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mandi29221
Active Member
I'm happy someone understands. Our insurance said no on physical therapy. Or 1200$ down to be seen. So I been doing it by myself
High tech tanks
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Skynyrd Fish
Valuable Member
I'm sure you looked around and asked. It's a tough one. Get her whatever she needs so she grows out of it. You will consider it money well spent later in life. We where scraping by when we had ours as the economy in metro Detroit was decimated, so was my pay, 2007 -2010. It sucked, but I'm glad we did more than we could afford, now that he's 12. The physical therapy is good to do at home and probably what I would have done. Lots of play time on the floor with mom sounds like time well spent. I had winters off as I own a marine contracting business, so I was fortunate enough to stay at home n the winters and had lots of baby time.
Back to the topic of the thread: LOL Any time for parental help.
Find good deals on clean used Stuff. ATO is almost a must have, I use a tom's lifter pump and float switch hooked up to my Reefkeeper lite. I got the reef keeper for $50 used with temp prob, it controls my heater. The Toms pump and float switch were $53 new. Running great for 4 years no problems.
Back to the topic of the thread: LOL Any time for parental help.
Find good deals on clean used Stuff. ATO is almost a must have, I use a tom's lifter pump and float switch hooked up to my Reefkeeper lite. I got the reef keeper for $50 used with temp prob, it controls my heater. The Toms pump and float switch were $53 new. Running great for 4 years no problems.
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mandi29221
Active Member
I will definitely keep a look out. Thank you
danreefman
Valuable Member
Tunze ATO, alk controller, and light with a built in timer.
I'm planning on offing my apex. They're garbage. Like I say apex is equal to ford. Best looking least reliable. Neither one handles there problems
I'm planning on offing my apex. They're garbage. Like I say apex is equal to ford. Best looking least reliable. Neither one handles there problems
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mandi29221
Active Member
Oh no a ford reference. Lol my whole family side swear by ford. My husband bought me a chevy. Now my dad says get that s*** off my lawn laughing
Skynyrd Fish
Valuable Member
You guys have no idea, as I am from where they build them. LOL I own both, and a dodge.
danreefman
Valuable Member
love my Dodge!!
Sorry for high jacking
Sorry for high jacking
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mandi29221
Active Member
Na it's all good humor
bluedevils6653
Active Member
sure automation is easier but ive been reefing for 10+ years now with no automation. it can easily be done you dont need all the fancy "gadgets". i have a couple thousand dollars worth of fish and ive had no desire to get an apex or ato or anything like that. to each their own but to each their own. just my opinion
gfox
Valuable Member
I like the KISS method.Keep it simple stupid.i have been in the hobby for around 12 years and i have thought about a controller many times and see the price on them and i would rather buy more corals.I do have a ATO they are a must with a skimmer in the sump.
NS Mike D
In the arena.
It's a hobby; Balance your budget with your time. Keeping it simple with easy to keep corals like softies, lps etc that are resilient with regard to water quality and lighting can result in an awesome tanks plus easy on the wallet and your time.
A $700 - $1000 controller is nice, but you can use individual solutions based on your needs and DIY skills.
Before adding a number of SPS, I observed that about a quart of water evaporated each day- so topping off a quart of RODI was part of my morning routine. When I decided I wanted more stability, i added a brs diy ato. I saved a lot of money and I enjoyed the project.
My dosing need is 2ml daily of A and B which I gladly do each morning. My Alk and CA consumption is not sufficient to warrant a doser - for my budget.
I had a $30 temperature controller laying around from another hobby, so it was a no brainer to plug my heaters into it since heaters are the cheapest piece of equipment and most likely to fail.
Two of my powerheads are plugged into an inexpensive hydor wavemaker and the third is plugged into a simple timer.
Lights now come with internal wifi that can be controlled on a phone app.
An Apex would certainly simplify my automation, and most certainly would clean up and organize the pile of power strips and controllers. But at $700- $1000 to replace what I already have, for me the benefit doesn't justify the cost, for now. On the other hand, I am close to pulling the plug on a RaspberryPi Reefpi DIY project that would initially replace my timers and heater control for under $250 that would clean up a lot of the cord and I can then add other controllers and monitors as phase in projects.
There are different ways to enjoy this hobby and inexpensive and simple in no way means less enjoyable.
A $700 - $1000 controller is nice, but you can use individual solutions based on your needs and DIY skills.
Before adding a number of SPS, I observed that about a quart of water evaporated each day- so topping off a quart of RODI was part of my morning routine. When I decided I wanted more stability, i added a brs diy ato. I saved a lot of money and I enjoyed the project.
My dosing need is 2ml daily of A and B which I gladly do each morning. My Alk and CA consumption is not sufficient to warrant a doser - for my budget.
