What's the most valuable feature of a controller?

[User1]

What if you don't have any electrical under your tank to get wet so there's no breaker to trip? All my electrical is in an electrical box that would never get wet.

Then see foot note act of God, Godzilla, or Mother Nature. Same rule applies.

 

[Webslinger]

Now day, with Wi-Fi, there's sensors put on the floor and in this case around the tank and as soon as a sensor comes in contact with water it message you. Wi-Fi is similar to our Hobby, our hobby is a rich man's hobby and so Wi-Fi and our hobby go hand-in-hand, it's like our home not having hot and cold water or heating system also. It's a necessity, specially in our hobby

No not at all. you can drive a Ford Escort or a Rolls Royce Sweptail and you'll still get there.

 

[Webslinger]

Then see foot note act of God, Godzilla, or Mother Nature. Same rule applies.

Yeah but I can tell Alexa it's feeding time and she turns my pumps off.....can a apex?

 

[User1]

Yeah but I can tell Alexa it's feeding time and she turns my pumps off.....can a apex?

Yes.

Edit: This isn't just a Apex thing. GHL also has reach back. Reef Angel also.

 

[Webslinger]

Yes.

Edit: This isn't just a Apex thing. GHL also has reach back. Reef Angel also.

for $20?

 

[Dr. Dendrostein]

No not at all. you can drive a Ford Escort or a Rolls Royce Sweptail and you'll still get there.

Very true but if it's not a necessity like a mortgage or rent or food or water just some examples. It's a luxury and luxuries are for rich people. Unfortunately I'm not rich but there's ways around it, to enjoy the nice things, of course in a legal way, what I mean

 

[ReefKeeperElite]

My opinion is temperature monitoring/alerts and control. What’s yours?

Two things: Monitoring and Automation.

Monitoring can add a huge comfort level if you have taken the time to research and put in the proper programming. I have the Apex EMAILALM programmed to monitor and react to many conditions. If any fail, I am notified immediately by text message and email, and can also program other outputs to shut off or take certain action. Do the research and programming up front, then have peace of mind. Still keep an eye on things, but this is a great stress reliever for me. Some of the things I have monitored are:

Sump water level (Hi and Lo)
Return pump water flow GPH changes
Low levels in 2 part dosing containers
Skimmer full level
Leak detection probe(s) turn on
Trident has an error

For Automation, I have a very DOS-centric configuration, and uses the Trident to perform controlled dosing of all foundation elements, a DOS for ATO, automatic water changes, and supplements. This takes a huge amount of work off my maintenance cycle, and allows me to focus on husbandry rather than chores. This is my setup:

 

[Biglew11]

Edit: This isn't just a Apex thing. GHL also has reach back. Reef Angel also.

for $20?

reach back only tells you if your controller is no longer connected to the internet, can alexa? you might be disconnected because of something mundane like loosing internet at home, or something more serious like someone knocked down a power pole and it wont be back up until its fixed. the point is that you get notified while away from home and can take action to find out why your not connected and can correct the situation. no internet, not a big deal, no power, now you need to do something.

 

[kyleinpdx]

Are you just in here to crap on peoples reasoning?

How is it going to alert yo that the seam is leaking?

Maybe try a flow meter, water gone = less/no flow. Maybe try a leak sensor, if the circuit is opened or closed there is obviously a leak. Perhaps measure the electrical draw of your pumps to infer load. All of these are available as turn key products from the large controller manufacturers and are easily added to home brew systems like reef-pi.

That's what HO insurance is for.

Not unless you have a specific policy rider.

What if you don't have any electrical under your tank to get wet so there's no breaker to trip? All my electrical is in an electrical box that would never get wet.

See above, I can think of 3 or 4 ways to perform alerting of water without it frying electrical/tripping a circuit.

 

[ScottB]

I will never reef without a controller / monitor. There are just so many potential points of failure in larger systems.

Saved me a lot of grief more than once.

 

[Webslinger]

I will never reef without a controller / monitor. There are just so many potential points of failure in larger systems.

Saved me a lot of grief more than once.

Nope, just that a monitor isn't going to help with a tank leak. Monitors are nice but far from a necessity.

Ok how? Tripping a circuit breaker isn't one.

 

[Webslinger]

reach back only tells you if your controller is no longer connected to the internet, can alexa? you might be disconnected because of something mundane like loosing internet at home, or something more serious like someone knocked down a power pole and it wont be back up until its fixed. the point is that you get notified while away from home and can take action to find out why your not connected and can correct the situation. no internet, not a big deal, no power, now you need to do something.

For $20?? sign me up

 

[User1]

reach back only tells you if your controller is no longer connected to the internet, can alexa? you might be disconnected because of something mundane like loosing internet at home, or something more serious like someone knocked down a power pole and it wont be back up until its fixed. the point is that you get notified while away from home and can take action to find out why your not connected and can correct the situation. no internet, not a big deal, no power, now you need to do something.

I think you may be mixing the two between a valuable feature and the troll. The fact your controller is no longer talking to the internet "could be" a issue. It depends on how systems are set up. Hobbyist may travel, go on vacation, jobs that do not allow breaks (nurses, doctors, military, etc), and this would alert them something as simple as network outage is the issue or worse such as a GFI tripping and the tank having now moving water.

