Full System Reef Aquarium Controllers: What's got control in 2022?

[Tyler360]

I seriously love my apex! you can buy everything you need!

 

[Kfactor]

i have hydros and my neptune jr that will be just controlling my calcium reactor

 

[Rewd]

For those that use Hydros, what do you do for your dosing needs?

On my 90G, I just use the red sea 4 head doser. On my 50g planted, I picked up a cheap jebao doser since it doesn't need anything complicated, and for the newest waterbox AIO 50g tank, I'll probably use a red sea again if I need it.

 

[ComfortRacing]

My new tank (finally back in the hobby) came with a full Apex system and i love it. Took a steep learning curve to really start utilizing it correctly. For some reason us Mechanical Engineers refuse to read manuals…..who-da-thunk?

 

[Starganderfish]

As much as I like teh "idea" of a single control system, the extreme cost and limited ability and compatibility for pretty much all the options is a problem. None of them do all that they should, they all need a heap of extra parts and components (generally expensive parts) just to perform adequately and there's always at least one thing that a particular system just can't do - whether it's run a device or perform a test or communicate a result.
Worse, it's 2022 but for the ridiculous amounts being charged, the majority of these systems are actually pretty primitive given current tech.
Pesonally, I think I'd prefer if manufacturers just started making their devices "Smart" (ie: compatible with Google, Alexa, Apple etc) so we could tie them into existing smart-home tech, and then we could pick and choose what we wanted from who. I'd love to use an Echo device to control lights, pumps, flow, feeding, testing and alerts. The basic fundamentals are already there in terms of networking, communications etc, i=we just need more devices to leverage it. Its insane to me that AI or EcoTech devices can be controlled by an app but not by a Smart controller.
There's really no need for a central controller for a lot of these things when we can leverage Smart devices and Cloud processing power.

 

[JulesH]

I spend quite a bit of time away from home. So I have been thinking long and hard about a controller. However I did not want to put all my eggs in one basket so to speak with a single device to control everything. I have a Mastertronic carrying out my testing whilst I am away. I use reef factory for temperature control and pH monitoring. I have had problems with all the equipment which is mainly to do with my router back home and its interaction with my aquarium devices.

 

[gbroadbridge]

I use a Profilux 4.

I don't particularly like the built in inflexibility, but it's the only controller I trust to run things when I spend 6 out of every 12 weeks overseas usually without usable internet.

Never failed once, but alerted my backup maintenance company about problems many times.

 

[Jeffcb]

 

[Forty-Two]

Are you aware that the Mastertronic and Alkatronic will interface with the Hydros via wifi. So you can use their inputs to control things on the Hydros if I understand correctly. I have the Hydros but do not have a Mastertroinc or Alkatronic.

Hmm - seeing all of these posts on the Hydros Im starting to investigate it, but I did not know that no - thanks for letting me know.

I would need European plugs for it to work for me. Since its made in the US Im not sure they offer it - but looking into it.

 

[Reefvision]

Using Hydros for monitoring ph, temp. Operating the cooling fans, r/o system ,orphek light bar,gyre pump. Do not use controller for critical life support as I feel that is just a disaster waiting to happen.mostly happy with the way it works.(Hydros 4).

 

[David13]

I have no full system controller at the moment as only just starting out, I do have reef factory multihead dosing unit, I’m liking the look of the reef factory set up, seems a lot less complicated than others and the interface app is simple to navigate and very user friendly.

 

[MamaP]

Hi
Wow what a great idea. Is it hard to write programs for Alexa. I don't have Alexia but am considering one now. Are there any links as to how to use Alexa in this way. I am not a techie. Thanks.

Same. Following!

 

[MamaP]

I wish I had things automated and controlled! Would make the maintenance and monitoring a lot easier. Unfortunately it hasn't been in my budget. My 75g isn't even drilled, so I'm running a Fluval FX4 canister filter, which makes it harder I think to have anything automated. I control my Fluval light bar via the app, and my "fanciest" piece of equipment is my IceCap gyres x2 that are controlled via Hydros. I do everything else manually.

