Unboxing and installation of Hydros Control 4

[reefiniteasy]

As my wife said, Hanukkah has come early. Yesterday my new Hydros Control 4 and accessories arrived. I have only been in this hobby for roughly 2 years and I am not very advanced when it comes to aquarium technology. I have my small BioCube and a ton of cords and controllers for each piece of equipment I have. I always wanted a controller but an Apex felt like too much money and the thought of needing to code or program it felt overwhelming. I decided to finally get a controller but I decided the Hydros Control was the one for me. This will document the unboxing and installation of the control 4 and related accessories.

The box arrived yesterday. First impressions were great. The packaging is fantastic. It’s attractive and informative. Perfect for the retail shelf. Not to mention I loved seeing the “Made In USA” tag on the side of the box.

Everything was packaged up real nice inside the box.

Here is where the fun begins. I unpacked and photographed everything so I can share it all with you in case you’re curious.

This weekend I have to finish building the stand for my Adaptive Reef control board. Once that is done I will update with the install and my code free programming.

Stay tuned!

 

[Breadman03]

I've got a decent size Apex system, but the Hydros has me excited. Enjoy

 

[vetteguy53081]

Ok. . . . Nice intro on the product and am now thinking it may be a Must Have !!

 

[reefiniteasy]

Ok. . . . Nice intro on the product and am now thinking it may be a Must Have !!

So my first impression of the packaging alone was awesome. The quality of the parts and pieces is fantastic. I’ve noticed some small things already. The various sensors and ATO pump cords are color coded so you know exactly where they plug in. Also, the power bar has a separate mount. I wasn’t expecting that. I like that I can dismount it by just sliding it out of the cradle.

I think many people will find it a must have.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Forgot a picture.

 

[robbyg]

I think this is a highly underestimated controller. While I don't agree with all of the directions they went in, like wireless power bars I do like a lot of the features it has and I think the design is perfect for those that want a controller that is not super expensive but still has tons of great features and seems to be very well built. I plan on picking up one soon to run it through some tests and try some deep dive programming and then let it run for a period of time to see how reliable it is.

 

[Master of Cloak]

Do you need the controller to use the wifi power strips or can they be used as stand alone units controlled from the app?

 

[reefiniteasy]

Do you need the controller to use the wifi power strips or can they be used as stand alone units controlled from the app?

I reached out to CoralVue for you. The bars are controlled through the controller. So they cannot be used as standalone units.

 

[Master of Cloak]

I reached out to CoralVue for you. The bars are controlled through the controller. So they cannot be used as standalone units.

Thank You, I appreciate it.

 

[DCReefer]

Do you need the controller to use the wifi power strips or can they be used as stand alone units controlled from the app?

Bro check this out start at 15:50 in to stream

 

[reefiniteasy]

Bro check this out start at 15:50 in to stream

Dude’s right. Nothing to worry about. Seen the pics it’s well made. I also know many of the beta testers and there have been no issues with the power bars. Also not worried about WiFi. Thanks for sharing the video. It’s actually an enjoyable presentation.

 

[ingchr1]

The question for the power bars will be long term reliability. I would think Coralvue did a thorough evaluation of the device before selecting it. Otherwise they wouldn't have put it out there.

Did that evaluation include advanced aging testing and a failure modes analysis? How are these most likely to fail? WiFi failure, outlet failure on, outlet failure off?

The beta testers have had them, but for how long? A couple of years are going to be needed to really see what the long term reliability is.

The evidence indicates the power bars are rebranded devices and the reviews of those devices can be looked at and one's own conclusion drawn. But how valid are those reviews for our application? I would think we will have these outlets cycling a lot more than those users.

I do think a little heat is warranted on the power bar. The made in the USA was a push for the controller. One would be under the impression that all the major components of the packaged system are made in the USA. The power bar appears not to be. Understanding that many of the piece/parts are not made in the USA.

All that given, I would still consider this controller.

 

[Berlibee]

Hey, thanks for sharing. I'm sure I will get one as well for my next build.

 

[gunguy05]

Thanks for sharing. I was just looking at a used APEX, now you have me digging into this a bit further. Please keep us updated as to how thing pan out with it and what your experience is in the next few days/weeks.. etc.

GOod luck!

Brian

 

[Peace River]

Good info @Alex Sadowsky - thanks for sharing! I really like the distributed network architecture of the Hydros system. I plan to get a Hydros controller soon.

 

[Jeremy@CoralVue]

CoralVue has many goals for our HYDROS line of products. Our primary goal is to make aquarium automation affordable for everyone. To keep prices low for consumers, we partnered with a third-party manufacturer to utilize existing WiFi power strips that meet our strict quality standards.

You might see similar strips sold elsewhere, but please take caution because not all WiFi power strips are created equal. They might look the same on the outside. They may even look the same on the inside. But loose components, scratches, bad soldering jobs, counterfeit branding, and even bogus certifications are difficult to spot with the untrained eye. The engineers and developers on the HYDROS project tested over 60 power outlets that used several different wireless technologies. We selected the one with the most reliable firmware, a verifiable ETL certification, and a low cost to the end-user. For convenience and protection, CoralVue offers a 1-year factory warranty with USA-based support along with a custom mounting bracket to safely attach the strips to your stand, wall, or controller board.

 

[reef2sanity]

Watching his thread, like many other been considering apex but price point has kept me at bay, this seems another good option

 

[Jeremy@CoralVue]

I myself have been running 2 different types of 4 outlet wifi strips running in different environments around my home since around last year this time. I do run my system heaters and saltwater station heaters on these outlets but DO have them plugged into their own controller thermostat for added redundancy to the safety of my system. I did not do this because of my trust in WiFi outlets but in outlets in general. I have had in multiple instances in the past with prior controller(s) power bar outlets relays stuck being stuck on or off state. I urge anyone that uses a heater or chiller to have at least two redundancies in place and never rely on a single controller/thermostat.

 

[reefiniteasy]

Thanks for sharing. I was just looking at a used APEX, now you have me digging into this a bit further. Please keep us updated as to how thing pan out with it and what your experience is in the next few days/weeks.. etc.

GOod luck!

Brian

Hi Brian, I’ll keep you updated. My aquarium is a small nano so I have to finished my little stand/mount for my control board first. Almost done with it. Please do your research. I think the Hydros system is a great alternative to an Apex based on what I’ve seen so far. I’m hoping to get things done this weekend but I am finishing my coarse work for my reading endorsement. I’m a teacher here in Florida. So I haven’t had a chance to play around with it yet.

 

[Reefer45C]

Watching this thread also, I have ordered my control 4 from Hydros and I am super excited for it... I've been in the hobby now for some years and I've been doing a bunch of research on controllers... I am in the same boat as most people, the amount of money for other controllers that need to be coded just doesn't fit for me... From what I've read and researched is the Hydros hits all the boxes for what most people need for a good level controller, especially me... I wanted to add redundancies for my reef tank, things like "if" the heat controller failed I have a way to alert me and shut it off (especially if it get stuck on) I can tell you a couple times when I was at work and had a fear I forgot to empty my skimmer cup, and had to call the wife or kids to check. I ordered mine during the black Friday sale and got the extra WiFi plug... Also I currently use a WiFi power strip, now I don't know if its the same 3rd party one Coral Vue uses, but I can tell you it works. I have not had 1 single problem with the one I currently use, and honestly once I saw they were using that technology I was sold. As for back up I'm not in need for that, my house is backed up with a good sized generator. I am excited to receive my Hydros controller and set it up. I also plan on adding the wave controller and fully fitting my reefer 350 with hydros controllers.