First xepta autobalance in the USA

[elcapitan1993]

Came across an Insta post from Xepta saying @CoralVue is their distributor now for the US & Canada.
This should help you in future.

Yeah when I messaged xepta themselves a couple of months ago they said it should be being sold by coralvue in the USA here soon, I just didn’t want to wait because coralvue was supposed to be selling it over 2 years ago already, I figured if I could get my hands on one and enough reagent to last me until coralvue starts selling it I would
Be good, the reagent goes very fast with the xepta, it’s not like the kh director where you can make 1liter last 4 months, I have it testing 8 times a day and the bottle is almost gone

 

[oldmonk]

They have come out with concentrated reagent also with which one can make large quantities of stock solution.
That mite help. Do check

 

[elcapitan1993]

They have come out with concentrated reagent also with which one can make large quantities of stock solution.
That mite help. Do check

Thank you, fortunately I also ordered the concentrated reagent when I purchased the first xepta that was stolen by usps/customs so I do have at least 20 liters of reagent, it cost ALOT to get it to me since it is very heavy, I paid 100$ for the reagent and then 100$ for the shipping so a total of 200$ to get a 5 month supply

 

[oldmonk]

True. Shipping is a killer!! Sometimes way higher than the product itself. Sad.
We have a total of 42% custom duties and local taxes.

 

[elcapitan1993]

True. Shipping is a killer!! Sometimes way higher than the product itself. Sad.
We have a total of 42% custom duties and local taxes.

Holy crap where do you live?! That’s crazy, so that means if you order something internationally and pay 1000 for it you have to pay 420 in custom duty fees? Is your customs processing time at least fast?

 

[oldmonk]

India. Processing time depends on the kind of item that you import. If its lights specifically then it takes time as some other documentation is required. Other things do get cleared if there's not much backlog or if paperwork is proper.

 

[elcapitan1993]

India. Processing time depends on the kind of item that you import. If its lights specifically then it takes time as some other documentation is required. Other things do get cleared if there's not much backlog or if paperwork is proper.

Hmm I’m actually surprised that xepta isn’t selling in India I would think that they would be already, would it be easier for you to get it if you order it from the USA?, The customs in the United States is awful, long processing times and millions of lost packages, and of course no accountability either.

 

[oldmonk]

Many of the US distributors do not entertain overseas shipping. Risks of high shipping cost, parcel/items getting damaged in transit, insurance hassles.
Packages getting lost with 0 accountability seems to be a norm throughout globe.

Xepta did announce that they have a India distributor but nothing more than that..

 

[elcapitan1993]

Many of the US distributors do not entertain overseas shipping. Risks of high shipping cost, parcel/items getting damaged in transit, insurance hassles.
Packages getting lost with 0 accountability seems to be a norm throughout globe.

Xepta did announce that they have a India distributor but nothing more than that..

When did they announce that?

hopefully that isn’t what happens with the United States, we were already supposed to have it back in 2019 but it never happened and both parties refuse to answer why, what alkalinity testers do you have in India?

 

[oldmonk]

They had announced in 2021. Looks like the deal dint go through.

If we have to go through proper distributor then we have Kh guardian and Reefbot.
Other brands are either on personal import basis or if some retailer assists in getting it for you , but then the sole responsibility of warranty, service etc lies with you.

 

[elcapitan1993]

They had announced in 2021. Looks like the deal dint go through.

If we have to go through proper distributor then we have Kh guardian and Reefbot.
Other brands are either on personal import basis or if some retailer assists in getting it for you , but then the sole responsibility of warranty, service etc lies with you.

How is the Reefbot? I have been wanting to try it but cannot find much about it really, that tests every parameter using test kits right?

I don’t know why xepta did that here and in India as well, I wonder if it was due to manufacturing problems because of the “pandemic”

 

[oldmonk]

What Xepta said is due to the pandemic they got delayed in their betta testing and hence delay in the launch. Btw is yr Autobalance a cloud version ?

Friend of mine who is using Reefbot is very happy with it. Yes it tests most of the parameters ( some 12 parameters) using test kits. One gets flexibility of using the test kit of his/her choice. But on the flip side it generates lot of waste water.
Now Reefbot pro is out since some time. Way expensive at $3K

 

[elcapitan1993]

What Xepta said is due to the pandemic they got delayed in their betta testing and hence delay in the launch. Btw is yr Autobalance a cloud version ?

Friend of mine who is using Reefbot is very happy with it. Yes it tests most of the parameters ( some 12 parameters) using test kits. One gets flexibility of using the test kit of his/her choice. But on the flip side it generates lot of waste water.
Now Reefbot pro is out since some time. Way expensive at $3K

Oh I see, yeah mine is the cloud version, I cannot change settings or manually start tests or anything but I can check previous test results.

meow 3k is extremely expensive, I tried getting my hands on a Reefbot a few months ago actually but it never happened and the website always says out of stock for some reason, I actually don’t like that Reefbot and mastertronic uses test kits and photometers, I don’t feel like it can be very accurate

I am still waiting on my ion Director from Ghl, it seems very promising but I have been waiting a very long time for it

 

[oldmonk]

Reefbot retails at 3k and Reefbot at 1600. Almost double. Can't figure out what's so special in Pro version.

Good that you have Xepta cloud version, coz earlier they had launched normal version saying cloud is in betta phase.

Btw if i may ask, what's yr set up like ? Size of the tank, lights, equipments that you have hooked up?

