Coralvue Hydros Questions

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Hello great peoples of the interweb, sorry for junking up the aquarium controller forum, but aquarium controllers are complicated! I decided to go with Coravue Hydros as my aquarium controller, and have a couple wonderings that I was not able to answer on the great wide google machine.

Question 1: What is the PH probe used for? I understand that it is used to measure PH, but why do people use it? I am attempting to decide between the control xs and the control x4, and my only deciding factor right now is the 0-10v control for my aquarium lights, but I want to know if the PH probe should also be a deciding factor.

Question 2: What the heck is the ORP probe for, looked it up and it seems very complicated, but I have never seen it mentioned anywhere in the reefing community as something you need, so what is it used for?

Question 3: on Hydros description that lists what the sense port can be used for, push button switches are listed. I had an idea that I could hook up a button to the sense port so that I could press it for a feed mode, and maybe another one for a water change mode. They don't sell these push buttons though, and I am not sure how I would go about making one. Am I misinterpreting what they mean by push button switch, or is this a reasonable goal?

thanks in advance!

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

personally, I chose the x4 specifically because I wanted the ph probe. its not something I test very often, but its still one less manual test.

The hydros has a feed mode, also a water change mode, and you can create other modes if you want. If I understand your question correctly, if not, sorry I dont know what a button switch is.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

personally, I chose the x4 specifically because I wanted the ph probe. its not something I test very often, but its still one less manual test.

The hydros has a feed mode, also a water change mode, and you can create other modes if you want. If I understand your question correctly, if not, sorry I dont know what a button switch is.

Thanks for the help! I didn't know that they had a feed and water change mode already integrated, so that negates my need for a physical button.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Thanks for the help! I didn't know that they had a feed and water change mode already integrated, so that negates my need for a physical button.

ya its pretty neat, you can program whichjever machines to turn off at feeding. the only thing is you'll need to get the hydros wifi power bar, but its not too expensive compared to other wifi bars. I got 2 of them. I'm pretty happy with my system, I just got it last month and no regrets at all.

 

[SuncrestReef]

People commonly measure pH for a couple of reasons:

1. If you are dosing certain elements, they can raise or decrease pH. A skimmer can also be used to increase pH, so the pH probe can turn it on or off as needed.

2. If you use a calcium reactor, the pH probe is used to regulate how much CO2 and/or feed water flows through the reactor. If the pH is too high, it won't dissolve the calcium media properly. If it's too low, it will cause the media to melt away too quickly.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

ya its pretty neat, you can program whichjever machines to turn off at feeding. the only thing is you'll need to get the hydros wifi power bar, but its not too expensive compared to other wifi bars. I got 2 of them. I'm pretty happy with my system, I just got it last month and no regrets at all.

Awesome! One of the reasons I decided to go with hydros was because of how affordable to wifi power bar is.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

People commonly measure pH for a couple of reasons:

1. If you are dosing certain elements, they can raise or decrease pH. A skimmer can also be used to increase pH, so the pH probe can turn it on or off as needed.

2. If you use a calcium reactor, the pH probe is used to regulate how much CO2 and/or feed water flows through the reactor. If the pH is too high, it won't dissolve the calcium media properly. If it's too low, it will cause the media to melt away too quickly.

Makes sense, I will be using a skimmer, but it is in a very well ventilated area so it shouldn't have that much affect on PH. ( and if anything I need to raise the PH in my tank )

 

[SuncrestReef]

Makes sense, I will be using a skimmer, but it is in a very well ventilated area so it shouldn't have that much affect on PH. ( and if anything I need to raise the PH in my tank )

Back before the pandemic, I used to host some big parties at my house. Even in a well-ventilated area, this is what happens to your aquarium's pH when you have 45 people at your house for a holiday party:


It's nothing I need to worry about these days. But it is an interesting data point.

 

[JoeinLA]

I'm just a noob, but, to me, the Ph probe has been a data point that I've found useful for a number of things: confirming my cheato is doing something (ph rising at night, per BRS video), confirming that nothing is impacting it (e.g., when I add NeoPhos, NeoNitro, CheatoGro, etc.), and overall tank health. I think if you're not monitoring this stuff throughout the day, then I'd guess that a Ph probe wouldn't be that helpful, but I'm bit of a completionist so I find it a very helpful data point.

