Having trouble deciding which hydros controller to start with

[Ish1130]

I’ve heard a lot of good things about the hydros controller line and I’m really interested in the maven when it comes out but I was reading that certain brands cannot run with hydros and I was a little hesitant on purchasing a controller without really knowing if I can run what I have on my tank with the controller. I wrote a list of everything I am currently running on my tank and was hoping someone can guide me as to if I can get a controller with what I have and which controller would be the best option.

 

[tbrown]

As far as pumps:

https://www.coralvuehydros.com/is-my-pump-compatible/
For a good beginning controller you can get the Launch with 4 controllable outlets plus probe, drive, and sense ports or you can get the XP8 with 8 controllable outlets.

What exactly are you hoping to achieve? Monitoring can be done with probes (pH) or sense ports (level indicators, leak indicators, temperature, etc). Control can be achieved with drive ports, 0-10v ports, or controlled outlets. The WiFi power strips seem to be hit or miss wether they work or not.

 

[Connor At CoralVue]

Thanks for your interest in HYDROS! You're gonna love it!

This build is going to showcase HYDROS can work with pretty much any equipement.

You're going to need 120v Outlets...most of the items you had mentioned are simply going to be plugged into power and we will control them On/Off Binarily.


In total, I counted 12 items that need to be plugged in. Now, we can can reduce that. For example, I would highly recommend the HYDROS ATO Kit for ultra fine control of your ATO...plus the pump is on a Drive Port and the Water Sensor on a Sense Port.

With that, let's consider 11x 120v Outlets needed.

Control XP8. This would provide 8x 120v Power Monitored Outlets, controllable by HYDROS, an independent brain.

LAUNCH. This is one of the Mothership Controllers, a larger offering with a sprinkling of most of the port you will find within HYDROS...along with 4x 120v Outlets. Now your list is covered you can plug everything into power.

But the LAUNCH has more than that. It comes with a pH Probe, so out of the box you would get pH. Same with TEMP, comes with a temp sensor for a SENSE Port.

Then you have 3 remaining SENSE Ports for whatever Sense Port accessories you require...say leak detector, skimmer sensor, water level that would come with HYDROS ATO KIT...etc.

As well, you would have inventory of a Salinity Port if you wanted to add that probe.

0-10v IN, this would be for a button box, break out box, a DIY friendly port for advanced stuff.

4 Drive Ports for Dosers, ATO PUMPS, Solenoids, or even 12v devices in case that fuge light is 12v.

Make sure to get a Command Bus Cable to link the devices, and 2x Command Bus Terminators in order to form a Collective. A Collective is when multiple HYDROS Controls are working as one cohesive unit.

From there, you can stay that size, or expand later on with more HYDROS Controls as you see fit. Maybe you fill up your Sense Ports...so you add a MINNOW that has 4x more Sense Ports and 2x Dosers. So many angles of attack. :)

Make sure to reach out to us at support, we can even help before you purchase anything! Support.coralvue.com

 

[vandy]

can't get a better breakdown than that. Straight from the horses mouth

 

[Connor At CoralVue]

I forgot to mention the Sicce SDC can also connect via WiFi to HYDROS.

We work hard to build relationships w/ other manufacturers! Always more being added.

 

[Ish1130]

Thanks for your interest in HYDROS! You're gonna love it!

This build is going to showcase HYDROS can work with pretty much any equipement.

You're going to need 120v Outlets...most of the items you had mentioned are simply going to be plugged into power and we will control them On/Off Binarily.


In total, I counted 12 items that need to be plugged in. Now, we can can reduce that. For example, I would highly recommend the HYDROS ATO Kit for ultra fine control of your ATO...plus the pump is on a Drive Port and the Water Sensor on a Sense Port.

With that, let's consider 11x 120v Outlets needed.

Control XP8. This would provide 8x 120v Power Monitored Outlets, controllable by HYDROS, an independent brain.

LAUNCH. This is one of the Mothership Controllers, a larger offering with a sprinkling of most of the port you will find within HYDROS...along with 4x 120v Outlets. Now your list is covered you can plug everything into power.

But the LAUNCH has more than that. It comes with a pH Probe, so out of the box you would get pH. Same with TEMP, comes with a temp sensor for a SENSE Port.

Then you have 3 remaining SENSE Ports for whatever Sense Port accessories you require...say leak detector, skimmer sensor, water level that would come with HYDROS ATO KIT...etc.

As well, you would have inventory of a Salinity Port if you wanted to add that probe.

0-10v IN, this would be for a button box, break out box, a DIY friendly port for advanced stuff.

4 Drive Ports for Dosers, ATO PUMPS, Solenoids, or even 12v devices in case that fuge light is 12v.

Make sure to get a Command Bus Cable to link the devices, and 2x Command Bus Terminators in order to form a Collective. A Collective is when multiple HYDROS Controls are working as one cohesive unit.

From there, you can stay that size, or expand later on with more HYDROS Controls as you see fit. Maybe you fill up your Sense Ports...so you add a MINNOW that has 4x more Sense Ports and 2x Dosers. So many angles of attack. :)

Make sure to reach out to us at support, we can even help before you purchase anything! Support.coralvue.com

Perfect . This is exactly what I needed to guide me. Question. If I add dosers and daisy chain them can I use each doser individually or would they all program to dose the same amount?

 

[Connor At CoralVue]

As they are simple dosers, when they get power, they would turn on. So you can daisy chain them, but they would all turn on at their respective speed.

However w/ 4x Drive Ports you could do 4 Dosers before you have to think about that.

 

[BryanM]

I was going to recommend you contact them, but clearly that's already happened.

 

[Connor At CoralVue]

I was going to recommend you contact them, but clearly that's already happened.

We got you bb

 

[Ish1130]

As they are simple dosers, when they get power, they would turn on. So you can daisy chain them, but they would all turn on at their respective speed.

However w/ 4x Drive Ports you could do 4 Dosers before you have to

Nice! Thanks for all of your help! Just one more question if you don’t mind, when is the maven coming out?

 

[Ish1130]

can't get a better breakdown than that. Straight from the horses mouth

Exactly what I needed