GHL Costs....

VR28man · Jun 11, 2020

So the KHD and Ion Director are interesting for an SPS tank. But looking at it the cost seems a bit steep. (US MSRP from GHL) Am I getting this right:

Profilux (basic controller, possibly needed to integrate all this stuff). : $520

KH Director + Doser 2.1 slave (uses 3 of 4 dosing pumps) : $800
Ion Director + Doser 2.1 slave (uses at least 2, more likely 4, pumps). : $850
Doser Maxi (for automatic water changes - 1st pump in, 2nd pump out): $380
Doser Maxi (for ATO; it seems I don't need anything else for this?) : $380
Another three pump Doser 2.1 to dose 3 part, (if I don't use a CaRX) : $350

for a total of $3280 the way I count it, admittedly for a tank with automatic dosing, KH, Ca, Mg, NO3, maybe other testing, as well as ATO and water changes all controlled through a Star Trekky Ultimate Computer. Nice, but a pretty penny.......

...anyway, be interested to know if I missed something.

AZMSGT · Jun 11, 2020

Ain't nothing cheap about this hobby. Only thing your not adding in is the PAB cables, they are the same as Cat 5e or Cat 6 LAN cables and can be bought cheap from local sources.

My equipment:	EACH	COST	Total
Profilux 4	1	$519.90	$519.90
6 plug powerbars	3	$229.90	$689.70
KH Director	1	$449.90	$449.90
Ion Director	1	$499.90	$499.90
2.1 Dosers	3	$409.90	$1,229.70
Maxi Dosers	2	$329.90	$659.80
Leak sensor controller	1	$39.90	$39.90
Leak sensors	6	$31.90	$191.40
9000 flow sensors	2	$149.90	$299.80
9000 fittings	2	$18.90	$37.80
PLM-Sensor expansion card.	1	$89.90	$89.90
Optical sensors	3	$79.90	$239.70
Float Sensor	1	$35.90	$35.90
Sensor holder	2	$20.90	$41.80
Breeze 4 head Fan	1	$129.90	$129.90
Breeze controller	1	$39.90	$39.90
KH Director reagents	6	$32.90	$197.40
ION D agent A	2	$24.90	$49.80
ION D agent B	2	$24.90	$49.80
power monitor	1	$19.90	$19.90
splitter cable	2	$9.90	$19.80
Items I bought but don't use:
Vortech interface (I use the Ecotech software to control them instead.)	1	$139.90	$139.90
PLM-ADIN card (had a plan then the plan changed)	1	$82.90	$82.90
PLM-PH-Redox card (was going to use it for a Calcium reactor but went a different route)	1	$147.13	$147.13
2nd PH probe (was going to use it for a Calcium reactor but went a different route)	1	$74.90	$74.90
S port - L port box (in case I need it for a future pump or to interface with something)	1	$29.90	$29.90
			$6,006.33

VR28man · Jun 11, 2020

yeah that's a lot!

But it looks like optical and float sensors are for the ATO, while the leak sensor and flow rate sensor are seperate? (IMO they'd be nice but at this price....). Also, the power bars are strictly necessary? (not judging your purchases, just asking because I'm not terribly keen on ponying up for power bars........

. )

AZMSGT · Jun 12, 2020

VR28man said:
yeah that's a lot!

But it looks like optical and float sensors are for the ATO, while the leak sensor and flow rate sensor are seperate? (IMO they'd be nice but at this price....). Also, the power bars are strictly necessary? (not judging your purchases, just asking because I'm not terribly keen on ponying up for power bars........ . )

Yes, the optical and float sensors are all in use with the ATO / AWC system. Flow rate sensors are employed on main return and UV return.

Powerbars:
Part of having a controller is being able to set up different modes of operation. Feeding, Heating and cooling, maintenance, emergency shut offs for leakage and over flow protection, power consumption monitoring and having pumps turn on and off at set times and so forth. Yes, having the ability to control several items in this manner make the powerbars very useful. I do have a some what elaborate set up but I'm glad I do. It's a personal choice, and honestly I think it would be based off the tank size too.

You can consolidate perhaps powerheads on one socket depending on the amp draw.

I'll give you a count for power bar control on my system.
2 heaters, 1 socket per, 2 total
2 cooling fans 1 socket
4 powerheads 4 sockets
2 return pumps 2 sockets
Kalk stirrer 1 socket
Carbon pump 1 socket
GFO pump 1 socket
Lights 1 socket
Skimmer 1 socket
Mixing station pump 1 socket
Algae scrubber 1 socket
CO2 scrubber air control valve 1 socket

Sure, some of those can be controlled by timers or smart sockets. But when you buy 6 good quality smart sockets your close to the price of a powerbar.

dopey · Jun 12, 2020

This is why you don't add up the costs of this hobby

Guess good thing about GHL stuff is it's fairly 'tank independent'. It's one thing to spend 2k USD on equipment that will only work on that tank(skimmer, lights(maybe), pumps, etc) and need to be replaced/upsized when/if you move to a larger(or smaller) tank. Atleast this is a 'life long' investment.

I do wish I hadn't seen that cost breakdown tho.. Was going to happily continue to buy a thing here, a thing there, and just stick to the GHL ecosystem was my thinking

AZMSGT · Jun 12, 2020

dopey said:
This is why you don't add up the costs of this hobby

I do wish I hadn't seen that cost breakdown tho..