The ORP probe is the same, but less useful it seems. I read that large drops can signal some sort of organism death, but, beyond that, not sure what it's good for besides knowing that things aren't completely **** up in the tank.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

I dont have a hydros but :
Question 1. I use ph probe to measure / contol the low point in my calcium reactor and in my Magnesium reactor.
Question 2. ORP , i use Ozone so thats what I use ORP controller for .
Question 3. It has ability to use a switch that you either buy their premade switch or you can diy one. I dont see it as a huge selling point for a home aquaium user but maybe someone has a special need for a switch vs using thier phone or ipad. sense module vs control 4, unless you have just a need for the sensors i would opt for the more full version and get a control 4 vs the sense module .

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

Back before the pandemic, I used to host some big parties at my house. Even in a well-ventilated area, this is what happens to your aquarium's pH when you have 45 people at your house for a holiday party:


It's nothing I need to worry about these days. But it is an interesting data point.

Wow! My parents hate party's, so that shouldn't be a problem, but that is insane.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

I'm just a noob, but, to me, the Ph probe has been a data point that I've found useful for a number of things: confirming my cheato is doing something (ph rising at night, per BRS video), confirming that nothing is impacting it (e.g., when I add NeoPhos, NeoNitro, CheatoGro, etc.), and overall tank health. I think if you're not monitoring this stuff throughout the day, then I'd guess that a Ph probe wouldn't be that helpful, but I'm bit of a completionist so I find it a very helpful data point.

The ORP probe is the same, but less useful it seems. I read that large drops can signal some sort of organism death, but, beyond that, not sure what it's good for besides knowing that things aren't completely **** up in the tank.

makes sense, both of them are just kind of an extra data point.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

I dont have a hydros but :
Question 1. I use ph probe to measure / contol the low point in my calcium reactor and in my Magnesium reactor.
Question 2. ORP , i use Ozone so thats what I use ORP controller for .
Question 3. It has ability to use a switch that you either buy their premade switch or you can diy one. I dont see it as a huge selling point for a home aquaium user but maybe someone has a special need for a switch vs using thier phone or ipad. sense module vs control 4, unless you have just a need for the sensors i would opt for the more full version and get a control 4 vs the sense module .

for my use model it seems the only thing that the X4 would add for me is the ability to do a sunrise sunset cycle for my lights, and I really don't think that is worth an extra $200, why else would you think I should go for the X4? legitimately curious as I really don't want to purchase the wrong controller.

 

[YOYOYOReefer]

the xs is just sensor , no ph, no orp, no drive ports (control)

do you want an aquarium sensor or controller.. .why are you buying the hydros in the first place?
do you already have an ato? then your sense module would be fine. do you want your controller to run your ato? then you will want a sense port and a drive port and thats where the control units would be better

if you really never see a need for pH, ORP, your probably better off to compare the control 2 vs the sense module as they are about the same price. Again at the same price point what do you want the device to do? control and monitor or just monitor?

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

the xs is just sensor , no ph, no orp, no drive ports (control)

do you want an aquarium sensor or controller.. .why are you buying the hydros in the first place?
do you already have an ato? then your sense module would be fine. do you want your controller to run your ato? then you will want a sense port and a drive port and thats where the control units would be better

if you really never see a need for pH, ORP, your probably better off to compare the control 2 vs the sense module as they are about the same price. Again at the same price point what do you want the device to do? control and monitor or just monitor?

Here is my full use model:

turn 2 kessil a80's off and on on a schedule and on demand, this will be done through the wifi power bar.

turn heater off in case of failure and on demand, this will be done through the tempature sensor and wifi power bar.

turn ato off ( I already use a complete system ) in case of failure and on demand, this will be done through an optical sensor and wifi power bar.

Turn skimmer on and off on demand, this will be done through the wifi pwoer bar

turn wave and return pumps on and off on demand, this will be done through the wifi power bar

detect leaks, this will be done through the point leak detector

that is all I can think of right now.

 

[n2585722]

You do know you can always add another controller and start a collective if you need more inputs and outputs. It will not replace the one you have but just add to it. I have 8 hydros controllers in a collective. So get what you need at this time and in the near future. If you need more later you can choose one that will fit your needs and add it into your collective or make a collective if it is the second controller.

 

[AnotherReefHobbyist]

You do know you can always add another controller and start a collective if you need more inputs and outputs. It will not replace the one you have but just add to it. I have 8 hydros controllers in a collective. So get what you need at this time and in the near future. If you need more later you can choose one that will fit your needs and add it into your collective or make a collective if it is the second controller.

That was my logic behind starting with a smaller system! And one of the reasons the hydros seems so great.