Done with controllers

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

The idea that expensive, complicated equipment refuses to work with the 5ghz band is insane to me. Literally everything else in the house works just fine with the network except fish- related equipment

This absolutely.

My $5 chips I use to make dosing pumps and diy controllers have 5Ghz

However, I have had disconnect issues with those $5 chips, whereas I haven't had a single issue with my hydros yet using a mesh network. But cooome oooon how can these contriller manufacturers not include a wifi chip that is an extra couple bucks.

 

[E.intheC]

It's not the 5ghz. It is their crappy WiFi chips. I installed a dedicated 2.4ghz router specifically for Hydros to try and fix all my connection issues. Didn't work either.

Yet, my Apex sits in the exact same spot and has lost conenction one time ever and I can't prove if it was Apex or my router.

Interesting about the dedicated 2.4ghz.

I like that the apex can connect via Ethernet also. But there are other issues with apex/Neptune.

 

[jda]

Wrote my own controller on an old mac mini. Use high quality probes (think $300 ones and not Apex quality ones), had ssh, true backup running, etc. Figured out that it was just an expensive timer. I shut it down. I put the code on github.

I have Tunze pumps that have their own little controllers, but otherwise just light timers for the lights.

I have no use to controll anything nor do I want to buy a controller to just monitor stuff. I have a CaRx with a hand tune that is more solid than a pH probe and pumps that plug into the wall and just run.

 

[MrWellington]

Wrote my own controller on an old mac mini. Use high quality probes (think $300 ones and not Apex quality ones), had ssh, true backup running, etc. Figured out that it was just an expensive timer. I shut it down. I put the code on github.

I have Tunze pumps that have their own little controllers, but otherwise just light timers for the lights.

I have no use to controll anything nor do I want to buy a controller to just monitor stuff. I have a CaRx with a hand tune that is more solid than a pH probe and pumps that plug into the wall and just run.

While I have a hardwired APEX, I'm thinking of doing the same via Node and Python, then open-source it on GITHub.
Apex is nice and all, but It seems to me that a shell script could do the things it does fairly easily.

 

[Heart of Dixie]

First power surge from lighting I had to replace the Apex controller and a VDM module plus added a larger surge protector. 1 month ago another big storm and it took out 2 EB 8’s. For half their replacement cost I was able to replace the entire setup using: plug strips, some smart plugs, digital timers and a wi-fi controlled dosing pump. I had just replaced my 12 year old LED’s with ATI T-5 lights a few weeks before the last storm. The tanks power heads are 2 Tunze and 2 Nemo 5’s which have their own controllers. I wish I had done it after the first storm.

 

[PeterErc]

The simpler the better. Just more stuff to break.

 

[n2585722]

I have a Hydros and do not have issues with wifi. I have 12 controllers in a single collective and the collective will continue to work without wifi since I don't have any mission critical devices plugged into the wifi power strips. I use the XP8's for those and they are connected to the collective via a command bus. I was without internet for 5 days back in February and the controller continued to work although I had to use my phone with wifi turned off to connect to the collective via bluetooth. It still continued to work other than I could not make any setup changes on bluetooth.

 

[jda]

While I have a hardwired APEX, I'm thinking of doing the same via Node and Python, then open-source it on GITHub.
Apex is nice and all, but It seems to me that a shell script could do the things it does fairly easily.

Once you figure out how to connect to probes and outlets, you are all set but you can also have as many as you want. I used usb since I didn't want wifi to be another weak link. 2 out of 3 for temp and pH is more reliable but they drift a lot.

Simple way is to loop, calculate and sleep for a second or two, but my usb probes and outlets would send signals if you wanted to catch them, so I eventually did both.

I used bash, j2ee and some ruby. I liked that I could ssh and I backed it up to a ec2 instance that I had. MySQL to start but then I moved to a flat table type of deal later. Other than the pseudo coding language that apex has, it was superior in every way.

In the end, just another diaper to change.

 

[nbooks]

im running hydros on a dual band 2.4/5 (which everyone SWORE couldnt be done) broadcasting network and have zero issues.

control x2+wave engine le+2 power strips

 

[exnisstech]

Also one point of failure makes me nervous.

Does anyone else run their reef without a controller? Kasa power strips and timers are where it’s at for me..

The single point of failure has always prevented me from wanting a controller. That and what appears to me to be a steep learning curve that I'm just not up to. Probably an old guy thing but when I read about coding and apex my brain goes numb.

I run 3 display tanks. I have apps for some lights and run a reef link for older ecotech stuff as mobius sucks IMO. I have a brs dosing pump running on a cheap digital timer for kalk on 1 tank. I manually dose 2 part to all tanks. Ink birds for heat and fan. Smart plugs for fuge lights and black box lights. I have ATO units of course.

 

[Aquachristik]

I'm running a Hydros X4 and XP8 on a 2.4GHz Guest network on my TP-Link AX-22 router without any issues whatsoever. I use the guest network for all smart stuff, including my Kasa strip, also used on the tank. The dual-band network for streaming and surfing.

