What controller

[Rmckoy]

I’ve been considering adding a controller for years but can’t decide what I actually need .
What I want …

Things not necessarily needed
to eliminate manual testing ,
To automate dosing
Monitor temp and turn on and off heaters .

knowing I am using jeabo pumps for everything including wave , return and external skimmer . They don’t work with controllers .
I do like the idea of a par meter but that’s one time and never used again .

what do controllers do to make reefing easier ?

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

I’ve been considering adding a controller for years but can’t decide what I actually need .
What I want …

Things not necessarily needed
to eliminate manual testing ,
To automate dosing
Monitor temp and turn on and off heaters .

knowing I am using jeabo pumps for everything including wave , return and external skimmer . They don’t work with controllers .
I do like the idea of a par meter but that’s one time and never used again .

what do controllers do to make reefing easier ?

There are three names on the market now:

GHL, Hyrdos and Apex/Trident

Depending on who responds and their experience..they will claim their opinion is the best...but generally it comes down to a price point and preference thing.

 

[Rmckoy]

There are three names on the market now:

GHL, Hyrdos and Apex/Trident

Depending on who responds and their experience..they will claim their opinion is the best...but generally it comes down to a price point and preference thing.

My whole system is not compatible with any controller , from t5 lighting to pumps .
Is it going to be a waste to consider any option ?

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

My whole system is not compatible with any controller , from t5 lighting to pumps .
Is it going to be a waste to consider any option ?

Depends on levels of automation you want. If you want to automate the entire system..i would say yes. I personally just want a controller to handle a solenoid to address Co2 reciculation in a Co2 scrubber. Just annoyed that the only PH controllers out there with charting capabilities start at 300. May just do the Milwaukee PH controller for 1/3 price and live without seeing the chart.

Out of curiosity..what is the application you are intending? If automating testing..definitely a trident. but if you want the system to do something based on said testing..it gets tricker. You can easily automate PLUGs (to lighting) but if you want other more complex things such as dosing..probably not.

 

[FishOkay]

My whole system is not compatible with any controller , from t5 lighting to pumps .
Is it going to be a waste to consider any option ?

A controller isn't just about controlling lights and pumps though. You can do a lot more and say you got something like the apex el which is reasonably priced, you can add modules as you go.

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

A controller isn't just about controlling lights and pumps though. You can do a lot more and say you got something like the apex el which is reasonably priced, you can add modules as you go.

Agreed. Like turning on a sump pump, turning on a doser if the PH drops. That was my point about the plug controls. Just usually limited to a binary on and off of electricity as opposed to nuance of what the end application can do natively.

 

[n2585722]

What do you use currently for ATO, AWC, heating and Skimmer when full? If these are not automated already do you plan on automating any of these? All the controllers will do these things. So a lot of it is just preference as to which you like the best. I have no experience with Apex or GHL. I do have experience with the Digital Aquatics controllers but they are no longer available new and the Hydros controllers. If you want to start with just automating a few things and still have the option of going larger without replacing what you got then the Hydros has some smaller entry level kits that start at $200. To expand all you have to do get another controller that best fits you expansion needs with a buss cable and terminator and start a collective with it. In a collective they share inputs and outputs among the collective members so it acts like one larger controller. I currently have 8 control devices in a collective. Three are at the tank and 5 are in the garage which is 35ft form the tank. To begin with figure out what you want to monitor and what you want to control and get something that will do that whatever brand that may be. If you do plan on doing more than what you want to do at first just consider how easily it will be to add things to the system you want to get.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

Hydros can control some of the jebao stuff with the wave maker. https://www.coralvuehydros.com/is-my-pump-compatible/

 

[Chrisv.]

Honestly if you want something more minimal and less expensive, you can get a lot of milage out of a used apex from the previous generation. It will lack many of the bells and whistles, and you will have more hoops to jump through if you want to connect it via wifi (additional hardware required). I know you said you don't need to control your temp using a controller, but nothing beats having a controller for redundant safety.

 

[rtparty]

You can use the controller to turn your lights on and off, turn off a stuck dosing pump, turn off a stuck on heater, etc... I use mine mostly for monitoring and the oh s*** emergency. I love tracking pH personally. It can alert you of problems before they crash your tank. Stuck dosing pump being one of them.

All three have auto testing. GHL has the KH Director, Apex has the Trident, and Hydros works with the Alkatronic and Mastertronic devices. None of them are cheap per se and I see too many issues with all of them to invest over $1000 just to test a couple parameters. The only parameter I care to see tested daily is alkalinity.

I've run 2 of the 3 controllers: Hydros and Apex. I ran a GHL light and the experience was so poor I'd never spend the money on their equipment again.

When it comes down to Hydros or Apex, flip a coin. The fanboys on both sides will argue why one is better than the other. Neither is better than the other. They both have positives and negatives. Hydros is a little cheaper to get into but much more expensive up front if you plan auto testing.