I am new to the hobby and have been going to a lot of LFS only to be scratching my head on power management and controllers. I was recommended a LFS that does installs and maintenance and took there lead but have found myself buying more and more and being told now that i need power management and controllers. My LFS that has been setting everything up for me wants me to by a Hydros system including the Kraken to clean up all the power bricks. I wanted to get some more opinions and now I am really confused. Some people are saying use the APEX some GHL and few saying Hydros. That being said I only have a 65g EXT with Sump, Reef Flare Pro Lights, Octo Protein Skimmer, SDC6 Pump, auto aqua ATO and a Helio 200w heater which was all sold to me by the referred LFS. Just looking for some help and insight.
Power Stations and Controllers
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RocketEngineer
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You don’t need a controller. It’s as simple as that. I had a 40B that ran off a six slot power strip and used a mechanical 24 hour timer to turn the lights on and off. Worked just fine.
Now, on my 100G EXT, I have a basic controller but it’s job is to back up the heater thermostats (the heaters are on at the controller, then use their internal switches) and to control my powerheads. My lights have their own timers.
I’m from the KISS principle school of thought. Most everything on my system goes into the regular power strips. Only what needs controlling goes into the controller. Most of the fancy stuff I just find to be a waste of time and money.
HTH
Now, on my 100G EXT, I have a basic controller but it’s job is to back up the heater thermostats (the heaters are on at the controller, then use their internal switches) and to control my powerheads. My lights have their own timers.
I’m from the KISS principle school of thought. Most everything on my system goes into the regular power strips. Only what needs controlling goes into the controller. Most of the fancy stuff I just find to be a waste of time and money.
HTH
Thank you for the reply and I agree with the KISS way of thinking.
Bartanto
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I couldn’t run my setup without one but have it set up so if it failed (which it will) system still functions based on a KISS backstop. I’m all Apex but next system will be hydros with the Kraken, for if anything, I love the tech side of it and enjoy putting it all together.
So, not much help, but consider installing yourself - gives you better familiarity when you need to replace/change something.
Have fun!
So, not much help, but consider installing yourself - gives you better familiarity when you need to replace/change something.
Have fun!
Thank you for the advice. Yea I love the tech side as well. I’ve been trying to do everything myself mostly had help from LFS installer for the plumbing being brand new I wanted to make sure that was perfect.
You don't need one. But it does make some daily life reefing simpler. Like just glancing at my phone to check PH, salinity and temp. It really puts an ease of mind. Especially when away from the house.
I am running the hydros launch on my IM 25 Lagoon. Has everything I need to run the tank.
I'm also running a hydros minnow for my 4.8G deskmate nem tank. This is for awc and some sensors.
I am running the hydros launch on my IM 25 Lagoon. Has everything I need to run the tank.
I'm also running a hydros minnow for my 4.8G deskmate nem tank. This is for awc and some sensors.
Yes ease of mind is great. I was thinking the Kraken for power mostly for the battery backup it offers and then obviously some more Hydros pieces.
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I didn't run a controller on my tank for a long time. All I did was keep all the electrical equipment plugged up to a power strip that was protected by a GFCI outlet. Eventually, I did end up getting a controller just because I am out of town a lot and like to watch my tank when I am not at home.
Yea I feel like as a beginner using tech can help. Hoping it takes some of the guess work out of some issues.
RocketEngineer
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It won’t. Most of the early issues can’t be fixed or tracked with a controller. Early on, an aquarium is in such a state of flux biologically that the biggest indication is visual.
Keep one thing in mind: you are maintaining water, not critters. Like the air we breath, you want to keep it clean of pollutants while supplying the levels your livestock needs to survive. While more isn’t always better, zero may not be the best either. You should be aiming for stability. If tech helps you achieve that stability, it’s a help. If it compels you to chase numbers, always making changes and overcorrecting, then it can be a hindrance.
Thank you for that makes a lot of sense and I guess like life itself every person like livestock is different. What works for one tank doesn’t mean all tanks will be the same. Thank you for the insight.
DanyL
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I’d argue that controllers usually distract beginners more than they actually help.
In general, every single equipment you add and depend on would add more possible failure points to your system, and even more so when it is centralized like with the Apex and GHL, which personally I try to avoid at all costs.
Hydros decentralized approach is a bit more redundant, but still adds complexity and additional failures points to the system.
In general, every single equipment you add and depend on would add more possible failure points to your system, and even more so when it is centralized like with the Apex and GHL, which personally I try to avoid at all costs.
Hydros decentralized approach is a bit more redundant, but still adds complexity and additional failures points to the system.
Thanks DanyL. Do you just test your parameters with like the Hanna?
reefer37160
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I have a 10 outlet command station. Each outlet has a switch to turn it on or off. The lights have a controller, but everything else is flip a switch. I honestly feel having automation takes the reefer out of the reef.
Do you use a battery backup of any kind in case of power outage?
DanyL
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I use Salifert for all tests, except phosphate where I use the Hanna Phosphate ULR.
I do have a GHL KH director on my main system I added a couple of years ago, but it’s there for monitoring only, never intended nor did replace my weekly testing routine, and in practice only adds another thing I have to maintain.
If you ask me, unless you are regularly away from home for days and weeks or not lean and rely solely on it, the value of automated testing is low, and only distracts you from properly observing and managing the state of your reef.
But that’s specifically for monitoring.
Automation on the other hand can have devastating consequences when it fails.
A simple firmware update can end up in you needing to reconfigure the whole system from scratch, or apply backup that may not load properly, and when you do so, it’s easy misconfigure something just the way it was - this can lead to disastrous results.
And thats just the tip of the iceberg, just having more hardware on by itself adds to the risk.
Some people would assume that people that refrain from using controllers aren’t tech savvy enough or afraid from it, but the truth is - especially those who are deep in the tech world and understand the inner workings, are also the ones who understand the true risks of depending on them, because we’ve seen system failures more than anyone else.
I have considered a controller, because I'm a nerd, but right now I'm using a Kasa power strip, and that connects to your wifi so you can control it anywhere. I can look on my phone right now and see how much power my heater is using to see whether it's active or stuck on. When I do water changes I can go down and shut off all the receptacles except for the lights.
So personally I would just start with that, and get a controller later if you want one.
But if you're a nerd too and money is not an object for you, it wouldn't be bad to get a controller right away.
So personally I would just start with that, and get a controller later if you want one.
But if you're a nerd too and money is not an object for you, it wouldn't be bad to get a controller right away.
Make a whole lot of sense thank you very much!
I am deff nerding out on all of this but I do want to pay as much attention to my tank so I know how to do everything and maybe have control like others have said just as a backup.
Been in the hobby 9 years now with 4 tanks running and I have never had a controller or any type of power supply other than strips with individual switches on the outlets. I'm old and not really into tech but the hydros is interesting but I can't justify it so it would be more a toy than a necessity for me. They can be a necessity for someone who is away from home a lot but I'm retired and don't travel.
Your LFS is making money off of everything they can talk you into, just saying.
Your LFS is making money off of everything they can talk you into, just saying.
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