Hydros Starting Question

[drkcurrent]

Hey R2R,

I am setting up a new 50gal system and looking to start with hydros but not sure if i should get the start, launch, minnow, blenny or x10.

Here are my goals:

• Temp monitoring
• ATO
• ATO top off from RODI in garage 30 ft away(tubing run in crawl space under)
• AWC in the future
• Single doser for All in Reef
• Leak monitor

Currently looking at a Kessil light but planning to use the Kessil Spectral Controller X for it just just need power

Return: Sicce SDC 3.0 or Varios2
Skimmer pump: Mag 12
Wavemaker: Plan is tunze 6075 but thinking of going Wave Engine LE with the Octo 2 and Varios2 tied in

Is the minnow, blenny or x10 good to use for an ATO pump? Or do i need to get the micro pump too?

Can these pumps move the water from the garage to the tank or should I look else where?

I would most likely add a wifi power strip or xp8 but wanted to keep cost inline.

Thanks

 

[claydogg84]

I used the ATO kit from Hydros and had zero issues. I had an XS, XP8, X2, & XD - all worked flawlessly. The only thing from the Hydros family that was not reliable was the wifi strip.. I would avoid that. From the list you wrote I would probably do the Launch with the ATO separate and build from that based on needs.

 

[TheNative192]

Hey R2R,

I am setting up a new 50gal system and looking to start with hydros but not sure if i should get the start, launch, minnow, blenny or x10.

Here are my goals:

• Temp monitoring
• ATO
• ATO top off from RODI in garage 30 ft away(tubing run in crawl space under)
• AWC in the future
• Single doser for All in Reef
• Leak monitor

Currently looking at a Kessil light but planning to use the Kessil Spectral Controller X for it just just need power

Return: Sicce SDC 3.0 or Varios2
Skimmer pump: Mag 12
Wavemaker: Plan is tunze 6075 but thinking of going Wave Engine LE with the Octo 2 and Varios2 tied in

Is the minnow, blenny or x10 good to use for an ATO pump? Or do i need to get the micro pump too?

Can these pumps move the water from the garage to the tank or should I look else where?

I would most likely add a wifi power strip or xp8 but wanted to keep cost inline.

Thanks

You can do all of that with the Control X4 & XP8 Bundle. You definitely want an XP8 almost always with some form of controller. If you want to monitor salinity you would need to go with the Hydros Control XP8 X10 Combo Pack.

I am currently in the process of setting up an AWC, but I have an ATO, Temp Monitor, PH monitor, Doser for All for Reef, and I also have with the XP8 the ability to shut off my return pumps, skimmer, and wave makers with the press of a button for 15 minutes while feeding (using XP8) & I can run my heater to turn off if temps get to high. Also I have my fuge light programmed from my XP8.

The XP8 powers plugs and is controlled by the control unit. The Control unit also powers two pumps or dosing pumps (low power items) Although with sensors you can use the XP8 & Control to do AWC & ATO's as well. I highly recommend getting a PH probe as well as I had not realized how unstable my PH was till I got it and now I have a good idea about how to keep it much more stable!

 

[BeanAnimal]

It boggles my mind that prospective customers can’t find these simple answers from Hydros’ marketing. It is one more example of how poorly presented the information is.

 

[TheNative192]

It boggles my mind that prospective customers can’t find these simple answers from Hydros’ marketing. It is one more example of how poorly presented the information is.

They have an amazing support team though if you call them or if you email them they will call & explain everything you need. Also it is extremely user friendly. Most things I figured out on my own in minutes. The only difficult part is there are multiple ways of accomplishing certain goals like for an AWC.

 

[BeanAnimal]

They have an amazing support team though if you call them or if you email them they will call & explain everything you need.

I would not agree with that opinion, but nonetheless, one shouldn’t have to call them to get basic pre-sales product information or to sort out the product offering.

Easy to use? Maybe from your perspective and that is fine. For me? Not overly flexible in terms of logic or customization compared to other platforms and the hard cloud tie is a 100% deal breaker for me.

Each platform has pros and cons. It is good that there is competition.

 

[n2585722]

Hey R2R,

I am setting up a new 50gal system and looking to start with hydros but not sure if i should get the start, launch, minnow, blenny or x10.

Here are my goals:

• Temp monitoring
• ATO
• ATO top off from RODI in garage 30 ft away(tubing run in crawl space under)
• AWC in the future
• Single doser for All in Reef
• Leak monitor

Currently looking at a Kessil light but planning to use the Kessil Spectral Controller X for it just just need power

Return: Sicce SDC 3.0 or Varios2
Skimmer pump: Mag 12
Wavemaker: Plan is tunze 6075 but thinking of going Wave Engine LE with the Octo 2 and Varios2 tied in

Is the minnow, blenny or x10 good to use for an ATO pump? Or do i need to get the micro pump too?

