controllers

paindocc

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I am looking at some aquarium controllers. I have narrowed it down to 2. the reefkeeper elite and the neptune. does anyone have any thoughts? or experience?:confused2:
 
i have the apex and it is pimpfabulous, have not used the reefkeeper elite though
 
I'm saving for an Apex. Allows for more expandability and the iPhone app is a great plus! I have a lead on a pretty good deal, so now I just need the cash.
 
First thing is to list what you want to control or do, and what you WILL want to control or do, then go from there.

I have a Reefkeeper Lite, it has served me well for the past year, but I'm thinking of upgrading to the Elite this Spring.
 
I would really recommend visiting some local reefers to see different setups. The Tour of Tanks is a good way to do this, don't know when another one will be set up, though.
 
au01st;477457 wrote: I would really recommend visiting some local reefers to see different setups. The Tour of Tanks is a good way to do this, don't know when another one will be set up, though.
Thats easy..


Start blowing up Colin's (mockery) PM box and tell him to get on the ball!! LOL
 
DrNecropolis;477458 wrote: Thats easy..


Start blowing up Colin's (mockery) PM box and tell him to get on the ball!! LOL

Please don't. Haha lol. Since I'm on Spring break I guess I'll start planning another one. Look for my post in the members sections for planning.
 
I'd like to be able to monitor PH, Temp, Salinity, Nitrates, Phosphates, Calcium, Magnesium, etc. from my phone/the web.
 
Ok, well that's not going to happen unless you invent it.

You could do pH, temp, ORP, and Salinity. That's the only things current controllers will monitor and allow to be viewed via web.
 
au01st;479693 wrote: Ok, well that's not going to happen unless you invent it.

You could do pH, temp, ORP, and Salinity. That's the only things current controllers will monitor and allow to be viewed via web.

lol I can barely plug things into the wall. I marvel at how many of you do all of these DIY projects with your tanks. I couldn't invent anything.

Ok well I guess I need one that does pH, temp, and salinity. What is ORP?
 
Oxidation Reduction Potential. Basically CAN be used to control an ozonator, though not always recommended.

A Reefkeeper Lite with the SL2 module will allow you to monitor all of those except ORP; if you also get an SL1 module, you'll get ORP monitoring and ANOTHER pH port.

Each SL module also has a port for a temp probe, and you can use an iTemp probe on the end of a PC-4 power brick. Basically, the RKL Level 1 package, an SL1, SL2, and some probes will give you monitoring ability for: 2 x pH, 3 x temperature, ORP, and Salinity. You would need the NET module to be able to monitor online.
 
au01st;479709 wrote: Oxidation Reduction Potential. Basically CAN be used to control an ozonator, though not always recommended.

A Reefkeeper Lite with the SL2 module will allow you to monitor all of those except ORP; if you also get an SL1 module, you'll get ORP monitoring and ANOTHER pH port.

Each SL module also has a port for a temp probe, and you can use an iTemp probe on the end of a PC-4 power brick. Basically, the RKL Level 1 package, an SL1, SL2, and some probes will give you monitoring ability for: 2 x pH, 3 x temperature, ORP, and Salinity. You would need the NET module to be able to monitor online.

Awesome thanks for all the great info. Sound expensive. I'm already like 10 times (literally) over budget on this tank and I don't even have an RO/DI yet.
 
Yeah, when I started my 75g, I figured "meh, $500 and it'll be looking great!"...well, the first DFS order came in (before I found this club or was really INTO the hobby) and I was at $450 without a light!!!

I look at it like this: all this money would have been spent on beer, lol. Now I'm content to sit at home on a Friday night and tinker with "fish stuff" as my girlfriend calls it, cause I spent my "bar money" on that frag I had to have.



And that setup will run $100 for the RKL Level 1, $60-$70 each for the SL1 and SL2, and around $110 for the NET module. The pH probes are $30 or so, the ORP and Salinity probes are more around $70-$80, and the temp probes will run $20-$30 each...You can figure what you want and do the math. Also, that would MAX out the RKL, so you'd only get 4 controllable outlets.
 
au01st;479720 wrote: Yeah, when I started my 75g, I figured "meh, $500 and it'll be looking great!"...well, the first DFS order came in (before I found this club or was really INTO the hobby) and I was at $450 without a light!!!

I look at it like this: all this money would have been spent on beer, lol. Now I'm content to sit at home on a Friday night and tinker with "fish stuff" as my girlfriend calls it, cause I spent my "bar money" on that frag I had to have.



And that setup will run $100 for the RKL Level 1, $60-$70 each for the SL1 and SL2, and around $110 for the NET module. The pH probes are $30 or so, the ORP and Salinity probes are more around $70-$80, and the temp probes will run $20-$30 each...You can figure what you want and do the math. Also, that would MAX out the RKL, so you'd only get 4 controllable outlets.

Unfortunately I still drink beer so I'm double in. I started out telling my wife I wanted to get back into the hobby but it's allgood because I have everything I need except a bulb for my light and a tank. So I ordered the new PC bulb for my old PC fixture and bought a tank off Craigs list and I was all set! Right?

Wrong.

I realized I had no LR, LS, no power heads, no temp gauges, no hydrometer, no refractometer, no buckets, no salt, no RO Water, no turkey baster, no gloves, no stand, no food, no livestock, no test kit, no power strip, no mixing power head, no mixing heater, no reactor, no chemi pure elite, no filter floss, no purigen, no chaeto, no light for my fuge, no power head for my fuge, no power head for my reactor, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.

I also realized I wanted T5's because my PC hood was old and sucked. Then I realized I didn't want the stock T5 bulbs and ordered 100 dollars worth of new bulbs immediately.

Now I still need an RO/DI unit at the very least. This controller would be great but is probably not as essential as a Auto Topoff, another thing which I don't have

I may also want to replace my HOB fuge with a sump if someone can help me do that. (I have no idea how). Maybe not.
 
Actually, the SL1 and SL2 have ports for switches, so you can plug in a float switch (you need THEIR kit of course) and plug a pump into the power strip and have your ATO setup (tell her it's efficient!)
 
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