My experience with Coralvue Hydros

[FishyFishFish]

Well, let me start by saying that I haven't got a Coralvue Hydros, I didn't get that far.

I saw the system advertised and was really excited about it. As I always do with things like this, I tried to research it's capabilities (I enjoy the pre-purchase research part of the hobby almost as much as the hobby itself) but couldn't find much information. I reached out to Coralvue to see if there was a manual but there isn't one and they directed me to their 'get started' website and their online forum. If you search these websites and watch all of the YouTube videos then you will have a pretty good idea of how it works, but it's a painful process and neither of the websites really work well together (you need to read all of the forum threads to discover things that should really be on the 'get started' website in my opinion). As an example of where I have already seen this approach break down, there is a 3* online review on one of the retailer websites complaining about the power strip not correctly connecting to the Hydros app. However, I don't believe that the strip actually connects directly to the Hydros app, by design, without one of the controllers. This important fact isn't stated on the product description on the website (in fact, it almost leads you to think the opposite) and there is no manual, so it was never going to work as the purchaser intended.

When I questioned the lack of manual, it became clear that Coralvue believes that their method of promulgating the information is best and their tone was that, effectively, my opinion was wrong.

I then asked, on their forum, a very basic question about the use of the drive ports. I am pretty well educated in electronics but it has been a long time since I used that training and I am certainly not a software engineer. The reply to the question that I posed (how many Kamoer X1 dosers, if any, could I plug into a drive port) descended into a runaround of ifs and buts when the answer should really have been very simple; I never did get an answer and then the thread was locked. This does make me wonder how much electronics experience the Coralvue team has and whether they are predominately software engineers.

Several other basic questions I asked were ignored.

I really did want to try the system, even with the concerns I had with the instructions, as it does look really good at first glance. But the responses I received from the CoralVue Hydros team have left me disenchanted. I don't feel that if I bought a Hydros, which is undoubtedly still early in its development phase, that I would get the professional level of support that I would be expecting. It might be me expecting too much and I accept that they are probably very busy with product development, but had I received more friendly and accurate responses to my questions then I would be sitting here now with a Hydros in my hand. As it is, I am contemplating whether to go for GHL or whether to forego the computer completely.

If you do decide to go down the Hydros route then I would make sure you research fully before buying so that you know exactly what you are getting. If you use any of the DIY options (e.g. breakout boxes, adding components to drive ports etc) make sure you fully read the specs on the forum as there are some limitations on these ports that aren't widely advertised, and I believe could result in damage to your system if used incorrectly.

Rant over - I just needed to vent my frustration!!

 

[Viva'sReef]

I haven't needed additional support yet but I'm sure that day will come and I hope they can answer my questions.

For the most part I've been pretty happy with my Hydros products. I own both the WaveMaker and the Control 4 with 2 power strips. The wavemaker is hooked directly to a Varios4 and 2x 330 Gyre pumps and eliminating the power bricks for all 3 pumps. I was pretty happy with that setup then made the leap and bought the Control 4. That is running 2x 200w cobalt aquatics heaters, Temp sensor, Water level sensor, DC solenoid water valve for ATO freshwater supply, Tunze MAR 3181, and a 24w UV sterilizer.

 

[Mjl714]

Well, let me start by saying that I haven't got a Coralvue Hydros, I didn't get that far.

I saw the system advertised and was really excited about it. As I always do with things like this, I tried to research it's capabilities (I enjoy the pre-purchase research part of the hobby almost as much as the hobby itself) but couldn't find much information. I reached out to Coralvue to see if there was a manual but there isn't one and they directed me to their 'get started' website and their online forum. If you search these websites and watch all of the YouTube videos then you will have a pretty good idea of how it works, but it's a painful process and neither of the websites really work well together (you need to read all of the forum threads to discover things that should really be on the 'get started' website in my opinion). As an example of where I have already seen this approach break down, there is a 3* online review on one of the retailer websites complaining about the power strip not correctly connecting to the Hydros app. However, I don't believe that the strip actually connects directly to the Hydros app, by design, without one of the controllers. This important fact isn't stated on the product description on the website (in fact, it almost leads you to think the opposite) and there is no manual, so it was never going to work as the purchaser intended.

When I questioned the lack of manual, it became clear that Coralvue believes that their method of promulgating the information is best and their tone was that, effectively, my opinion was wrong.