This may or may not be important to you. Each hobbyist will be different. To put it into perspective watch the BRS video and they will say how over the weekend this particular apex didn't have it enabled, gfi tripped, and the tank was lost. Again, if you don't think so all well and fine. However, it is pretty nice feature to have and everything else is just gravy.

As far as alexa - not sure why that was noted other than me replying to the lad saying that yes, even the apex can integrate with alexa if that is your thing. Unrelated to the feature.

Hopefully that clears it up although I think we may be on the same page. Not that it matters - cheers!

 

[User1]

Nope, just that a monitor isn't going to help with a tank leak. Monitors are nice but far from a necessity.

Ok how? Tripping a circuit breaker isn't one.

You just don't get it. Obtuse.

 

[Reefs and Geeks]

I don't have an Apex or any other controller currently, but is on the wishlist.

Can a smart power strip monitor tank temp, and pH "for $20"? The thing's I'd be most worried about failing in my tank are the heater (happened recently) and something getting screwy with my alk dosing and either over or under dosing alkalinity. I don't think a smart power strip will help with a heater as heaters frequently kick on and off and there wouldn't be a good way with power monitoring to determine if it's going on and off correctly. And if pH goes above or below a certain range, than that would alert me to at least check alk and see if my doser is working properly.

The whole automation of tasks is a bit much for me personally, and a luxury I wouldn't be willing to pay an arm and a leg for. There are many who wouldn't go without it though, and it's nice to know there is a reputable controller that can do it.

A ford or a Rolls will both get you from A to B, but I'd much rather drive a Rolls if I had the choice.

 

[kyleinpdx]

Nope, just that a monitor isn't going to help with a tank leak. Monitors are nice but far from a necessity.

Ok how? Tripping a circuit breaker isn't one.

Are you just in here to crap on peoples reasoning?



Maybe try a flow meter, water gone = less/no flow. Maybe try a leak sensor, if the circuit is opened or closed there is obviously a leak. Perhaps measure the electrical draw of your pumps to infer load. All of these are available as turn key products from the large controller manufacturers and are easily added to home brew systems like reef-pi.



Not unless you have a specific policy rider.



See above, I can think of 3 or 4 ways to perform alerting of water without it frying electrical/tripping a circuit.

 

[ScottB]

Nope, just that a monitor isn't going to help with a tank leak. Monitors are nice but far from a necessity.

Ok how? Tripping a circuit breaker isn't one.

Not sure who you are responding to, but I'll take a swing at it.

I am more likely to die of a shark attack than bust a seam on a tank. Therefore, I don't feel the need to plan for such an unlikely event.

I do have a plan for an ATO that fails ON. Or a skimmer that goes nuts. Or a pinhole leak in a reactor hose. Or a thousand other stupid, unforced errors on my part. I have leak detectors hooked up to a controller. If water hits the floor, return pump shuts off, ATO solenoid shuts. Skimmer shuts. Manifold driven reactors shut. And my phone lights up like a Christmas tree.

Much cheaper than replacing livestock, floors, ceilings, etc.

Controller should always be on a separate circuit IMO. Or at least not on the same one that powers wet equipment.

Good luck out there. Stuff happens!

 

[Webslinger]

I don't have an Apex or any other controller currently, but is on the wishlist.

Can a smart power strip monitor tank temp, and pH "for $20"? The thing's I'd be most worried about failing in my tank are the heater (happened recently) and something getting screwy with my alk dosing and either over or under dosing alkalinity. I don't think a smart power strip will help with a heater as heaters frequently kick on and off and there wouldn't be a good way with power monitoring to determine if it's going on and off correctly. And if pH goes above or below a certain range, than that would alert me to at least check alk and see if my doser is working properly.

The whole automation of tasks is a bit much for me personally, and a luxury I wouldn't be willing to pay an arm and a leg for. There are many who wouldn't go without it though, and it's nice to know there is a reputable controller that can do it.

A ford or a Rolls will both get you from A to B, but I'd much rather drive a Rolls if I had the choice.

it's a simple wifi controller...no monitor. Wrong. You have the choice to drive rolls. Logic says don't waste the money.

 

[kyleinpdx]

it's a simple wifi controller...no monitor. Wrong. You have the choice to drive rolls. Logic says don't waste the money.

Well. do you drive a rolls royce? If its just a choice after all...

 

[Webslinger]

Not sure who you are responding to, but I'll take a swing at it.

I am more likely to die of a shark attack than bust a seam on a tank. Therefore, I don't feel the need to plan for such an unlikely event.

I do have a plan for an ATO that fails ON. Or a skimmer that goes nuts. Or a pinhole leak in a reactor hose. Or a thousand other stupid, unforced errors on my part. I have leak detectors hooked up to a controller. If water hits the floor, return pump shuts off, ATO solenoid shuts. Skimmer shuts. Manifold driven reactors shut. And my phone lights up like a Christmas tree.

Much cheaper than replacing livestock, floors, ceilings, etc.

Controller should always be on a separate circuit IMO. Or at least not on the same one that powers wet equipment.

Good luck out there. Stuff happens!