Aquarium controller or individual controllers?

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by GreenSpottedPuffer

There is no risk, even if the controller fails, nothing shuts off. Basically everything stays in the state it was in while the controller was working...so if it was on, it stays on, if it was off, it stays off.

That's sort of my fear. Let's say the controller turns on a dosing pump or something. It fails. You're saying the pump would continue to operate...perhaps emptying a bunch of freshwater into the tank etc.

Also...should the controller fail you have nothing while you try and replace it. Individual controllers seems to be smarter to me in that respect. They can all fail but it seems to me that if something goes on the mainboard of a all-in-one that it ceases to do anything.

Keep it coming =)

[Delphinus]

If money was no object I think I'd go single controller, so long as it had the flexibility I would want.

Things that would make or break the deal for me:
- fewer timers for lights and able to stagger lighting. Dimmable is a "meh" feature for me but staggering is nice
- monitor the state of electrical outlets and alarm or callout if a circuit fails. I can't count how many times a GFCI has tripped in the middle of the night or when I was at work. It kills me that it's hard to find a simple plugin device that squeals if the power goes out. So an aquarium controller that does this would be worth it to me. GFCI's may save our lives, so they're good, but I've lost livestock due to me not knowing in a timely manner that they went out. Heck, I lost livestock YESTERDAY due to this very issue, so I'm still a little steamed on this one... I wish I had the money for a controller ... I need to sell off some stuff I guess.

As far as controllers for reactors or monitoring pH or ORP .. Meh, I dunno. I have yet to really be convinced that keeping track of my pH or ORP is an important thing to do. Ca and Alk and NO3 are the only numbers that I really care about, and there's no such thing as an Alk monitor and the NO3 monitors aren't meant for continuous monitoring (they aren't, they really aren't) so for that aspect, a controller doesn't make or break the deal for me. For me the controller is the remote monitoring and safety failback features that just don't seem to be there otherwise.

[mark]

Thought I have a PLC that can basically do anything I can think of, I voted for separate devices.

Upstairs below the tank my T5's ballasts are on a plug-in type timer. In the basement fish room, have my MH ballasts tucked away connected to a hardwired timer and the PLC by the sump on the other side of the room for the heater and evap fans. Don't turn of my pumps for feeding, Ca reactors stable so see no reason to control, my ATO is working perfect with a simple mechanical float valve...

So between how I have things spread out and simplicity of a couple of timers and heat/cool controller, don't see the need for a dedicated aquarium controller. Guess I won't be able able to monitor my tank from across the country but for me, see the novelty wearing off fast with that anyways.