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View Full Version : Apex Jr. or just a long bus cable?


Aero175
01/26/2016, 10:34 PM
I posted this over on the apex forum, but thought I would try here as well:


I am looking for a little help in my setup. I have a tank in the living room, which is on the midlevel of a townhouse. I have decided I would like to get the Apex Gold, and I am going to get a DOS pump to do automatic water changes. The water change barrels will begin the garage, which is the lower level of the house, and I will need to run about 40 feet or so of tubing to the tank from there. Where the issue comes in is I would like to put the DOS down by the water tanks, and I also want to put a breakout box down there for float switch control in the AWC.

I have found a place that makes 75 foot bus cables, but I am trying to figure out if thats the best way to do this. I am also going to need a EB4 down there for the mixing pump, a heater, and such. Price wise its almost worth getting an Apex JR, which would come with the EB4, and a temp probe.

The big question is would I be able to have the jr communicate with the main apex? If I were to get an Apex jr, I would set it up in the garage room. My biggest concern is I would like the dos to be able to shut off if the float switches in the sump are too high, or too low. However, those switches will be connected to the man Apex Gold.

Any help is appreciated!

kurt_n
01/26/2016, 10:53 PM
You can't have two Apex base units talking to each other, so I think that answers your question.

I'm not 100% understanding your layout, but I'll question your need for an EB4 downstairs. Seems like all the equipment in the water change barrels (mixing pump, heater, and such) doesn't need to be "smart"... they don't need to be connected to the Apex. The mixing pump is running 24/7, correct? And the heater can just be plugged in and running of its own thermostat. That just leaves the DOS downstairs, and there's really no need for that to be there, versus upstairs. Peristaltic pumps "pull" water up just as well as they "push" water up.

If it was me, I'd have everything upstairs... just my opinion, though.

Aero175
01/26/2016, 11:21 PM
Thanks for the response!

The only reason I want to move it downstairs is due to its noise. I saw one run at a local shop, and it is very noisy. You are correct though it the rest of the equipment not needing to be controlled. I can get the bus cable for a reasonable amount, so I will just do that. I just got all these ideas in my head about automating everything, and got carried away haha.

Thanks again!

BIGD0G
01/27/2016, 08:26 AM
Go with the long aquabus cable for a number of reasons. Having 1 controller in the long run will be best.