My First Controller

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

So I am in my first few years of reefing, and finally purchased an (i think) decent light. A maxspect razor 200w. I need a light timer as it does not come with an app in the year 2023 for reasons beyond my comprehension. Not finding one other than one that costs 100 dollars and also runs maxspect pumps. The reviews on these pumps however, are hilariously bad. Advice? Definitely need a light timer, but a controller would need to be able to run other brands, if thats a thing.

 

[Steven Garland]

The Razor should have an onboard controller already. Its on one end of the light to control the intensities of each led channel.

 

[Brett7397]

It looks like you have to use the Maxspect Syna-G Connect Controller for wireless/ app control. BRS has them for about $60. You mentioned a controller, this might be the one you are referring to.

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

The Razor should have an onboard controller already. Its on one end of the light to control the intensities of each led channel.

Does not appear to have any functionality other than controlling intensity of the 4 channels.

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

It looks like you have to use the Maxspect Syna-G Connect Controller for wireless/ app control. BRS has them for about $60. You mentioned a controller, this might be the one you are referring to.

Yes but the power heads they make are apparently trash. And that seems like a lot for a timing function.

 

[Brett7397]

It looks like you can set time points and intensity with the onboard controller.

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

It looks like you can set time points and intensity with the onboard controller.

The only control point is the dial, which only controls intensity. Looks like I will have to drop 60 bucks. Gotta say between this and the light showing up clearly used with no mounting legs I am very disappointed in this light. Which is a shame, as i saved up for it for 6 months.

 

[Brett7397]

Does it have a led display screen on it?

 

[n2585722]

The only control point is the dial, which only controls intensity. Looks like I will have to drop 60 bucks. Gotta say between this and the light showing up clearly used with no mounting legs I am very disappointed in this light. Which is a shame, as i saved up for it for 6 months.

Does the light have a 0-10v input for control of the intensity? If so you can control intensity with a controller that has 0-10v output. If you go controller route it depends on what else you want to monitor and control.

 

[Steven Garland]

According to the description of the light on Premium Aquatics website it has programming functions.

This is the older Razor right,or the newer one ? I find it hard to believe that it has a "controller" but no functions to turn a channel on or off at a certsin time. I feel like almost any light in the past 10-12 years has that function.

 

[nuxx]

At some point having something like an Apex controlling everything in one place is pretty nice :)

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

According to the description of the light on Premium Aquatics website it has programming functions.

This is the older Razor right,or the newer one ? I find it hard to believe that it has a "controller" but no functions to turn a channel on or off at a certsin time. I feel like almost any light in the past 10-12 years has that function.

I bought this light new from brstv last month. There is, for the 4th time, no timing function. I didn't say there was a controller. Just a dial you use to set intensity.

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

Does the light have a 0-10v input for control of the intensity? If so you can control intensity with a controller that has 0-10v output. If you go controller route it depends on what else you want to monitor and control.

... It has a dial for intensity. I need a timer.

 

[Brett7397]

Is this the model light you have? Maxspect Razor X R5 200W LED if it is,it has a built in timer you can access it by holding down the dial for 3 sec. Don't mean to offend just trying to help.

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

Is this the model light you have? Maxspect Razor X R5 200W LED if it is,it has a built in timer you can access it by holding down the dial for 3 sec. Don't mean to offend just trying to help.

Sorry if I snapped earlier just been a bit frustrating. Holding down the dial just makes it switch channels. Ive tried holding it down longer and doing multiple consecutive presses. Maybe the function is just broken on this unit?

 

[n2585722]

... It has a dial for intensity. I need a timer.

So you just want to turn it on and off? What else do you want from a controller at the moment like pH, temp etc? The reason I ask is with the Hydros you can start with one of the smaller controllers and as you needs grow you can alway select another controller and start a collective consisting of the two. Then you can always add others as your needs grow. The X2 or XS starter kits are $199. They come with a power pack temp sensor and a wifi power strip. The X3 is $299 and comes with a pH probe, temp sensor, power pack and a wifi power strip. The X2 has 2 drive ports which power small 12v devices such as dosing pump, ATO pumps and solenoids. It also has 2 sense ports one of which the temp sensor will use. The XS has 4 sense ports and no other ports. The X3 has a probe port which the pH probe will use and 2 sense ports which the temp sensor will use one. To add to it you will need a command buss cable for each controller you want to add and at least one terminator. You will need two terminators on larger collectives. They also have a X4 and a XP8 which will increase the price but you can do more with the X4 and the XP8 is a controller with 8 controlled AC outlets and is wired into the collective unlike the wifi strips which require wifi. With the Hydros system CoralVue decided to give each module the ability to be a self contained controller. So instead of having a central brain and modules you multiple brains one per module that act as a lager controller when they are connected together in a collective. You can mix and match pretty much as you need. The power packs that come in thr starter kits cannot be used with XP8 or Wace Engines but will not be needed since both of these will power the buss. The Wave Engines and XP8 are compatible with each other and can exist in multiple amounts on the command buss. There are a few more controllers that have been anounced for this year and they are also power givers like the XP8 and Wave Engine. Here is a link to the CoralVue site for the controllers https://www.coralvue.com/hydros/hydros-controllers . I have 9 of their controllers in a collective for my tank but I have a lot of automation now. I have information on my build thread starting on page 7. Just click on my build thread contributor banner in one of my post and go to page 7 for more information on this. Any of the controller with either a wifi strip or the XP8 can turn on and off your lights on a schedule so you can always get either of the two 199 starter kits and control these lights and a little more.

