What do you use your controllers for?

[Sam Wheat]

So I'm gathering equipment for my 180 build and I wanna take it slow and really plan out this tank. I've been looking into controllers; what they do and what people use them for. Has it made a noticeable difference in your reef keeping experience? What are your recommendations? Is this somethjng I can add later on or is best to start with?

 

[redfishbluefish]

The crazy thing about controllers is that a lot of the equipment you buy today is now fully stand-alone controllable.....lights, dosing pumps, return pumps, etc. If you have new equipment, a controller is almost not necessary.

However, I know quite a few folks (the younger crowd) like to receive updates on their smart phones on what their tank is doing. That's not me.....my wife already nags me enough, I don't need my tank doing it as well.

Anyway, I'm old-school and have all equipment that could use a controller. I currently have two ReefKeeper II's on my 90 DT. They run my lights (basically a fancy timer with a temperature cut-off), my dosing pumps for alk and calc, all the powerheads and pumps (makes one button pushing to turn off everything pretty handy), my two heaters (which protects me from an "always ON" heater failure), skimmer, biopellet reactor, MJ1200 for carbon and GFO, and probably a couple other things I'm not thinking about. Makes life easier where I don't need to remember to turn things on and off or manually dose, etc.

 

[d2mini]

I like having a "command center" for everything in one place vs using the individual controllers
I use my Profilux to control my lights, return pump, skimmer, heaters, powerheads, ATO, Auto Water Changes, monitor all my parameters (ph, temp, salinity, orp).
It also allow me to see what's going on from anywhere I have an internet or cell connection, and I can get messages/alarms sent to my phone if anything goes wrong.
I even get a text when my ATO container runs dry.

 

[pickupman66]

I am a beta tester for the digital aquatics Archon unit. My controller drives everything on my tank. It controls the ramping up aquatics down of my led lights. It turns mh heater on and off aquatics not a .3 degree differential. It keeps my sump at a contestant level with the top off. It reports both real time and historic temperature ph and salinity and graphs them. It controls the wave motion for my wp40 pumps. It alerts me via email if my temp salinity or ph are out of their set range. In short. It runs my tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

I run duals. One to and one apex

 

[Ginu]

I used to be a ReefKeeper guy and didnt like the 4 plugs on the power bar, needed alot more and I wanted the capability of the net so I upgraded to Apex.

Now my apex does automatic water changes, monitors Temp, Salinity, ORP and Ph, controls my T5's, blue LEDs, fans (if it gets too hot), heater (over the night when the temperature drops), controls my Ecotech devices (MP's and Radions on my frag tank), return pumps, moon lights, refills my ATO container when the water is low by turning my RO BoosterBuddy pump on/off, it alerts (email, txt and audibile) in case of floods in the stand or behind the tank or in the shed where my water changing station is and it will also alert me if the temp/Ph/ORP/Salinity is too high/low, it will email/text me in-case of a power outage.

The most important aspect about a controller is the redundancy... when dealing with saltwater the chances of equipment failing is really high and the last thing I want is a loss of coral/fish due to a heater stuck in the on position or sometimes a tripped breaker cuts the power to the tank which potentially can kill all my fish within a short period of time if there is no water movement/O2/temperature control.

Considering how much time/effort/mula goes in this hobby a decent aquarium controller is priceless.

 

[DaveMorris]

I use a controller for stability. I believe that stability is one of the most important things that will promote success in a reef tank. Everything from your lighting cycle being the same to precisely controlling your dosing or automatic water changes. A lot of these things can not be done accurately over and over again, if at all, without the use of a controller. Also, when something fails or goes wrong, a controller can be set up to notify you via text, email or both. This can save literally thousands of dollars in livestock. I would never even consider starting up a new tank without a controller being on the shopping list right up there with a return pump and heater.

 

[Ligershark]

I have an apex jr with no display i got for $100 on here. It controls my return pump, skimmer pump, heater, and fuge light. My sump is in my basement. My lights are a modified sun power w leds so a coralux storm controls them. Using my smart phone I am able to turn off my return pump and skimmer pump when I feed the tank without going into the basment. My gyre has its own controller by the tank.

 

[Damon]

Apex Jr user here, and like the others, it runs my complete system(and I still have reserve in the future I can use).. I also run my stand and ato container lights with it(like for filling the container and maintenance in the dark). Also graphing ability to see trends in things like ph, temp, helps me watch parameters.

It's easier for me to list:

Skimmer
Jeabo wave makers
T5 lights(main display lights temp shutoff)
Reefbreeders Photons(main display lights temp shutoff)
Fuge light
Dc return pump
UV
Pellet rector
Gfo rector
Kalk rector
Sump fan(temp controlled via the apex)
Ph
Temp
Salinity
Dosing pumps
Amps
Auto feeder
Heater element(.3 degree swing set with controller)
Ato
Stand and ato container lights(door, return pump and manually activated)
UP webcam to view the tank while away from home(lol, goofy tech).

 

[Damon]

Double post, ignore...

 

[Harry_Y]

I use mine to control everything

There have been times when I have not been able to touch the tank for weeks

 

[mardoon]

i am a apex user big tank and getting apex junior for nano tank

 

[3Twinklets]

I have an Apex that I am currently, and for the last year or 2, using for a book end. Its still on my list of things to do......

 

[Daytonareefing]

I'm an Apex user mainly for the alarms and emails if something goes wrong. It helps me sleep at night knowing if it floods an alarm will sound.

 

[bayoupr]

Profilux 2 - During the winter months it controls my heater. Year round it controls my ATO with a float switch, controls my Skimmer and Return pump during feeding (have it set for a 30 minute feeding mode). I use to control my dosing pump with it but I have stopped dosing. It could do a lot more but I have no need for any other control.

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

I couldn't imaging keeping a reef without a controller now. One of the best parts of a controller is not controlling but monitoring!

 

[vetteguy53081]

A U T O M A T I O N !!!! As we know, stability is key for our reef systems. Call it a schedule, but it rather is a consistent light and wave consistency that is necessary and needed. I am leaving for vacation and with a piece of mind knowing everything is on track with my component schedules.
I use controller to monitor salinity and PH as well as having 4 different lights go on and off at various times throughout the day.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

A controller definitely isn't a necessity...but I'll never keep a tank without one again. I'm currently using my apex to monitor my temperature, pH, and salinity. It automates my auto-topoff, my pumps and other equipment are all controllable at the click of a button through Fusion, it alerts me if my parameters are out of wack or if power goes off. I love it!

A U T O M A T I O N !!!! As we know, stability is key for our reef systems. Call it a schedule, but it rather is a consistent light and wave consistency that is necessary and needed. I am leaving for vacation and with a piece of mind knowing everything is on track with my component schedules.
I use controller to monitor salinity and PH as well as having 4 different lights go on and off at various times throughout the day.

Awesome photo!