 

[LeBon]

Ive tried severalover the years just cos suppliers ask me to sometimes.

They just arent my style, Im a hands on kind of guy who just cant put more then 50% faith in tech.

Also,id rather learn and understand the water as opposed to learn and understand probes and programming

 

[rtparty]

I have both Apex and Hydros.

Hydros is easier to setup but I've had multiple failures with their hardware. Some was DOA.

Apex is harder to setup at first but I've got 7 year old pieces of equipment not a single failure to date.

I don't trust either of them to be honest. Hydros WiFi is absolutely terrible and CoralVue won't ever take the blame. They need to add an Ethernet port ASAP so we can hardwire

 

[MnFish1]

What aquarium controller are you currently using to control your saltwater reef aquarium? (please don't flame other brands)

Apex - partially. Though I just bought the coralvue (haven't installed it).

I am only using the Apex brain, not the Energy bar - and fusion to see temperature and pH. I have found it to be an unreliable product - which is why I'm switching to the Coralvue. (hopefully we can flame the controller we currently use (JK) - when it works properly it is a nice piece of equipment - to me the quality dropped as more features were added with Apex 2

 

[McPuff]

I had Apex for about 9 years and it was fine. Some of the control was clunky and upgrading firmware was always a pain. And it would simply lose connectivity for no reason at times (despite being hard wired to my router). For the last 2 years, the system was not supported at all because all focus moved to the newest version (2016 version).

That all prompted me to consider a new controller so I went with GHL. Have always heard good stuff about the equipment from my trusted sources. I have to say that I'm very happy with it thus far. Initial connection was a bit of a pain but has been smooth every since. Easy to program. Also using the kH director which has been super easy as well. It gives me an extra level of control I didn't have before.

I do not have it controlling everything as there are pumps on different circuits, lights are controlled by Orphek app, ATO is Tunze osmolator, and I added a couple of Wyze pan cams so that I can monitor more closely when I go out of town. This should really help to ease my mind!

 

[CoralHubb]

I honestly don't do much "controlling" of my aquarium compared to some people. I bought products that do a lot of that on their own - inkbird to check temperature and control my heater, AI hydro 32 which control themselves (and i never need to change it ever so no need to control through a system), and the rest I have on a switchboard so i can turn things on and off manually VERY quickly without fiddling with my phone. I absolutely love this solution for my own preferences. also for water changes i have 2 switches in my tank which heat up and stir the water in my basement mixing station and then the other turns on a pump to pump it directly into my sump. I also have a syphon plumbed to my basement utility sink so i just have to turn a knob to start draining water from my tank, then flick a switch to fill it back up. ITS THE BEST!

That being said, for my frag tanks (which are much less 'high tech', with cheaper equipment - i use an apex classic to turn on my t5 fixtures and pumps and all that good stuff.

 

[14 foot reef]

I had no idea. I just completed a major reno job on our home theater. It is controlled by C4, including lights, shades, etc. I also run Apex. How do I get it to play with C4, but the more relevant question is what will C4 add above and beyond using the Apex app?

I use them as separate control interfaces.
My sump is in garage and lighting is 150' away form Apex unit, so C4 controls lighting per custom schedule.
I have a huge pump relay controlled by C4 that has trigger switches that will turn on and off 5000-6000 gph flow pumps. C4 has overflow triggers on reef in living room that shuts off pumps, sends email and text. Shuts off pumps if sump area gets to low so that it wont suck air. Has alerts for sump too high also to alert for possible sump over flow. Their are endless things it can control. I was all 100% C4 before Apex. Auto top off, auto water change, Salt water make up station. The limitations are endless, I never found anything I wanted C4 to do that it couldn't do. Your imagination is the limits.

 

[Mark Wold]

I am quite surprised to see almost half the people using APEX. They are awfully expensive.

That said, I can connect with my HD64's, my Inkbird heater controller, my Maxspect Byre pump and my Vectra M2 return pump from my phone. But only the Inkbird is accessible from outside the local network. Kind of frustrating...