Hydros Control 2 , Control 4 and accessories question and answer thread.

[Hasted]

Looking at the new Feeder. It appears it is ran wireless and powered by a USB connector.

With that, I can run a feeder on my other two tanks without a Hydros, right? As long as my main tank's Hydros can talk to the feeder, good?

My current set up:

Main tank, Hydros C4, 4Strip. All the sensors and such are here.


Nano upstairs, 4Strip being controlled by main's C4. Purely used as a power strip and easy 1 Button modes for WC and feeding. No Control connected here. Kasa strip kept disconnecting so I swapped with a 4strip. I can just connect the feeder to the USB port on the 4Strip?

Frag Tank basement. Nothing yet. However, in range so a feeder could talk with the main's C4 same as above?

Thoughts?

 

[shred5]

Looking at the new Feeder. It appears it is ran wireless and powered by a USB connector.

With that, I can run a feeder on my other two tanks without a Hydros, right? As long as my main tank's Hydros can talk to the feeder, good?

My current set up:

Main tank, Hydros C4, 4Strip. All the sensors and such are here.


Nano upstairs, 4Strip being controlled by main's C4. Purely used as a power strip and easy 1 Button modes for WC and feeding. No Control connected here. Kasa strip kept disconnecting so I swapped with a 4strip. I can just connect the feeder to the USB port on the 4Strip?

Frag Tank basement. Nothing yet. However, in range so a feeder could talk with the main's C4 same as above?

Thoughts?

I know very little about this and I am going to check because I have not tried one yet myself.
I am guessing yes you are correct.
I am also guessing each will count as one wireless device subtracting from the total amount of wireless devices you can run.

 

[rockdiver]

I didnt know they had a feeder yet a flow sensor would be nice

 

[n2585722]

I didnt know they had a feeder yet a flow sensor would be nice

They do have a small one. https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-1-4inch-flow-sensor

 

[shred5]

I didnt know they had a feeder yet a flow sensor would be nice

Right and larger ones are planned.

 

[rockdiver]

Yes I knew the small ato one but need the larger one for my uv and return pump. I may be going a different direction anyway. Seems to be issues with control 2 and 4. Will wait and see.

 

[Cwentz758]

Are you able to daisy chain the extension cables? I see they have 9' extensions I would like to extend an ATO to a secondary tank farther away front the C2.

 

[Cwentz758]

Also the ATO mini pump. LOVE it. practically dead silent when running 5ft away from me in the living room. My Tunze ATO is super loud comparatively

 

[n2585722]

How much current does the pump use? It should be displayed on the output when the pump is running. How many extension cables are you wanting to use?

 

[Cwentz758]

How much current does the pump use? It should be displayed on the output when the pump is running. How many extension cables are you wanting to use?

two maybe three.

 

[n2585722]

If it is a low current motor that should be fine. My dosing pumps use on average 120ma of current which low. It depends on the flow setting on them as to the actual value. If you have one of these pumps already you can get the extension cables and try it with you current pump while you are there to turn it off if it does not work as planned. If does work then get another pump. Keep an eye on the current as there is a total limit of 1.5 amps if both ports are running. Since I don't have that pump I cannot tell you much more. Below is a screenshot showing the current read back of my ATO pump plus a relay coil. I have a relay energize when the pump is on. This closes a switch contact on a input to my Archon controller. When I first switched the ATO over to the Hydros this gave me a graph of the ATO activity. I just have not got around to removing the relay yet.

 

[Fishnfun]

I purchased the $350 wave engine, with RF chip. My pumps are Vectra L2 return pump, MP40QD, and MP60QD. Am I able to eliminate all 3 power bricks for these three pumps by using the wave engine to control them, or is that not how the Wave Engine works with the Ecotech line?

 

[n2585722]

The WaveEngine controls the EcoTech by wireless means. So you still need their power packs.

 

[Cwentz758]

If it is a low current motor that should be fine. My dosing pumps use on average 120ma of current which low. It depends on the flow setting on them as to the actual value. If you have one of these pumps already you can get the extension cables and try it with you current pump while you are there to turn it off if it does not work as planned. If does work then get another pump. Keep an eye on the current as there is a total limit of 1.5 amps if both ports are running. Since I don't have that pump I cannot tell you much more. Below is a screenshot showing the current read back of my ATO pump plus a relay coil. I have a relay energize when the pump is on. This closes a switch contact on a input to my Archon controller. When I first switched the ATO over to the Hydros this gave me a graph of the ATO activity. I just have not got around to removing the relay yet.

maybe I mistyped. I use the ATO hydros provides. I was just wondering if I can add a second one to fill another tank. I would need to daisy chain extension cables to reach the pump though, I figured if I took three i could connect the ends and have a 27ft cable

 

[n2585722]

maybe I mistyped. I use the ATO hydros provides. I was just wondering if I can add a second one to fill another tank. I would need to daisy chain extension cables to reach the pump though, I figured if I took three i could connect the ends and have a 27ft cable

I did understand. I don't use the pump from CoralVue. That is why I was asking you what kind of current draw it has since you already have one in use and want to add another. The 27ft may be a long run for a pump if it is near the 1amp limit. Also there is a total limit for both outputs of 1.5 amps. Since both pumps may run at the same time that needs to be considered. The Hydros app will tell you the current draw when the pump is running like in the screenshot I posted.

 

[shred5]

Yea voltage drop might be too much but I have run them with a extension just not nearly that far. . If it is in wifi range you could put another control out there. You could also put a 120 volt pump and use a wifi strip. You could just splice in a transformer to your existing pump too and use a wifi strip.

 

[Cwentz758]

I did understand. I don't use the pump from CoralVue. That is why I was asking you what kind of current draw it has since you already have one in use and want to add another. The 27ft may be a long run for a pump if it is near the 1amp limit. Also there is a total limit for both outputs of 1.5 amps. Since both pumps may run at the same time that needs to be considered. The Hydros app will tell you the current draw when the pump is running like in the screenshot I posted.

Ahhh got it. Thanks!

 

[JeffB418]

HYDROS FIRMWARE UPDATE

Firmware 180 is now live!
Firmware is ONLY for Control. DO NOT try to update the WaveEngine or IceCap Controller.
NOTE: If your app does not prompt you for an update or you do not see the latest version on the firmware update page, power cycling the Control will force a refresh.

HYDROS Control - How to Update to the Latest Firmware

When the HYDROS app opens, you will be alerted if you need to download updates. After the update, your Control restarts. We recommend restarting the app.

www.coralvuehydros.com

 

[shakygator]

Hi - setup my control 2 today. Super easy and I like it, but having an issue. When I first started it had me update fw to 180. All was good through setup of the temp sensor and 2 wifi strips. I was prompted again to update fw, which I thought was weird but I pressed okay and then it threw an error immediately. Now I am having trouble as the app keeps disconnecting and showing no status. I have to press the refresh button, which it works, but then it just disconnects again. I did rename the device and at which point I had to go back and reconfigure the wifi settings otherwise it was not connecting from the app at all. It wasn't doing this during setup only after I clicked to allow it to update fw again.

EDIT: Just switched to Bluetooth and it doesn't disconnect me. The WiFi is solid here, and was fine through setup.

 

[n2585722]

The app works via the internet so it could be an internet connection. I get the no status also. I just press refresh until it connects. Bluetooth is all local. There is a web page you can also use if you have trouble with the app.