Heaters

[n2585722]

I'm glad that you mentioned this. I would have thought that they would have a setting for outlet state if it loses it's wifi connection. I guess you need the 8 port controller for anything critical.

I would have been super mad if my wifi mesh went down while the heater was on and cooked my tank,

If you are using smaller heaters like I do just get one with an adjustable thermostat as a backup off to the Hydros. With heaters I would have a backup off anyway. The wifi strips are Hydros branded but they are Tuya protocol wifi strips and they have the same firmware as the same ones sold under other brand names. The XP8 is a Hydros controller and the PC board is built by CoralVue. So it has Hydros controller firmware and the AC outlets are built into the controller. The XP8 also has power monitoring and once you set a safe power range and setup an alert level you will get alerts if the power usage goes out of that range. So it is better especially when you are powering things like dosing pumps, ATO pumps are AWC pumps with AC power. Those I would not put on a wifi power strip unless it was just being used as a backup off. I do have a UPS on my router and cable modem so those stay powered even during a power failure. I also have battery backup on my Hydros controllers but without AC input to them any AC devices will not power on but the DC powered devices can still be powered. That includes my MP10 flow pumps they still run but at a lower flow rate than the normal schedules.

 

[ScottF]

I got my Hydros setup with a new Hygger heater controller. My initial impression of the Hydros is that I think I prefer my Apex. The look and build quality of the Hydros seems better. I just like having a scripting language built in. It seems like the Apex is more flexible that way.

Maybe it's because I have way more experience with the Apex. I'll have to watch some videos on the finer details of programming a Hydros.

 

[BryanM]

I was walking by my nano and noticed that the Hygger Pinpoint temp controller was reading 140 degrees. I panicked for a minute until I saw that everything was still alive and looking great. I dipped my finger in the water and it felt cool. Now I need to buy a replacement.

I remembered that BRS Ryan used to push the Ink Bird controllers. I went on BRS to get one and it was bad review after bad review about it loosing calibration and/or erroring out after 6 months.

Any recommendations on a good heater controller?

I use helios controllers and believe they are solid.

 

[Connor At CoralVue]

I'll have to watch some videos on the finer details of programming a Hydros.

Watch videos, join the group, and make sure to reach out to us at support if anything is needed! Customer Service is taken very seriously around here, we'd love to help!

 

[Hooz]

I used Inkbirds for years with no secondary controller with ZERO issues.

On a couple nano tanks, I used to run just heaters with built-in controllers, but that backfired on me a few times.

Then I got my first Helio PTC setup. Now I'm switching every tank I have (including a 6g AiO with a 30w Helio Mini) over to Helio. Not only are they reliable and able to be calibrated, they are SUPER stable. I don't get more than half a degree drift up or down with them.

On tanks with controllers (I'm a Hydros guy), the heavy lifting is left up to the Helio, and the controller kills the power to the heater if the tank gets hotter than 82 degrees (heaters set to 78).

 

[ScottF]

Watch videos, join the group, and make sure to reach out to us at support if anything is needed! Customer Service is taken very seriously around here, we'd love to help!

I configured the outlet as a heater, but what I really would like to do is "if Temp > 82 then outlet off". I don't need a high temp and low temp. I want the Hygger heater controller to do the heavy lifting and for the Hydros to just kill it if it gets above 82 degrees and send me an alert.