Introducing the Hydros Maven

[areefer01]

well you also need to add the cost of a Apex unit too.

So you need 3 things to equal what Maven does by itself.

You are correct - there is a controller cost associated with the Trident. However Neptune never promoted the Trident as a stand alone kit. Point being most who buy it are already in the ecosystem. I do agree that someone new or deciding to enter has to look at that as a factor.

Hydros on the other hand released a new product several years after. I am not knocking that as that wouldn't be cool. Short answer would be they had a clean slate to work with.

I'm sure both will do well respectively.

 

[thecodingart]

I mean, if this is at Reefapalooza, I’ll ask Brian tomorrow and report back. CoralVue also has a few presentations and if their reps are willing to respond that’s an easy confirmation or benchmark. Any proper news source always confirms from multiple sources.

Following up on this, I confirmed the following from a Hydros rep;

- The current target price of the Maven will be $1200 (max) but could be less
- No pricing on reagents yet, they are proprietary
- No timeline committed, would be nice to release in the next 6 months
- calibration is once every 6 months or so ideally

 

[braaap]

I mean, if this is at Reefapalooza, I’ll ask Brian tomorrow and report back. CoralVue also has a few presentations and if their reps are willing to respond that’s an easy confirmation or benchmark. Any proper news source always confirms from multiple sources.

The owner of Coralvue just confirmed the price at $1200. Proprietary reagents that only they will produce. They claimed they wanted to control availability. Yet they can't keep anything in stock anywhere.

 

[thecodingart]

The owner of Coralvue just confirmed the price at $1200. Proprietary reagents that only they will produce. They claimed they wanted to control availability. Yet they can't keep anything in stock anywhere.

Yup, same presentation — they just said this aloud.

 

[thecodingart]

Following up on this, I confirmed the following from a Hydros rep;

- The current target price of the Maven will be $1200 (max) but could be less
- No pricing on reagents yet, they are proprietary
- No timeline committed, would be nice to release in the next 6 months
- calibration is once every 6 months or so ideally

More to note,
- there is a magnetic stirrer accessible outside the unit for cleaning
- there will be $40 replacement parts for the internal pumps which can be self serviced
- the pumps air clean the tubes after every test, both the in and out lines
- reagent lines are about 3 feet and they are looking at cable management options, you cannot cut or modify those lines
- the lack of a salinity tester is for cost

 

[braaap]

More to note,
- there is a magnetic stirrer accessible outside the unit for cleaning
- there will be $40 replacement parts for the internal pumps which can be self serviced
- the pumps air clean the tubes after every test, both the in and out lines
- reagent lines are about 3 feet and they are looking at cable management options, you cannot cut or modify those lines
- the lack of a salinity tester is for cost

It seems like they thought of almost everything. I can't imagine a Salinity port would add much to pricing and would be a very nice addition. Because then this device would be the only device people need for testing.

 

[n2585722]

It seems like they thought of almost everything. I can't imagine a Salinity port would add much to pricing and would be a very nice addition. Because then this device would be the only device people need for testing.

It does not have a pH/ORP port either. There is a limit to the inputs and outputs on the microprocessors used in these controllers. My bet they are at the limit or close with this one. All you would need for both is to add the Launch to it and create a collective. That would also add 4 AC outlet and another 4 drive ports to the 2 on the Maven. The Launch also had 4 sense ports.

 

[piranhaman00]

Never understood auto testing and certainly don’t understand this.

Neptune is probably thrilled Maven is using proprietary reagents. Push more people awayz

 

[n2585722]

Never understood auto testing and certainly don’t understand this.

Neptune is probably thrilled Maven is using proprietary reagents. Push more people awayz

Hanna testers use proprietary reagents. That didn't stop me form getting their testers. That will not stop me from getting the Maven either.

 

[areefer01]

The owner of Coralvue just confirmed the price at $1200. Proprietary reagents that only they will produce. They claimed they wanted to control availability. Yet they can't keep anything in stock anywhere.

Not confrontational but am I the only one to find the irony in "proprietary" reagents yet they are scalping off of Neptune?

 

[Derrick0580]

I look at it this way….I see way less complaints about Hydros equipment than I do about Neptune products. This tells me that CV is doing something right. IMO CV needs to offer say a 10-15% discout if you ship them your old apex system back after what happened a while back and neptune somehow got all retailers to pull hydros systems off the shelves and websites. Reef Builders had a big write up about it. Then make a video showing them being crushed in a compactor, “crushing the competition!” I won’t support anyone pulling dirty business practices. Just like when GHL accused a random youtube reviewer of purposefully giving their tester a bad review because he was a fan boy of another system, not because it simply doesn’t work as advertised.

 

[braaap]

Not confrontational but am I the only one to find the irony in "proprietary" reagents yet they are scalping off of Neptune?

There are different ways to do theses tests according to ABC reagents. Hydros likely uses one of those instead of what Neptune uses.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

Bummer on the price. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you can make a 3 parameter trident and sell it for $675 I don’t see why a 5 parameter unit would need to be over $1k. Yes it tests more parameters but in terms of hardware cost it shouldn’t cost much more to add two parameters to a three parameter unit. I probably would have gone with the maven if it was under 1K but now I can’t justify the price versus just getting the Neptune unit since I’m already in that ecosystem. The Trident is basically priced such that it is only a valid option for those already in that ecosystem, and the maven is essentially priced such that it is only a valid option to those not already in the Apex ecosystem. If they had dropped the price by two or $300 I think they could’ve pulled some Neptune customers over.

