What controller ecosystem for main display and nano

[Wtyson254]

I am looking for a new controller ecosystme
For both my 110gal sps heavy display, and my 20 gallon nano.

I would like it if they were both in the same ecosystem.

I have used Neptune apex (plus trident …..) for almost ten years but I’m tired of having issues with them and looking for something new.

 

[ReefStable Verified Sponsor]

I'm starting to look into Hydros for the same reason. The new Maven they're releasing would combine the Trident, Trident NP, and the head unit in one.

It's not released yet, but it looks like it may be worth checking out. It really depends on the price though.

 

[GlassMunky]

Honestly, Hydros and Apex are really your only 2 options.
I mean there is GHL, but i dont know of a single american who likes it. its pretty much entirely a european thing.

 

[Jimbo662]

The Maven also has two sample lines so if your tanks are close enough to each other you can test both.

 

[Pod_01]

Honestly, Hydros and Apex are really your only 2 options.
I mean there is GHL, but i dont know of a single american who likes it. its pretty much entirely a european thing.

Huh?
I use GHL and like it and live in North America continent….

Yes there are some issues but the others are not examples of perfection.

 

[GlassMunky]

Huh?
I use GHL and like it and live in North America continent….

Yes there are some issues but the others are not examples of perfection.

Then you are the outlier.
Most people that use GHL in North America are not fans from everything I’ve seen over the years on this forum and locally

 

[Pod_01]

Then you are the outlier.
Most people that use GHL in North America are not fans from everything I’ve seen over the years on this forum and locally

I suspect that is it “what you seen”.

There is a local reefer that just went all in to GHL, he is not happy with Neptune…
Another one I know “my SPS drug supplier ” is thinking of switching to GHL, his dosing pump just raised his dKh from 8 to 15 …. Since he is supplying few of the local stores with corals I suspect he will stick to Neptune, since it is available everywhere.
GHL is lot more difficult to locate…

 

[ingchr1]

...I mean there is GHL, but i dont know of a single american who likes it. its pretty much entirely a european thing.

For my main controller, I wouldn't run anything other than GHL.

Signed,

American who likes it.

 

[n2585722]

I use the Hydros now and could not be happier. I have quite a bit of things automated. It controls the standard things such as return, skimmer, heaters and cooling fans. I also have the hydros controlling my ATO and AWC. It also controls my RODI unit and mixing station. It will auto refill my DI reservoir. I have a fresh saltwater reservoir for my AWC and that one is automatically refilled from my mix tank s the mix tank contents is ready for use. Once the mix tank contents has been transferred to the fresh saltwater reservoir it will automatically refill the mix tank with DI from the RODI. All I need to do is add the salt mix and press a button when it is ready for use. Everything else s automated. I also dose All For Reef and a KH buffer dynamically using alkalinity readings form the iV and X10. Once I get the Maven I will switch All For Reef to dynamically dose based on calcium. I also plan to dynamically change the amount of AWC based on nitrate level and see how that goes, I do it that way now but I have to manually change the amount changed after testing with the Hanna. I have a build thread on R2R that had a lot of info on my Hydros system. The Hydros info starts with my first purchase on page 6 post# 119. Just click on the My Tank Thread banner on my post to get to the build thread.

 

[slythy]

If just entering today I would be hard pressed not to go hydros with the maven. Im to committed into apex to do anything else lol. I have no real issues with my apex.

 

[n2585722]

If just entering today I would be hard pressed not to go hydros with the maven. Im to committed into apex to do anything else lol. I have no real issues with my apex.

If you like what you see in the Maven you can get one and use it stand alone and see how it goes. You can always add to it later if you need. I had a Archon and started adding Hydros in my garage where my RODI and mixing station is. I passed signals to a from each controller at first. The first things I used the Hydros were than level sensors in my DI and fresh saltwater reservoir and my mix tank that would give me current water level in each in percentage of full. I then added ATO and AWC control but sent a signal from my Archon as if it was a water level sensor for ATO so that would trigger the ATO on or off. For AWC I just had a signal from the Archon that was basically it was ok to do the AWC. I eventually did add Hydros controllers at the tank which is about 35ft from the controllers in the garage but I do have a data only command bus cable between the tank and the garage so they are all a part of the same Hydros collective. So you can start with just the one controller in this case the Maven and if you do want go bigger with it you can. It does have dynamic dosing so you can add 2 hydros dosers to the drive ports and dynamically dose using the test results if you want to. If you need more ports just add another controller with the ports needed and create a collective. Below is a schedule where I dynamically dose All For Reef based on my alkalinity test, When I get the Maven I want to use the calcium test for this instead of alkalinity. It will dose between 35.7ml to 52.7 ml for the complete schedule it is split into 4 doses. Each dose happens a few minutes after a alkalinity test completes so it will vary each dose depending on the reading. Below the schedule is a log of dosing at each dosing point.