What controller do you use and what do you use it for?

E

enderg60

Well-Known Member
Market
Messages
2,317
Reaction score
881
Im curious what everyone uses, and what they use it for. I see a lot of people who have top of the line controllers and barely use any of the functions.

I currently use an Aqua Controller 3.

I use it to control items for temperature.
-Heaters
-Chillers
-cut off lights.

Dosing pumps

pH control for Calc reactor

Power heads on/off

Lighting timing

And I used to but no longer use OPR for ozone.

And I use email/text alerts in case the temp goes out of whack.


I would like to be able to control top off based on salinity and control my LED's with 0-10v control, but for that alone I dont see it being worth while to upgrade just yet.
 
Ah see this brings up another question. Why have the return pump on the controller? I see a lot of people doing that and have no idea why.
 
EnderG60;1035918 wrote: Why have the return pump on the controller? I see a lot of people doing that and have no idea why.
Click to expand...

For "feed" mode.
 
EnderG60;1035918 wrote: Ah see this brings up another question. Why have the return pump on the controller? I see a lot of people doing that and have no idea why.
Click to expand...

I've never agreed with that practice. I run my return on a separate breaker, all by its lonesome!

I currently use the Apex and Ranco, but will be switching soon.

lights (on/off/& temp control)
chiller (ranco as the foolproof)
heater
remote monitoring/control
leak detection
UV control
Ozone control (currently not in use)
email/text alerts
CA reactor control (pH, pumps, etc.)
pH monitoring/control
Kalk dosing
ATO control
RODI control (to fill ATO vat and H2O change vat)
data logging (so I can go back and look at temp history, etc.)
Tunze control
Moonlights

I think that's it.
 
Reef Angel

pH
Temp
Floats
Ato
Dosing alk/cal/mag/kalk
Fuge light
T5 supplemental lighting
LEDS
Heaters
Fans
WaveMakers
 
I run an Apex.

1. Lights - sunrise, sunset, temp control (LEDs, but whatever, might as well)
2. Heaters (failsafe's on temperature getting too high or too low)
3. Leak Detection - 2 detectors in the stand (in front of the sump and behind it)
4. Dosing 2-part - 2 dosers run 1.1mL/minute in the middle of the night with safeguards monitoring pH and length of time that the dosers are running
5. Email/Text alerts for a ton of different scenarios
6. ATO Control
7. Data Logging
8. Jebao control (same program as vortech)
9. Moonlights - matches the moon cycle
10. Return pump
11. Skimmer
12. pH Monitoring
13. Live feed of my tank via webcam from anywhere in the world. If i'm on business and my tank freaks out or my wife has a problem, I can tune in and see for myself.

Feed Mode A - Cuts my return and skimmer for 5 minutes. Cuts my powerheads and ATO for an additional 2 minutes to let everything settle back in before they come back on.

Feed Mode B - Cuts return, skimmer, ato, and heaters for 20 minutes so I can vacuum the sump and do a water change.
 
i will be getting an apex as well after much research. however itll only be for dosing, and datalogging. maybe leak detection
 
Crew;1035938 wrote: I run an Apex.

1. Lights - sunrise, sunset, temp control (LEDs, but whatever, might as well)
2. Heaters (failsafe's on temperature getting too high or too low)
3. Leak Detection - 2 detectors in the stand (in front of the sump and behind it)
4. Dosing 2-part - 2 dosers run 1.1mL/minute in the middle of the night with safeguards monitoring pH and length of time that the dosers are running
5. Email/Text alerts for a ton of different scenarios
6. ATO Control
7. Data Logging
8. Jebao control (same program as vortech)
9. Moonlights - matches the moon cycle
10. Return pump
11. Skimmer
12. pH Monitoring
13. Live feed of my tank via webcam from anywhere in the world. If i'm on business and my tank freaks out or my wife has a problem, I can tune in and see for myself.

Feed Mode A - Cuts my return and skimmer for 5 minutes. Cuts my powerheads and ATO for an additional 2 minutes to let everything settle back in before they come back on.

Feed Mode B - Cuts return, skimmer, ato, and heaters for 20 minutes so I can vacuum the sump and do a water change.
Click to expand...

I'm setup pretty much the same way. Except, Added high / low water volume water switches. Low volume switches for the dosing box. Momentary switch for water changes and a switches for water change pump. Hopefully very soon, switches to open and close valves on my water auto change station.
 
