Anyone using Tuya as controller?

[Iccis Linn]

Just wondering am I the only one that use Tuya controller in the reef tank and didn't need anything more than that ?
It's only $50 and interface is pretty impressive. Anything you wanna add just need to buy $5 buck per dongle.
Only thing I did manually right now is do magnesium test monthly and dose as needed. Apart from that everything can automate with that 50 buck Tuya controller
It's a price of inkbird and you can control almost everything you need with it.
My question is what's the thousands $ high end controller that can offer more except customer service in first couple of years ?
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mNWZ3fW

 

[dstockwell]

Is temp only in Celsius.

 

[Iccis Linn]

Is temp only in Celsius.

Nah both F or C you can choose

 

[alain Bouchard]

I do have a bunch of equipment that are on a tuya controlled power bar. skimmer, return pump, UV, refugium lights. works flawlessly

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

Nice find. Is it accurate tho?

 

[alain Bouchard]

I know you can put a lot of different sensors, but personnally, I only use the on/off timers. As for tuya, its mainly a controller software that is working very well. the accuracy will depend on the item sensor/controller in itself that you connect to it.

 

[SPS2020]

My question is what's the thousands $ high end controller that can offer more except customer service in first couple of years ?

I can only speak of Neptune as that is what I own, but they have great customer service and a large user base with tons of support. Programable and controllable...not just a monitor. Also, my setup did not cost thousands, rather around $500.

If you are on a very tight budget, Tuya might be worth trying. Couple it with a Kasa strip for control. Overall, you are comparing apples to oranges though.

 

[elysics]

With wifi stuff, tuya in particular, definitely test what happens when your internet/connection to the cloud cuts out or your router/wifi network goes down. Not so critical for measurements, but be careful if you control anything.

Also, you test Magnesium but not alkalinity? Tuya don't have an alk tester do they?

 

[TrottingReef]

I will have to check these out. I use a manual probe that gives all the same results. I use it for my weekly testing. Looks like it tests all the same. I will still need to use testers for Cal, Mag, Phos, and Nitrate. You mention only having to manually test Mag. Does it have testing probes for Cal, Phos and Nitrate?

This could be nice for monitoring. Not sure I trust Tuya enough for control. I used to use a lot of Tuya controlled smart power strips for my aquariums, but the issue that made me stop was the fact that any time there is a power interruption the power strips come back online with all outlets in the OFF setting until you manually turn them back on. Tyua only notifies you of a power outage that lasts over 30 min. So even a 3 second power drop will turn everything off but not trigger the offline notification since power was restored in under 30 minutes. So you could come home from work and find you lost your livestock because the power strip was in Off.

 

[chvvkumar]

I don't have experience with this specific device but I do have a lot iof experience with Tuya and their IoT platform with other smart home devices. In that space especially, we generally do not advice with them as they are completely dependent on the cloud. It used to be possible to flash these devices with 3rd party firmware like Tasmota previously but they have since closed that possibility.

Here's some commentary on Tuya from the home automation perspective. I personally wouldn't do it for any life support purposes:

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I've been using their outlets for years. I'm ok with on/off stuff on command.

I used to use it as a pseudo controller on a tank, accidentally left the return pump off after a manual 'feed' mode and killed ALL my stock in a 50g cube some years back. Exclusively apex now (for now...).

 

[TrottingReef]

Yah I would only count on this device for monitoring only, not control. Think it would be nice for monitoring and a lot cheaper than Neptune and monitors more than just PH.

 

[TrottingReef]

I've been using their outlets for years. I'm ok with on/off stuff on command.

I used to use it as a pseudo controller on a tank, accidentally left the return pump off after a manual 'feed' mode and killed ALL my stock in a 50g cube some years back. Exclusively apex now (for now...).

That is exactly why I do not put my pumps on their smart power strips or outlets. I do use them for my other equipment, just nothing that is critical for life support. I also had an issue in the past of someone who hacked into my Tuya account. And once someone has access to your account there is no way to kick them out. You change the password, and it will not expire your existing connections. To get them out of my system I had to completely delete my Tuya account and reconnect all my devices. ******* hackers were turning off all my aquarium equipment.

 

[alain Bouchard]

I don't have experience with this specific device but I do have a lot iof experience with Tuya and their IoT platform with other smart home devices. In that space especially, we generally do not advice with them as they are completely dependent on the cloud. It used to be possible to flash these devices with 3rd party firmware like Tasmota previously but they have since closed that possibility.

