Djplus1

Hey all, just curious how many people use Alexa for their Apex controllers? Basically, is it a complete replacement of using a display hooked up with the additional benefit of voice? I currently have my display RMA to Neptune and if they try to tell me it's going to be $100 to fix, I'd rather just buy a cheap Amazon Fire Tablet and mount it on wall near tank provided I can just hit buttons for feed/maintenance without reaching into my pockets with wet hands etc. Any downfalls I'm not thinking of?

Wow, as in JUST opened, like 2 days ago, lol.

Looks like I'll be planning a quick drive by of a couple VA spots soon. I was going to contact monkiboy, but I also noticed that his last posts from a while back seem to lean towards no longer being in business. Supreme Reefs, Reefescape and BRK are close enough to hit up in one day so I guess a little recon mission is imminent. And where in MD are you? I'm up in Sykesville so nothing particularly close other than CTE Aquatics (Timonium), Aquatic Creations (Ijamsville) and House of Tropicals (Glen Burnie)

Define "more expensive"? Like a 25% upcharge or double/triple price? Ultimately I'm not super sensitive on price as this is a Waterbox 45.2 so I don't see myself adding more than 6-7 small fish.

As title says, who locally is the best for fish (variety/health/reputation) in the DC and Baltimore metro areas? It seems most/all the shops that were around 10+ years ago are no more.

I just tried to do this on Fusion (which sucks BTW) and logging into the Apex directly. I'm unable to delete from Fusion, but did it through the Apex site. Fusion shows I have three spaces. the EB8, Display and EMPTY when I have the display plugged in, with the display showing as "disconnected" and unable to do anything from Fusion. If I click on the EMPTY module, it says there is a module issue and to select delete from the menu and save, but that doesn't do anything even though it says it was a success. EMPTY is still an option and the display still shows as "disconnected" and I can't make any selections. If I go back to the Apex site, I can delete the display and then Fusion only says the EB8 and the EMPTY module is showing. The Apex site does not show this EMPTY module, only the EB8 so I'm not sure where to go from here.

Apex: How to change the name of your tank in Fusion? | Reef2Reef

Not sure if this helps your situation, but I ran across this today while trying to change me "name" and someone is asking about clearing data.

I've been setting up stuff over the last few days and got my Apex working and reprogrammed, but the display seems to be just "flashing" with no text showing. I just upgraded the firmware hoping that would help and have plugged into both Apex Lite brain and EB8 and it's still flashing. Any ideas?

So, the tank has water in it, tested everything so far except the ATO and my old Apex Lite. I actually have some living critters (mainly worms, but also Gary the snail and at least one piece of plate coral (barely hanging on)) from the sand and couple inches water that the seller left from two weeks ago. He also left a couple bags, 1 Rox and 1 chemipure elite in the rear chambers which I assume I should leave for the couple/few weeks till cycle is complete. I'm curious if I should add the skimmer I just got from trade now of wait for cycle to be complete? Also, since I clearly have some living stuff, should I get a small CUC pack this week (<15 snails and hermits) or should I also wait for cycle? I have yet to test water. Lastly, I've generally always used Rox, should I add chemipure elite to the mix, or is there something else I should use alongside Rox that's either cheaper or wildly more effective than using chemipure bags every few months? Keeping it simple in the two back chambers, no reactors.

Can anyone decipher the manufacturing dates from these two MP10 serial #'s? Approximately at least?

There is another outlet (non gfci) around the front wall directly to the left that you can't see (same circuit I believe) that I could always tap into in case of GFCI failure and another opposite the tank (separate circuit, I think) that is on the stairs coming down to basement that I can run a cord over to without much fuss "temporarily" so I don't feel I'm completely screwed in an emergency situation

It's the very unpopulated side of the utility room and I'm pretty sure the only outlets are for the main utilities on the other side 20 feet away.

