Aquarium controller or individual controllers?

[TJSlayer]

I really like a lot of things you can do with controllers but unless I had a backup of some sort I would probably keep the stuff that is on 24/7 on a seprate power strip just as a safety measure. (Return pump and skimmer)

But the ability to monitor ph 24 hrs is nice, feed cycles, etc. ones more safety net for temp problems, etc. the benefits outway the disadvanrtages or the risk...

But then again I don't reacall ever reading about anyone having a failure either....

Just my 2 cents

[hillegom]

tagging along, as would like to know the answer as well

[digital-audiophile]

I bought myself a Reefkeepr 2 the other week. I did not need all the fancy stuff the profilux has (dimmiable lights, mooncycles etc etc.) and just wanted it for the basic control and moitoring. I only wish it had the orp option (the elite and the new lite have it)

Even if you spend the big $$ on a profilux it would be way cheaper than buying all the different monitoring equipment and timers/wavemakers on their own.

[Tom R]

I have the ProfiLux Plus II and I have been very happy with it. It is everything and more than you want in a controller. I wish I had of bought it before the 4 Tunze pump controllers that I have as the savings on the Tunze controllers alone would have paid for the ProfiLux starter kit. I started with the Basic ProfiLux started kit c/w 1 6 way digital power bar and have added as I have grown with its use.

I am now controlling:

System PH
Ca Reactor PH
Heat
Chiller and Chiller pump
Kalk Reactor
Main System pump
Non Dimable MH and Actinics
Dimable Moon lights
Skimmer

Tom R

[GreenSpottedPuffer]

Originally Posted by TJSlayer

I really like a lot of things you can do with controllers but unless I had a backup of some sort I would probably keep the stuff that is on 24/7 on a seprate power strip just as a safety measure. (Return pump and skimmer)

But the ability to monitor ph 24 hrs is nice, feed cycles, etc. ones more safety net for temp problems, etc. the benefits outway the disadvanrtages or the risk...

But then again I don't reacall ever reading about anyone having a failure either....

Just my 2 cents

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.

[TJSlayer]

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.

AWSOME very good to know as I was unaware of that....

[Doug]

RK 2. Controls halide, actinics, heater, cooling fan, wavemaker for pumps, main plug ins for skimmer, power filter, {return pump}, which gives me a feed mode, ph monitor, temp monitor.

[LeeR]

my temp probe on my ac jr failed a while ago. it was reading my tank temp as 120, good thing i only have a fan and not a chiller.

i got a new temp probe but now im scared it might do it again.. when im not around or will say my tank temps like 50 and kick my heater on and fry everything. i will probably end up selling the thing and buying a reefkeeper 2 because i havnt read anything about a temp probe failing on them.

[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.