I guess mileage varies for everyone, but my setup has given me no issues. Hydros was a bit frustrating to use in its early days, but it has made strides and has been running smoothly for the past several months.

 

[JeffB418]

Now I know many users have different results, but I am running 31 Hydros Controls, 6 wifi strips, 2 wifi plugs, 2 wifi feeders. I have a dedicated 2.4GHz access point for about half of those devices, and the remaining devices are on the 2.4Ghz on the main router. I do have my 2.4GHz/5Ghz bands split using difference SSIDs. Very rarely do I run into issues, it was worse in the early days but updates on the backend have improved things I have personally seen. I run into more issues with my router itself since I am over 110 wifi devices (cameras, hydros, other 3rd party wifi plugs, etc). But overall my R8000P router has been decent. I had issues with number of devices when I was using the ISP provided router, it just didn't have the memory or processing for my situation. I have a RAXE300 that I am going to switch to once I get some time, more memory and more processors.

 

[jrill]

The idea that expensive, complicated equipment refuses to work with the 5ghz band is insane to me. Literally everything else in the house works just fine with the network except fish- related equipment

I've come across many wifi items that only work on 2.4

 

[apb03]

It's really difficult to claim "wifi issues" as it pertains to 2.4 GHz, I think. For example, I run a cheap 2.4ghz camera in my sump and it gets 25% signal strength compared to my other camera outside the cabinet. My cabinet is full aluminum so, the signal is definitely not the best from my sump.

 

[DIYreefer]

Probably an old guy thing but when I read about coding and apex my brain goes numb.

Same!

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

im running hydros on a dual band 2.4/5 (which everyone SWORE couldnt be done) broadcasting network and have zero issues.

control x2+wave engine le+2 power strips

Mine is a step further into troubled territory where its a mesh dual band. My hydros connects off of a $17 ac mesh node, still haven't had issues. Initial connection was 0 problems too, but jebao on the other hand I would have to do silly things like outrange the 5ghz, or use the tank to buffer the signal out to prefer it, or temporarily unmesh and shut off the 5ghz broadcast, but they connect right up once I trick the jebao and it reconnects when I remesh and turn on 5ghz again 0 problems.

I am starting to wonder about the hydros wifi issues, because if they are prone to it, I have THE worst setup for them. And I have only had them lose connection at 2AM sunday when our entire network reboots.

I have 7 hydros wifi devices

 

[E.intheC]

Mine is a step further into troubled territory where its a mesh dual band. My hydros connects off of a $17 ac mesh node, still haven't had issues. Initial connection was 0 problems too, but jebao on the other hand I would have to do silly things like outrange the 5ghz, or use the tank to buffer the signal out to prefer it, or temporarily unmesh and shut off the 5ghz broadcast, but they connect right up once I trick the jebao and it reconnects when I remesh and turn on 5ghz again 0 problems.

I am starting to wonder about the hydros wifi issues, because if they are prone to it, I have THE worst setup for them. And I have only had them lose connection at 2AM sunday when our entire network reboots.

I have 7 hydros wifi devices

I would love for the equipment to work lol- other than the connection issues I quite liked the hydros. Same with the Nero pumps. They’re great.

I’m not opposed to the idea that it’s a “me” problem. But it really shouldn’t be that difficult to get things to work as they should.

 

[n2585722]

I would love for the equipment to work lol- other than the connection issues I quite liked the hydros. Same with the Nero pumps. They’re great.

I’m not opposed to the idea that it’s a “me” problem. But it really shouldn’t be that difficult to get things to work as they should.

Did you try a access point setup with a different name and password from the main wifi channel? Also that access point should use a wired connection to the router. I used a old router I had and set it up as an access point. Also the access point only has the 2.4ghz channel enabled. Also make sure it is on a different channel that you other wifi channels.

 

[CBonito]

Now I know many users have different results, but I am running 31 Hydros Controls, 6 wifi strips, 2 wifi plugs, 2 wifi feeders. I have a dedicated 2.4GHz access point for about half of those devices, and the remaining devices are on the 2.4Ghz on the main router. I do have my 2.4GHz/5Ghz bands split using difference SSIDs. Very rarely do I run into issues, it was worse in the early days but updates on the backend have improved things I have personally seen. I run into more issues with my router itself since I am over 110 wifi devices (cameras, hydros, other 3rd party wifi plugs, etc). But overall my R8000P router has been decent. I had issues with number of devices when I was using the ISP provided router, it just didn't have the memory or processing for my situation. I have a RAXE300 that I am going to switch to once I get some time, more memory and more processors.

That's how you're supposed to do it. I can hit my apex from across the house at will no problem.
No wifi issues whatsoever.

 

[E.intheC]

Did you try an access point setup with a different name and password from the main wifi channel? Also that access point should use a wired connection to the router. I used an old router I had and set it up as an access point. Also the access point only has the 2.4ghz channel enabled. Also make sure it is on a different channel that you other wifi channels.

I’m going to be honest- I can’t say with 100% certainty I know what that means. However I did try adding a google WiFi access point in the fish room. It would not let me configure as 2.4ghz but it was about 5 feet from the controller itself.