Salinity Probes that work with the Apex

[C_mo97]

Does anyone know if there is a cheaper solution for the salinity probes? The only ones I have seen have been in the $120 range and the Neptune salinity probe has bad reviews.

Any info on cheaper or even just better probes for the price is much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[JeffLED]

Does anyone know if there is a cheaper solution for the salinity probes? The only ones I have seen have been in the $120 range and the Neptune salinity probe has bad reviews.

Any info on cheaper or even just better probes for the price is much appreciated. Thanks.

Did you ever figure anything out with this?

 

[Billldg]

Not sure if any exist.

 

[C_mo97]

Did you ever figure anything out with this?

Nope. Just used ones which kinda sucks.

 

[ca1ore]

If the hope is that there are economical alternatives that somehow work better than the Neptune probe ….. prepare to be disappointed. As far as I know, they all work in the same way and are vulnerable to the same problems. The best answer is to find a spot that is well isolated. I know at least one person that mounts the probe pointing up so that air bubbles do not collect.

 

[robbyg]

If the hope is that there are economical alternatives that somehow work better than the Neptune probe ….. prepare to be disappointed. As far as I know, they all work in the same way and are vulnerable to the same problems. The best answer is to find a spot that is well isolated. I know at least one person that mounts the probe pointing up so that air bubbles do not collect.

Yep! You would have to build a whole new Interface module. I think the Aquatronica probe uses four or six wires going to the probe. I assume two wires send a small AC voltage to the primary side of the coil in the probe and two wires are used to pickup the return voltage on the secondary.

 

[User1]

If the hope is that there are economical alternatives that somehow work better than the Neptune probe ….. prepare to be disappointed. As far as I know, they all work in the same way and are vulnerable to the same problems. The best answer is to find a spot that is well isolated. I know at least one person that mounts the probe pointing up so that air bubbles do not collect.

Oddly enough the live stream Neptune ran on Feb 20th talks about the salinity probe. Worth checking out but in a nutshell them mentioned some have better success positioning the probe at an angle.

Mine seems to be more or less within its margin of error. While not often I do send in about 3 ICP tests a year (ATI) and at that time I check the results to both salinity and trident numbers. So far I have no complaints but do understand and hear other users concerns.

 

[JeffLED]

...while I have you. I'm new on the forum - it is probably frowned to change subjects, but we already rekindled a dead topic, so why not go for it! I just cannot find the answer anywhere else on the forums! I swear I have searched high and low!

Does anyone know if there is a standard plug that will fit the 2-pin 24V DC Port on the Apex (NOT the 1-link ports)?
Yes, I I have seen the wiring harness available with bare wires, but paying $20 for a plug and wire is sacrilege to a hacker!

I have 12V LED's in my stand that turn on when I open the door. They are currently powered off a transformer, but I need to free that spot up for another 120V device, so I figured I could move the LED's over to the 24V DC port by wiring them up in series. I have assorted plugs for many of my remote control hobbies, and while I can make something with proper pin spacing work, I was wondering if there was something that provides a proper fit.

 

[Miller535]

The apex salinity probe works very well. That bad reviews are people who did not calibrate them correctly, and who placed them in parts of their tanks with too much flow and bubbles.

 

[C_mo97]

...while I have you. I'm new on the forum - it is probably frowned to change subjects, but we already rekindled a dead topic, so why not go for it! I just cannot find the answer anywhere else on the forums! I swear I have searched high and low!

Does anyone know if there is a standard plug that will fit the 2-pin 24V DC Port on the Apex (NOT the 1-link ports)?
Yes, I I have seen the wiring harness available with bare wires, but paying $20 for a plug and wire is sacrilege to a hacker!

I have 12V LED's in my stand that turn on when I open the door. They are currently powered off a transformer, but I need to free that spot up for another 120V device, so I figured I could move the LED's over to the 24V DC port by wiring them up in series. I have assorted plugs for many of my remote control hobbies, and while I can make something with proper pin spacing work, I was wondering if there was something that provides a proper fit.

Not sure about this sorry. Maybe start your own thread in the DIY section of R2R.

