the rate of the user. You can start with any of the HYDROS Controls and add on later with more, to get more ports, to add more sensors, to do more jobs!

EVERYTHING is color coded, you know what you are about to setup. Everything is labeled appropriately to make the installation experience as smooth as possible. The HYDROS user interface is similar to setting up a smartphone, with all dropdown menus and families of presets to do things like kalkwasser, ozone, heaters, lights, and so much more WITHOUT ANY CODING!

Expand your HYDROS Collective at your rate, as there are no frets in getting locked into a system by starting with a smaller HYDROS Control; you can always use another HYDROS to expand your "Collective"...what we call multiple HDYROS Controls working together in a neural net of safety. Multiple brains provide loads of redundancy. Also, because all HYDROS Controls have Command Bus Ports to transfer data between devices, NO HYDROS CONTROL WILL GO OBSOLETE, it will always have that connection to be part of the collective.

We build these ourselves, design, engineer, and do the software fully in house at our HQ in Slidell, Louisiana. We build them to last in a rough environment, with an IP65 splash-proof rating on most of our Controls (Not the Launch/XP8, because of the 120v outlets). We've seen other controllers go bad and take down a system; we didn't want that and we are doing everything in our power to make a dominant controller.

You can ask anyone at HYDROS and we will tell you that Customer Service and R&D are the #1 priorities. We've starting to reveal our cards recently with the announcement of the MAVEN, SOLE, XHO Light and the recent app update that polished it up even more! Always innovating, always available, please always feel free to reach out to our phone line, or support portal, or email, or facebook, or instagram for any questions you may have!