 

[TokenReefer]

When you just press the dial once what does it do?

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

So you just want to turn it on and off? What else do you want from a controller at the moment like pH, temp etc? The reason I ask is with the Hydros you can start with one of the smaller controllers and as you needs grow you can alway select another controller and start a collective consisting of the two. Then you can always add others as your needs grow. The X2 or XS starter kits are $199. They come with a power pack temp sensor and a wifi power strip. The X3 is $299 and comes with a pH probe, temp sensor, power pack and a wifi power strip. The X2 has 2 drive ports which power small 12v devices such as dosing pump, ATO pumps and solenoids. It also has 2 sense ports one of which the temp sensor will use. The XS has 4 sense ports and no other ports. The X3 has a probe port which the pH probe will use and 2 sense ports which the temp sensor will use one. To add to it you will need a command buss cable for each controller you want to add and at least one terminator. You will need two terminators on larger collectives. They also have a X4 and a XP8 which will increase the price but you can do more with the X4 and the XP8 is a controller with 8 controlled AC outlets and is wired into the collective unlike the wifi strips which require wifi. With the Hydros system CoralVue decided to give each module the ability to be a self contained controller. So instead of having a central brain and modules you multiple brains one per module that act as a lager controller when they are connected together in a collective. You can mix and match pretty much as you need. The power packs that come in thr starter kits cannot be used with XP8 or Wace Engines but will not be needed since both of these will power the buss. The Wave Engines and XP8 are compatible with each other and can exist in multiple amounts on the command buss. There are a few more controllers that have been anounced for this year and they are also power givers like the XP8 and Wave Engine. Here is a link to the CoralVue site for the controllers https://www.coralvue.com/hydros/hydros-controllers . I have 9 of their controllers in a collective for my tank but I have a lot of automation now. I have information on my build thread starting on page 7. Just click on my build thread contributor banner in one of my post and go to page 7 for more information on this. Any of the controller with either a wifi strip or the XP8 can turn on and off your lights on a schedule so you can always get either of the two 199 starter kits and control these lights and a little more.

This sounds pretty Greek to me, I have never used a controller before as all my freshwater gear comes with built in Bluetooth. Basically,if I'm paying extra to control this already expensive light, i want a controller that can run the light, and powerheads from another brand. Maybe a return pump if I ever upgrade but my mag 1200 works just fine for now. Tank has little coral, will be mostly softies anyway so do not care about dosing pumps, temp, or other small stuff. I dont even have space under my tank for an ato chamber really because i built my first sump like an idiot.

 

[Bixby'sMenagerie]

When you just press the dial once what does it do?

Nothing. You have to hold it down, then it lets you click once to go to the next channel. Would be helpful if it came with an instruction manual. Or the mounting legs.

 

[n2585722]

This sounds pretty Greek to me, I have never used a controller before as all my freshwater gear comes with built in Bluetooth. Basically,if I'm paying extra to control this already expensive light, i want a controller that can run the light, and powerheads from another brand. Maybe a return pump if I ever upgrade but my mag 1200 works just fine for now. Tank has little coral, will be mostly softies anyway so do not care about dosing pumps, temp, or other small stuff. I dont even have space under my tank for an ato chamber really because i built my first sump like an idiot.

I have no space under my tank either but it is a 43 gallon hex tank and I have a sump that just fits in the stand.There is a little room in front and back but not much. My ATO and fresh saltwater is stored in my garage and pump to the tank 35ft away. The beauty of this is you can get one of the smaller ones to start that has the one wifi strip that can control 4 AC outlets with the controller and there are also 4 usb ports that are switched on and off together as a group. Any of the controllers or collectives can control up to 8 wifi devices. These include wifi strips, wifi plugs and wifi fish feeders. I think the Alkatronic or Mastertronic might take up a wifi space if you ever use one of them. So with 4 outlets you can control your lights and three other devices such as pumps. This only powers them on or off. They do have a controller that controls some variable pumps with either direct drive ports or 0-10v outputs. You can add to them to fit your needs.