Isn't an Apex but isn't that far either.
1° step: get a W3988 6in1 Phmeter for 50€, take the PH probe, trow it away and buy a good probe (i took a APERA for 30€).
2° step: Get a very, very old tablet that run at least Android 5 (found for 10€).
3° step: Buy 4/5 or as many as you want smart plugs that run under TUYA, nicer if they have current meter (6€/piece on aliex)
4° step: (facultative): Setup a homeassistant server on a very old notebook or on your PC if it's always on, you don't know how to do it? Me neither, but youtube is full of stepbystep dumb proof tutorial.
5° step: Take a halfday and setup homeassistant to display everything you want, to setup rules, etc (is easiest of what you may think). If you don't know how to do it, google will tell you. If you know how to do it better, please share what you did
It may seems difficult, but really isn't.
Done.
I am running the setup (on another tank) since october and till now (touching balls!), i never had problems.
Plus: With the smart plug you can setup rules that are pretty usefull like: If w3988 temperature probes sense temperature over 28 degree, it turns off heater plug (my heater have a thermostat integrated...a sicce scuba heater). If sense temperature under 24° turn on plug where a emergency heater is plugged. And send you notification in both cases
When power goes OFF and all the outlet tohether become unavailable can send you notification.
When power goes back on, skimmer start to run after 2min to provent problems.
When you switch off return pump skimmer goes off toghether and when you turn back on return pump skimmer goes on after 2 minute.
You can set up ESP32 5€ camera to control SUMP, ETC.
When PH or salinity goes off you can setup alarm, etc, etc
1° step: get a W3988 6in1 Phmeter for 50€, take the PH probe, trow it away and buy a good probe (i took a APERA for 30€).
2° step: Get a very, very old tablet that run at least Android 5 (found for 10€).
3° step: Buy 4/5 or as many as you want smart plugs that run under TUYA, nicer if they have current meter (6€/piece on aliex)
4° step: (facultative): Setup a homeassistant server on a very old notebook or on your PC if it's always on, you don't know how to do it? Me neither, but youtube is full of stepbystep dumb proof tutorial.
5° step: Take a halfday and setup homeassistant to display everything you want, to setup rules, etc (is easiest of what you may think). If you don't know how to do it, google will tell you. If you know how to do it better, please share what you did
It may seems difficult, but really isn't.
Done.
I am running the setup (on another tank) since october and till now (touching balls!), i never had problems.
Plus: With the smart plug you can setup rules that are pretty usefull like: If w3988 temperature probes sense temperature over 28 degree, it turns off heater plug (my heater have a thermostat integrated...a sicce scuba heater). If sense temperature under 24° turn on plug where a emergency heater is plugged. And send you notification in both cases
When power goes OFF and all the outlet tohether become unavailable can send you notification.
When power goes back on, skimmer start to run after 2min to provent problems.
When you switch off return pump skimmer goes off toghether and when you turn back on return pump skimmer goes on after 2 minute.
You can set up ESP32 5€ camera to control SUMP, ETC.
When PH or salinity goes off you can setup alarm, etc, etc
