Why Even Get a "Controller"?

[artieg1]

I have an ATO with a reservoir that lasts a week. I have an inkbird and very reliable heater. I dose (by hand) ALK as needed. Sometimes calcium. So what in the world would I need an Apex or GHL for? Is there something I am missing? I do not care about salinity; it is stable. I don't care about temperature; stable. ORP? Pfffft. pH? I threw away my pH kit, it was worthless; all my corals care about is ALK.

So am I missing something? What good is a controller? What need do I have that it would fill? I cannot think of one. But I would appreciate feedback if I am missing something. Seems like the controllers that are out there test parameters that were important a generation ago?

What am I missing?

 

[xshmoox]

I think it’s more about stability and not having the swings between manual doses with a controller you can set small doses throughout the day instead of all at once. Probably not a big deal if you don’t have a large demand or a small tank. I current do as you do as demand isn’t high yet on my 125. Also the fact that you don’t have to worry about doing it every day is a plus for some

 

[MichaelReefer]

It is a convenience thing. I felt the same way till I got my Apex. I basically don't have to test anymore. I can turn things on and off from anywhere in the world. I have things like my co2 scrubber set to open a valve if my ph gets too high. I can turn things on and off without having to dig under the stand and unplug things. It truly is worth it. Even just the security. Leak sensors, and PH and Alk alarms if my Doser decides to dump a liter of 2 part in the tank. It gives me time to get home.

 

[Reefing102]

It is a convenience thing. I felt the same way till I got my Apex. I basically don't have to test anymore. I can turn things on and off from anywhere in the world. I have things like my co2 scrubber set to open a valve if my ph gets too high. I can turn things on and off without having to dig under the stand and unplug things. It truly is worth it. Even just the security. Leak sensors, and PH and Alk alarms if my Doser decides to dump a liter of 2 part in the tank. It gives me time to get home.

This. Before I bought this tank, I couldn’t see the need of a controller. Now that I have an APEX(came with the tank) it’s made things so convenient. Light timers built into the app so you don’t have to worry about resetting them when power goes out, the ability to switch off outlets without unplugging them.

Every tank can be can without a controller. A controller, to me, simply adds a convenience, making reefing more enjoyable.

 

[Waters]

Being able to program devices to turn off or on based on water parameters is extremely useful. For example, my ATO shuts off if my salinity drops. Fans can turn on if the temp rises. Reactors can shut off if the Apex detects water on the floor. On top of that, you get email/text alerts whenever anything is out of whack.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Being able to program devices to turn off or on based on water parameters is extremely useful. For example, my ATO shuts off if my salinity drops. Fans can turn on if the temp rises. Reactors can shut off if the Apex detects water on the floor. On top of that, you get email/text alerts whenever anything is out of whack.

Forgot about the fan one. As someone in the Northern California Valley, we get days over 110 here. My AC works great but I have had times the temp gets to 82-84 and the fans kick on.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I do not dose, measure much, or worry about most values in my system (the 210g). However, I love my Apex. IT is a way to control my lights, heaters, chiller, equipment and gauge if something seems off. It can track amps for each energy bar and this can tell me if something is not running that should be or vice versa.
When on vacation, I can see that is going on pH and temp and what is on and not.
My lights are Mh and T5s, so they are fully programmed through the Apex. My chiller and heater are also run through Apex.
I like the control and the ability to look at past and when away from tank. Less worry in some ways when not near the system.
Also, it can help diagnose an issue with equipment when your mother plugs the wrong piece into the wrong plug for 2 weeks. Ask how I know that one. :)

 

[X-37B]

Had an apex and never set ip up.
Sold it a couple months ago.
Run my carx with no ph probe or controller. Simple and effective.
Ca and mag never vary.
I check alk manually and it keeps me in touch with my system.

Some like them and thats fine but they are just not for me. Most of my reefer friends run them though.

My powerheads have built in controllers.
Lights are timer controlled.
Ato runs itself.

 

[MichaelReefer]

Had an apex and never set ip up.
Sold it a couple months ago.
Run my carx with no ph probe or controller. Simple and effective.
Ca and mag never vary.
I check alk manually and it keeps me in touch with my system.

Some like them and thats fine but they are just not for me. Most of my reefer friends run them though.

My powerheads have built in controllers.
Lights are timer controlled.
Ato runs itself.

While I will say thats true, things fail. And the APEX is like a second safety blanket. What if your heater gets stuck on somehow? Or your ATO dumps 10 gallons of RODI into your tank? It's a comfort. I get its not for everyone. Its nice with people like me as well, I work 11-12 hour days. By the time I get home, walk the dog, cook dinner, shower, its dang near 8pm. Bed time in 90 minutes...Time to look at the tank and sit down on the couch with the Fiance.

