Any controllers that can control MULTIPLE tanks?

jsiker · Aug 5, 2016

Hello all!

I am in the last stages of my 135g tank cycling and have a 40g tank cycling now that I am going to use as a clown refuge and plant/fuge tank. I plan on linking the 40 to the 135. I also have a 95g TALL hexagon tank for my wife that is still dry and will be for a while. (dang this hobby is expensive). :)

So to my question, with all of these tanks I really don't WANT to have to buy 3 individual controllers if it is possible to use one controller for all three tanks.

If there is no controller out there that can do that, then sigh, maybe that's a new business idea!

Untamedrose · Aug 5, 2016

Now there is a dream...no idk of such, but seems to me it should be a thing

jsiker · Aug 5, 2016

I'm a programmer for over 20 years and based on what I am seeing from the Apex and a few others I would have thought that it was already a thing. So many people have multiple tanks that you would think making a controller module that handles multiple tanks would be a no brainer. Just have to buy multiple peripheral devices so you can map to them and then set them up for each individual tank.

Hmmmmm....

Maybe Neptune could use a programmer? :P

lefkonj · Aug 5, 2016

You can do it with the Apex, I know that for sure. The question is the amount of devices not tanks. The full apex is listed as supported 240 devices. So the question is how many things will you be controlling; lights, pumps, probes etc etc. There is no reason you couldn't, for example, have a pH probe in tank1, tank2 and tank3. They would just be named tank1-pH, tank2-pH or whatever you want to call them. Very straight forward to seal with.

d2mini · Aug 5, 2016

GHL Profilux I believe.
Instead of buying multiple controllers, you buy the main controller and then an Expansion Box for each additional tank.
https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/usa/product/profilux-expansion-box-2-white-usacnd/

Maybe @Marco@GHLUSA or @Vinny@GHLUSA can pop in and give some more insight.

pickupman66 · Aug 5, 2016

You can also do it with the new Archon controller as well. It's up to your imagination and the limits of your budget. The archon has a great Web interface and by adding 2 other temperature and ph modules you can monitor 3 tanks. butt in power bars for all plug in devices and you can control anything. 40 or 60 outlets if you wish. It's all up to you. Aped and archon are very modular and for the most part, infinitely expandable

hybridazn · Aug 5, 2016

The Neptune apex can and does.

I run my main display and my separate frag system off the same controller. All you need is a long enough "A to A" USB cable(I think that's the one) and at minimum a eb4 or eb8 and your in business. You can then add on via modules to monitor, like I can monitor pH in my 180, frag tank and calcium reactor all on the same controller. It's really quite easy.

Vinny@GHLUSA · Aug 5, 2016

The ProfiLux 3.1 controller is more than capable of monitoring and controlling multiple tanks. Right off the bat, the P3.1 includes two expansion card ports for you to fit any add-on card you wish; pH, redox, conductivity, DO, etc.

You can expand on this by adding an Expansion Box 2, which provides you with additional probe ports, level ports, and 4 expansion card slots. As you add on extra probes, the ProfiLux will detect them and list them as an additional probe which can then be given a name to easily distinguish which probe belongs to what tank. All in all, you can have up to 32 sensors monitoring multiple tanks and 64 sockets all being controlled by the ProfiLux.

Full feature list for both products can be found on our website:
www.aquariumcomputer.com

jsiker · Aug 6, 2016

Thank you all for the replies. I appreciate all the info. I was dreading the possibility of spending $1500 or more for 3 controller setups. Very nice to know this can all be done on one controller.

koshersalt · Aug 6, 2016

From what I saw, you can use the new Vertex Cerebra with multiple tanks out of the box. The display can have different pages to designate separate systems that you can name separately, and I believe you can designate ports to different system from the same power bar.