Can these pumps move the water from the garage to the tank or should I look else where?

I would most likely add a wifi power strip or xp8 but wanted to keep cost inline.

Thanks

I have my dosing pumps for ATO and AWC in my garage 35ft from the tank. My tubing is run up through the attic between the tank and garage. I have used the Hydros simple doser and a Sole for ATO. I currently use 2 of my Blenny pumps for AWC so my guess is you could also use one as ATO. My tank is only a 42g tank and I have the AWC split into 4 times a day so the pumps only run for about 15 minute each at each event. The Sole is also set to 55ml a minute which is the same as the Blenny pumps. I also dose All For Reef from one of my X10's. I also dose a KH buffer also for an X10.

 

[JeffB418]

Hey R2R,

I am setting up a new 50gal system and looking to start with hydros but not sure if i should get the start, launch, minnow, blenny or x10.

Here are my goals:

• Temp monitoring
• ATO
• ATO top off from RODI in garage 30 ft away(tubing run in crawl space under)
• AWC in the future
• Single doser for All in Reef
• Leak monitor

Currently looking at a Kessil light but planning to use the Kessil Spectral Controller X for it just just need power

Return: Sicce SDC 3.0 or Varios2
Skimmer pump: Mag 12
Wavemaker: Plan is tunze 6075 but thinking of going Wave Engine LE with the Octo 2 and Varios2 tied in

Is the minnow, blenny or x10 good to use for an ATO pump? Or do i need to get the micro pump too?

Can these pumps move the water from the garage to the tank or should I look else where?

I would most likely add a wifi power strip or xp8 but wanted to keep cost inline.

Thanks

Personally I always point to 1 of 2 options to start from. Ask yourself these questions first and that should help you pick between these 2. For the price point, these 2 options give you the most features for the money. If you are a little budget limited, the Hydros START isn't a bad place to start from either but you will pay more to add on features later.

As for ATO, grab a hydros ATO add on kit (1 sense port, 1 drive port needed). If you want AWC in the future, just add on 2 more pumps (drain and fill) and it will reuse the same ATO sensor in the programming.
For AFR dosing, cheap option, grab a hydros single simple doser (1 drive port). Or if you want something alittle more robust, add on a Hydros Minnow.

For remote RODI refilling this is what I suggest:
- Grab a single outlet wifi hydros plug (https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-smart-plug)
- Grab a RODI booster pump w/ AC adapter. These are GREAT pumps for moving RODI over 1/4" hose. They are just diaphragm pumps. I use one to do exactly as you need, and its worked great for years.
- Then grab a drive port liquid solenoid valve (https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-dc-solenoid-water-valve)

Put the wifi outlet and booster pump near your RODI setup. Run 1/4" hose to your ATO container and put the solenoid valve on the 1/4" hose near your ATO container connected to your hydros. Hydros can remotely turn on the booster pump over wifi and enable the hardwired solenoid valve at the same time. Works perfectly. The solenoid is a safety backup JUST incase the wifi outlet fails to shut off. The solenoid will close and stop the flow. You can also add a safety shutoff on the booster side as well where if the pressure gets too high the pump automatically shuts off as well.

 

[drkcurrent]

Personally I always point to 1 of 2 options to start from. Ask yourself these questions first and that should help you pick between these 2. For the price point, these 2 options give you the most features for the money. If you are a little budget limited, the Hydros START isn't a bad place to start from either but you will pay more to add on features later.

As for ATO, grab a hydros ATO add on kit (1 sense port, 1 drive port needed). If you want AWC in the future, just add on 2 more pumps (drain and fill) and it will reuse the same ATO sensor in the programming.
For AFR dosing, cheap option, grab a hydros single simple doser (1 drive port). Or if you want something alittle more robust, add on a Hydros Minnow.

For remote RODI refilling this is what I suggest:
- Grab a single outlet wifi hydros plug (https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-smart-plug)
- Grab a RODI booster pump w/ AC adapter. These are GREAT pumps for moving RODI over 1/4" hose. They are just diaphragm pumps. I use one to do exactly as you need, and its worked great for years.
- Then grab a drive port liquid solenoid valve (https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-dc-solenoid-water-valve)

Put the wifi outlet and booster pump near your RODI setup. Run 1/4" hose to your ATO container and put the solenoid valve on the 1/4" hose near your ATO container connected to your hydros. Hydros can remotely turn on the booster pump over wifi and enable the hardwired solenoid valve at the same time. Works perfectly. The solenoid is a safety backup JUST incase the wifi outlet fails to shut off. The solenoid will close and stop the flow. You can also add a safety shutoff on the booster side as well where if the pressure gets too high the pump automatically shuts off as well.

