New to Hydros, long time apex user.

Xombie2000 · Feb 11, 2023

I’m new to hydros and have read but am just not getting it yet. I have had no hands on so if someone would be so kind as to help me design a system to do the following:

-Measure ph, ALK, CA, Mg and salinity
-Measure ph in a calcium reactor and control dosing
-ATO
-return pump on/off
-control heater
-Skimmer on/off
-Power down lights on high temperature
-spill sensor

n2585722 · Feb 11, 2023

Xombie2000 said:
I’m new to hydros and have read but am just not getting it yet. I have had no hands on so if someone would be so kind as to help me design a system to do the following:

-Measure ph, ALK, CA, Mg and salinity
-Measure ph in a calcium reactor and control dosing
-ATO
-return pump on/off
-control heater
-Skimmer on/off
-Power down lights on high temperature
-spill sensor

It sounds like you would want to start with a X4 pro pack. That comes with an X4 and a XP8 controller. It also has a command buss cable and two terminators you will need to create a collective with the two controllers. I also has a temp sensor and a pH probe. It looks like you will need another pH probe but the X4 has two ports for that. It also has two drive ports which can be used to power a Hydros ATO pump, Hydros dosing pump and solenoids. It is a 12v DC port. There are 4 sense ports. One will be used by the temp sensor. The other three will accept water level sensors, leak detectors, flow meters etc. The XP8 has 8 AC outputs that can power pumps and most anything that requires AC power as long as the single output rating and total rating is not exceeded. To use it for ATO Hydros has a ATO kit that has a small pump and a water level sensor. That would use a sense port and a drive port. There are outputs for lighting that allows you to set a temp sensor to shut down the lights. I don't use it since I only have LED lighting. I also control cooling fans for my tank hardly ever gets above 78.2.

As far as measuring salinity. That is not out yet. That will be on the X10 controller. Alkalinity can be done with either the KH Carer, Alkatronic or the IV and X10 when they are released. For calcium and magnesium it would be the Mastertronic. Any of those will interface with the Hydros. I use the KH Carer for Alkalinity. Below is a screenshot of my hex tank page for input on my Hydros. Below that are graphs of temp and pH. Below that is a graphs of the pH and alkalinity inputs from the KH Carer. The Hydros gets the data via the internet form the Kamoer server. The Alkatronic and Mastertronic is done in a similar fashon. I use Hana testers for the other test and do them weekly.

Xombie2000 · Feb 12, 2023

I looked at the Alkatronic given the price ($900), would the apex system be more cost effective or is the X10 price known yet?

n2585722 · Feb 12, 2023

Xombie2000 said:
I looked at the Alkatronic given the price ($900), would the apex system be more cost effective or is the X10 price known yet?

The KH Carer by Kamoer may be a little less than the Alkatronic. They both use the same reagent but the KH carer is mixed 1 to 8 instead of1 to 4. Both will only do Alkalinity. The KH Carer you can get the pH reading it takes just before it starts adding the reagent but it is calibrated with 7 and 4 cal solutions so it is does not read the same as the Hydros pH probe but I don't see a major difference between them. I forgot to mention that the large gap in the graphs were from no internet for 5 straight days. So I guess it could not be loaded to the cloud. I am currently using the dosing pump on the KH Carer to dose my KH buffer but I think I am going to try it using dynamic dosing from the Hydros. I have an XD controller that I am not using yet and it will power 3 dosing pumps. I was eventually going to use it for lighting when CoralVue comes out with the right output type for it but for now I can use it to play around with trying to dose alkalinity dosing from the Hydros. I think I can make it more even doing it that way.

I have not heard anything about pricing yet for the X10 but it comes with a salinity probe, pH probe and temp probe I believe. It also has 4 dosing pumps built into it. My guess is it will be higher than any that has been released to date. I also have not heard anything about a release date other than this year. It was announced at the same time as the XD, but the XD is a smaller controller and uses the same box that the XS, X2 and X3 so they may have had all the parts other than the PC boards around already.