Question for all of you that have or SELL controller's

[PoonTang]

I chose the Apex because of the support out there and the fact that I could monitor and control my tank from anywhere either by phone or Internet. The Apex also allows you to receive alerts both by text messages to your cell and emails. Another reason that I went with the Apex was they already had stuff built into their controllers that DA had been promising for a year and still not delivered.

[kien]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Yeah I've never seen the point in probes for all that either. Maybe if I needed ph probe for a reactor but I dose. So my Ranco could in theory replace Kien's profilux only he'd have no networking and it would look ghetto lol.

Kien if all the controller is really doing/relying on is temp probe...what can you even do over the network that's of use? Shut lights off if temp is too high? Of course you can see the current temp which is nice too but for the cost I'm not sure.

Network access has been handy to remotely monitor and control temp, lights, powerheads, doser . Also you need the net module to get email alerts which is nice. Can I live without it, yea. Of all the "needless" add ins tho that one is the most "useful".

The nice feature about my controller has nothing to do with any of the probes. My controller is used to interface with my lights (halides, actinics, moon), powerheads (programable tunzes), and doser. All of these things need to be programmed and controlled so it is nice to do all of that in one place. The alternative would be separate controller/timer for lights, dedicated tunze pump controller, stand alone doser or timers for dosing pumps. Being able to control any power socket is handy too. I can remotely cut power to any component (skimmer, return pump, reactors, etc).


I would assume the big 3 controllers can all do those things as well. Not 100% on that tho, might want to research if any of those extra controlling features are useful to you.

[Coleus]

Temp probe is a must

Ph proble is also good because it saved my tank once time when i do something to my tank and forgot to turn replug my power head and return bump. So guess what, my ph dropped like crazy so i got an alarm tell me something is wrong with the tank.

[Coleus]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Kien if all the controller is really doing/relying on is temp probe...what can you even do over the network that's of use? Shut lights off if temp is too high? Of course you can see the current temp which is nice too but for the cost I'm not sure.

You can program so that the light auto shut off if temp is too high. Thing that i like to do over network is

1) Feed and watch my fish when i am away. I have a camera in front of my tank and i can control my feeder :-)

2) If i forgot to turn off something when i left the house, i can still do it when i am away from home

3) It works like a TV remote control. I can control the outlets without has to go near the tank, I can use the Apex display but I found iphone UI app is much easier to use

4) Also, not happen to me yet but what if one day you are out of town and get a phone call from your wife saying" water is on the floor" because a snail got into the return line . I would want to able to shut off just the return pump remotely and leave powerhead on. I am sure most of our wives would not know which power to unplug :-)

[doch]

Originally Posted by Coleus

I am sure most of our wives would not know which power to unplug :-)

Oh My God!! This is exaqctly why I wanted a controller in the first place!!


OK... how do you have control over your feeder? I've been trying to figure out a way to do that. What kind of feeder? Also... how do you have the camera set up? I would LOVE this! Only down side to the camera is that I love coming home after 4 days at work and looking for new gowth... camera might ruin that! lol

[Coleus]

I used Rena feeder where it will rotate the drum when on. So I turn off then on to make it rotate. I used a network camera and there is iPhone app to control it

[The Grizz]

Still up in the air on what brand I want to go with, keep the experience with your controller's flowing every bit of info will help us all.

I will respond to all the input as soon as I get some of the new goodies I picked up in Calgary in my tank.

Thanks to one and all for your input, much appreciated.

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by Coleus

I used Rena feeder where it will rotate the drum when on. So I turn off then on to make it rotate. I used a network camera and there is iPhone app to control it

Tai, you have the feeder plugged into the power outlets that are controlled by your APEX and when you want to feed the controller turns the power on, drum turns and then the controller turn off the power. Is that how it works??

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by Coleus

I am sure most of our wives would not know which power to unplug :-)

I know for a fact my wife would have no idea what plug to pull even with them all labeled like I have them. Another reason I want a controller.

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by PoonTang

I chose the Apex because of the support out there and the fact that I could monitor and control my tank from anywhere either by phone or Internet. The Apex also allows you to receive alerts both by text messages to your cell and emails. Another reason that I went with the Apex was they already had stuff built into their controllers that DA had been promising for a year and still not delivered.

The RFE has a module called NET that does the same thing and now comes with both the RKE and the RKL packages.