Aquarium controller & Ca/Alk doser/reactor

[GeoHawk]

I am going to be away from home for weeks at a time starting this summer, and I am trying to make my tank more crash proof. My budget is about $600, and I am trying to decide what to get. I want something that will help keep Ca/Alk within normal limits, and also ensure that equipment failure is easily noticed so I can talk my wife through any problems while I am away.

Right now my thoughts are buying a reefkeeper lite, and getting a calcium reactor. What do you guys think? are there better ways of doing this?

My other Idea is getting an auto doser and hooking it up to a controller. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Reed639]

Do NOT get a reefkeeper lite spend 50 dollars more and get a apex jr the 150 model you can control your tank equipment outside of your house.

 

[bonomo53]

+1 get the apex junior i had both and the apex is much better imo.. i'am planning on getting a couple of dosing pumps form brs and hooking those up to my apex jr for my dosing but depending on how many gallons your tank is it might be better to use a ca reactor

 

[GeoHawk]

Im not to familiar with dosage vs. reactor, but my tank is 60 gallon 80 including sump

 

[GeoHawk]

How do you run the APEX Jr. when there is no display on it?

 

[LegoZ81]

web connection and web browser or iPhone application and you can I believe add a display for extra if you really want.

 

[GeoHawk]

Is the unit wireless?, or do do I need to plug it into a computer or something?

 

[LegoZ81]

You need connect it to Ethernet or a wireless bridge via ethernet cable

 

[GeoHawk]

Ok, for a 60 gallon cube would you go for the CA reactor, or would you go with doser? I am starting to think a doser would be cheaper, and I could get a better controller.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

It's personal preference and what you feel comfortable with. Bill runs a CA reactor whereas I do dosing for my 120g. I feel comfortable with that and I know what adjustments to make to keep my tank happy.

Here's some of the videos we made for the Apex to help you out.
https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/aquarium-controllers/73597-sticky-index-programming-controller-videos.html

Skip the lite, We only stock Apex for a reason. Their control is superior no doubt. The Full apex comes with the PM1 module that has PH probes and VD ports to control dimming for LEDs etc. The ApexJR you would have to add the PM1 to get PH ports and the VDM to get dimming. 134+100+100+40 (ph probe)=374 with only 4 outlets. The full Apex has 8 outlets with it.