Comparison

HYDROS App vs Reef Pulses

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

HYDROS App

Easily monitor and control your aquarium's vital parameters like temperature, pH, and salinity. Manage all your connected devices, including ATOs, lights, and pumps, with a user-friendly interface. Quick setup with preset configurations means no coding is required to get your system running.

Highlights
  • Monitor temperature, ORP, pH, salinity
  • Control ATO, lights, heaters, pumps
  • User-friendly interface
  • Quick setup with presets
  • Manage multiple devices and aquariums
  • Set schedules and create modes
Features
Read full description

Use the CoralVue HYDROS App to control and monitor HYDROS aquarium devices from your smartphone or tablet. The user-friendly interface allows you to easily monitor your aquarium's temperature, ORP, pH, alkalinity levels, salinity, and more. With just one tap, you can control your ATO, lights, heaters, pumps, skimmer, calcium reactor, RO/DI units, etc. Setup is quick and easy! With 18+ different preset configurations and growing, it will take only minutes to get all of your equipment set up and running, with no coding required. SUPPORTED DEVICES: -HYDROS Control X2, X4, XS, XD, X3, X4, XP8, X10 -HYDROS Kraken -HYDROS Minnow -HYDROS Launch -HYDROS WaveEngine, WaveEngine LT -IceCap Gyre Dual Pump WiFi Controller DISCOVER MORE: -Intuitive interface features multiple view options such as tile, text, or graph -Adjust your view settings to light mode, dark mode, or auto, which will automatically adjust to your mobile device's settings -Ability to manage multiple HYDROS devices and aquariums from one single-screen -Monitor and control WiFi outlets -Set schedules and create modes -Archive controller settings STAY CONNECTED We welcome you to join our HYDROS community at forum.coralvuehydros.com where you can ask questions, learn more about your HYDROS devices, and connect with other aquatic hobbyists like yourself.

About

Reef Pulses

Features
Read full description

Wish there is a smarter app for reefing? Reef Pulses is your all-in-one saltwater aquarium companion, built by reefers for reefers. Track your water parameters, calculate precise dosing amounts, set maintenance reminders, and let the app automatically read your test kit charts - all from your phone. With parameter tracking, you can monitor alkalinity, calcium, magnesium, salinity, nitrate, and phosphate with visual gauges and trend charts. Log your readings in seconds and watch your tank's health over time with beautiful, easy-to-read graphs that show exactly where your levels are heading. Our accurate dosing calculator takes the guesswork out of maintaining stable water chemistry. Simply enter your current and target parameters, and Reef Pulses calculates the exact amount of BRS two-part, Kalkwasser, or other supplements to dose. No more math, no more overdosing. Never miss a water test or maintenance task again. Set custom reminders for testing schedules, water changes, filter cleaning, and dosing routines. Push notifications keep you on track so your tank stays healthy without the mental load. The auto calculation for test kit charts is a game changer. Point your camera at your test kit color chart and Reef Pulses reads the result for you - fast, consistent, and accurate every time. No more squinting at color swatches under different lighting. Cloud sync keeps your data safe and accessible. Water change logging helps you track volume, salt mix, and frequency across all your tanks. Reef Pulses' privacy policy, as well as subscription terms are available at https://reefpulse.shop/terms.

Screenshots

HYDROS App3 screens
Reef Pulses4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: HYDROS App at none against Reef Pulses's 2. Reef Pulses's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 3 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Reef Pulses sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. HYDROS App asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HYDROS App ships an update every 3 months, Reef Pulses fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
HYDROS App versus Reef Pulses: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHYDROS AppReef Pulses
PriceFreeFree
Rating3.5 (24 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews62.3% of reviews—
Number of ratings24 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size70 MB31 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperCoralvueThai Nghiem

In-app purchases

None

HYDROS App

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Reef Pulses

Subscriptions2
  • Basic14 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Essential14 Days trial$19.991 Year

Questions

Is HYDROS App free?
HYDROS App is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Reef Pulses free?
Reef Pulses is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do HYDROS App or Reef Pulses have ads?
Neither HYDROS App nor Reef Pulses shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HYDROS App or Reef Pulses?
HYDROS App ships an update every 3 months, and Reef Pulses fortnightly. Most recently, HYDROS App was updated on October 29, 2026 and Reef Pulses on October 25, 2026.

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