Does reef automation float your boat?

[Jon M.]

What no probes keep clean or replace. I didn't know that.

No the software for Apex itself. The head is like your ECM. The probes and such are like tires and spark plugs. Dunno about your cars but I don’t often need my ECM maintained.

 

[atoll]

No the software for Apex itself. The head is like your ECM. The probes and such are like tires and spark plugs. Dunno about your cars but I don’t often need my ECM maintained.

So you do have to maintain the probes. I thought it was strange as the probes are a major part of the controllers and need to be cleaned and calibrated or cause issues.
I don't have such controllers so apart from my ATU probe which I just wipe so there is less to go wrong with equipment.
I am not actually against controllers as such it's just that to me they are another item to maintain and can cause issues. Of course even without fancy controllers things can still go wrong just personally controllers are a want far from a need.
There are pluses and minuses for both manual and controllers and we can agree to disagree on their worth. Each to their own.

 

[doodledreads]

Yikes.

When i read comments like this I know immediately its not a reefer to trust. The type of person who says this crap usually is too proud to admit the extent of issues they have day to day.
And/Or they're too cheap to invest in the stability of their ecosystem. ;)

Controllers are in no way necessary, thats true, but it doesnt mean people are lazy or they can't handle the other responsibilities in thier life.

Does adding a winky face soften my judgmental tone? ;)

/s

I agree. Too proud to accept help I suppose? I am not saying everyone should automate with expensive controllers and whatnot, but any small kind of automation allows me a little piece of mind and have a life outside the tank. If someone told me I don't deserve a reef because I automate things, I would argue they are too cheap for this hobby and do not really care about animals that depend on their attention.

Besides, its the age of IoT, most of my house is automated. Apart from the convenience and efficiency, it is just fun to automate things.

Edit: Does "Old School" mean resisting change? I don't know if I would tout that if it were.

 

[Ross B Reef'n]

As the system I'm currently building matures, I plan to automate more and more using things like CNC robotics. My current automatic water change system plan utilizes three timers and float switches. Down the road, I'll change this to a USB controlled relay card and a windows surface touch screen interface. The system will continue to expand, controlling more and more of the system. The second system I want to do is an automatic nori feeding system for our tangs. Love this kind of stuff!

I've build 3d printers and CNC machines from scratch in the past, so this kind of thing is in my blood.

 

[UCF Alum]

You better believe I’ll have tank automation if I have $10 grand ++ in coral in the tank that’s taken years to grow. If I’m out or on vacay, I rely on several things to keep my tank full of SPS babysat.
And someone coming over to check on things and feed the fish isn’t one of them.

 

[chefjpaul]

ATO
AWC
PROBES
DOSING
LIGHTING
DC PUMPS / CONTROLLED
CALCIUM REACTORS
ETC..
Even if any of these are on a timer, they are technically automated.

Those that are turning lights on and off manually or dosing by hand etc????

I love the fact I can control my testing, elements, etc. Through automation, being doser and testers, having it adjusted accordingly.
*Being able to create unique flow patterns through a controller.
*Being able to run a more natural photo period with led's.
*To shut the whole system down for maintenance or just a selection of equipment individually depending on the need.
*having battery back up's selected equipment.
*Being able to get a message while away if a sensor alarm goes off, and the camera goes on... ability to act fast.
*Sensors for water levels, and a program that can adjust everything depending on the situation. Good or bad, whether I'm there or not.
*software that can adjust my temperature and run the necessary equipment to keep stable.

When I started freshwater a few decades ago, there was none... none..
Plastic temperature stickers, test strips and garden hoses.

Is all this necessary. NO - not at all-

I never had it before, but as technology evolves, why can't out tanks?

This Doesn't make one less than or more than, rather just a personal preference of how to maintain the hobby.
Definitely doesn't mean one doesn't know thier system or can't "look" at the animals and know if the ecosystem is off or not because they have a computer doing the dosing or shutting off what would be a row of buttons on a DJ strip from the phone.

 

[RobW]

I like automation. Automation is a big part of what I do for a living. Being an electrical contractor in southeast Florida and specializing in high end custom homes, I had to evolve with the times. The things that I have to automate for clients homes are unreal! So for me, something that can help take some of the load off and make the hobby more enjoyable is a huge bonus. Not to mention being able to get an alert if something goes wrong. Could be the difference between getting someone or yourself home to care of an issue before it wipes out 1,000's of dollars in corals or prevents a flood in your home. I say the automation is worth it, providing that you are just as diligent in maintaining all that equipment. Oh, and I'm a fan of GHL over the Apex stuff. Seems to me like well engineered hardware.

 

[Ross B Reef'n]

ATO
AWC
PROBES
DOSING
LIGHTING
DC PUMPS / CONTROLLED
CALCIUM REACTORS
ETC..
Even if any of these are on a timer, they are technically automated.

Those that are turning lights on and off manually or dosing by hand etc????

I love the fact I can control my testing, elements, etc. Through automation, being doser and testers, having it adjusted accordingly.
*Being able to create unique flow patterns through a controller.
*Being able to run a more natural photo period with led's.
*To shut the whole system down for maintenance or just a selection of equipment individually depending on the need.
*having battery back up's selected equipment.
*Being able to get a message while away if a sensor alarm goes off, and the camera goes on... ability to act fast.
*Sensors for water levels, and a program that can adjust everything depending on the situation. Good or bad, whether I'm there or not.
*software that can adjust my temperature and run the necessary equipment to keep stable.

