I don't think it is shallow. Looks and the hot factor count in the aquarium world. We spend countless dollars on frags and such to pretty up the tank so why not expect the controller units to at least look like something built in the last decade.
I was thinking of trying a two fold approach. Using the controller and put the pump on the RK2. If the PH drops below say 7.8 shut the pump off. Two things would have to fail.