Looking at the hydros ecosystem, how the heck do controllers work?

[rtparty]

So how do you run your systems? If you have a wave maker, you just use it as designed with whatever controller it comes with? Same with all pumps and heaters and such?

Yep. As you said in the OP, everything you have already has a controller.

My 250g system had a lot of Neptune on it. That Neptune now runs my vivarium complete overkill but it was in place and I needed timers for my lights. So it stayed.

My current tank (25g AIO) has little technology on it and it is amazing. Every piece, except one, was picked for ultimate reliability. The return pump was a roll the dice but 9 months, totally perfect and no maintenance done on it.

My new 100g system will have a monitor (I’m choosing not to control anything with it.) I have a Hydros X2 to simply monitor temperature and water leak. That’s it. I want a notification that the temperature MIGHT be out of range. That’s highly unlikely unless the heater dies. I run an Aqua Logic temperature controller that is bulletproof. The heater will be the weak link but I will replace it annually if needed. My Tunze powerheads have their own controller if I decide I want to use them that way. Random and varied flow is all gimmicks IME. My lights will need a simple on/off timer. I can have that for $10 with a smart plug. My single dosing pump also needs a timer. Another $10.

I have no need to control anything especially from afar when I can’t actually watch what happens. If I get a notification the temperature got out of range, I’ll first verify that is correct and then take action.

 

[BriDroid]

I use KASA plugs...LOL I am such a peasant.

Me too currently. It’s kind of nice to tell Alexa to turn certain things on and off.

 

[n2585722]

I have a collective of 15 Hydros controllers but I have it doing alkalinity testing 4 times a day and also doing auto water changes 4 times a day after the alkalinity testing. After the water change I have it dosing All For Reef. After that it does a KH buffer dose based on the alkalinity testing. It also does the ATO, heaters, cooling and controls the skimmer and return pump. It also controls the 2 flow pumps. Then it also auto refills my DI reservoir from the RODI unit. It also will transfer the contents of the mix tank to the fresh saltwater reservoir if that goes low and the mix tank is ready to use. Once the transfer is complete then it refills the mix tank from the RODI unit. All in need to do is add the salt mix and press a button when the mix tank is ready for use. When controlling heaters always have a backup off for them. I use the thermostats on the heaters for this but you could also keep using your heater controller and use the Hydros to turn off power if the temp gets too hot as a backup. It can also be setup to send an alert if the tank temp gets out of range. You can also so the same with other inputs like pH,ORP or salinity. As far as which controllers to get it depends on what inputs you want and how many of each. Also the XP8 is a controller but it only has the 8 outputs so if you want to use an input to control one of the outputs you would need a controller that has that input and you would need to create a collective with it and the XP8. For a collective you need a command bus cable to go from one controller to the other if just 2 and a couple of terminators. The terminators are needed for communication over the bus between the controllers. Once is a collective the controllers share all input and output information with each other so you can control an output using an inputs and or outputs are in some cases both to control an output on another controller in the collective. So a collective acts like one large controller with the sum of all inputs and outputs of all the member controllers.

 

[Aaron75]

I have a collective of 15 Hydros controllers but I have it doing alkalinity testing 4 times a day and also doing auto water changes 4 times a day after the alkalinity testing. After the water change I have it dosing All For Reef. After that it does a KH buffer dose based on the alkalinity testing. It also does the ATO, heaters, cooling and controls the skimmer and return pump. It also controls the 2 flow pumps. Then it also auto refills my DI reservoir from the RODI unit. It also will transfer the contents of the mix tank to the fresh saltwater reservoir if that goes low and the mix tank is ready to use. Once the transfer is complete then it refills the mix tank from the RODI unit. All in need to do is add the salt mix and press a button when the mix tank is ready for use. When controlling heaters always have a backup off for them. I use the thermostats on the heaters for this but you could also keep using your heater controller and use the Hydros to turn off power if the temp gets too hot as a backup. It can also be setup to send an alert if the tank temp gets out of range. You can also so the same with other inputs like pH,ORP or salinity. As far as which controllers to get it depends on what inputs you want and how many of each. Also the XP8 is a controller but it only has the 8 inputs so if you want to use an input to control one of the outputs you would need a controller that has that input and you would need to create a collective with it and the XP8. For a collective you need a command bus cable to go from one controller to the other if just 2 and a couple of terminators. The terminators are needed for communication over the bus between the controllers. Once is a collective the controllers share all input and output information with each other so you can control an output using an inputs and or outputs are in some cases both to control an output on another controller in the collective. So a collective acts like one large controller with the sum of all inputs and outputs of all the member controllers.

Wowzers, that was a ton of info! But really cool too. Thanks for touching on the terminator part as well.

 

[Lasse]

did I do that right?)

You are the master. There was many levels in that sentence. :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Pod_01]

Not Hydros related but I use GHL Wifi Mini on my 10 gal tank. It monitors temp and pH. Also with the 1-10v, I control the Kessil lights and I also control the cooling fans to cool the tank down when temp gets high.
I find that with 10 gal the temperature can swing creep up in the summer.
Simple user case for controller.

I did look at Hydros but it was confusing…

 

[BeanAnimal]

I totally understand that. Its not clear, not at all. And without having anything in my hands, i cant imagine how it works. A minnow, a launch, a kraken, an x10, termination buses, its all extremely overwheling. And i was looking at the x4 starter pack which is a whopping $450 dollars, and i really have no idea what usage that would get me.

Beating a dead horse here, but the confusion is understandable, if not expected, if not inevitable!

It is not your fault, but rather falls upon the feet of CV and Hydros as a self inflicted and unforced error.

X10s, Krakens, Minnows, Launches, Wave Engines, and a scatter of X-this and X-that and odd port names. There’s no consistent naming convention, no clear delineation between roles or features, and no structured guidance on system design. Its not eclectic, but its chaotic and the first thing you see when you try to sort out what they sell, let alone what any of it does.

The website is visually impressive. Clearly a lot of money went into design. But once you get past the glossy UI and buzzwords, it’s mostly marketing fluff.

As someone who designed, built and maintained a fully modular automation system, from circuit design to code, to UI. I came in knowing exactly what I needed. The problem was knowing what I needed or wanted, it was that I couldn't make heads or tails of their marketing. I gave up and walked away.

I am still holding out that the Maven will change my mind :)

What really started this search was I ordered some Led bars, orphek knockoffs. They have a 0-10v dimmer knob. I feel like a controller would be a great option to not only create a basic on/off schedule, but I could even simulate an intensity schedule that matches my main light intensity. If I could get some further use out of a system like hydros, I'd definitely like to utilize those features.

I have a very extensive GHL setup. I don't really automate anything other than dosing and lighting.

I have the GHL Mitras lights and the lighting system can be programmed for sunrise, sunset, moon phases, seasonal changes, etc. I don't know what Hydros can do, but imagine it can do some of that as well as dosing.

I would not try to steer you toward one system or another. But I would tell you to look at the things that you want to do and then compare those to the features of Hydros, Profilux, and Neptune -- before you spent a penny.