Reef Link or WXM?

[Agraves77]

I’m in the process of a build and can’t decide between a wxm module for the apex or reef link. The review for the reef link on brs shows a few people not happy with it.

I have a gyre already for the tank and was thinking about a mp10 just to see whether I like the ecotech pumps better or maxspext. So if I decide to go vortechs which one is better for them to?

I plan on having 3 xr15’s.

Any advice or experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[ca1ore]

There is a quite involved process of calibrating the Radion lights with reeflink so that each light is exactly matched (or almost exactly) to the others. I do not believe this function also exists in the WXM. I use reeflink for my radions and Vectra; WXM for my vortechs.

 

[AdamNC]

Well I’ve never seen people on FB post “ Is the WXM down again?”

 

[reefwiser]

The issue with the Reeflink is the wifi radio in the unit. I alot of people rely on it to work an it is real flaky. I just hooked mine into a power line Ethernet connection that I use for my TV boxes (Apple TV and Tivo) and it stays blue all the time. I play with water flow alot so I like being able to use the Ecotech app on my phone as I can fire it up and make adjustments real easy. Lighting is no something I believe in playing with a lot as the corals will never get into a pattern and will tend to stop growing if one is playing with lighting levels all the time.

 

[lbacha]

I have a reeflink and it works great if it's connected to the internet but typically I have to unplug it and plug it back in a couple times a week to get it to connect again as it easily loses connection

 

[g5flier]

I have both APEX 2016 and ReefLink now for over 1 year. Love the APEX for what its good at and LOVE the ReefLink for my Vectra pumps, Radion Lights and VorTech pumps. If I had a dollar for every time my Apex was disconnected in the past year I could easily set up a new system with money, I couldn't by an air stone with the money I'd get from the ReefLink going down. Mine experience has been fantastic with it.

 

[lbacha]

I have both APEX 2016 and ReefLink now for over 1 year. Love the APEX for what its good at and LOVE the ReefLink for my Vectra pumps, Radion Lights and VorTech pumps. If I had a dollar for every time my Apex was disconnected in the past year I could easily set up a new system with money, I couldn't by an air stone with the money I'd get from the ReefLink going down. Mine experience has been fantastic with it.

How is your reeflink connected? Do you have it hard wired to the router.

 

[g5flier]

How is your reeflink connected? Do you have it hard wired to the router.

My home WiFi network, it sits about 10 feet away from my APEX. The only time it has ever been disconnected is when my entire wifi system is down.

 

[lbacha]

That's odd mine is the same. My apex hasn't ever disconnected and my reeflink does all the time

 

[g5flier]

That's odd mine is the same. My apex hasn't ever disconnected and my reeflink does all the time

Very odd indeed! I even have my Apex hooked up with Ethernet instead of wifi because it used to disconnect from wifi so many times per day that it wasn't usable. Once I hooked up to ethernet, its down maybe 5-10 times per week. ReefLink is ROCK solid all the time

 

[Ranjib]

the network connectivity (wifi) depends upon a whole range of things including hardware (router and reeflink/wxm), software (firmwares in both side) and settings (what bandwidth etc).. its very hard to compare these setups without specifics. User's experience will vary wildly as those dimensions changes

 

[PEP12]

I have 2 systems both with Apex 2016 both have Ecotech L1 main pumps and one with Radions I have not experienced any problems at all, I do use wifi extenders attached to my router to strengthen the range throughout my house