Help me with Hydros choices.

[pswag115]

We have a 80g AIO reef setup. Trying to pick between a Launch or X3 / XP8 PRO Pack. Whats the better long term setup? We drive our gyre pumps off the old artic white box wifi with the hydros app, will it all be intergrated in the app or will it be 2 seperate setups in the Hydros app? Our heaters use a stand alone controller and I dont plan on intergrating them into the hydros, just monitoring the temp to ensure they are working. We want to use the 120v outlets for skimmer, feeder, filter pump, and the gyre pumps. 4 outlets should sufice but the Launch does not do power monitoring, is it really important? Id like the salinity but im reading about issues with he prob.

Can anyone help me with the choice?

 

[n2585722]

We have a 80g AIO reef setup. Trying to pick between a Launch or X3 / XP8 PRO Pack. Whats the better long term setup? We drive our gyre pumps off the old artic white box wifi with the hydros app, will it all be intergrated in the app or will it be 2 seperate setups in the Hydros app? Our heaters use a stand alone controller and I dont plan on intergrating them into the hydros, just monitoring the temp to ensure they are working. We want to use the 120v outlets for skimmer, feeder, filter pump, and the gyre pumps. 4 outlets should sufice but the Launch does not do power monitoring, is it really important? Id like the salinity but im reading about issues with he prob.

Can anyone help me with the choice?

You can always add other controllers later by creating a collective with you original controller and then setup the new controller in the app and make sure firmware is up to date. Then power down both controllers and connect the controllers together with command bus cables. Then add two terminators to the two open command bus ports, power it back up and then select the collective and then under devices in the left menu add the new controller to the collective. The Pro Pack comes with a command bus cable and the 2 terminators so you can create your collective between the XP8 and the other controller you get in the Pro Pack you buy. My large collective has 15 controllers in it.

 

[pswag115]

You can always add other controllers later by creating a collective with you original controller and then setup the new controller in the app and make sure firmware is up to date. Then power down both controllers and connect the controllers together with command bus cables. Then add two terminators to the two open command bus ports, power it back up and then select the collective and then under devices in the left menu add the new controller to the collective. The Pro Pack comes with a command bus cable and the 2 terminators so you can create your collective between the XP8 and the other controller you get in the Pro Pack you buy. My large collective has 15 controllers in it.

Thanks for the response! Gives me something to think about.

 

[BryanM]

Thanks for the response! Gives me something to think about.

I would write down what you want to do with a controller.

I would also add up how many outlets you need with power monitoring, as that is the real goal I think behind the XP8. If you don't need or want power monitoring you could go with wifi powerstrips for a LOT less money.

If you want "it all", the X10 pro pack is ideal IMO.

 

[pswag115]

I would write down what you want to do with a controller.

I would also add up how many outlets you need with power monitoring, as that is the real goal I think behind the XP8. If you don't need or want power monitoring you could go with wifi powerstrips for a LOT less money.

If you want "it all", the X10 pro pack is ideal IMO.

I have read many problems with the wifi strips, it scared us so we went with an xp8. I dont really see us using the power monitoring, change my mind - what are the use cases? Just overall power use or do you guys monitor each unit?

I appriciate all the support, we went with a seperate controler with XP8 because the Launch was not available in the time frame we needed.

 

[n2585722]

I have read many problems with the wifi strips, it scared us so we went with an xp8. I dont really see us using the power monitoring, change my mind - what are the use cases? Just overall power use or do you guys monitor each unit?

I appriciate all the support, we went with a seperate controler with XP8 because the Launch was not available in the time frame we needed.

As an example I use the power monitoring on my 2 heater outputs. I have 2 of the 50 watt heaters that have a thermostat built into the heater. I control with the Hydros and set the heaters about 3 degrees higher than the turn off setup point in the Hydros, I set the power monitoring range to 45 watts for the low and 55 watts for the high. Soif the output gets above 55 watts or below 45 watts for any reason when the output is on it will send an alert. So I am aware there is some kind of issue with that output.

 

[pswag115]

As an example I use the power monitoring on my 2 heater outputs. I have 2 of the 50 watt heaters that have a thermostat built into the heater. I control with the Hydros and set the heaters about 3 degrees higher than the turn off setup point in the Hydros, I set the power monitoring range to 45 watts for the low and 55 watts for the high. Soif the output gets above 55 watts or below 45 watts for any reason when the output is on it will send an alert. So I am aware there is some kind of issue with that output.

That’s a smart example, I like it. Thanks!

 

[BriDroid]

As an example I use the power monitoring on my 2 heater outputs. I have 2 of the 50 watt heaters that have a thermostat built into the heater. I control with the Hydros and set the heaters about 3 degrees higher than the turn off setup point in the Hydros, I set the power monitoring range to 45 watts for the low and 55 watts for the high. Soif the output gets above 55 watts or below 45 watts for any reason when the output is on it will send an alert. So I am aware there is some kind of issue with that output.

This is exactly what I do too. I have 2 Eheim 100W heaters in my sump. Their thermostat is set to 78. I have the XP8 control them both. The XP8 keeps them at 76. I also monitor the power so I know if each one is turning on and off when it’s supposed to.

I really with I could have just one heater output that would control both heaters. But I guess monitoring each individual heater would be difficult then now that I think about it.

 

[n2585722]

This is exactly what I do too. I have 2 Eheim 100W heaters in my sump. Their thermostat is set to 78. I have the XP8 control them both. The XP8 keeps them at 76. I also monitor the power so I know if each one is turning on and off when it’s supposed to.

I really with I could have just one heater output that would control both heaters. But I guess monitoring each individual heater would be difficult then now that I think about it.

The only issue would be there would be no way to determine which heater was causing the issue from the app since either one could cause an alert.

 

[tbrown]

I would write down what you want to do with a controller.

I would also add up how many outlets you need with power monitoring, as that is the real goal I think behind the XP8. If you don't need or want power monitoring you could go with wifi powerstrips for a LOT less money.

If you want "it all", the X10 pro pack is ideal IMO.

I made a spreadsheet for what I wanted to do with the Collective, figured out what ports and how many controlled outlets I'd need, and built the Collective based on what I could afford for now knowing I had the opportunity for expandability for the future.

X3/XP8 is great but not a lot of sense/drive ports. Making it an X4/XP8 gives more sense and adds drive ports. Launch only has 4 controlled outlets but has drive and sense ports and is great starting option.