When I started freshwater a few decades ago, there was none... none..
Plastic temperature stickers, test strips and garden hoses.

Is all this necessary. NO - not at all-

I never had it before, but as technology evolves, why can't out tanks?

This Doesn't make one less than or more than, rather just a personal preference of how to maintain the hobby.
Definitely doesn't mean one doesn't know thier system or can't "look" at the animals and know if the ecosystem is off or not because they have a computer doing the dosing or shutting off what would be a row of buttons on a DJ strip from the phone.

Plug in timers are technically PLC controllers! Unless it's the place the pin type

 

[Rcpilot]

I don't currently have any automation besides an ATO and the RO/DI unit. I'm not opposed to automation, but having trouble justifying the cost. When I look at an Apex, I see it costing close to $2,000 by the time you add the accessories needed to fully automate a reef. It's not that I can't afford it. My wife and I are very blessed to be in the top 3% in the US. I just grew up kinda poor and I'm very cautious about spending large amounts of money.... for most anything.

I'm going to HAVE to get some level of automation eventually because we want to travel and take vacations. I've looked into the reef-pi stuff and I understand it.... just not motivated to DIY.

 

[BestMomEver]

Love my apex. I still monitor my tank .... don’t count on probes, etc. But the peace of mind makes it worthwhile for me. It also makes it easier to travel. I’m considering putting up an aquarium cam if for no other reason that I can show off my tank while at the dr office!

 

[Jay Z]

I love my automation. Being single and traveling all the time I sort of had to have it if I wanted to have a successful reef tank. On the flip side, I know one day the automation will try to kill everything in my tank.. Hope I'm home when that happens.

 

[lbacha]

I think a lot of people equate automation with ULM (ultra low maintenance). While automation is used to try and achieve this BRS pretty much proved that ULM doesn’t work well with higher demand systems like sps tanks.

Having said that automation let’s you automate repetitive tasks, you still need to spend time with your tank and even if you have a completely automated tank you need to spend time maintaining the automation.

I think a great example of why automation is good is with dosing. Automating your 2 part dosing allows you to easily spread the dosing over the course of a day. It also ensures you don’t miss a day. On a high consumption tank this is a must. How this automation is achieved can be complex and pricy like apex with a dos pump or as simple as a BRS 1.1ml dosing pump and a multichannel timer that you can get for $10.

 

[NS Mike D]

I enjoy my automation, but I have been able to find a balance and keep the budget low, using 2nd hand but proven items and some DIY or low tech things.

I picked up my apex classic on this site for a mere $200 and my Rapid LED Corona for a little less than that. While the APEX classic has limitations and lacks features of the newer version, but for my needs it does what it need to to do, and reliably at that. The lighst have their own app enabling me fairly match settings based on the great info @Dana Riddle has posted in the forum.

I made a DIY sump for about $25 using a basic tank and pieces of glass from HD. My ATO was the $45 DIY kit from BRS.


The automation has help me keep the tank a lot more stable, and fits in my lifestyle where I am out the door very early yet home very late, leaving me with a small window on the weekend to do my water changes and algae scrubbing. Tasks I don't mind and keep me in tune with the tank.

I don't pass judgment on those with highly automated expensive tanks nor those who are submerged in tank maintenance. So long as you are keeping good husbandry for the habitants of the tank and enjoy it, I say bravo.

 

[shred5]

I don't currently have any automation besides an ATO and the RO/DI unit. I'm not opposed to automation, but having trouble justifying the cost. When I look at an Apex, I see it costing close to $2,000 by the time you add the accessories needed to fully automate a reef. It's not that I can't afford it. My wife and I are very blessed to be in the top 3% in the US. I just grew up kinda poor and I'm very cautious about spending large amounts of money.... for most anything.

I'm going to HAVE to get some level of automation eventually because we want to travel and take vacations. I've looked into the reef-pi stuff and I understand it.... just not motivated to DIY.

See my Apex does not give me peace of mind on vacation, it is just one more thing that can go wrong. My Apex disconnects every-time there is a small power outage and does not reconnect. So now it is summer and with storms my power drops for a few seconds and I now have no idea if it is a long power outage or short. . Now it makes me worry.

For vacation the only thing that makes me feel better is my cameras that mount inside the tank and sump. It allows me to actually see what is going on.

Having a controller is just another piece that can fail and electronics fail. If my heater fails while I am gone as long as it is not middle of winter my tank will be fine. If my main pump fails I will be fine. If one of my circulation pumps fail I will be fine. If I had everything on my Apex and it fails I loose everything including lighting.

I just use mine mainly for temp control and monitoring temps. One I use for lighting too..
That is why I want a cheaper unit like the DA Lite to be released. I do not need a 500 dollar controller for temp control, monitoring and lighting.

I am actually thinking of just dumping my Apex all together.

 

[Ross B Reef'n]

Another 2 cents... love automation, hate cloud systems. If it's a closed intranet, fine. If there's outside access, forget about it. Will never have an Alexa or anything of the sort. I know technology enough to be scared of it, especially when it can maliciously be attacked externally. This is probably why all my automation will be DIY, so it's contained within a closed system.