I had a $30 temperature controller laying around from another hobby, so it was a no brainer to plug my heaters into it since heaters are the cheapest piece of equipment and most likely to fail.
Two of my powerheads are plugged into an inexpensive hydor wavemaker and the third is plugged into a simple timer.
Lights now come with internal wifi that can be controlled on a phone app.
An Apex would certainly simplify my automation, and most certainly would clean up and organize the pile of power strips and controllers. But at $700- $1000 to replace what I already have, for me the benefit doesn't justify the cost, for now. On the other hand, I am close to pulling the plug on a RaspberryPi Reefpi DIY project that would initially replace my timers and heater control for under $250 that would clean up a lot of the cord and I can then add other controllers and monitors as phase in projects.
There are different ways to enjoy this hobby and inexpensive and simple in no way means less enjoyable.
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mandi29221
Active Member
That was worded great. So far each morning I'm also adding 1.5 gal a day.
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mandi29221
Active Member
How would I install a ATO on a glass tank and I have no room left in my stand. I have a toddler so I can't just keep it beside it.
NS Mike D
In the arena.
put it in some sort of box next to the tank. perhaps a cabinet from a yard sale. just make sure the pump has the juice to over come gravity , drill holes in the back to pass through the cords and lines.
at 1.5 gal per day a 5 gal container wouldn't take up much room.
If you want some good perspectives on why to use controllers and dosers, any kind of automation, see this.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...ry-for-ulm-aquariums-brstv-investigates-ep12/
I couldn’t live with out. I manually dose one thing, maganese, and most days I can’t rmemeber if I did it or not at the end of the day.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...ry-for-ulm-aquariums-brstv-investigates-ep12/
I couldn’t live with out. I manually dose one thing, maganese, and most days I can’t rmemeber if I did it or not at the end of the day.
Newb73
Valuable Member
Mine can detect leaks, pump failures, problems with water clarity and orp, ph and temp.
It then can shut off potential leak points in area of leak, turn on back up pumps, turn on back up heaters (or cooling fan) kill the doser or auto feeder, turn the lights up or down, kill the power to heaters with stuck thermostats, all while i am away from home and then notify me of what transpired.
It can do the water changes itself, run its own ato and ro/di water do randomized water flow and lighting like you wouldn't believe, simulate the seasons and weather and even send me pictures.
It also plots my water tests, par, probe readings on graphs.
If a leak does happen within the water proof stand, after pumps that can cause leaks are shut off (and wavemakers and display heaters switched over), it can activate a sunk pump and empty the water out of my stand. I can keep your skimmers from ever overflowing and shut them off and txt you when they are full...you could even add a drain pump in a Skimmate collector to empty and restart skimmer....something i havent done yet....
If you open a door the lights come on for instant access andd if anyone opens the doors or canopy while i am away....I'll know and can even photograph it.
One controller runs 2 tanks, 2 ato Resovoirs, , a salt mixing station, ozone, a nitrate reactor, dosers, AWC,and can easily run more.
The only thing I've had legit issues with is the salinity probe.
With the time it saves i ALWAYS have time on my hands to keep those filter socks changed, feed frozen foods and clean the glass. I only have to mix water once a month and run alk test once or twice a week and ca, a couple times a month and mg maybe once a month.
If you want it to dose coral food, reef energy, zeo etc.....It can also do that.
I have a big red panic button inside for the wife that puts the tank in a limp mode that can keep the fish alive for weeks even if pipes are busted....
Another single button stirs the tank in a way that would be dangerous to lps but is great for maintenance.
I could go on....you get the point though.
Seems pretty "useful" to me.
It's true, it's like running the space shuttle.....i am a tech junkie so i find it easy, others are bound to crash and burn though.
It then can shut off potential leak points in area of leak, turn on back up pumps, turn on back up heaters (or cooling fan) kill the doser or auto feeder, turn the lights up or down, kill the power to heaters with stuck thermostats, all while i am away from home and then notify me of what transpired.
It can do the water changes itself, run its own ato and ro/di water do randomized water flow and lighting like you wouldn't believe, simulate the seasons and weather and even send me pictures.
It also plots my water tests, par, probe readings on graphs.
If a leak does happen within the water proof stand, after pumps that can cause leaks are shut off (and wavemakers and display heaters switched over), it can activate a sunk pump and empty the water out of my stand. I can keep your skimmers from ever overflowing and shut them off and txt you when they are full...you could even add a drain pump in a Skimmate collector to empty and restart skimmer....something i havent done yet....
If you open a door the lights come on for instant access andd if anyone opens the doors or canopy while i am away....I'll know and can even photograph it.
One controller runs 2 tanks, 2 ato Resovoirs, , a salt mixing station, ozone, a nitrate reactor, dosers, AWC,and can easily run more.
The only thing I've had legit issues with is the salinity probe.