 

[Miller535]

...while I have you. I'm new on the forum - it is probably frowned to change subjects, but we already rekindled a dead topic, so why not go for it! I just cannot find the answer anywhere else on the forums! I swear I have searched high and low!

Does anyone know if there is a standard plug that will fit the 2-pin 24V DC Port on the Apex (NOT the 1-link ports)?
Yes, I I have seen the wiring harness available with bare wires, but paying $20 for a plug and wire is sacrilege to a hacker!

I have 12V LED's in my stand that turn on when I open the door. They are currently powered off a transformer, but I need to free that spot up for another 120V device, so I figured I could move the LED's over to the 24V DC port by wiring them up in series. I have assorted plugs for many of my remote control hobbies, and while I can make something with proper pin spacing work, I was wondering if there was something that provides a proper fit.

I would maybe check out the apex forum.

 

[JeffLED]

I got my answer! For anyone else that comes across this, here is the answer:
It's a Molex connector: https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/molex/0430250200/WM1783-ND/252496

 

[MikeyG]

The apex salinity probe works very well. That bad reviews are people who did not calibrate them correctly, and who placed them in parts of their tanks with too much flow and bubbles.

I hate t disagree with you but your statement is incorrect.
Me personally have gone through multiple recalibration steps including both automatic and manually calibration and wound up with inaccurate results.
Just this week I worked with Neptune support to recalibrate the probe. It turned out that its reading 6ppm lower than it should.
The technician walked me through step by step and it did not differ from my results.
In the end the technician noted that by drying the probe and placing it in the 53000 solution it should read 34.8 to 35.2ppm.
In my case it read 28.9.
I do acknowledge that salinity testing is not as precise as it should in the home aquarium.
I could Iinvest in a $2000 lab grade salinity tester but that would chase me out of the hobby.
The hundreds if not thousands of people reporting problems with thus probe does say something about the build quality.
There are hundreds of expertise reefers with way more experience than I have also acknowledged issues with the Neptune salinity probe.

 

[Miller535]

I hate t disagree with you but your statement is incorrect.
Me personally have gone through multiple recalibration steps including both automatic and manually calibration and wound up with inaccurate results.
Just this week I worked with Neptune support to recalibrate the probe. It turned out that its reading 6ppm lower than it should.
The technician walked me through step by step and it did not differ from my results.
In the end the technician noted that by drying the probe and placing it in the 53000 solution it should read 34.8 to 35.2ppm.
In my case it read 28.9.
I do acknowledge that salinity testing is not as precise as it should in the home aquarium.
I could Iinvest in a $2000 lab grade salinity tester but that would chase me out of the hobby.
The hundreds if not thousands of people reporting problems with thus probe does say something about the build quality.
There are hundreds of expertise reefers with way more experience than I have also acknowledged issues with the Neptune salinity probe.

Sounds like you have a bad probe then, or some other issue. Yours not working does mean the product doesn't work.

 

[Jvalle]

Hi apex for me has been good. Thx

 

[Miller535]

@MikeyG A salinity of 34.8-35.2 is a specific gravity of 1.0262-1.0265. That is a negligible difference. A difference that you would not even see on a refractometer. Yours didnt read what a calibrated probe should, what neptune even told you it should once calibrated. You have something broken

 

[C. Eymann]

One other thing that can throw off salinity probes is how the wires are run, if you have them tucked away along with other cords, esp power source cables it can cause interference with the probes readings, just food for thought.

 

[Miller535]

One other thing that can throw off salinity probes is how the wires are run, if you have them tucked away along with other cords, esp power source cables it can cause interference with the probes readings, just food for thought.

Exactly, as I stated much earlier in the thread, where you mount them matters, a lot.

 

[Spieg]

Why so offensively defensive? You work for Neptune or something?

 

[rlman41299]

The apex salinity probe works very well. That bad reviews are people who did not calibrate them correctly, and who placed them in parts of their tanks with too much flow and bubbles.

This is very true. Mine has been working very well, placed in a part of my sump with very little flow and no bubbles and so far consistent at 36.5. It fluctuates when my return pump is off since there is no flow down there and shoots the reading to 39. Hence I know that my probe is working as it should be