I then asked, on their forum, a very basic question about the use of the drive ports. I am pretty well educated in electronics but it has been a long time since I used that training and I am certainly not a software engineer. The reply to the question that I posed (how many Kamoer X1 dosers, if any, could I plug into a drive port) descended into a runaround of ifs and buts when the answer should really have been very simple; I never did get an answer and then the thread was locked. This does make me wonder how much electronics experience the Coralvue team has and whether they are predominately software engineers.

Several other basic questions I asked were ignored.

I really did want to try the system, even with the concerns I had with the instructions, as it does look really good at first glance. But the responses I received from the CoralVue Hydros team have left me disenchanted. I don't feel that if I bought a Hydros, which is undoubtedly still early in its development phase, that I would get the professional level of support that I would be expecting. It might be me expecting too much and I accept that they are probably very busy with product development, but had I received more friendly and accurate responses to my questions then I would be sitting here now with a Hydros in my hand. As it is, I am contemplating whether to go for GHL or whether to forego the computer completely.

If you do decide to go down the Hydros route then I would make sure you research fully before buying so that you know exactly what you are getting. If you use any of the DIY options (e.g. breakout boxes, adding components to drive ports etc) make sure you fully read the specs on the forum as there are some limitations on these ports that aren't widely advertised, and I believe could result in damage to your system if used incorrectly.

Rant over - I just needed to vent my frustration!!

Thanks for taking the time to inform us of your experience. I appreciate it.

 

[Mjl714]

I haven't needed additional support yet but I'm sure that day will come and I hope they can answer my questions.

For the most part I've been pretty happy with my Hydros products. I own both the WaveMaker and the Control 4 with 2 power strips. The wavemaker is hooked directly to a Varios4 and 2x 330 Gyre pumps and eliminating the power bricks for all 3 pumps. I was pretty happy with that setup then made the leap and bought the Control 4. That is running 2x 200w cobalt aquatics heaters, Temp sensor, Water level sensor, DC solenoid water valve for ATO freshwater supply, Tunze MAR 3181, and a 24w UV sterilizer.

How do you like the monitoring app?

 

[Viva'sReef]

How do you like the monitoring app?

it's OK, pretty straight forward but I wish the graphing portion was a little more expansive or let me look back further than a few days and that the advanced options for some of the outputs had some more instructions or examples to emulate. I also wish I could merge my WaveEngine and Control 4 screen into 1 so I don't have to switch back and forth.

 

[Sarcazian]

I too ran into a similar scenario as you did. I was super excited when I heard about the Hydros launch and I did not even have a tank: just the itch to get back in. I started gearing up in December and then bit the bullet and filled up my small Evo 13.5 (yes tiny) on 1/1.

IMHO the biggest reason why I have been considered the Apex EL is that the price difference is not that much different and the support is likely leaps and bounds better. Plus, I am a data guy and I could find no good information on how data trends are reported. This seems to be supported by what Viva said above that it may be no better than the Seneye data. It's something, but not great.

I also wanted to make note that the $199 starter looks look a good deal on the surface, but it seems too limited and most users would really need the $450 unit (similar to the Apex EL).

I even considered going with the $199 unit as a heater controller and ATO, but the reviews on the AutoAqua ATO sensors was spotty at best. So, it would have cost another $79+tax+ship(maybe) on-top of that along with maybe another $30 for a rope leak sensor to back it up. Then that $199 unit was mostly filled up and data reporting was questionable?

In the end, I already had an 8 port Kasa strip that did everything (including scheduling, power use monitoring (limited), etc) that the Hydro probably did and I only paid $53 for it. Then I added a used Tunze 3155 that has redundancies, and a BRS heater (wifi) monitor with a fan port.

Long story short, as you mentioned better documentation and less general marketing around a controller would help. It probably does not help that the Apex has been around for a very long time and BRS has huge series on advanced topics and how things can work. The community also seems helpful around the Apex.

Ultimately, the product is still new and I am still intrigued and like seeing other (off-the-shelf) controller options available. So, hopefully it continues driving down prices and perhaps they will prove out in time.

 

[Viva'sReef]

I had a similar experience when the DA Reefkeeper elite came out. I was part of the early beta and support and information was slow to come out but it ended up being a really nice little controller for me.

The Control4 was almost marketed as being so easy to setup as an excuse for rushed to market perhaps? There's no doubt I think it will end up being a great controller and the software will evolve into something more usable in terms of data logging, should be easy to do. Not sure how many units they've sold so far but that would be interesting to know. I actually waited for it to come out because I really liked the ability to directly power pumps and eliminating power bricks on the Wave engine.

