Controller questions

[John_A]

Hello! So trying to wrap my head around some things In reefing and this is one of them

I have a 40 Breeder with 20 gallon sump its been up for 4+years I'm looking for opinions of if it's worth trying to do a controller on a tank this size I obviously Don't want to spend major money on stuff I Don't need but I like the idea of knowing my parameters at a glance vs having to test everything all the time I currently only dose All for Reef but when vacations come up I like the idea of keeping things in check so what would you recommend and price wise even if I piece it together

 

[tzabor10]

Having controllers can be easy. A Kasa smart strip could control most functions of an aquarium. For testing, an Apex or Hydros could give you information about parameters. Trouble is those tests can become inaccurate. I have to mentally add or subtract numbers to understand what is happening.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

I added a Control 2 Starter pack to my 12 gallon tank at the office. Do I need it? No. But it does give me peace of mind that the heater hasn't failed, no one messed with the HVAC, and there are no leaks on the floor. I am gone every weekend and take weeklong trips occasionally so the monitoring is appreciated. After a while, I added a leak sensor and a couple of dosers. For $200 I think it was well worth it.
https://www.marineandreef.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RHS64118

 

[esquare]

Can you put a controller on a 40, yes. Do you need one, no. I personally wouldn't have a tank without some sort of controller though.

As for which brand/ecosystem, we are fortunate to have several very good options now to choose from. I committed to the Apex line a long time ago (was looking for a cable 2 days ago and found one.of my old Aqua controllers in a box) and have been relatively happy. If Salinity monitoring is very important to you, the Apex doesn't do this very well though many have had good success. I like the approach Hydros has taken with salinity by isolating the probe but can't speak from experience as to whether this works better or not.

One approach is to make a list of what you want to control/test/monitor and see which brand does those things. I assume Apex is the most user friendly based on my experience and what others have posted.

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

As another note. After being ashamed of the algae on my Koralias it is time for a citric acid bath. The urchin just can't keep them clean.

 

[Doctorgori]

Hello! So trying to wrap my head around some things In reefing and this is one of them

I have a 40 Breeder with 20 gallon sump its been up for 4+years I'm looking for opinions of if it's worth trying to do a controller on a tank this size I obviously Don't want to spend major money on stuff I Don't need but I like the idea of knowing my parameters at a glance vs having to test everything all the time I currently only dose All for Reef but when vacations come up I like the idea of keeping things in check so what would you recommend and price wise even if I piece it together

yeah money is a reality an a limiter of what you can buy but your equipment expenses must stay in line with livestock value…
If you got a pair of clowns and a bubble tip in a 40 maybe a Kasa strip is a acceptable level of quality,
If that thing fills up with acros and your $300 pr Choclatemochas or whatever are breeding then get a Neptune Apex

 

[John_A]

yeah money is a reality an a limiter of what you can buy but your equipment expenses must stay in line with livestock value…
If you got a pair of clowns and a bubble tip in a 40 maybe a Kasa strip is a acceptable level of quality,
If that thing fills up with acros and your $300 pr Choclatemochas or whatever are breeding then get a Neptune Apex

Great point! I've been out of the loop for a little is there anything that actively tests water parameters? That's my main thing honestly Ph and stuff like that I Don't mind testing but element levels would be a plus I just Invision going on a vacation and having to try to walk someone through a test kit if needed vs just checking my phone

 

[MarineandReef Jaron]

These definitely exist but everything comes at a cost. For me the controller is mostly about disaster prevention so the most important things to monitor for are 1. Leaks 2. Power Outages 3. Temperature 4. pH. In that order. You can buy testers that test nearly everything but typically a change in your nitrate or phosphate is not going to cause an immediate disaster.

 

[n2585722]

I have 42 gallon hex tank with a Hydros collective with 14 controllers in the collective. I have 7 in the garage where my mixing station and RODI units is and 7 at the tank 35ft away from the garage. I have a lot automated though. Click on MY Tank Thread banner to get to my build thread. The Hydros information starts on page 6 post #119. There is quite a bit of Hydros information from that point to the end of the thread.