Need help with a module setup

[ShakyJay]

OK so here goes...My tank has been up and going for about a year now, and I have finally decided to do things right.
First the stats:
75gal reef
30 gal DIY fuge
6 bulb T-5 Current fixture
2 Koralia powerheads
Mag 1200 pump
Cone skimmer (soon Luke???)

My light timer has just gone out and I have been doing the lights manually so now I am looking at getting a new light timer/module.

I have been looking at the reef keeper lite model but am wondering how I would power all these things with (4) outlets. Does anyone have any suggestions? I am looking to keep the price below 200 so the elite or any of the better ones are out of the question. But I was thinking could I just plug a powerstrip into the RKL outlet? Should I be looking at a different setup?

Does anyone have any diagrams/suggestions????

 

[thewackyreefer]

For under $200 you probably wont find much as far as a "controller" goes, I'd suggest buying a RKL with an extra PC-4 (4 outlets) for a total of 8 outlets. Great little controller and will make your life much easier.

 

[ShakyJay]

For under $200 you probably wont find much as far as a "controller" goes, I'd suggest buying a RKL with an extra PC-4 (4 outlets) for a total of 8 outlets. Great little controller and will make your life much easier.

If I add the 4 extra outlets are they going to be able to be timer controlled?

 

[thewackyreefer]

If I add the 4 extra outlets are they going to be able to be timer controlled?

Yes, the RKL can control up to 4 modules.

 

[nayrgaijin]

Yes, the RKL can control up to 4 modules.

I'm shakyjays friend and were both debating getting this module actually, so the RKL can control 8 not only 4?
Of course by purchasing the extra power strip I would assume?

 

[amay121]

The RKL can control up to 4 modules, so you can pick and match your modules as you wish.

For Example you can have the following setups:
4 x PC4 (giving you 16 outlets to control)
3 x PC4 + 1 x SL1/SL2 (giving you 12 outlets plus the ability to add another temp probe, PH probe, ORP Probe (SL1), or Conductivity Probe (SL2)
2 x PC4 + 1 x SL1/SL2 + NET (giving you 8 outlets plus probes plus ability to monitor your tank from the net)

All these examples just states that you can have a maximum number of 4 individual modules. However, you can also upgrade and buy the elite for $199 (+ $50 mail in your old RKL rebate) to Digital Aquatics and you free up this 4 module limit, but you'll have to be sure that you buy the head unit ONLY from DA.

Hope this helps.

 

[AZDesertRat]

I have the RKL Level 3 which has the head unit with an iTemp probe, two PC-4 outlet strips and a SL-1 module with a pH probe. I added a MLC moonlight controller module and extra moonlight pods.
It is controlling the 8 outlets which include MH lights, VHO actinic lights, two Sicce Voyager pumps on a wavemaker function, 3 moonlight pods on a lunar cycle, the return pump and closed loop pump, a calcium reactor and CO2 system based on effluent pH, fans and heaters on and off based on temperature and I am sure other things I am forgetting. The lights are set up on an alarm so if the tank temperature gets outside the normal range it shuts the lights off, starts an extra fan, sounds an audible and visual alarm and then restarts the lights based on a setpoint I have enetered.
I paid more than $200 for everything but you can add modules, up to 4 total in stages as you acquire more equipment or funds or both. I would start out with the basic RKL and add a second PC-4 for a total of 8 controllable outlets.

 

[ShakyJay]

I have the RKL Level 3 which has the head unit with an iTemp probe, two PC-4 outlet strips and a SL-1 module with a pH probe. I added a MLC moonlight controller module and extra moonlight pods.
It is controlling the 8 outlets which include MH lights, VHO actinic lights, two Sicce Voyager pumps on a wavemaker function, 3 moonlight pods on a lunar cycle, the return pump and closed loop pump, a calcium reactor and CO2 system based on effluent pH, fans and heaters on and off based on temperature and I am sure other things I am forgetting. The lights are set up on an alarm so if the tank temperature gets outside the normal range it shuts the lights off, starts an extra fan, sounds an audible and visual alarm and then restarts the lights based on a setpoint I have enetered.
I paid more than $200 for everything but you can add modules, up to 4 total in stages as you acquire more equipment or funds or both. I would start out with the basic RKL and add a second PC-4 for a total of 8 controllable outlets.

Thanks that is very helpful, and it sounds like this thing is pretty amazing. I definitely like the alarm function and auto shutoff. I want to have my koralia's on a wavemaker type scenerio, do I need to buy their specific wavemaker module or does the rkl have the ability to alternate power to a couple of different Koralias, in like 3min increments?

 

[roshi719]

Thanks that is very helpful, and it sounds like this thing is pretty amazing. I definitely like the alarm function and auto shutoff. I want to have my koralia's on a wavemaker type scenerio, do I need to buy their specific wavemaker module or does the rkl have the ability to alternate power to a couple of different Koralias, in like 3min increments?

It will do this, but the problem lies in the powerheads, they like to start in different dirrections and the constant on off with korallias causes chatter sometimes.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Koralias will not work on a wavemaker unless you have the K5 Magnums designed for that purpose. I tried K3's and K4's as well as Seios and modded MJ's and none work well, they all chatter and rattle real bad.
If you look on 3reef.com, nano-reef.com or azreefs.com I just did a product review on the brand new Sicce Voyager wavemaker pumps and they are awasome, no noise and no restart problems.

The wavemaker timer is abasic function built into the RKL program with no extra modules needed besides the PC-4 outlet strip. You can make the switching time between two powerheads anywhere from seconds to hours, its up to you.

All of these ideas are explained in detail on the support forum at www.digitalaquatics.com .

 

[ShakyJay]

Man this controller just sounds AWESOME!!! I think I have made up my mind, but now it sounds like I need new powerheads...always something....

 

[AZDesertRat]

I was surprised at how affordable the Sicce Voyagers are. Read one of my reviews, they also have pictures so help a lot.

 

[ShakyJay]

Do you have a link for the sicce powerheads? I read your reviews on 3reef....very nice write up!

Nevermind..I just fleabayed em...very reasonable...are they still running quiet for you?

 

[AZDesertRat]

24 hours now and quiet as a mouse. I plan to increase the switching this evening. I did notice my 330 lb sand bed was not disturbed at all when i got home today which means they either don't flow much or they have a nice diffused flow. More to come.

 

[ShakyJay]

So would you recommend a couple of 3's or 4's for a 75gal? I have a couple of koralia 3's as they are rated up to 100gal, but I wish that I would have went with the 4's. Do the sicce's run the same way???

 

[AZDesertRat]

The Sicce Voyager 3 is rated at 1200 GPH same as the K4, the V4 is rated at 1600 I believe. I got the V3's and they seem comparable to the K4 as they advertise. I have not seen the V4 so don't know how big it is physically but you can see from my pics the in the reviews I posted the V3 and K4 are almost identical in size.