Smart Power Bars - Does One Require Them

[Jedi_Master]

Hi All,

Just in the process of setting up a new 60 gallon display, 25 gallon sump mixed reef. I have most of the equipment and access to 1-2,15 amp outlets (same line). While I’d like an Apex Controller, it’s not financially feasible at this time. My question is then, do I get a smart power bar with wifi and how many would I need? Or could I get one smart one and one regular one. What power bars are recommenMy equipment currently is as follows:

-Vortech 2S pump
-MP40wqd x 2
-Helio Heater (200w x2)
-Radion Gen 5 XR15 Pro x 2
-Reef Octopus Elite 150 INT Protein Skimmer
-Tunze ATO
-Ecotech backup battery supply

Thanks

 

[Idech]

I don’t have a smart power bar. What I need to control is done through the device app. For a while I put my ATO on an old mechanical timer and it did the job.

Keep your money for important stuff.

 

[b2smoov]

I have one I got off Amazon. I don't think it's available anymore though. It has 6 smart outlets and 6 normal outlets. I have my return Pump, lights, and powerheads on the smart outlets. It's nice to be able to kill the power to the pumps during water changes from my phone. I also have a timer set for my led bar, and fuge light through the smart outlets. It's a pretty inexpensive helpful item to have in my opinion.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

Before I got the hydros and hydros power bars, I had a cheap timer for the light, and I had everything plugged into 2 power bars. One of the power bars for permanent power stuff, and the other was to shut off for water changes or feeding (such as pumps and filters).

 

[NeedAReef]

I got one from kasa on Amazon love it

 

[Arego]

Of course you don't need it. Once you have one though you'll wonder W.T.H took you so long to do it

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hi All,

Just in the process of setting up a new 60 gallon display, 25 gallon sump mixed reef. I have most of the equipment and access to 1-2,15 amp outlets (same line). While I’d like an Apex Controller, it’s not financially feasible at this time. My question is then, do I get a smart power bar with wifi and how many would I need? Or could I get one smart one and one regular one. What power bars are recommenMy equipment currently is as follows:

-Vortech 2S pump
-MP40wqd x 2
-Helio Heater (200w x2)
-Radion Gen 5 XR15 Pro x 2
-Reef Octopus Elite 150 INT Protein Skimmer
-Tunze ATO
-Ecotech backup battery supply

Thanks

I don't trust any cheap powerbar controlled by WiFi For anything important.

If it loses power, what state will it start in when power is restored if the wifi has no connection?

I almost crashed a tank doing that.

Real aquarium controllers use a wired connection to powerbars and enable you to set a default state even if the controller is offline.

 

[Pkunk35]

Before I got the hydros and hydros power bars, I had a cheap timer for the light, and I had everything plugged into 2 power bars. One of the power bars for permanent power stuff, and the other was to shut off for water changes or feeding (such as pumps and filters).

Power bars are certainly nice, but this is certainly the cheapest option and in all reality is what everyone was doing before power bars.
I do think the Wi-Fi outlets are a great secondary option too. You can also buy them as you need them as I have a whole bunch of singles that let me control my saltwater mixing pumps, RO water pumps, etc

 

[Arego]

I don't trust any cheap powerbar controlled by WiFi For anything important.

If it loses power, what state will it start in when power is restored if the wifi has no connection?

I almost crashed a tank doing that.

Real aquarium controllers use a wired connection to powerbars and enable you to set a default state even if the controller is offline.

Kasa strips will default to the on position when it trips and comes back with the power.

 

[NeedAReef]

Kasa strips will default to the on position when it trips and comes back with the power.

I use them. To be able to turn on a d off the uv sterilizer, wave controller and Skimmer they work fine. The important pumps are on a ups.

 

[Jedi_Master]

I use them. To be able to turn on a d off the uv sterilizer, wave controller and Skimmer they work fine. The important pumps are on a ups.

A ups? What is that?

 

[NeedAReef]

Uninteruptable power supply. Fancy IT term for battery back up.

 

[Karen00]

I have a couple Kasa's as well. I have to pickup a third one. I love it. Mainly because I don't have to crawl on the floor to plugin/unplug stuff. The only thing I wish they had were timers and alerts. I sent them an email with this as a feature request. In the meantime I still have to remember to turn the devices back on but at least I can do it from an app now. They also have buttons on the power bar in case you have to control them manually.

 

[KG Reef]

I use one on 2 different tanks and one on my saltwater mixing station. They are nice to set timers for refugium lights and to turn on/off items during water changes. I use the one on my mixing station to pump water upstairs during water changes and can turn the pump on/off. They are great but situational for what you want to use them for. Most of my devices have their own app. Ecotech, inkbird, etc. but I still use the WIFI power strip a lot.

 

[tpirovol]

I have a Kasa powerboat on all my tanks. I control the pumps/powerheads for feeding individually, ATO on/off timers, UV and on one of them the lights.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

Pre apex, I used the kasa wifi strips. They did the job for the most part. I still have one in my stand for the non important stuff.

 

[NeedAReef]

I have a couple Kasa's as well. I have to pickup a third one. I love it. Mainly because I don't have to crawl on the floor to plugin/unplug stuff. The only thing I wish they had were timers and alerts. I sent them an email with this as a feature request. In the meantime I still have to remember to turn the devices back on but at least I can do it from an app now. They also have buttons on the power bar in case you have to control them manually.

so you not use the schedule feature or are you talking shorter times? I use it on my fuge light so it is scheduled.

 

[Karen00]

so you not use the schedule feature or are you talking shorter times? I use it on my fuge light so it is scheduled.

What I was hoping for is for stuff to get turned back on after a set period of time. I guess it's not quite a schedule. An example would be to automatically turn my pumps back on after an hour. Sometimes I forget to turn them back on after I feed so would love this to happen automatically. I guess I could do an off at 7pm and on again at 8pm but I tend to feed at different times so it's never an exact schedule. Do you know if this can be done? I didn't see this when I was going through the app.

 

[NeedAReef]

What I was hoping for is for stuff to get turned back on after a set period of time. I guess it's not quite a schedule. An example would be to automatically turn my pumps back on after an hour. Sometimes I forget to turn them back on after I feed so would love this to happen automatically. I guess I could do an off at 7pm and on again at 8pm but I tend to feed at different times so it's never an exact schedule. Do you know if this can be done? I didn't see this when I was going through the app.

Gotcha. I ha e an auto feeder and set it on its timer to a certain. Time the. The pumps I have coordinated with it. Not exact scue ce or perfect but it works