What GHL programing improvements would you like to see?

[TheHarold]

What the Mini Wi-Fi needs most of all is the ability to send out notifications. It's really the only negative I have with the controller.

A controller has WiFi but cannot send notifications? That’s pretty weird. “Your tank is crashing, but I’m not going to tell you”.

 

[ingchr1]

...2- eliminate the need for setup through a PC. Become completely mobile platform compatible across different systems (apple, Android, etc)

Personally, if they made it user friendly and intuitive, I would actually switch from my current controller ecosystem to all GHl. But just the setup to get a doser up connected and running has been a cumbersome task for me especially since I do not own a PC and do not have the ability to setup static’s IP’s as per my internet provider.

I'm not sure about the doser, but the P4 and Mitras can be setup via the GHL Connect App.

Also not sure of everything the app doesn't have compared to the GCC software, but the main one I can think of is the ability to backup your settings.

 

[ingchr1]

A controller has WiFi but cannot send notifications? That’s pretty weird. “Your tank is crashing, but I’m not going to tell you”.

They did post in another thread that push notifications were being worked on for Android and IOS. I'm hoping this also means notifications for the Mini.

 

[robbyg]

Luckily Aquatronica has made their interface intuitive and powerful, but they still have the European mentality when it come to explaining how some of the more advanced features work.

I have had endless debates with them over this and I have concluded that they believe Americans want to much hand holding while Europeans will gladly spend the hours or days to figure it out. What Europeans will not tolerate is bugs and unreliability. That is why Aquatronica and GHL controllers are so stable.

It’s a cultural mindset and I would not hold my breath expecting either company to make pop up help icons or go too far down the path of super friendly user interfaces.

Personally I will spend the hours figuring it out, because it’s a one time thing. Reliability is way more important to me than an easy setup process.

 

[blfuller123]

I would like to be able to see the switches on a graph.

 

[Be102]

I would like to be able to see the switches on a graph.

I’d also like to see the amount of energy to each switch.. without having to open Gcc!

 

[vangvace]

I’d also like to see the amount of energy to each switch.. without having to open Gcc!

myghl lets you see the amperage. I use it to know what outlet I plugged into and can label the port accordingly.

 

[Be102]

myghl lets you see the amperage. I use it to know what outlet I plugged into and can label the port accordingly.

I understand.. I guess I’m saying on p4 touch as well as the email notifications

 

[hellsangelbx]

Wow this a good thread. Really it is, if a company like GHL which is one of the biggest companies in aquarium controller hasn't put this on a task list and started knocking these simple ask Shane on them. I'm a big fan of GHL and also i am building a new tank setup. I would love to go with GHL but if they haven't ay last fixed these easy request then that's a shame. They will have problems in the future. From the sound of it, on this thread in 2019 APEX has already done most of these checks in their boxes. Also, new contender Hydros I'm seeing and hearing that it's actually the easiest out of all. Hydros is just not ready yet on the hardware side of things but in near future they will be. They are not far off, also the advantage they have is that they work with most companies, where both controller companies are in battles with other companies. They are making sure that the hobbyist doesn't have to be a computer programmer or spend hours to figure it out and let us enjoy our tanks
I love German engineering especially in the aquarium game. I think they make the best items. Unfortunately it sounds from the hardware side they need help on the American side. I really do like GHL I love the i/o the created in the profilux and you can add things with a simple card ( just snap right in and move on). Love the design with color scheme (Black, blue and white). Love that they make a set it and forget it item.
I hope a person from GHL response. Ecausw they have been banned in forums also about taking people's money for the ion director and haven't delivered yet. In all deciding which controller to do with. And if they probably checked these boxes from this thread and others. That decision from me is so much easier. I would buy everything GHL. Hopefully @Vinny@GHLUSA could give us some updates. I hear he is the man and is down to earth dude. Who can probably shed some light. Especially in 2021

 

[windemerejack]

Sorry to hijack the thread but is/will the Hydros be available in the UK?

 

[ingchr1]

Sorry to hijack the thread but is/will the Hydros be available in the UK?

Not sure you'll get an answer to your question in the GHL section of the forum.

It might be better asked in one the following places:

Hydros Control 2 , Control 4 and accessories question and answer thread

CoralVue HYDROS Forum

 

[windemerejack]

Thanks, didnt know they had a forum. Feel free to delete post

 

[AZMSGT]

GHL needs to add more dosing schedule options. I want to be able to schedule up to 48 different dosing events on one dosing pump. 24 would work but that’s not even an option.

 

[Lasse]

GHL needs to add more dosing schedule options. I want to be able to schedule up to 48 different dosing events on one dosing pump. 24 would work but that’s not even an option.