 

[Kfactor]

Just for fun I love my new hydros

 

[gbroadbridge]

I have an ATO with a reservoir that lasts a week. I have an inkbird and very reliable heater. I dose (by hand) ALK as needed. Sometimes calcium. So what in the world would I need an Apex or GHL for? Is there something I am missing? I do not care about salinity; it is stable. I don't care about temperature; stable. ORP? Pfffft. pH? I threw away my pH kit, it was worthless; all my corals care about is ALK.

So am I missing something? What good is a controller? What need do I have that it would fill? I cannot think of one. But I would appreciate feedback if I am missing something. Seems like the controllers that are out there test parameters that were important a generation ago?

What am I missing?

Nothing.

A Human can make a mistake, but it takes a computer to completely destroy everything when it goes nuts.

 

[artieg1]

I should mention that my AI Hydras are on a program, so they reset if power goes off. In other words, I think I have "mini" controller in my lights, ATO, heater, etc. My MP40 powerheads have a battery backup, and they run on their own controller. A leak? My system does not leak. I've invested in over-redundancy, and super thick silicon seals.

A master controller seems like a generation-old concept that surfaced before our devices came with their own controllers. I still don't understand what in the world it would do that my devices are not already doing. Salinity? My system is 350 gallons. My ATO takes care of that; and an error dumping 10 gallons of freshwater wouldn't move the salinity a bit. It still seems to me like just *another* thing to worry about. When the point is to simplify.

Are people using a controller also using old lights and powerheads that don't control themselves?

If $1500 would make my reefing life easier, I'd sign up right away. I just don't see it. I don't understand what I am missing.

 

[WVNed]

I like being in control.
and Hydros is a cool name. Hydros, make it so.

 

[Uncle99]

You have an Inkbird controller cause you don’t want your heater to fry your tank.
You use an ATO to control your salinity.
There are many other conditions that could be stressful or deadly to those inhabitants and controllers are that extra layer in the safety chain.
Faster I know, faster I fix, less I kill.

 

[G Santana]

No it isn't needed, what it affords you is information on tap and the ability to respond quickly.
But no, if you are on top of things maintenance wise you really don't need one.

I have my lights plugged into a smart strip and I can control that from anywhere. I have an ATO good for a week with a float switch, really nothing to go wrong.
But I like some of the features offered by Hydros, Xmas might come early for me lol

 

[Vyper]

Most of my equipment has the ability to go to its own app to control stuff. Honestly, that really sucks to do. I like to go to one place for everything and set up redundancy on everything. Ink bird for heaters plugs into apex outlet. Should the ink bird fail and heaters stick on the apex is there to shut it down. Just like most of my equipment, it is there as a safeguard. When you run multiple large 220 gallon tanks water changes are a real pain. With apex dos I do daily auto water changes. Recently While on vacation my sons truck broke down. Can’t make it to check on my fish and feed them. No biggie flip on the camera and hit the auto feed button. I can check on tank perimeters and know if I need to cut vacation short.
my Favorite thing is I can’t make my own app, i can however write a little code and build my own equipment that my apex can control. Perfect example is homemade frozen food feeder. Without some sort of controller becomes near impossible for someone like me to do. I also really like walking up to my screen and hitting feed A for feeding and everything going into the feed mode of my choosing or hitting feed b for when I add bacteria (shuts down skimmer and uv for 4 hours). I have cleaning modes as well Makes life so much easier cost pennies compared to what I have spent on fish and corals in those tanks.

 

[artieg1]

Thank you all! Much food for thought. This might be the kind of thing that you have to set it up to appreciate it.

 

[Cabinetman]

There’s no way I’d run a tank now without some sort of controller that I can access via the web. I check my tank multiple times a day by going on my interface to see what’s going on. Plus I have alerts set up if something goes wonky. Having auto testing is a dream come true too. A controller makes keeping a tank stable so much easier and convenient. I always say it was like being in the dark trying to navigate without one

 

[John Neuzil]

I currently am living in an apartment for a time. In my 15 gallon nano I have a Hydros controller, skimmer, dosing pump, the list goes on. Do I "need" any of those things on a nano? Heck no.
But I love gadgets. Almost the best part of the hobby.
And thinking of adding Alkatronic

 

[Miami Reef]

I don’t have an Apex. I’m considering one down the future when I want to automate things like water changes.