Which controller - Apex, Reef Keeper or Reef Angel

[Jakegr]

I'm a Profilux user... If I could do it again I would go with an Apex. Apex's are a fraction of the price of a Profilux, have the same functionality (and more), and seem to be a lot more user friendly (and Apple friendly!). Plus, Apex keeps coming out with new and highly practical add on's. Recently the Kessil dimmer, and automatic feeder. It is also rumored they will have Apex controllable pumps soon.

Don't get my wrong... my Profilux has worked very well for me over the last few years. But it does kind of suck seeing the Apex get all sorts of new add ons while Profilux has stayed mostly the same, especially given the price I paid for the latter. It hasn't helped that I have never once completed a problem-free firmware update for Profilux... I always need to perform the "emergency update procedure", which is a lot more complicated than plug in and update. The Mitras is the same way unfortunately.


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[byee]

Originally Posted by Jakegr

I'm a Profilux user... If I could do it again I would go with an Apex. Apex's are a fraction of the price of a Profilux, have the same functionality (and more), and seem to be a lot more user friendly (and Apple friendly!). Plus, Apex keeps coming out with new and highly practical add on's. Recently the Kessil dimmer, and automatic feeder. It is also rumored they will have Apex controllable pumps soon.

Don't get my wrong... my Profilux has worked very well for me over the last few years. But it does kind of suck seeing the Apex get all sorts of new add ons while Profilux has stayed mostly the same, especially given the price I paid for the latter. It hasn't helped that I have never once completed a problem-free firmware update for Profilux... I always need to perform the "emergency update procedure", which is a lot more complicated than plug in and update. The Mitras is the same way unfortunately.


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I made a consciences decision to exclude the Profilux simply because of the costs involved. The controller will simply be managing my 45g cube I'm in the process of setting up.

I purchased a Kessil 360we for my setup as the main light and built a DIY LED for the sump.

Originally Posted by NickC

I use the reef angel and love it. Best controller out there on the market imo.
The programming is tricky at first(if you know how to build webpages then it is easy. Very similiar to html). The conteoller can do anything you program it to so the options for what you can do are endless.

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NickC,

I'm sitting on the fence with the Arduino Mega2560 ReefAngel controller. Unfortunately, you can not build your own shields to add to the RA. For example, Atlas scientific makes a pH shield for $28 which only requires 5 wires to connect to the Arudino. If you want to add another pH probe, you'll need to buy the pH probe expansion fro $110. Same applies to the PWM dimming circuit, etc.

I would have definitely considered it I can build/add my own shields.