InkBird or Ranco

[Reefing102]

Good morning all,

Hopefully this is the right place. I’m looking at getting a temperature controller and upon a quick search, inkbird looks popular but I’m seeing a lot of reccomendations for Ranco. My only issue is when I look for the Ranco controller, it looks like it needs additional wiring to get the end for the heater plugs or am I missing something? Do any come with the plug pre-built in? Also I was reading it sounds like their probe needs to be waterproofed? Sorry just never used a temp controller

 

[Snoopy 67]

They can be ordered already wired but you still need to protect the probe.

Ranco ETC-111000-000 Digital Temperature Controller

www.rancoetc.com

 

[Reefing102]

Not sure how I completely missed that “pre-wired” paragraph lol thanks! I’m thinking the Ranco will be well worth the slightly extra cost

 

[Snoopy 67]

Agreed, I have heard of problems with the other one.

 

[sean151]

I believe the aqua logic digital temperature controller is a ranco controller rebranded and probe waterproofed. Another option if you want to go ranco.

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Rancos are a good old solid unit. I use 800 finnex dial analog controller. Hths
D

 

[Reefing102]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help. I’ll also look into the aqua logic

 

[SantaMonica]

Ink Bird and Ranco could probably make some great tank-specific products if they wanted to.

 

[minus9]

Ranco by a mile!

 

[Gtinnel]

I have an inkbird that has always worked perfectly for me, it keeps my temperature within about half a degree. I never used Ranco, but have only heard good things about them.
I'd say you'd be fine going with either.

 

[Harold999]

I have an inkbird that has always worked perfectly for me, it keeps my temperature within about half a degree.

Not impressed. The cheapest heater with built-in thermostat does the same thing. I just got an Inkbird 306A and thought this thing will bring back fluctuations to 0.1/0.2 but nope, the difference between power-on and power-off is at least 0.5 (closer to 0.6). You can't set it any tighter.

 

[jhuntstl]

I got my Ranco 2 stage from ETCsupply.com

It was pre-wired and there was an option to sleeve/protect the probe for a minimal cost. I think I paid about $130. I use it with two Eheims and a fan for the cooling stage.

 

[Gtinnel]

Not impressed. The cheapest heater with built-in thermostat does the same thing. I just got an Inkbird 306A and thought this thing will bring back fluctuations to 0.1/0.2 but nope, the difference between power-on and power-off is at least 0.5 (closer to 0.6). You can't set it any tighter.

A swing of half of a degree is not an issue and the point of the temp controller isn't about getting incredibly small fluctuations. It is to add a redundant layer so that if your heater fails your tank won't be destroyed. It isn't the best quality feeling device but that doesn't bother me if it works, which in my opinion it does.

 

[Harold999]

A swing of half of a degree is not an issue and the point of the temp controller isn't about getting incredibly small fluctuations. It is to add a redundant layer so that if your heater fails your tank won't be destroyed. It isn't the best quality feeling device but that doesn't bother me if it works, which in my opinion it does.

Controllers can fail too. A Seneye/Apex or other device that warns you when the temp goes out of whack is the best guard.

 

[LgTas]

I've got three dual probe wifi inkbirds... not one has given me an issue. The min setting between high and low is 0.3 (not 0.5 as stated earlier, maybe referring to older models?). For the price they're a no brainer.

 

[RGoltz]

Regardless for what electronic controller you use, I strongly recommend that you use heaters with a mechanical thermostat as the backup. For example, calibrate your controller to 78 and set the heaters to 80. This way if the controller malfunctions you have a redundancy which is based on a different method/technology!

I had this occur because an AquaUV unit was producing stray voltage and interfering with the temperature probes. Without the mechanical failover, my goose would have been cooked.

 

[Gtinnel]

Controllers can fail too. A Seneye/Apex or other device that warns you when the temp goes out of whack is the best guard.

I absolutely agree that a standalone temp controller can fail. Everything can and eventually will fail. That's why for anyone who doesn't have an aquarium controller a temp controller (inkbird or any other brand) in conjunction with heaters that have their own thermostat is almost essential IMO. The inkbird also notifies you if your temp goes out of range, assuming that functionality of the inkbird isn't compromised if the inkbird fails. There is also the possibility that an expensive aquarium controller can fail and stop cycling the heaters on and off and not notify you as well. Honestly I've heard more stories of the Apex failing than I have an inkbird failing (to be fair that is likely influenced by the huge number of apex controllers that are being used in the hobby).
I am in no way arguing that the inkbird is a high quality piece of equipment, but I will argue that the inkbird is an affordable piece of equipment that does what it is supposed to do to help prevent a tank crash from temp issues.

 

[Harold999]

The min setting between high and low is 0.3 (not 0.5 as stated earlier, maybe referring to older models?).

Depends in which part of the word you're living, 0.3 Celcius = 0.54 Fahrenheit.

 

[LgTas]

Depends in which part of the word you're living, 0.3 Celcius = 0.54 Fahrenheit.

Good point though probably slightly more accurate to say "rest of the world". Whoever is worrying about 0.3c fluctuations needs to go take a swim in the ocean. Thermoclines, shifting currents, changes in above surface weather etc cause greater variance than this.

 

[Harold999]

Whoever is worrying about 0.3c fluctuations needs to go take a swim in the ocean

Yes, but temp fluctuations in a small enclosed densly populated environment could have way more impact on the health of fish (like ich problems) than in the ocean where there is 1 fish on a million of gallons of water so to speak.

I don't say that 0.3C up and down the whole day causes ich but i'm pretty sure that 100% temp stability will benefit a fish's health. We don't want our ph or kh go up and down for the whole day either.