Aquarium Controller, Friend or Foe?

[flyfisher2]

This is my situation as I write.
As of Friday night my internet service stopped working.
I tried contacting my provider but they close for the weekend and will not be available until Monday morning.
I have individual controllers on my display tanks which handle heaters, ATO, Dosers, circulation, and return pumps.
The controlled devices are set to stay on or off in the event of a power, internet outage as preferred for extended usage
Well a couple of hours was never an issue but here I am with a minimum of three days with no internet which has translated to no heater, no ATO, no control over skimmer, return pump, or flow.
I’m presently adding ATO water by hand.
Controlling house temp to avoid the tanks cooling and feeding with pumps on.
Luckily I’m home but the thought occurred.
What if I had been away?
It seems to me that these toys we call controllers are more of a headache of themselves than the life savers they are portrayed to be.
Time and time again the issue has been software, update glitches, memory card failures while my ONE real concern based on the fear instilled in me by others who have experienced the misfortune of a failed heater. Everything else is added convenience.
Am I missing something?
Is there a way around this that I’m missing?
I tried the Bluetooth and that only shows me status.
It won’t allow changes.
Really wish it was all plugged into the switched outlets I had before.
So much simpler to deal with.
If I were away I’d much rather everything were on switched outlets than a useless flashing box.

 

[gbroadbridge]

This is my situation as I write.
As of Friday night my internet service stopped working.
I tried contacting my provider but they close for the weekend and will not be available until Monday morning.
I have individual controllers on my display tanks which handle heaters, ATO, Dosers, circulation, and return pumps.
The controlled devices are set to stay on or off in the event of a power, internet outage as preferred for extended usage
Well a couple of hours was never an issue but here I am with a minimum of three days with no internet which has translated to no heater, no ATO, no control over skimmer, return pump, or flow.
I’m presently adding ATO water by hand.
Controlling house temp to avoid the tanks cooling and feeding with pumps on.
Luckily I’m home but the thought occurred.
What if I had been away?
It seems to me that these toys we call controllers are more of a headache of themselves than the life savers they are portrayed to be.
Time and time again the issue has been software, update glitches, memory card failures while my ONE real concern based on the fear instilled in me by others who have experienced the misfortune of a failed heater. Everything else is added convenience.
Am I missing something?
Is there a way around this that I’m missing?
I tried the Bluetooth and that only shows me status.
It won’t allow changes.
Really wish it was all plugged into the switched outlets I had before.
So much simpler to deal with.
If I were away I’d much rather everything were on switched outlets than a useless flashing box.

I use a controller, but nothing relies on the internet.

How did you end up in a situation where loss of internet affects your tank?

A tuya powerboard is not a controller.

 

[flyfisher2]

I’m not sure what Tuya Powerboard is. Here in the USA we have controllers that work through internet, Bluetooth.

 

[stevolough]

Sounds like a Wi-Fi problem not an internet problem. Bad router?

 

[Gtinnel]

What controller are you using that stops functioning normally when the internet is out? I use Apex and unless I’ve greatly misunderstood the way it works it only goes back to the fallback state if it looses connection between the module and the brain, which doesn’t require internet. I’ve had the internet go out and everything functions normally other than I obviously can’t use fusion to remotely access the controller, but I still could using the local IP address.

 

[Tamberav]

Internet should not effect the controller. Yes you can’t access the dashboard through the internet but it will continue its programming, dosing, ATO, etc.

What controller are you using?

 

[Breadman03]

What controller are you using?

I third the question. I know Apex and Profilux are both fine without a network, and Hydros just needs local WiFi between modules.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Not only does the Apex still function without any Internet connection, but you can also still control and monitor it over the network when you’re at home on the same local network by opening the Apex.Local dashboard. The only significant thing lost without an Internet connection is alarm notifications. But the Apex will still go about its programmed routines perfectly fine without Internet.

 

[HuduVudu]

This is my situation as I write.
As of Friday night my internet service stopped working.
I tried contacting my provider but they close for the weekend and will not be available until Monday morning.
I have individual controllers on my display tanks which handle heaters, ATO, Dosers, circulation, and return pumps.
The controlled devices are set to stay on or off in the event of a power, internet outage as preferred for extended usage
Well a couple of hours was never an issue but here I am with a minimum of three days with no internet which has translated to no heater, no ATO, no control over skimmer, return pump, or flow.
I’m presently adding ATO water by hand.
Controlling house temp to avoid the tanks cooling and feeding with pumps on.
Luckily I’m home but the thought occurred.
What if I had been away?
It seems to me that these toys we call controllers are more of a headache of themselves than the life savers they are portrayed to be.
Time and time again the issue has been software, update glitches, memory card failures while my ONE real concern based on the fear instilled in me by others who have experienced the misfortune of a failed heater. Everything else is added convenience.
Am I missing something?
Is there a way around this that I’m missing?
I tried the Bluetooth and that only shows me status.
It won’t allow changes.
Really wish it was all plugged into the switched outlets I had before.
So much simpler to deal with.
If I were away I’d much rather everything were on switched outlets than a useless flashing box.