Here's some commentary on Tuya from the home automation perspective. I personally wouldn't do it for any life support purposes:

if you judge everything you buy with only 1 negative review, you wont buy anything... (And I seem to understand that you are working in the installation or selling of IoT, in which you generally hold a line of products and promote it)
But hey, the point is not that it's a perfect solution better then hydros or neptune, but its a cheap alternative.
I, personally, had good luck with their software, and much of the device I have connected on it: heat pump, power bar, individuals sockets, cameras, thermostat and reef lights.

 

[elysics]

if you judge everything you buy with only 1 negative review, you wont buy anything... (And I seem to understand that you are working in the installation or selling of IoT, in which you generally hold a line of products and promote it)
But hey, the point is not that it's a perfect solution better then hydros or neptune, but its a cheap alternative.
I, personally, had good luck with their software, and much of the device I have connected on it: heat pump, power bar, individuals sockets, cameras, thermostat and reef lights.

The entire point of a controller is to take luck out of the equation though. If you are lucky, you don't need a controller at all.

Have you tried what happens if your internet (or their server for that matter) go down while the controller wants to shut a heater off? Or the mentioned short power loss?

 

[chvvkumar]

if you judge everything you buy with only 1 negative review, you wont buy anything... (And I seem to understand that you are working in the installation or selling of IoT, in which you generally hold a line of products and promote it)
But hey, the point is not that it's a perfect solution better then hydros or neptune, but its a cheap alternative.
I, personally, had good luck with their software, and much of the device I have connected on it: heat pump, power bar, individuals sockets, cameras, thermostat and reef lights.

No, I am not an installer or a seller. I have experience using Tuya extensively as a home owner doing my own home automations using home assistant where you have to sign up for and set up Tuya's IoT platform to use their APIs.

I have had about 30 Tuya devices at one point. Ranging from light controllers to various esoteric devices such as IR blasters and even aquarium feeders. At one point, I even had the two outlet devices controlling my aquarium equipment since I ran out of Apex outlets to use. My experience with them has been that they are fine if:

1. You are ok with being 100% cloud dependent and plan on only using the Tuya/Smart Life app
2. Accept that some of them will fail due to the price point they are trying to hit. About 5 of my original ~30 devices failed in the two years I used them.

I am not saying the devices themselves are bad per se (especially given their price), but I would not be comfortable using them in any mission critical setting.

As a comparision and appropos to this topic, my original Apex Jr. that I bought in 2014 is still working as good as new. And more importantly, I retain full local control in the case of internet issues. So much so that I went with the new Apex Jr. just based on the reliability of my older model.

 

[TrottingReef]

No, I am not an installer or a seller. I have experience using Tuya extensively as a home owner doing my own home automations using home assistant where you have to sign up for and set up Tuya's IoT platform to use their APIs.

I have had about 30 Tuya devices at one point. Ranging from light controllers to various esoteric devices such as IR blasters and even aquarium feeders. At one point, I even had the two outlet devices controlling my aquarium equipment since I ran out of Apex outlets to use. My experience with them has been that they are fine if:

1. You are ok with being 100% cloud dependent and plan on only using the Tuya/Smart Life app
2. Accept that some of them will fail due to the price point they are trying to hit. About 5 of my original ~30 devices failed in the two years I used them.

I am not saying the devices themselves are bad per se (especially given their price), but I would not be comfortable using them in any mission critical setting.

As a comparision and appropos to this topic, my original Apex Jr. that I bought in 2014 is still working as good as new. And more importantly, I retain full local control in the case of internet issues. So much so that I went with the new Apex Jr. just based on the reliability of my older model.

I am with you completely on this. I have maybe 30+ devices controlled through Tuya's SimpleLife app. It's a decent solution but it does have limits as you have described. As I said, anything that is critical that it stays on, I don't use outlets for Tuya.

 

[All_talk]

At near the Tuya price point you could find a good used Classic Apex. I think you will find that those of us that have used they found then very reliable. Personal I ran a original "black label" for about 12 years, with almost no issue. I just switched to an "A2" system a few weeks ago.

 

[nothing_fancy]

I have loads of the single outlet bluetooth timers controlled in the tuya app and I find them extremely reliable, never had a problem. I use these for everything I don't currently use the apex to control. I have (2) mixers plugged into them that line up with kamoer dosing schedules, I run my fuge light with one, my phyto culture lights, my over night O2 air pump, my QT filter, I have a couple of others that I simply use to switch on maintenance things like RODI auxiliary pumps for filling up feeding cups and etc etc. I also have one hanging on my main filter plug in case I wanna setup a quick timer instead of dealing with the apex app. They are so useful and handy

 

[n2585722]

Not sure if you are aware but the Hydros wifi power strips and wifi plugs are Tuya protocol.