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Old 06-21-2011, 12:51 AM
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mike31154 mike31154 is offline
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While I really like the idea that someone is finally offering something of this nature that can run on a PC instead of it's own separate interface, I'm not sure this is all that useful in the end. I don't currently own a controller (more features than a monitoring device) and much prefer simple thermometers and test kits to check pH, ammonia etc. Aside from temperature & maybe water level monitoring virtually all the other parameters this thing provides data on are generally one time or occasional requirements only. The only time I ever checked for ammonia was during tank start up/cycling. With regular maintenance & observation, I don't see why constant ammonia monitoring would be required. Same goes for all the light measurements, lux, par, kelvin. I mean once you've set up your fixture and have it dialed in, where's the need to monitor constantly. I suppose it will help indicate when MH or T5 bulbs need replacing, but with LEDs becoming the norm and their longevity, again daily monitoring is a waste of time. I stopped chasing pH numbers a long time ago, live with the daily fluctuations as my livestock doesn't seem to care either. Finally, monitoring parameters is one thing, but being able to do something about certain shifts in these parameters usually requires a controller if you're not around to do so yourself. So I go on line remotely and this thing tells me my pH is out of whack or PAR reading tells me the lights may be off. I still need to either get home or phone someone to correct the issue in my absence.
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