 

[elcapitan1993]

Reefbot retails at 3k and Reefbot at 1600. Almost double. Can't figure out what's so special in Pro version.

Good that you have Xepta cloud version, coz earlier they had launched normal version saying cloud is in betta phase.

Btw if i may ask, what's yr set up like ? Size of the tank, lights, equipments that you have hooked up?

Because Reebok Pro is the circle and the regular Reefbot is the square so it’s worth more lol but on al honesty I have no idea why it’s that much more other than it can test more things at once I guess

yeah the app still says it’s in the beta phase but it is working fine so far, it seems like they are slow going on their app development for some reason , I would really like to see them work on the app a little more because it’s honestly not the greatest it’s very basic and it definitely needs some work

my setup is: 90 gallon acrylic with a 30 gallon sump, it’s a mixed reef but I am focusing on sps at the moment, I have 2 kessil Ap9x as my lights (the best lights I have ever owned) , I have the GHL profilux 4 mega set and of course the xepta, I have a Aquamaxx calcium reactor and 3 Ecotech versa dosing pumps 2 for auto water changes and 1 for the calcium reactor and the carbon doser electronic c02 regulator, and I am currently waiting on my ion director to be shipped to me so I can add that as well, my power heads are nothing special just the cheap fluval ones but they have always worked great for me, I have the H20verflow and stealth box for my overflow, my return pump is just a cheap orlushy DC pump from Amazon but it seems to work good.

I might be missing a few things but I’m pretty sure that’s most of my setup

 

[oldmonk]

That's a sweet set up with lots of good hardware. Kessil light are nice, i have heard lots of good things about them. Plus these AP9x is supposed to have good coverage. But as the tank size goes up, these kessils prove to be expensive as the additional things needed to chain them etc

Since you already have Autobalance, did you give a thought to their Abex as well? Or because you have a Profilux you opted for ion director?

How would you rate versa pumps? Lot of reefers have faced problems with them, getting stuck etc. Whats yr take?

 

[elcapitan1993]

That's a sweet set up with lots of good hardware. Kessil light are nice, i have heard lots of good things about them. Plus these AP9x is supposed to have good coverage. But as the tank size goes up, these kessils prove to be expensive as the additional things needed to chain them etc

Since you already have Autobalance, did you give a thought to their Abex as well? Or because you have a Profilux you opted for ion director?

How would you rate versa pumps? Lot of reefers have faced problems with them, getting stuck etc. Whats yr take?

I have spent way to much money of reefing gear lol, yes the Ap9x is expensive but they are amazing, you can actually light a 100 gallon mixed reef with one, and thankfully they connect to each other via Wi-Fi so you don’t have to purchase cords to daisy chain them.

I would love to get a abex, but since it’s was already extremely difficult for me to get the xepta I have to wait until they start selling in the USA, it probably wouldn’t be possible for me to get it otherwise, I preordered the ion director before I knew about the xepta and abex and I figure I’ll just see witch one I can get first, I was only supposed to have to wait a max of 4 months for the ion director (witch is what it still says when you go to buy it) but it’s way past that and I am still waiting, hopefully it’s not to much longer for either one.

I like a lot of things about the versas, I have had a few problems though, one of the ones I have is a little squeaky and I get error codes ALOT on it, but other than that performance wise it’s a extremely good pump and it is probably the best dosing/continuous duty pump you can find (if you can find it) , I tried every single one of the kamoer pumps and I despised them they are probably the worst pumps I have ever used honestly, I have had less problems with the eco-tech versa, I plan on buying a few more when I get the money And if or when they become available . On a scale of 1-10 I would rate them a 8 , it seems like they have a few issues to solve on them

 

[oldmonk]

Yes kessils are nice, even their range of fuge lights are super. Alas, getting one here in India is a herculean task!!

Wow, i have had totally opposite expr with Kamoer pumps as compared to yours. I had my tank running from jan 2018 until august 2021 and not a single time i had to calibrate or fiddle around with my kamoer F4 doser. It was breeze setting up and later it was on its own. All i did in those 3 years was to adjust dosing qtys. Ecotech Versa once again is a rarity in india.

I was very much hopeful of having Xepta starting with Autobalance and then adding Abex for my upcoming new build, but that seems bleak now the way Xepta is going.

 

[elcapitan1993]

Yes kessils are nice, even their range of fuge lights are super. Alas, getting one here in India is a herculean task!!

Wow, i have had totally opposite expr with Kamoer pumps as compared to yours. I had my tank running from jan 2018 until august 2021 and not a single time i had to calibrate or fiddle around with my kamoer F4 doser. It was breeze setting up and later it was on its own. All i did in those 3 years was to adjust dosing qtys. Ecotech Versa once again is a rarity in india.

I was very much hopeful of having Xepta starting with Autobalance and then adding Abex for my upcoming new build, but that seems bleak now the way Xepta is going.

I’m really surprised , i think the kamoer x1 pro T was the worst pump I have ever owned, I never got to try the f4 though.

from what I understand the Abex is pretty much ready for a release but who knows if that’s true or not, I have a feeling it is going to be quite a while before you are me or able to get it locally

 

[oldmonk]

I am not going to get it by the time i am ready with my last and final new build. So i have given up on Xepta. Unless down the line if the need arises and if that time Xepta has made it to India, will give a thought.

For now my new build will have hardware for which we have distributors or any retailer who is willing to go out of his comfort zone and get stuff for me. Lets see how things progress. For now trying to get the house work done as fast as possible.