Quote:
Originally Posted by daniella3d
so basically you would want your reef controller to start your coffee in the morning? or start the sprinkler for watering your garden?
The most important part of the controller is its programmation and if you know about programming you could make your Reef Angel control your home as well.
What is reef oriented like you said are the PH probe, salinity and ORP probe. It would probably be easier to work on your controller to become a home automation system than to make a home automation system control all these reef oriented features and probes.
The problem with any system, and almost all controllers, is that they are not user programmable. YOu have to live with what ever has been encoded into it. Not so with the Reef Angel.
I know pretty darn well why an aquarium controller is an essential piece of equipeemnt for me, but I don't see how a home automation system is necessary? To do what exactly? control the lights when you're away? there are already little gadgets to do that. What else? water your garden? again there are automated system for that. Record your favorite programs? it is already taken care of with a recorder.
The only thing I would want when away from the house would be a set of webcams to watch over the house. I have one on my reef so I can see my aquarium when I leave the house.
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Well, like I said, I don't currently have an aquarium controller & probably won't get one. I certainly don't need one to start my coffee in the morning. I do have an irrigation system & controller though!
As far as my tank goes, I don't test water paramaters that often & when I do, I don't consider it a chore. With my current set up, I don't feel I need to have something constantly monitoring pH, salinity, orp, alk, calc. Digital timers run my lights. I'm with jorjef on that stuff. I see my tank every day & have been at it long enough that I can tell pretty quick if something is off sufficiently to cause concern. When I'm away for more than a few days, my lovely daughter & future son in law check in on the tank.
I guess the point I'm trying to make with the controllers & home automation is that the technology is available that there should be a relatively low cost, easily programable interface that one can use with any computing device. You should be able to also acquire the hardware for whatever you'd like to control without it having to be a niche item. Kind of like a DIN standard or something. The sensors, relays, timers are out there, we just need them to have the flexibility to be hooked up to & controlled by the computing devices we already own instead of having to by another proprietary device. We're getting there & I don't think it will be too long before this happens. There are already smart light bulbs & electrical receptacles available which have wireless capabilty & can be controlled by your computer via the proper interface.
http://www.homelinkdesign.net/automation.html
http://robothouse.net/wordpress/overview/
... and to the OP, looks like you've made your choice on the Apex & it will undoubtedly do the job for you. Don't think you needed all that much convincing from us!