Yes and no. Everything I have is controllable under another app, so I don't EVER need to program this if I choose not to so I don't feel like waiting for more than I need to so I can get running. But I DO need to set up physically right now as I don't have space to work when tank is full. I was just concerned if I randomly think I've got power to everything, just for circulation pump or skimmer to turn off at night and me not realizing or turning lights off intermittently all day as I have no idea what outlet I previously used for what.

I'm in the process of sorting through stuff and set up a "new to me" tank and was wondering if my old EB8 will act as a "powerstrip" as in always "on" for the time being until I decide when to program anything? I just plugged it in and the thing that makes me suspicious is that all outlets powered on a lamp except #3. I assume this means one of two things. A. #3 is busted or B. #3 is holding a program of some sort and all of the others will at some point turn on/off throughout day. I haven't even begun to think about getting the thing online, but I do need to mount it to the backside of the stand which needs to happen before I put water in.

Ideally, this is what I'd also like, but this is a weird bump out wet bar opposite stairs and there isn't another nearby circuit I can readily tap off of.

The stand has a nice size cut out, but that outlet is lower to the ground, so resetting a tripped GFCI will be a little tricky, but doable. Replacing would have to be done on the other side of the wall as I was considering also adding an access panel as my utility room is right behind.

Not sure if this matters to most, but how many outlets do most people use behind their tanks? Do you think I'm fine with this single GFCI outlet or should I tap off this other junction to create another outlet up higher? Once the tank is set up, I won't be able to access area easily (if at all)

Let's put it this way, I'm skeptical of any measuring device in the aquarium trade, but I'm willing to bet if I bought another tds meter, I wouldn't necessarily put much stock in one reading 001 and another reading 000, so I'm going with this reading, lol.

I just found my order from BRS so these were all purchased Sept. 2017 so at least I know they aren't any older than that. I've been running it for about 15 minutes and I'm at 001 for in and 000 for out so I think I may just roll the dice on this one.

I need to change the battery apparently, but then I'll find out I guess. That reef2reef thread sounds like this guy had his broken down out of water which I think is a different story all together. Do you personally think if it reads 0 I'll be fine?

Just curious, but do these filters go "bad" if just sitting soaked? I have probably made at most 50 gallons to set up a tank about 7-8 years ago and this is just sitting on my wall. Nothing has been pushed through since.

Long time buddy. When you say "brain" do you mean the display module? I don't recall "needing" those at all if you programmed through their "app". I'm pretty sure I only ever had one on my main tank and the other two just had programmed Apex Jr's with no display. Of course my memory may be foggy, lol.

This tank was running and had corals in it Sunday morning. There's a couple broken pieces that I'm willing to bet are still alive if I were to get this thing semi set up in the next couple days. But yeah, Ill probably wait a couple weeks to add anything additional.

So, I'm an idiot. Haven't had a tank running in 10 years (used to have 3 running at once). Decided to check out CTE Aquatics up in Timonium on a whim, and thought to myself, maybe I'll just get that old RSM 130 up and running for cheap, maybe a new heater, try to fix an LED hood upgrade I've been sitting on for the last 7-8 years and that'll do her. Then figured I try to get a decent small LED on FB Marketplace, got stood up. Then struck gold. Ended up picking up a Waterbox 45.2 Marine set up with the Sicce SDC Wifi pump, Tunze ATO, Red Sea ReefLED 90, and Reef Octopus Classic 150 S for $600 total this morning. Looks like I'm back to reefing lol! A couple questions though. Is this skimmer "too big" for this tank? It's rated for much larger volume (seller said he briefly used it in this tank, but didn't keep fish in it recently so only used for a few months) Second, I'm noticing all of these devices have apps and other "controls" (much different than 10-15 years ago, lol) are people still using Apex or other controllers? Or are they obsolete? I have a couple Jr's and a full (or lite, not totally sure) laying around and not sure if they are effectively glorified power strips at this point? He also left a little water and live sand from breaking down this weekend. How long can I expect this to remain live? Should I immediately add freshly mixed salt water or am I good for a week or so? Would I be able to immediately add any livestock as this would be "cycled" already? Anything else I'm walking into that is going to be crazy different than before?