Automatic Water Tester Comparison Chart
Last Updated: Mar 2021 Rev 6
www.aquariumcontrollers.com
Price \ Value Color Chart (Approx Prices Below)
FEATURES
PRODUCTION STATUS IN 2021
 
SPECIFICATIONS OF THE AWT
Testing Methodology
Stand Alone Device
Dosing Control
App Control
Connectivity
LCD Display
Software / Firmware Updatability
Measurement Intervals Per Day
Waste Water Options
Maximum Distance From Sample Water
Size
Price US$
 
TESTS AVAILABLE and ACCURACY
Alkalinity
Calcium
Magnesium
Nitrate
Phosphate
Ammonia
Carbon Dioxide
Salinity
Sodium
pH
Potassium
Copper
Oxygen
Organic Load
Nitrite
Iodine
Temperature
 
Other Specs
Tank Water Used Per Test Cycle
Average Reagent Usage Per Test
Calibration Interval
Test Time Per Parameter (Approx)
Average Cost Per Parameter Tested
Reagents Used
email Alerts
Multiple Tank Testing
Reserved
Reserved
SPECIAL NOTATION 1*
SPECIAL NOTATION 2*
 
RATINGS
Accuracy
Reliability
Build Quality
Value VS Cost
Maintenace Level
Software
Price Per Test
Customer Support
OVERALL SCORE
 
Link To Manual (English)
Warranty Period
Manufacturers Website
In Production In Production Coming 2021 In Production In Production In Production In Production In Production In Production In Production Ended  
                       
                       
Reagents x 3 Types Reagent x 1 Ion Probe Reagent x 1 Reagents x 12 Reagent x 1 Reagents x 8 Reagents x 21 Reagents x 1 Reactive Chemical Slides Florescent Dye Disk  
NO (Requires Apex 2016 Type Controller) YES ( Or slave doser with Controller ) YES ( Or slave doser with Controller ) YES (Can also feed data Via pH Port) YES YES YES YES YES YES YES  
YES YES YES Via Dosetronic YES (Via Dosetronic) YES (Built in) No No YES No No  
YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android ) No (Uses Built in Web-server) YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android ) YES ( iOS and Android )  
Apex or ApexEl Bus Lines Stand Alone has WiFi / LAN and Slave Model has PAB to controller Stand Alone has WiFi / LAN and Slave Model has PAB to controller WiFi / Bluetooth WiFi / Bluetooth Ethernet Port WiFi / Ethernet WiFi / Ethernet WiFi USB to PC / Optional Web Module WiFi  
No No No YES YES YES No No No No No  
YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES  
Up to 24 Alk and 12 Ca & Mg (Adjustable using Preset Values) Up to 24 Alk (Adjustable) ? 1 - 12 hours Adjustable Alk, Po4, NO3 (once per day) / Ca, Mg (Twice Per Week) All Adjustable 30 - 240 Minutes Per Day Hourly** to Monthly Hourly** to Monthly 2 -24 Tests ? Every 15 Minutes 24/7  
Dump Dump Return To Tank Return To Tank or Dump Dump Dump or Return to Tank Dump Dump Dump or Return to Tank N/A N/A  
48" No specified limit No specified limit 3 ft ? ? ? ? 60" Unit Submerged in Sample Water Unit Submerged in Sample Water  
10.8 cm x 30.5 cm x 25.4 cm 22 cm x 15 cm x 7.5 cm (Without probe) 22 cm x 15 cm x 7.5 cm (Without Ion probe) 22cm (L) x 14cm (W) x 27cm (H) 33cm (L) x 22.5cm (W) x 35.5cm (H) 25cm (H) x 20cm (w) x 12cm (D) 22.3cm x 44cm x 35.6cm 51.5 cm W x 51.5 cm D x 45.5 cm H   7.8 cm L x 3.5 cm W x 2.0 cm D 16.5 cm x 10.4 cm x 7 cm  
$600 $870 (With 4 Head Doser) $850 for Slave / $890 Stand Alone $900 Stand Alone $1299 $600 $900 $3000 ~ 500 British lbs $205 $995  
                       