24 is an option with the new firmware - for sure with 7.24 (profilux 4) and FW 1-36 (slave doser 2.x)

and 48 is also doable. Configure a virtual doser x to dose 24 times manually Configure another virtual doser y with 24 different dosing points. Configure a virtual switch xy to react to doser x OR doser y. Configure a real doser z - first calibrate it and after that configure it to react on switch xy. Put in the calibration figures for doser z into doser x and doser y. Now you will have dozer z (real doser) to dose at least 49 times with individual dosing amount

Sincerely Lasse

 

[AZMSGT]

24 is an option with the new firmware - for sure with 7.24 (profilux 4) and FW 1-36 (slave doser 2.x)

and 48 is also doable. Configure a virtual doser x to dose 24 times manually Configure another virtual doser y with 24 different dosing points. Configure a virtual switch xy to react to doser x OR doser y. Configure a real doser z - first calibrate it and after that configure it to react on switch xy. Put in the calibration figures for doser z into doser x and doser y. Now you will have dozer z (real doser) to dose at least 49 times with individual dosing amount

Sincerely Lasse

I upgraded my FW and it’s not giving me that ability. Whoops my error, the timers are where the problem is

 

[DJF]

1) I’d like to see the ability to manually switch off an outlet that stays off when I navigate away from the switched channels page.
2) smoother way of programming more elaborate functionality instead of chaining programs
3) ability to control a switched outlet by the condition of another outlet. Ie - if my pump feeding my uv is off... have the light turn off.
4) ability to use my doser’s SA sensor/temp outlets while in slave mode.
5) an API!
6) see #5

 

[Lasse]

1) I’d like to see the ability to manually switch off an outlet that stays off when I navigate away from the switched channels page.
2) smoother way of programming more elaborate functionality instead of chaining programs
3) ability to control a switched outlet by the condition of another outlet. Ie - if my pump feeding my uv is off... have the light turn off.

1) can bee done by using maintenance functions
2) IMO - very easy to use when you understand how it works - much easier than using code
3) if the controlling outlet have a function - easy to have another outlet to switch on or off with help of the PL language or just use the same function

Sincerely Lasse

 

[DJF]

1) can bee done by using maintenance functions
2) IMO - very easy to use when you understand how it works - much easier than using code
3) if the controlling outlet have a function - easy to have another outlet to switch on or off with help of the PL language or just use the same function

Sincerely Lasse

Thanks Lasse. Re: the manual switch off. I hadn’t thought of doing it with one of the mtce functions. -interesting idea. The use case is to simply turn off my t5s for the remainder of the day without having to fudge with the illumination timeframe. The manual override option makes sense to me and it would work great if it kept you in manual override mode when you navigate away from the page instead of setting everything back to auto; I don’t understand why it does that. The first time I discovered this I had my pump manually off while I changed my canister filters... with the canister open I suddenly got the itch to see my temp & went to the P4 dashboard which turned on the pump! That definitely would be better handled with a mtce mode.

2) the programming is tolerable and I am getting better at it- it does make all the individual programs modular & reusable which I like.

3) I guess I can just assign each switch outlet to the same program. What this would capture is instances where I manually switch off the pump. There’s never a reason I’d want the light on without the pump and it would be handy to program the light’s outlet to follow the pump outlet’s status (maybe even the current draw... if the amperage of the pump is 0 then turn )

don’t get me wrong- I’m elated about my recent switch to ghl. I don’t doubt some of my wishes are a product of not fully knowing the p4’s capabilities.

cheers & thanks for your help here and my other inquires~

 

[Lasse]

. I hadn’t thought of doing it with one of the mtce functions. -interesting idea. The use case is to simply turn off my t5s for the remainder of the day without having to fudge with the illumination timeframe.

The mtce have one limitation - it could only be active for 4 hours but I succeeded to extend that period with help of the PL function delay off and some creative thinking and I´m rather sure that I - with help of the flip-flop function can do a function that - if I press - let us say mtce 4 - it will stop the light till the timer kicks in next morning - let me know if you need this programming - I can try to do it on my spare P4

The manual override option makes sense to me and it would work great if it kept you in manual override mode when you navigate away from the page instead of setting everything back to auto

To be honest - for me - 70 + years old with a memory containing mostly teflon or as we say in Sweden with a 30-30 memory (the last 30 sec or 30 years ago - nothing between ) - has this function save the day many times I do surly not want them to change that behavior but I understand your concerns

the programming is tolerable and I am getting better at it- it does make all the individual programs modular & reusable which I like.

Believe me - the PL was pure Klingon for me when I start with the GHL products - nowadays is more an intellectual challenge to try to find its limitations

3) I guess I can just assign each switch outlet to the same program. What this would capture is instances where I manually switch off the pump. There’s never a reason I’d want the light on without the pump and it would be handy to program the light’s outlet to follow the pump outlet’s status (maybe even the current draw... if the amperage of the pump is 0 then turn )

Yes - you maybe right here - if I just unplug the cord to the pump - there is no way for the moment to turn off the socket for the light in the uv if you not have both connected to the same managed outlet which I would prefer. But if you want a way to cut of the power to pump and/or light the same time - there is some other options. One is to use the expansion card PLM-adin - with that you can create 4 manual switches.

I suppose you have a P4 and it has 4 level inlets. If you not need 4 level switches (indicators) you can with a lot of fantasy and creativity (and with a lot of try and terror (of your own mind) )) use one of these as a digital input.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[DJF]

“both connected to the same managed outlet which I would prefer”

-omg genius! Wow, I can’t believe that option didn’t cross my mind. I need to trade my duct tape in for Teflon