So far It's working as intended

 

[FishyFishFish]

Sarcazian,

That sounds like a very similar process to me. I actually already have the Hydros ATO in preparation for buying the controller (which is much less likely now) as the Hydros Control looked like a good deal; this would have cost a total of $280 for the Hydros Control 2 and ATO, which is relatively cheap but pretty basic (as an aside, the Hydros ATO sensor is bigger than I thought it would be, and the hose diameter is also a bit big and a weird size).

However, by using the ATO and temp sensor on the Control 2 you have already run out of sense ports and there is no room for an additional ATO safety sensor. If you buy the 4 sense port XS controller instead, then there are no drive ports to plug in the ATO. You could use a 'normal' ATO on a power plug but then, by the time you've bought a separate ATO, the cost is potentially in Control 4 territory. I did consider buying both Control 2 and XS starter packs (as it still works out cheaper than the Control 4 and you end up with 2 temp sensors and 2 power strips) rather than the Control 4, but then you can't use a PH probe and don't have 0-10v input/ouput.

As a comparison, the GHL mini WiFi is cheaper than the Control 4 but has notable advantages and disadvantages. It has a wired (which is preferable to some people) power strip that has power monitoring. It also has a screen on the controller with buttons, so you don't need extra switches and/or an app for doing things like entering feed mode or checking the temp/PH (it does also have an app). With the Hydros Control 2 and and ATO there aren't enough spare sense ports to add a DIY switch to enter feed mode. You would either have to feed at exactly the same time every day with a feed mode schedule, or go into the app every time you want to feed, which could be a pain after a while. Both PH and temp probes are included with the GHL Mini WiFI, as per the Control 4, except the temp sensor on the GHL is a lab-grade digital sensor. It also has the 0-10v control output and it looks like you can also connect additional level sensors to it.

The downside of the GHL mini is that it appears that expansion possibilities are limited (I think you can only use 1x 4-plug power strip) and you can't add loads of extra sensors; if you want that capability then you would need to step up to the Profilux 4 which is more expensive. Effectively it looks to me like the GHL Mini WiFi is more capable than the Control 4 and is cheaper, but is has less customisation options and expansion capability. There isn't really a lot more I would want to add to it though. One big difference between the Hydros and other options is simply marketing.

I haven't looked too much into Apex to see where this fits in.

The benefit of the Hydros over other controllers appears to be that it becomes cost-effective when you start adding loads of (hobby-grade) sensors. However, the details of how it all works together aren't widely advertised (for example, the 'get started' guide doesn't even mention that there are 2 different types of CommandBus cable for different connection purposes, which is pretty important) and, more importantly, I wasn't particularly happy with the response I got from CoralVue when I asked pretty basic questions.

 

[HM3105]

Completely switched from my systems from Apex to Hydros like 2 months ago. Everything was easy to install, easy to setup and literally took 30 minutes. I think some of the more advanced features I may need some help on but otherwise it's pretty straight forward.

I live in Texas, for the past three days the Hydros were being powered on and off every hour. Nothing failed to connect, everything kept running along like it should. Compared to my old Apex which needed a reset everytime the router it was connected to needed lost power it was much better.

So far, my experience with Hydros has been positive. My only complaint is that I bought the control 2 when it came out and they just released the XS model. I would have preferred the XS from the start.

 

[ReefBeta]

Well, let me start by saying that I haven't got a Coralvue Hydros, I didn't get that far.

I saw the system advertised and was really excited about it. As I always do with things like this, I tried to research it's capabilities (I enjoy the pre-purchase research part of the hobby almost as much as the hobby itself) but couldn't find much information. I reached out to Coralvue to see if there was a manual but there isn't one and they directed me to their 'get started' website and their online forum. If you search these websites and watch all of the YouTube videos then you will have a pretty good idea of how it works, but it's a painful process and neither of the websites really work well together (you need to read all of the forum threads to discover things that should really be on the 'get started' website in my opinion). As an example of where I have already seen this approach break down, there is a 3* online review on one of the retailer websites complaining about the power strip not correctly connecting to the Hydros app. However, I don't believe that the strip actually connects directly to the Hydros app, by design, without one of the controllers. This important fact isn't stated on the product description on the website (in fact, it almost leads you to think the opposite) and there is no manual, so it was never going to work as the purchaser intended.