With the time it saves i ALWAYS have time on my hands to keep those filter socks changed, feed frozen foods and clean the glass. I only have to mix water once a month and run alk test once or twice a week and ca, a couple times a month and mg maybe once a month.
If you want it to dose coral food, reef energy, zeo etc.....It can also do that.
I have a big red panic button inside for the wife that puts the tank in a limp mode that can keep the fish alive for weeks even if pipes are busted....
Another single button stirs the tank in a way that would be dangerous to lps but is great for maintenance.
I could go on....you get the point though.
Seems pretty "useful" to me.
It's true, it's like running the space shuttle.....i am a tech junkie so i find it easy, others are bound to crash and burn though.
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mandi29221
Active Member
Wow. That's crazy how much and what brand is the one you have? If you don't mind me asking I'ma look at them
Mark Gray
2500 Club Member
I ran tanks for years with out controllers or dosers or ATO's But saying that adfter I finally tried an Apex now I would not run a tank with out one, to me it takes a lot of the headache away and has saved my tank too. Have one still in the box for my new build
chipmunkofdoom2
Always Making Something
I think a doser is a must once you get into SPS. A backup temperature controller like an Inkbird or even a Reef Keeper Lite is also beneficial (stops a run-away heater from destroying your tank). Other than that, I don't see anything that really "needs" automating.
I think cars are a good analogy for this hobby. To some people, like myself, the car I drive is of little importance. My Civic is 8 years old and I jokingly say I want to keep it for another 20 years (although truthfully I'd like to get at least another 10 years out of it if I can... we'll see how that goes). I want it to be reasonably comfortable when I drive and I want my car to be very reliable, but other than that, my car just needs to work. Driving in the car, maintaining the car, and looking at the car bring me very little joy. I want to go to work, see my family, and do fun things. The car I use to get there is not important: it's a means to an end. However, there are some people I know who are car nuts. Their car was very expensive and is kept in pristine shape. It has all the options, bells and whistles. Sure, a car that cost half of what their car did would get them where they need to go. But that's not what's important to them: those people really love cars, and the car they drive is very important.
I look at reef tanks in the same way. I don't care what equipment I use. I don't care how it looks. I don't care if there's a supposed better way to reef than the low-tech way I'm doing it now. My goal is not to have a cabinet full of neat gear, my goal is to have a tank full of healthy fish and corals. The equipment is a means to an end, in other words. For some people, the equipment is incredibly important. It has to do more than just "work," you have to be able to check all your tank stats from any Internet-connected device in the world, even if you spend 99% of your time within a 30 mile radius of the tank. More than just a basic sun rise/sun set, you have to be able to mimic the daylight cycle on any natural reef in the world. Have simple on off timers worked for aquarium lights for decades? Of course they have, but that's not the point: all those bells and whistles that I would never look at are very meaningful for some reefers. Sure, they could get by with less gear and lower-tech setups, but the gear is incredibly important to them, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Neither solution (low tech vs high tech) is best. They both work, and they both have worked for decades. What's important is the one that works for you, and the one that you like.
I think cars are a good analogy for this hobby. To some people, like myself, the car I drive is of little importance. My Civic is 8 years old and I jokingly say I want to keep it for another 20 years (although truthfully I'd like to get at least another 10 years out of it if I can... we'll see how that goes). I want it to be reasonably comfortable when I drive and I want my car to be very reliable, but other than that, my car just needs to work. Driving in the car, maintaining the car, and looking at the car bring me very little joy. I want to go to work, see my family, and do fun things. The car I use to get there is not important: it's a means to an end. However, there are some people I know who are car nuts. Their car was very expensive and is kept in pristine shape. It has all the options, bells and whistles. Sure, a car that cost half of what their car did would get them where they need to go. But that's not what's important to them: those people really love cars, and the car they drive is very important.
I look at reef tanks in the same way. I don't care what equipment I use. I don't care how it looks. I don't care if there's a supposed better way to reef than the low-tech way I'm doing it now. My goal is not to have a cabinet full of neat gear, my goal is to have a tank full of healthy fish and corals. The equipment is a means to an end, in other words. For some people, the equipment is incredibly important. It has to do more than just "work," you have to be able to check all your tank stats from any Internet-connected device in the world, even if you spend 99% of your time within a 30 mile radius of the tank. More than just a basic sun rise/sun set, you have to be able to mimic the daylight cycle on any natural reef in the world. Have simple on off timers worked for aquarium lights for decades? Of course they have, but that's not the point: all those bells and whistles that I would never look at are very meaningful for some reefers. Sure, they could get by with less gear and lower-tech setups, but the gear is incredibly important to them, and there's nothing wrong with that.
Neither solution (low tech vs high tech) is best. They both work, and they both have worked for decades. What's important is the one that works for you, and the one that you like.
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