What’s Your Preferred Heater Control ?

[BubbleAlgaeFarmer]

I have a Finnex and an Inkbird. I really don’t like the inkbird as it always heats or cools 1 degree past the temp i want. This creates a heck of a seasaw pattern for my temps. I want something new soon but not sure what path to go down. What’s your preferred controller?

 

[lapin]

Helio 2 of them with apex backup

 

[KStatefan]

Ranco controller but you would not like it since it has a 1° F differential.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Aqualogic or Ranco, but I run staged setup via multiple APEXes.

 

[rtparty]

There is zero reason or benefit to controlling temperature that tightly. There is even evidence it is bad for the corals in general

I have a 3 to 3.5° swing daily in my tank and nothing skips a beat because of it. Natural reefs fluctuate a ton depending on currents and when a super cold current comes from deep. It will drop the temperature 10° within minutes.

Inkbirds are generally trash IME and I prefer Aqua Logic but they are like $300

 

[tbrown]

I use Inkbird and Hydros.

 

[FitCoral09]

Helio is great. Apex backup

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I know some folks are negative on inkbirds (such as rt above), but I have 7 of them which I use redundantly in case of issues. None have had any issue since I started using them earlier this year, and the fact that I can monitor them remotely is a big plus for me.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I use a Finnex and Inkbirds on my QT tanks and water storage tanks, but I'm not sure I'd trust them on a reef (I did have one Finnex HC-810M fail). I've had a Ranco running non-reef-related cooling equipment for ten years that's been solid.

My aquariums run Apexes -- the temp control on them is good, the data logging is a nice plus, and you can set the hysteresis at whatever you like. They can also be set for seasonal variation, which might save electricity if you run your house cooler in winter. In the summer they can be set to start shutting off equipment to keep water temp from rising too high (mine shuts off some lights if the tank temp rises too far, which happens if I back off on the room AC -- so shutting off some lights takes pressure off the AC as well).

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[EnterName]

My GHL profilux is controlling the temperature with its own temperature probe, while an inkbird with two temperature probes acts as an additional backup notifying me if the temperature rises or falls too much. This way I should find out soon enough if the actual heater-controlling probe fails.

I might soon switch to two GHL probes probably, so there is some redundance for the actual temperature-controlling probes.

 

[Impunitus]

I run a Helio on 2 tanks, one also backed by a Hydros. Love them both.

 

[fandaga]

Helios on both tanks with apex monitoring. I have inkbird too for QT. It’s a nice controller as well.

Edit: variability over last week with this setup. It’s really stable, but the main reason I got it was for redundancy, reliability, and monitoring. As others mentioned, minimal temp swings may not have any real benefit.

 

[Maize & Blue]

I use the icecap temp controller and it usually off 1+- a degree from my two thermometers. I agree with RTPARTY if you’ve ever gone diving you feel water temps fluctuate.

 

[Idech]

I just bought my second Inkbird but I only buy the older version (ITC 308S) because it has a sounding high and low alarm and doesn’t have an app. I was my controller to have as little point of failures as possible.

My first one lasted 5 years and it is still working well but it has done a few odd things lately so I’d rather not take the chance. 5 years is very respectable and I am keeping it as a back-up.

I worked the old and new controller at the same time to test and there was only a 0.1C difference in their temperature reading. I tried the 306 model before that and it had a 1.0 C difference with my old one. I didn’t trust it and it didn’t have an alarm so I returned it.

 

[RWReefer]

Ranco.

 

[John Neuzil]

Helios and Hydros on my main tank. Inkbird on others around the house.

 

[Laith]

GHL Profilux 4

 

[FernBluffReef]

Preferred? Only know what I have recent experience with. Currently my tanks have Helio controllers and heaters. Heat stays within a .5 degree band so very stable. Design and long warranty even on elements is what drew me to. Not the cheapest but heater failures are bad juju

 

[MegabiteOG]

Helios in the new tank. Very accurate and consistent. We will about reliability in time.

 

[Sam7]

I use Inkbirds on all my tanks fresh and salt....they work for the money and im cheap