Welcome to the hype.

I fell for it too. Then the power went out and I had to run on a generator. Realized what a joke all of this crap is.

As a tech person I can't understand why these companies won't provide actual electronics that enhance rather than replace. Then I remember my many years with Microsoft. The goal is to silo and corner the market. Why ... not money ... greed. Pure unadulterated greed.

The good news is that there are other solutions, and just like removing the tenderils of Microsoft from your life you need to work (and fail). There are good solutions to be had but you have to waste money and time to find them. It isn't easy but it is possible.

I feel your pain. My suggestion is take a more DIY mindset and remove the unnecessary. Your hobby will get much more enjoyable.

 

[vetteguy53081]

This is my situation as I write.
As of Friday night my internet service stopped working.
I tried contacting my provider but they close for the weekend and will not be available until Monday morning.
I have individual controllers on my display tanks which handle heaters, ATO, Dosers, circulation, and return pumps.
The controlled devices are set to stay on or off in the event of a power, internet outage as preferred for extended usage
Well a couple of hours was never an issue but here I am with a minimum of three days with no internet which has translated to no heater, no ATO, no control over skimmer, return pump, or flow.
I’m presently adding ATO water by hand.
Controlling house temp to avoid the tanks cooling and feeding with pumps on.
Luckily I’m home but the thought occurred.
What if I had been away?
It seems to me that these toys we call controllers are more of a headache of themselves than the life savers they are portrayed to be.
Time and time again the issue has been software, update glitches, memory card failures while my ONE real concern based on the fear instilled in me by others who have experienced the misfortune of a failed heater. Everything else is added convenience.
Am I missing something?
Is there a way around this that I’m missing?
I tried the Bluetooth and that only shows me status.
It won’t allow changes.
Really wish it was all plugged into the switched outlets I had before.
So much simpler to deal with.
If I were away I’d much rather everything were on switched outlets than a useless flashing box.

Mine is my butler- it turns light on and off, feeds, monitors my parameters, adds water when needed via ATo and more.
My apex during internet outage continues to maintain settings

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

What brand aquarium or control equipment are you running? I do know Apex & hydros has local login allowed long as your in home network works. Just need the ip address for the controller.

Like everyone else says, it sounds like an wifi router issue. Im almost gonna lean that the Op has the isp router intermixed with a modem.

I have fios fiber op internet here in so cal and I refuse to use my internet service providers supplied equipment, its a steaming pile of unreliable trash. I own my mesh router and just plug their gig cat 6 cable into the back of my router.

Downside, no end user support on the router end. Upside, its on me if it breaks and a trip to best buy or a next day amazon order puts me back in service.

Edit: to answer the ultimate question, its a friend to me. I travel too much for work, easily 60-120 days a year. I'd have to break down the tanks and get out without aquarium controllers.

 

[flyfisher2]

I’m using Hydros and when the internet goes it doesn’t work. As of right now I have no control.
As far as gear, is Netgear Nighthawk.
If it’s not connected correctly someone please guide me as this is an issue which greatly troubles me.

 

[flyfisher2]

If I need to go back to switched outlets I will.
I just want to know if there’s something I’m doing incorrectly or this is just what’s to be expected if the internet fails?

 

[HuduVudu]

I’m using Hydros and when the internet goes it doesn’t work. As of right now I have no control.
As far as gear, is Netgear Nighthawk.
If it’s not connected correctly someone please guide me as this is an issue which greatly troubles me.

Try to turn off your wifi on your phone see if it will connect to the controller with just that.

 

[HuduVudu]

@flyfisher2 can you get on the internet with your phone? If you can then you can create a hotspot and try to change the what the controller is using for WiFi. This should get your controller on the interent.

 

[flyfisher2]

 

[Projects with Sam]

reboot your router.
just unplug your cable/dsl modem and your router for 30 secconds then plug it all back in again ;D
speaking of Microsoft...

 

[flyfisher2]

Try to turn off your wifi on your phone see if it will connect to the controller with just that.

Trying to do that as we speak

 

[flyfisher2]

reboot your router.
just unplug your cable/dsl modem and your router for 30 secconds then plug it all back in again ;D
speaking of Microsoft...

I’ve tried to reboot and even connected another router in its place.It says no Ethernet connection

 

[Projects with Sam]

Just because your internet connection is down doesn't mean your local network is down. think about it like an umbrella. your router is the umbrella and your network is under it. The internet is the rain. you don't need rain to use your umbrella...