Apex. Two separate units. Two separate tanks
Lights
Wave makers jebo with jebo adapter
Lights
Moon lights lsm modual. Love it
Ph
Soon to be dos.
Soon to be salinity. Waiting on order
Temp control heater and cooling
Leak detector. Saved me a couple times
Skimmer. For feeding cycle.
 
ive got an apex but dont have the tank running yet. i have programmed the lights but heres what all i plan on doing when i get the tank going.

-lights (ramp up and down, moonlight, and "show off" mode via b.o.b. switch)
-heater control
-dosing pumps
-fan control (to lower temp in case of hot days in summer)
-ph monitoring
-temp monitoring
-leak detection
-data logging
-lighting inside stands controled via door sensors
-ato
-dim lighting upon canopy open so i dont get blinded
-feed mode/ water change mode to turn off all pumps for set amount of time.
-email/text alerts for failures, leaks, out of range parameters etc.
-maybe an auto feeder in the future

i think i got it all
 
The only real advantage of having everything on an apex is to be able to troubleshoot while you're away. I suppose


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Skriz;1035935 wrote: I've never agreed with that practice. I run my return on a separate breaker, all by its lonesome!



I currently use the Apex and Ranco, but will be switching soon.



lights (on/off/& temp control)

chiller (ranco as the foolproof)

heater

remote monitoring/control

leak detection

UV control

Ozone control (currently not in use)

email/text alerts

CA reactor control (pH, pumps, etc.)

pH monitoring/control

Kalk dosing

ATO control

RODI control (to fill ATO vat and H2O change vat)

data logging (so I can go back and look at temp history, etc.)

Tunze control

Moonlights



I think that's it.
Click to expand...


While not a "can't live without" ease of turning it on and off when I want to do tank maint.
 
SnowManSnow;1035969 wrote: The only real advantage of having everything on an apex is to be able to troubleshoot while you're away. I suppose
Click to expand...

That's a big part of it, but even on daily maintenance, the convenience of it doing everything for me saves quiet a bit of time. I push a single button and it turns off everything that I want it to so I can feed my fish or corals and it keeps everything off for a perfect amount of time. Once I'm done, I can sit and watch the tank and everything starts coming back on in the correct order on its own.

Dosing 2-part is another great example of a time saver. My apex doses 35mL of Alk and Cal every night for me. The Alk runs first for 10 minutes and then there is a 20 minute delay then my Cal runs for 10 minutes. This cycle goes 3 times like this:

12:00 Alk on
12:10 Alk off
12:30 Cal on
12:40 Cal off
2:00 Alk on
2:10 Alk off
2:30 Cal on
2:40 Cal off
4:00 Alk on
4:10 Alk off
4:30 Cal on
4:40 Cal off

This has several advantages to dosing on my own. Mainly, it helps balance the pH swing of my lights being off. By dosing through the night, the pH gets buffed slightly every 2 hours and keeps everything in check. It's also much easier on my tank mates to get the dosing this slowly. There aren't any major swings in Alk or Cal and I don't have to worry about a coral getting blasted with a large wave of either. Finally, it saves me a ton of time because I don't have to sit there and slowly pour 35 mL into the tank, wait 30 minutes and then do it again with the other additive.
 
I am running an apex and use it for -

Lighting
Temp control - heaters on when too cold, fans on when too hot
Dosing - CA and Alk
Monitor ph
Control MP40s
UV Control
Alerts
Water changes
Feeding
I have everything on my tank plugged into it, it is also a good way to keep track of how much power you are using and when.

I also use it to log my params which is an easy way to keep track and graph your changes
 
Apex

-Led ramps
-T5s
-ATO floats and pump programming
-Skimmer delay if return goes off
-pH monitoring
-Temp control: heater and fan on/off
-email alerts, power and water level

Future plans
-Dosing
 
Acandoit;1035973 wrote: My Christmas tree too...
Click to expand...

Yep. During Christmas, I have it run lights! My wife thinks I'm mad, though!


rdnelson99;1035971 wrote: While not a "can't live without" ease of turning it on and off when I want to do tank maint.
Click to expand...

I never ever turn off my return pump. I want it to keep running forever-ever.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Tanster2
How many of you use Tropic Marin's All-for-reef, and show me your tanks please
Replies
4
Views
413
AWarnick
A
Jetty
What salt do you use and why?
Replies
19
Views
939
billyocean
billyocean
Doberman13
What pellet do you use?
Replies
13
Views
567
Doberman13
Doberman13
M
Pink crab
Replies
3
Views
264
shimshimshinil
S
Givmeanf
UV Light ‘Green Killing Machine’
Replies
2
Views
561
Givmeanf
Givmeanf
Back
Top