Thank you so much! This is very helpful.

I am getting a Nyos g2 200 so only looking at about 42gal myself.

the 0-10v out port I have realized is important but is only on the x4 and wave engine. I am considering getting the xp8, wave engine and the control x2 to start. I do like the advantage of octo 2, varios 2(return) and varios4(skimmer) on a single control and it has the 0-10v.

x4 pro pack with a Wave engine LE could be the way to go with the packaged savings with the octo2 and that all important 0-10v port.

I do agree that Hydros is overly confusing and the controllers don't overlap that well. I am coming from Neptune so excited for the switch.

 

[Hooz]

If you're going to pump RODI 30' for your ATO, you're going to need something more than the micro pump that comes in the ATO kit, and I probably wouldn't use one of the (small) dosing heads on a Minnow/Blenny. I'd recommend a continuous duty dosing pump. Either a "dumb" AC (on/off) type, or a Sole if you want it as part of your collective. Same for your future AWC pumps, since I assume they'll be pumping a similar distance.

Looking through the Hydros catalog can be a bit daunting, but you can simplify it quite a bit by compiling a list of what all sensors and probes you need, which devices you plan to run and if they'll need a drive port or an AC outlet. Once you've made your list, just add up the number of each port you'll need and buy the controllers that give you the most of those ports for the least money.

Honestly, I think probably 80% of people could get what they need from a Launch. Add a Minnow and/or WaveEngine as needed. Obviously, you can get as wild as you want (and can afford), but that's kind of the beauty of Hydros... just add as you need to.

My current collective is an X4, X2, XP8, Minnow and WaveEngine v2.

 

[afboundguy]

I would go with the Launch and you could add one of their single head dosing pumps to a drive port for single dosing.

I am upgrading my RKE dinosaur setup to Hydros and just waiting on various pieces to arrive and figuring out my dosing and actually plan on using some 12V or 24V kamoer dosing pumps I bought for a DIY dosing pump setup to run off drive/force ports depending on how accurate I can get them to dose.

 

[drkcurrent]

Thanks all.

Going to go with a Launch and WM LE(octo 2) to start with the plan to add the blenny later on for dosing and the iV. I'll just get the kessil controller vs going the 0-10v drive control. That should give me all the sense ports I need with 8 and a few extra drive ports. Tempted to do the WM v2 but tough with the $100 higher price and no $100 bundle discount with the octo 2. Hopefully they will add wifi access to kessil soon like sicce.

Plan to do a gravity ATO setup from the RO storage tank with a float value and solenoid.

Thinking AWC would be best with 2x Sole or a similar pump on a wifi outlet.

Any suggestions on good retailers for hydros?

 

[JeffB418]

Hopefully they will add wifi access to kessil soon like sicce.

Hit up kessil and ask them. Last I knew CV looked into doing it but kessil wasn't on board.

 

[saltcreep74]

Launch + XP8....

 

[JeffB418]

Here is a handy comparison chart as well:

 

[n2585722]

Thanks all.

Going to go with a Launch and WM LE(octo 2) to start with the plan to add the blenny later on for dosing and the iV. I'll just get the kessil controller vs going the 0-10v drive control. That should give me all the sense ports I need with 8 and a few extra drive ports. Tempted to do the WM v2 but tough with the $100 higher price and no $100 bundle discount with the octo 2. Hopefully they will add wifi access to kessil soon like sicce.

Plan to do a gravity ATO setup from the RO storage tank with a float value and solenoid.

Thinking AWC would be best with 2x Sole or a similar pump on a wifi outlet.

Any suggestions on good retailers for hydros?

The WE LE does not have any 0-10v outputs if you need those. Only the WEv2 has the 0-10v outputs as far as the wave engines go. Neither does the Launch. I think both have 0-10v inputs though.

 

[TheNative192]

The WE LE does not have any 0-10v outputs if you need those. Only the WEv2 has the 0-10v outputs as far as the wave engines go. Neither does the Launch. I think both have 0-10v inputs though.

What do those even do btw? the 0-10V in & out ports. Like what gear is usually run in that. I tried looking it up but maybe I am blind lol

 

[Hooz]

What do those even do btw? the 0-10V in & out ports. Like what gear is usually run in that. I tried looking it up but maybe I am blind lol

The 0-10v INPUTS can be used as triggers. Things like button boxes (feed mode button, water change mode button, etc), contact switches (turn on and off cabinet lights), etc. There are a TON of cool little things you can do with the inputs.

The 0-10v OUTPUTS are used to control things like lights (ramping, dimming, etc), some third party pumps (if their controllers support it), etc. There are less things to use the outputs for, and you're limited to hardware that has 0-10v control capability, but it's still very useful.