A number of reasons:
- The parts are expensive. I have one 6-outlet power bar, and it was $250. I have far more things to control than 6 devices, and $40/outlet is just outrageous. My entire profilux setup (controller, 6 outlets, quad dosing pump) was ~$1500.
- The PC software itself just sucks. I could go on forever about this, but if you spend $1500 on a controller, the software to set it all up had better be top-notch. It was slow, clunky, difficult to understand, wouldn't play well within Windows (couldn't minimize it or send it to your tray, etc).
- I reversed engineered the network data so I could make my own monitoring software. I have a background in digital electronics and microprocessors, and after I had figured out the data structures, it was very clear to me that it simply wasn't designed well internally. For example, the two pH probe addresses are always the same - no room for expansion. Most everything was like that - just poorly planned.
- Half the reason I picked the profilux was the dosing unit that could be controlled through the main unit. While it's built very well, it doesn't work well in practice. The pumps are very confusing to setup (and I'm a programmer!). They also don't push enough to be useful. They do about 60mL/min, and you can only run them for 15 mins before having to cool for 15 mins. That's not enough for a Ca reactor or a continuous water change setup.
(The other reason was the control of the Tunze's. I love that feature, and is why I held on to the unit for so long (and that I didn't feel their was a good alternative). I had almost infinite control)
- Lack of Inputs/Outputs. While this may not affect the average person, I felt that having only three inputs (used for float valves only in their world) was just way too limiting. I like Neptune's break out box and I/O functionality. I can add float switches, flow detectors, and whatever else 'till my heart's content.
- One time I posted on the reef central Profilux support forum, asking for info on this or that (hardware or software) and was turned down because "we might expose company secrets", as if the average reefer is running a manufacturing plant in their basement. And later when they asked what future features would be nice, I posted a list of my top requests, and they laughed at them, saying that no one in their right mind would need them (like the I/O breakout box...).
- Yes, there's ethernet control, but no embedded webserver on the controller, so you can only access the controller from another computer on your network.
- No email alerts or remote monitoring. Yes, I'm serious.
- The logging capability is abysmal. You can only record about a day's worth of stuff, you need the crappy PC software. You don't get a graph (only an Excel dump), and it doesn't auto-reset; you have to clear the buffer when you want to record another run.
- The "logic programming" was horribly difficult to understand. Again, I'm a programmer and have a degree from GA Tech on programming microprocessors, and it took me a couple hours to figure out. An end user product (esp. of this price) simply shouldn't be that difficult to figure out.
The Apex just gives me everything I have with the profilux. And it's cheaper, more expandable, and 1/3 the cost for more functionality. And I can use my iPhone to monitor, and more importantly, get an update via email if there's a problem.
