Controller Question

[intarsiabox]

There is a similar thread out there but I didn't want to hijack it, so here's what I'm looking for suggestions on. I would like to get a controller but I've never used one before. My lights are LED and already have their own controller and I'm looking at upgrading my pumps to Tunze nano streams withe the USB controller as well. I'd like to be able to control temperature and see my PH level at any time. Not sure what else I'd use a controller for or any idea what controller to go with. Any ideas?

[reefgirl189]

There is a similar thread out there but I didn't want to hijack it, so here's what I'm looking for suggestions on. I would like to get a controller but I've never used one before. My lights are LED and already have their own controller and I'm looking at upgrading my pumps to Tunze nano streams withe the USB controller as well. I'd like to be able to control temperature and see my PH level at any time. Not sure what else I'd use a controller for or any idea what controller to go with. Any ideas?

Oh the things a controller can do are almost endless...

Just for the lights:

- Gradually brighten or dim your lights to simulate sunrise and sunset so as not to blast your tank with a sudden bright light first thing in the morning or go into sudden blackness last thing at night.
- Simulate cloudy skies or lightning storms using the lights.
- Turn certain lights on and certain ones off at whichever times you "tell" it to. Great for power consumption or to simulate peak daylight times with your MH's while your T5 are doing the sunrise sunset.
- Most importantly: It can turn off lights in the event of the temperature going to high (safety measure that most of your $15 hardware store light timers can't do for example), or turn on fans to cool the lights before it needs to turn them off at all.

It can measure temperature, ph, orp, at very reliable readings (if you properly calibrate the probes). It can send you alerts and text message you (certain brands) in the event of a potential tank crash.

It can top of your evaporated water, turn off your pumps and turn on your automatic fish feeder all by itself every day if you go on vacation.

It can allow you to check your tank's status from anywhere in the world.

It can fold your laundry, walk your dog, put your kids to bed. Okay just kidding here. But seriously, It can do almost everything and make your job a whole lot easier. It could even do you water changes for you if you were so inclined to set up a system for it to do so.

It's a great solution for someone who can't or doesn't want to constantly fret over their tank every minute of the day.

[intarsiabox]

Oh the things a controller can do are almost endless...

Just for the lights:

- Gradually brighten or dim your lights to simulate sunrise and sunset so as not to blast your tank with a sudden bright light first thing in the morning or go into sudden blackness last thing at night.
- Simulate cloudy skies or lightning storms using the lights.
- Turn certain lights on and certain ones off at whichever times you "tell" it to. Great for power consumption or to simulate peak daylight times with your MH's while your T5 are doing the sunrise sunset.
- Most importantly: It can turn off lights in the event of the temperature going to high (safety measure that most of your $15 hardware store light timers can't do for example), or turn on fans to cool the lights before it needs to turn them off at all.

It can measure temperature, ph, orp, at very reliable readings (if you properly calibrate the probes). It can send you alerts and text message you (certain brands) in the event of a potential tank crash.

It can top of your evaporated water, turn off your pumps and turn on your automatic fish feeder all by itself every day if you go on vacation.

It can allow you to check your tank's status from anywhere in the world.

It can fold your laundry, walk your dog, put your kids to bed. Okay just kidding here. But seriously, It can do almost everything and make your job a whole lot easier. It could even do you water changes for you if you were so inclined to set up a system for it to do so.

It's a great solution for someone who can't or doesn't want to constantly fret over their tank every minute of the day.

I know what they can do but my lights, ATO and pumps are already controlled by their own controllers. Are the after market controllers going to operate these things any better than the controllers that already come with the units? I'm looking more for suggestions on what a good unit would be that can do the basics and if further control is even required. Email alerts on tank status would be cool though! There are lots of "lite" models out there, are any of them any good and ugradeable or are the full feature units any more expensive with probes and power bars being added to lite controllers?

[jostafew]

I'm sure everyone will have an opinion about which controller system is best, and they'll all probably be right because their suggestion suits their own needs, and I'm no different hahah. I've got a DA Reef Keeper Light with an additional PC4 module running my reef managing heating, cooling, 4 stage lighting, and I have an alarm set to kill my MH in the event that temp rises beyond what my chiller will handle. I've considered adding a switch input module and float kits to handle ATO duties but my JBJ system was more cost effective so I run that instead. I think the RKL is a great value, starting with the controller, switch module and temperature probe for around $130 it's worth it just to prevent the thermostat in a $30 heater from turning your tank in to a sauna one day. In fact that's exactly why I'm going to use one on my upcoming nano build, not to mention that it will also handle my 2 stage LED lighting. I've had zero problems with my controller and it's two output modules in the two years that they've been running my system.

You mentioned PH monitoring, for about $100 on top of the RKL basic package you can add an SL1 module (if memory serves) and a PH probe (I think the American Marine pinpoint PH probe is cheaper). With that PH input you can monitor PH on the display and also use that as a control input to work with a Calcium reactor for eg. to cut CO2 injection if PH drops too far.

Also, DA recently announced that their Net module is now compatible with the RKL so you don't need the advanced controller to get network / web stuff.

I think the best thing you can do is to put together a wish list and then post that up here and look for comments. People who are familiar with their particular systems will be able to tell you what system and its accessories will handle what tasks, and then you can look at cost and ease of use for that system.

[intarsiabox]

Thanks, the RKL was one of the units I was considering but wasn't sure what all was needed to monitor PH with it or if was upgradable. I'll have to read some more on this unit. As far as a wish list goes, temp and PH are my biggest concerns and maybe dosing or a calcium reactor later on. I'm not sure what else I would ever need?

[jostafew]

Some people tie the controllers into advanced lighting systems, water movement control (tie in to Vortech, and I'd imagine tunze advanced controllers), data logging when they're monitoring a bunch of params, controlling various dosing pumps, etc. etc. I hope users of more advanced systems will chime in as to what they're doing with them other than looking cool hahah. At their core these controllers are simply logic devices that can accept inputs and make decisions to activate outputs. For example, when the time reaches XX, enable output 1. When input A is on, enable output 2. Things like time, temperature, water parameters, electrical status (voltage, current), float switch positions etc. etc. can be used as inputs to turn on or off various outputs which are usually switched electrical outlets. If you can monitor the condition of something, you can make something else happen based on that condition so really the limit is your imagination. That being said it doesn't sound like your tank is terribly complex so your controller requirements probably aren't either.