by AquaNerd | Sep 11, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, Technology
The Radion has been one of the most popular LED fixtures on the market, just as the Apex has been one of the most popular aquarium controllers. But for the first two years of coexistence in the aquarium equipment marketplace, the two weren’t exactly a match made in heaven, despite the fact that Neptune Systems has heavily supported EcoTech Marine products. The Apex controller worked relatively well with the Radion from the onset, but the lack of wireless control was always a big issue for aquarium keepers. Fortunately, through continued development of wireless communications in the aquarium industry and the release of the new Apex Fusion dashboard, the Radion and the Apex can now work hand in hand without requiring the use of unsightly wires. Announced at MACNA 2013 just a week ago, Neptune Systems has finally broken through the previously mentioned wireless barrier for the Radion, and for users of VorTech wireless pumps, it may not cost them any extra. The WXM module, which has been around almost as long as the pumps with the wireless drivers, can now communicate with the Radion and allow users to implement all sorts of LED control with the Apex Fusion dashboard and the associated lighting wizards. by AquaNerd | Sep 11, 2013 | Equipment, Industry, MACNA
Neptune Systems was a big player at MACNA once again, and it wasn’t just new hardware that they were rolling out. Their biggest news is the release of their Fusion dashboard, which is a brand new interface that allows aquarium control freaks to access and modify the settings on their Apex controller via the cloud through all sorts of different Internet capable devices. Oooohhh, the cloooouuuud. The benefit to the Apex Fusion is that it is located entirely on the Neptune System servers, which not only gives more firepower to the software, but also streamlines the entire user experience in the process. This streamlining will be primarily accomplished through the use of wizards, such as the Lighting Wizard on display at the show, and by taking away some of the programming barriers that make wireless connection a challenge for those not well versed in programming and network design. Neptune Systems designed the Fusion dashboard with a mobile first mentality. This means that it was built specifically for mobile devices before making its way onto the computer. It’s an approach that is becoming far more common as our population continues its push towards mobility, and something we can truly appreciate as reef keepers constantly on the go. Neptune Systems promises that there are no differences in features between mobile platforms and the computer versions, meaning that the mobile dashboard isn’t some watered down version of the full platform by AquaNerd | Sep 10, 2013 | Equipment, Fish, Industry
Neptune Systems had quite the busy MACNA weekend. Besides their day one user workshop and the announcement of wireless Radion support, AI wireless support (more on that later), and Apex Fusion, they also released their new Automatic Feeding System (AFS). The AFS is the first controllable automatic fish feeder to make it to the aquarium industry, and with all of the safeguards and control functions built into the Apex controller, it will likely be the easiest and safest to use. On top of that, the feeder can be programmed to add food to the tank not only on a frequency interval, but also based on various water parameters, really eliminating the possibilities of feeding at the wrong time. The Neptune Systems AFS can handle various types of dry foods, including pellets or flakes, which can be dosed in varying amounts and frequency. You can feed as little as zero times up to as many as you’d like. Additionally, because the feeder is controlled, it can be programmed to skip a feeding if a certain water parameter is out of whack, and water pumps and skimmers can automatically be shut off during the feeding time if necessary. It truly is one of the last pieces to full aquarium automation, and a welcome site for hobbyists who vacation frequently or just want to set up a fully controlled system. The AFS connects via the Apex AquaBus-mini Cable and is compatible with the Apex, Apex Lite, and Apex Jr. by AquaNerd | Sep 10, 2013 | Equipment
Vertex packed their booth full of MACNA goodies this year, with some of their biggest news being the availability of a brand new line of PVC and acrylic sumps. As is obvious from the photos, these new sump are designed to match both the aesthetics and functionality of the rest of the Vertex product line. The majority of the sump’s body is made from white PVC (top, bottom, and all but one side) with a large acrylic viewing window for viewing. Each model comes with a variety of different accessories, which could include filter sock holders, probe holders, tubing that stylishly connects dosing systems, an adjustable baffle leading into the return section, and several more. The new Vertex sumps, which are quite similar the Royal Exclusiv Dreambox, at least in appearance, are welded together with PVC welding solvents that find their way between joints. The sumps are also eurobraced, a design that typically just adds rigidity to the structure to prevent unwanted bowing, but with these sumps it’s a little different. by AquaNerd | Sep 9, 2013 | Equipment
Our first sneak preview on the chopping block this morning is the new Orphek Helix protein skimmer. Approximately two years in the making, this skimmer puts a new spin on the art of bubble making, quite literally. While many of the features on the Helix are already standard issue in this crowded segment of the hobby, Orphek strove to do something better. Through the help of their unique bubble plate, which has an extra pair of ported chambers, the bubbles will not only drift upwards toward the collection cup, but the entire water column will rotate. In addition to that, they have big plans for the controllable DC pump. The two radially ported chambers sit on top of the bubble chamber, but do not cover the entire thing. Bubbles can still escape the bubble trap as they would in any other protein skimmer, but the ported chambers push water in a rotating horizontal direction out of curved ports