Some things just can't be unseen.

I knew when I started down the rabbit hole of a controller it would add up and I too was like:

robbyg · Jun 12, 2020

AZMSGT said:
Ain't nothing cheap about this hobby. Only thing your not adding in is the PAB cables, they are the same as Cat 5e or Cat 6 LAN cables and can be bought cheap from local sources.

My equipment: EACH COST Total
Profilux 4 1 $519.90
$519.90
6 plug powerbars 3 $229.90
$689.70
KH Director 1 $449.90
$449.90
Ion Director 1 $499.90
$499.90
2.1 Dosers 3 $409.90
$1,229.70
Maxi Dosers 2 $329.90
$659.80
Leak sensor controller 1 $39.90
$39.90
Leak sensors 6 $31.90
$191.40
9000 flow sensors 2 $149.90
$299.80
9000 fittings 2 $18.90
$37.80
PLM-Sensor expansion card. 1 $89.90
$89.90
Optical sensors 3 $79.90
$239.70
Float Sensor 1 $35.90
$35.90
Sensor holder 2 $20.90
$41.80
Breeze 4 head Fan 1 $129.90
$129.90
Breeze controller 1 $39.90
$39.90
KH Director reagents 6 $32.90
$197.40
ION D agent A 2 $24.90
$49.80
ION D agent B 2 $24.90
$49.80
power monitor 1 $19.90
$19.90
splitter cable 2 $9.90
$19.80
Items I bought but don't use:
Vortech interface (I use the Ecotech software to control them instead.) 1 $139.90
$139.90
PLM-ADIN card (had a plan then the plan changed) 1 $82.90
$82.90
PLM-PH-Redox card (was going to use it for a Calcium reactor but went a different route) 1 $147.13
$147.13
2nd PH probe (was going to use it for a Calcium reactor but went a different route) 1 $74.90
$74.90
S port - L port box (in case I need it for a future pump or to interface with something) 1 $29.90
$29.90
$6,006.33

You list under "My Equipment" an Ion Director and the Reagents A-B.
You own an Ion Director?

AZMSGT · Jun 12, 2020

robbyg said:
You list under "My Equipment" an Ion Director and the Reagents A-B.
You own an Ion Director?

Come on Robby, you know better. It’s all on order and prepaid. I knew I would need extra reagents at some point so I already ordered them

vangvace · Jun 12, 2020

VR28man said:
So the KHD and Ion Director are interesting for an SPS tank. But looking at it the cost seems a bit steep. (US MSRP from GHL) Am I getting this right:

Profilux (basic controller, possibly needed to integrate all this stuff). : $520

KH Director + Doser 2.1 slave (uses 3 of 4 dosing pumps) : $800
Ion Director + Doser 2.1 slave (uses at least 2, more likely 4, pumps). : $850
Doser Maxi (for automatic water changes - 1st pump in, 2nd pump out): $380
Doser Maxi (for ATO; it seems I don't need anything else for this?) : $380
Another three pump Doser 2.1 to dose 3 part, (if I don't use a CaRX) : $350

for a total of $3280 the way I count it, admittedly for a tank with automatic dosing, KH, Ca, Mg, NO3, maybe other testing, as well as ATO and water changes all controlled through a Star Trekky Ultimate Computer. Nice, but a pretty penny.......

...anyway, be interested to know if I missed something.

You are missing sensors for the ATO.

VR28man said:
yeah that's a lot!

But it looks like optical and float sensors are for the ATO, while the leak sensor and flow rate sensor are seperate? (IMO they'd be nice but at this price....). Also, the power bars are strictly necessary? (not judging your purchases, just asking because I'm not terribly keen on ponying up for power bars........ . )

Leak sensors and flow sensors are separate, but can warn you or trigger tank saving actions. I have a flow sensor on my return and one on my chiller/algae scrubber loop. The flow sensor lets me know when I need to clean the scrubber.

Powerbars can be used for voltage monitoring, but more pragmatically as an on/off control of equipment based on time of day or feed/maintenance. I fully use 2 powerbars for my setup, but have an additional dozen or so things on regular powerstrips.

robbyg · Jun 12, 2020

AZMSGT said:
Come on Robby, you know better. It’s all on order and prepaid. I knew I would need extra reagents at some point so I already ordered them

i was wondering if you are a beta tester.

I guess not

Kyl · Jun 12, 2020

Germans make good stuff.

KenO · Jun 28, 2020

I’m not sure what the reagents will be for the upcoming ION D, but for my KH D’s I’m using 0.1N acid I purchased from amazon. I got a 4L bottle for $39. I wanted the 10L bottle ($80) but it was out of stock at the time. When I switched to the 0.1N acid my KH readings didn’t change from the GHL reagent.

For me I looked at the GHL equipment as an investment in my system. Overtime we can end up spending thousands and thousands on fish and coral. I wanted a system that had most if not all the pieces and parts that played well together.

I have other pieces of equipment for example Spectrapure for my ATO and RO/DI control. You can’t beat the Spectrapure ATO module. I let them do what they do best. I do have the GHL watch over those products. For both the Spectrapure ATO and the RO/DI products, I have GHL sensors placed above the water lines in the sump and my RODI storage and if the ATO or RO/DI get stuck in the on positions, the GHL P4 will detect that failure and will kill power to those outlets and send me a message.