When I questioned the lack of manual, it became clear that Coralvue believes that their method of promulgating the information is best and their tone was that, effectively, my opinion was wrong.

I then asked, on their forum, a very basic question about the use of the drive ports. I am pretty well educated in electronics but it has been a long time since I used that training and I am certainly not a software engineer. The reply to the question that I posed (how many Kamoer X1 dosers, if any, could I plug into a drive port) descended into a runaround of ifs and buts when the answer should really have been very simple; I never did get an answer and then the thread was locked. This does make me wonder how much electronics experience the Coralvue team has and whether they are predominately software engineers.

Several other basic questions I asked were ignored.

I really did want to try the system, even with the concerns I had with the instructions, as it does look really good at first glance. But the responses I received from the CoralVue Hydros team have left me disenchanted. I don't feel that if I bought a Hydros, which is undoubtedly still early in its development phase, that I would get the professional level of support that I would be expecting. It might be me expecting too much and I accept that they are probably very busy with product development, but had I received more friendly and accurate responses to my questions then I would be sitting here now with a Hydros in my hand. As it is, I am contemplating whether to go for GHL or whether to forego the computer completely.

If you do decide to go down the Hydros route then I would make sure you research fully before buying so that you know exactly what you are getting. If you use any of the DIY options (e.g. breakout boxes, adding components to drive ports etc) make sure you fully read the specs on the forum as there are some limitations on these ports that aren't widely advertised, and I believe could result in damage to your system if used incorrectly.

Rant over - I just needed to vent my frustration!!

I can relate. None of the common controllers did a good job at listing specs at all their ports, especially those powering ports. Powering Kamoer X1 with drive port is something I never thought about and first time hearing. So I'm actually not surprised that no one know the answer, when no one actually try it and no actual spec available. To be fair, even coralvue/kamoer themselves are not sure exactly how many kamoer can their included power supply can run. Not saying what you're asking for is not legit, just not really a common question asked by the hobbyists. Maybe Carlo as coralvue can bug their engineer lead to give you a good answer.

 

[FishyFishFish]

Maybe Carlo as coralvue can bug their engineer lead to give you a good answer.

It was Carlos who gave me the obscure answer. If he (or they) didn't know the answer (and for some reason couldn't find out) then why not just say so? His response was to say that it depends how much current it draws. I know that! That was effectively my question!!

I then asked if the drive ports had any over-current protection (twice) and didn't receive an answer, so I assume the answer is no. For a system that is sold as a DIY system (you can even buy the connectors separately to make up your own leads) you have to be quite careful not to exceed the specs of the ports, which are posted on their forum (but you need an account to view it), but aren't widely published.

 

[ReefBeta]

It was Carlos who gave me the obscure answer. If he (or they) didn't know the answer (and for some reason couldn't find out) then why not just say so? His response was to say that it depends how much current it draws. I know that! That was effectively my question!!

I then asked if the drive ports had any over-current protection (twice) and didn't receive an answer, so I assume the answer is no. For a system that is sold as a DIY system (you can even buy the connectors separately to make up your own leads) you have to be quite careful not to exceed the specs of the ports, which are posted on their forum (but you need an account to view it), but aren't widely published.

I actually didn't see them as DIY system. ReefPi is what I think about for DIY system.

BTW, do you have the link to the post of the port spec?

 

[Mjl714]

it's OK, pretty straight forward but I wish the graphing portion was a little more expansive or let me look back further than a few days and that the advanced options for some of the outputs had some more instructions or examples to emulate. I also wish I could merge my WaveEngine and Control 4 screen into 1 so I don't have to switch back and forth.

if the outlets lose the internet connectivity , does power go off?

 

[FishyFishFish]

I actually didn't see them as DIY system. ReefPi is what I think about for DIY system.

BTW, do you have the link to the post of the port spec?

That's a fair point. By DIY I mean being able to connect your own switches, sensors, lights etc to the system rather than being a self-built system like the ReefPi.

The port specs are on the Coralvue Hydros forum. They seem to think that is the best place for them so it should be easy to find

if the outlets lose the internet connectivity , does power go off?

Again, something that would be good to let everyone know, but they prefer to keep telling you that it won't happen. Internet connection is not required, but if the power strip loses connection to the Controller (which communicates via your router) then the outlets, apparently, stay in their last position.