                       
YES (+/- .05 dKH) YES (+/- 0.1 dKH) NO YES ( +/- .05 dKH) YES (+/- 0.15 dKH) YES (+/- 0.1 dKH) YES* YES* YES NO YES (+/- 0.1dKh)  
YES (+/- 15 ppm) NO YES (+/-3%) NO YES (+/- 6 ppm) NO YES* YES* NO NO YES (+/- 4 ppm)  
YES (+/- 15 ppm) NO YES (+/3%) NO YES (+/- 20 ppm) NO YES* YES* NO NO YES (+/- 15 ppm)  
NO NO YES (+/-5%) NO YES (+/- 0.5 ppm) NO YES* YES* NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO YES (+/- 0.01 ppm) NO NO NO NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO NO NO YES* YES* NO YES YES (?)  
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES (?)  
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES (?)  
NO NO YES (+/-3%) NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES YES (?)  
NO NO YES (+/-3%) NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES (?)  
NO NO NO NO NO NO YES* YES* NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES (?)  
NO NO NO NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO YES (.005mg/L) NO YES* YES* NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO NO NO YES* YES* NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO YES YES  
                       
                       
7 ml 100 ml 5ml 50 ml ? 65 ml 4-15ml per test 4-15ml per test ~210 ml None None  
2 ml ~ 120 Tests per Bottle 1-3 ml ~ 480 Tests Per Bottle No Reagents only Calibration Fluid 8 ml ? 4 ml Varies Varies 5 ml N/A N/A  
30 Days 30 Days Before Every Test 2-4 Weeks (pH Probe) ? 30 days ? N/A N/A Probe ~ 2 weeks / Dosing Pump ~ 30 days Factory Calibrated Slides Factory Calibrated Disks  
~7 Minutes ~ 15 Minutes ~ 2 Min ~ 10 Min ~ 30 Min Per Test 3-7 Minutes 30 minutes ? ? ? ~ 1.6 Minutes  
~ 9 Cents ~ 7 Cents ? ~ .05 Cents ? ~ 9 Cents Varies a Lot Varies a Lot ~ 9 Cents .39 cents per day ($72 kit for 180 Day) .001 Cents (9 Parameters)  
Neptune 4x 250 ml GHL 1x 1000ml None OEM Reagent Alk(Salifert)/Ca(API)/Mg(RedSea-Geismann)/PO4(RedSea)/NO3(Fauna) OEM Powder Packets mixed with 1500 Grams of weighed Water Salifert, Geismann, Red Sea, API, Tropic Marin, Fauna Marin Salifert, Geismann, Red Sea, API, Tropic Marin, Fauna Marin) Xepta 1000ml Reagent None None  
YES YES YES YES YES ? YES YES YES YES & SMS Via Cloud YES  
No No No No No No No YES No No No  
                       
                       
Does not work as standalone Device, you need an ApexEL or better to use it.   Uses two different calibration fluids before a set of tests are started   Accuracy is only as good as the The Specs for the Brand of Reagent used   Accuracy is only as good as the The Specs for the Brand of Reagent used Accuracy is only as good as the The Specs for the Brand of Reagent used Addon Ion Based tester Apex Xepta expected in 2021 Kind of A Hybrid Device, not a complete AWT or complete Controller    
Unit Needs Complete Servicing every 12-18 months Unit needs new pH probe every 24-30 months Needs a new Ion Probe Every 6-18 Months Unit needs new pH probe every 24-30 months Leak Detector Built In Unit needs new pH probe every 8-12 months Average of Only 4 Test Types Can be done with the Vials of Reagent it holds. Average of Only 9 Test Types Can be done with the Vials of Reagent it holds. Unit needs new pH probe every 8-12 months Also Reads Lighting PAR, Lux and acts as a Water Level Sensor    
                       
                       
         
         
         
         
         
         
         
        N/A  
74% 72%   74%   72% 56%     68% 84%  
                       
Neptune Trident Manual KH Director Manual Ion Director V1 Manual Alkatronic Manual Mastertronic Manual Kh Guardian Manual Reefbot Manual Reefbot Pro Manual Xepta Quick Guide Seneye Manual Mindstream Manual Coming 2021
1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year 1 Year ?
Neptune Systems GHL Systems GHL Systems Coralvue Coralvue Aquarium Solution Reef Kinetics Reef Kinetics Xepta Seneye Reef Gone Coming 2021

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