When did you buy your controller?

[jda]

Got a really good one in early 2010s... got sick of maintaining it and stopped using it. Never used one since.

If you want to relax on vacation, then there is no substitute for high quality equipment and redundant setup. A monitor (what they should call a controller) will not be able to save you from not doing these things. I could lose a return pump, a few heaters, outlet turn off, or any other piece of equipment and my tank would still run for a few weeks.

If you just want a toy to monitor, log and graph, then this does a good job and you probably should get one.

 

[vangvace]

This is awesome information, thank you so much! I do have a follow on question regarding the control over dosers. For instance right now on my tank I am running a Jeabo DP4. It sounds like this doser would have no reason to be plugged into the apex because it would just be power on or power off correct? But the DOS you can intimately control through apex.

I know the KH Director and ION Director need to be paired with the GHL doser (min three head per), so in order to run both plus four heads for dosing elements, food, etc you would need a minimum of 10 dosing heads i believe. Does the trident also need to be paired with DOS, and if so only one?

A wishlist item I forgot about and I would love but is more of a luxury would be a mixing station and AWC..

Correct, plugging the Jeabo into either controller would be a power on/off.

The Trident can be paired with either a DOS for 2-part or used in combination with a Calcium Reactor to maintain levels. The Trident form factor is really awkward, but it is an integrated pump(s) inside for its testing functions.

Correct for GHL. You need 7 heads for testing and can control up to 16 or 32 (spring 2020) heads. GHL's biggest advantage is that you don't need a controller to automate testing and dosing... but that doesn't matter in your case. You can also pair with a Calcium Reactor. GHL's Maxi pumps are more inline for a DOS comparison.

I don't know if Apex does is set the size of the container you are emptying/filling to alert you if you are nearing the end or capacity of the fill container without sensors. That and optional magnetic stirrers are possible pluses to GHL.