 

[n2585722]

They do have an online manual for the hydros. The link is here https://www.coralvuehydros.com/product-support/hydros-control/ . You can get to this directly in the Hydros app by selecting help. I use the drive ports on my Control 4 to drive my dosing pumps but they are Intllab pumps. The amount of current they draw varies with the flow rate you have the pump set to. I currently have two on the same drive port along with a relay coil. They three together draw around 320 ma at 60ml of flow. The port max is 1amp or 1.5 amps total for both ports. I also have a Control 2 in a collective with the control 4. I needed 2 more drive ports to drive a couple of solenoids for my RODI to refill my DI tank when it gets low and my mix tank when the water is transfered from it to my salt water storage tank. i do have relay switch contacts hooked to some of the sense ports. This would be the same for hooking up a float switch. You just have to know which pins to hook the float switch to. The info is on their forum. If you cannot find the info you can always ask also.

I also live in Texas and was affected by the blackouts. The Hydros worked like a champ through so many blackout I could not keep track of them all. I got lucky I have not lost any livestock because of the blackouts and cold. I had one of the blackouts last as long as 4 hrs.

 

[jrill]

I did read the posts and questions by fishy guy on the Coralvue web site. Quite frankly I thought Carlos did answer your questions but you came off as argumentative and kinda *****. I wasn't surprised when they locked the thread. Sorry bud but that was my take on it.

 

[FishyFishFish]

I did read the posts and questions by fishy guy on the Coralvue web site. Quite frankly I thought Carlos did answer your questions but you came off as argumentative and kinda *****. I wasn't surprised when they locked the thread. Sorry bud but that was my take on it.

You're welcome to your opinion and I respect you for it. I admit I did get a bit argumentative, but only because I didn't feel (and still don't) that they answered my question, which I thought was quite simple, and I was getting frustrated. That also wasn't my first interaction with CoralVue, and I was already starting off from a low point.

They do have an online manual for the hydros. The link is here https://www.coralvuehydros.com/product-support/hydros-control/ .

As for the link to the 'manual', in my opinion that is barely a quick start guide and not a manual. For example, where does it show you the difference between the 2 command cables and what damage you can do to the system by using 2 power supplies and the wrong cable? Where does it mention the current limits of the drive ports as mentioned in your post?

Again, this is just my opinion and, aside from venting my frustration, I also want to warn people that there are peculiarities and limits with this system that are not widely advertised, that could result in damage to the system if not observed. If using the Hydros accessories then it is probably less of/not an issue, but if using breakout boxes, using your own accessories, or connecting multiple units together, there could be problems.

 

[n2585722]

If you follow the online instructions for hooking the units together then you cannot hookup two supplies at the same time.

Step 1: Physically connect both devices​

1. Using the CommandBus Cable, connect both HYDROS devices together by attaching the cables to the CommandBus port.
2. Add the CommandBus Terminator to ONE of the open CommandBus ports on either device
   WARNING: You MUST connect at least ONE CommandBus Terminator to your collective. If you do not, then the collective will NOT work correctly.
   
3. Once both devices are powered, proceed to Step 2.

 

[FishyFishFish]

It might be a rare occurrence but one problem I have had with a different system in the past is the failure of the controller's power supply (more than once) which ultimately resulted in the complete loss of my tank, so it is a bit of a concern for me.

If I bought 2 Hydros control units, that each come with a power supply, and I connected them together with a power supply in each controller then I would damage the system. If this wasn't possible then, in my opinion, there should be a warning to that effect in that set of instructions. However, it is actually easily possible to use 2 power supplies for redundancy; you just need to use a different command bus cable so that the power doesn't transfer between the 2 controllers.

 

[n2585722]

Unless the supplies are designed to be paralleled if one went down it would more than likely take down the other supply with it anyways. There has to be some kind of isolation so the bad supply does not become a load on the power buss. Besides my controllers are not on any kind of backup power so losing the controller is the same as loosing power to the house. So I have two pumps that run on battery backup regardless of power or controller control. The backup is suppose to be good for up to 36 hours. When we were having the blackouts I disconnected one pump just incase it was long term. There was sufficient flow form the 1 pump. There were a couple of time the power was off up to 4 hours at a time. My only issue was the temp in the tank. It did get below 70 at one point. Usually it never get down to 6 degrees here so most of us were not prepared for no power and temps that low. There are several people that lost everything in their tank. Which ever controller you do decide to get don't completely rely on it as they can alway fail.