 

[braaap]

I look at it this way….I see way less complaints about Hydros equipment than I do about Neptune products. This tells me that CV is doing something right. IMO CV needs to offer say a 10-15% discout if you ship them your old apex system back after what happened a while back and neptune somehow got all retailers to pull hydros systems off the shelves and websites. Reef Builders had a big write up about it. Then make a video showing them being crushed in a compactor, “crushing the competition!” I won’t support anyone pulling dirty business practices. Just like when GHL accused a random youtube reviewer of purposefully giving their tester a bad review because he was a fan boy of another system, not because it simply doesn’t work as advertised.

Except that isn't what happened at all. Reefbuilders did do an article about it. And then Ryan with BRS completely debunked it and told CoralVue that they needed to test it after they got burned by the Vertex Cerebra Prima controller.

I don't know anything about the crushing video because I can't find it and haven't seen it.

I do agree about the complaints thing. I don't trust my Neptune Systems Apex. I've been considering switching to Hydros. But I'm also not very satisfied with the answers that CoralVue has for my questions. They just glaze over them and act like they can't be fussed to answer.

 

[E.intheC]

$1200 is wild. So disappointing.

 

[braaap]

Bummer on the price. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you can make a 3 parameter trident and sell it for $675 I don’t see why a 5 parameter unit would need to be over $1k. Yes it tests more parameters but in terms of hardware cost it shouldn’t cost much more to add two parameters to a three parameter unit. I probably would have gone with the maven if it was under 1K but now I can’t justify the price versus just getting the Neptune unit since I’m already in that ecosystem. The Trident is basically priced such that it is only a valid option for those already in that ecosystem, and the maven is essentially priced such that it is only a valid option to those not already in the Apex ecosystem. If they had dropped the price by two or $300 I think they could’ve pulled some Neptune customers over.

Did Neptune announce their pricing? My problem is I don't want ANOTHER ugly trident in my stand. The first one is a massive waste of space already.

 

[n2585722]

Bummer on the price. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, if you can make a 3 parameter trident and sell it for $675 I don’t see why a 5 parameter unit would need to be over $1k. Yes it tests more parameters but in terms of hardware cost it shouldn’t cost much more to add two parameters to a three parameter unit. I probably would have gone with the maven if it was under 1K but now I can’t justify the price versus just getting the Neptune unit since I’m already in that ecosystem. The Trident is basically priced such that it is only a valid option for those already in that ecosystem, and the maven is essentially priced such that it is only a valid option to those not already in the Apex ecosystem. If they had dropped the price by two or $300 I think they could’ve pulled some Neptune customers over.

You do realize that with the Apex Trident you have to have both of the tridents to do all 5 test so you will need compare the cost of both of the Tridents with the cost of the Maven. Also the Tridents will not work without an Apex controller but the Maven can work alone if you want just it or can be part fo a Hydros collective also.

 

[n2585722]

$1200 is wild. So disappointing.

With the Trident you would have to buy both to get all 5 things the Maven test for. Also you will need a Apex controller system to use them. The Maven can be used on it's own if you want. That cost is less than what it would cost you to get both of the Tridents.

 

[braaap]

You do realize that with the Apex Trident you have to have both of the tridents to do all 5 test so you will need compare the cost of both of the Tridents with the cost of the Maven. Also the Tridents will not work without an Apex controller but the Maven can work alone if you want just it or can be part fo a Hydros collective also.

I think he likely factors that. You can get a used Apex for $300 with a power bar and temp and ph probes. The cheapest setup you could get that would have a power bar and probes from Hydros is a Control XS which is just a temp probe and 4 plug outlets for $200. A comparable would be the X3 Pro pack which is $540 for PH and temp along with 8 outlets.

So all in you could be $1500ish for an Apex with 8 outlet control, all 5 parameter testing, ph and temp.

A Hydros would be $1749 for that same stuff. Granted you might be able to find a used X3 Pro. But that is quite rare right now.

I have a full Apex system with Trident. I'm still considering switching over to Hydros because Apex just isn't the quality it used to be.

Moral of the story is you are going to spend just about the same for each system to have the same features.

 

[n2585722]

I think he likely factors that. You can get a used Apex for $300 with a power bar and temp and ph probes. The cheapest setup you could get that would have a power bar and probes from Hydros is a Control XS which is just a temp probe and 4 plug outlets for $200. A comparable would be the X3 Pro pack which is $540 for PH and temp along with 8 outlets.

So all in you could be $1500ish for an Apex with 8 outlet control, all 5 parameter testing, ph and temp.

A Hydros would be $1749 for that same stuff. Granted you might be able to find a used X3 Pro. But that is quite rare right now.

I have a full Apex system with Trident. I'm still considering switching over to Hydros because Apex just isn't the quality it used to be.

Moral of the story is you are going to spend just about the same for each system to have the same features.

Don't forget the Launch it is a little more but has a pH port, salinity port, 4 sense ports and 4 0-10v inputs for inputs and 4 drive ports and 4 AC outlet for output ports. If you are going new and want more than what the Maven has it might be better to get it with the Maven. I already have 14 of the Hydros controllers in a collective so the Maven would defiantly be the way for me to go if I want to add more that alkalinity testing which I already have to mine. If you want to do more that once a day testing on Alkalinity then you would probably still want the iV for that since the reagent is a lot less expensive since it is just diluted sulfuric acid. Also the Maven wast has to be dump in a waste container and the iV can go back into the tank.