Aquarium controller or individual controllers?

[Aqua-Digital]

Argh but it has nothing to do with being lazy

But we are in this hobby to create sustainability and try to mimic nature as best as possible by providing a non fluctuating enviromant

Controllers are intuitive making your system run in step with nature by allowing things such as accurate dosing, sustaining pH levels, salinity levels to be kept in check all able to sync together (talk to each other)

Seperates can not talk to each other, for instance GHL salinity control programmed together with auto top off to make sure your salinity does not fluctuate. Thats just one important example where controllers come up above seperates, the ability to combine important functions that your system requires for stability.

Many functions a tank needs interlock with each other seperate controllers like ph and levels can not do.

Another example. tunze control timed and sync'd with moon phase of your lighting for nocturnal ebb and flow.

Level sensor alarms that turn off pumps incase off floods.

I could go on, but this has to be the biggest advantage over seperates that any controller has.

[Pan]

Originally Posted by Aqua-Digital

Argh but it has nothing to do with being lazy

But we are in this hobby to create sustainability and try to mimic nature as best as possible by providing a non fluctuating enviromant

Controllers are intuitive making your system run in step with nature by allowing things such as accurate dosing, sustaining pH levels, salinity levels to be kept in check all able to sync together (talk to each other)

Seperates can not talk to each other, for instance GHL salinity control programmed together with auto top off to make sure your salinity does not fluctuate. Thats just one important example where controllers come up above seperates, the ability to combine important functions that your system requires for stability.

Many functions a tank needs interlock with each other seperate controllers like ph and levels can not do.

Another example. tunze control timed and sync'd with moon phase of your lighting for nocturnal ebb and flow.

Level sensor alarms that turn off pumps incase off floods.

I could go on, but this has to be the biggest advantage over seperates that any controller has.

But i can do all of this jumping up and down...swearing and cursing and...yeah yeah...okay you have a point. But many reef tanks that look amazing have no controllers. THey are not necessary to maintain a beautiful healthy reef system. They make it easier..or rather more convenient (which for modern humans means lazy!) they are not a necessary peice of equipment to have. Again if I had the money i would get one...and become lazy..er proactive in my reefkeeping

[lastlight]

I think Michael makes a good point about controllers tying many operations together. When functioning correctly they can also create a more stable environment and nobody can argue against the importance of that.

I find your laziness comment a little rude. I wanted constructive critique of both methods of equipment control not judgment passed on advocates of either method.

I think at this point I'd totally buy a controller if I was convinced the unit as a whole was as bulletproof as the stand-alone components it was to replace. Nothing is 100% bulletproof but I want to get as close as reasonably possible.

[Pan]

Originally Posted by lastlight

I think Michael makes a good point about controllers tying many operations together. When functioning correctly they can also create a more stable environment and nobody can argue against the importance of that.

I find your laziness comment a little rude. I wanted constructive critique of both methods of equipment control not judgment passed on advocates of either method.

I think at this point I'd totally buy a controller if I was convinced the unit as a whole was as bulletproof as the stand-alone components it was to replace. Nothing is 100% bulletproof but I want to get as close as reasonably possible.

It is not really rude, convenient=laziness please do try and really think just what convenience means...again i like the controllers, but again there are so many amazing tanks that don't use it. If you think you need one go ahead. But totm's run ranco's and timers...until a controller allows me to do something I CAN'T do without one, then to me it is a luxury than is more appearance than function. Yes if i had the money i would get one, but if asked i would be honest in saying it made my reefkeeping easier...less stuff i had to do manually---ie lazyiness

[lastlight]

Perhaps it's lazy to not plan a system to the fullest of your abilities? That's what I'm attempting to do =)

You stated in your sentence that the use of controllers was lazy. There was no mention of convenience there so people reading that may see it as rude fyi.

You also state TOTM's use rancos. There are so many varied TOTM's and some use controllers and some don't use anything at all.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by Pan

Yes if i had the money i would get one

Re-read my initial post. I wanted to not concentrate on costs here. Only what is best for the tank's inhabitants.

[Pan]

Originally Posted by lastlight

Re-read my initial post. I wanted to not concentrate on costs here. Only what is best for the tank's inhabitants.

Again, as I've said in many posts previous. If i had the money i would get one...only to make things easier...they are NOT needed in my opinion. But if keeping things healthier in your tank means having a controller do things automatically for you which for a lot of people is what it takes to maintain the discipline in very aspect of tank upkeep then i think you would prosper. I use zeovit with the dosings required etc it is no problem to do the other few things manually that i need. I don't really have to monitor my ph...you'll find very few who really do monitor an established tank for this, my calcium and alk never really waiver (maybe between 460-470 or so) my alk is always bang on. I'm not convinced moon cycles do anything for a tank, even moon lights there is not really much literature beyond speculation as to whether this is to satisfy life cycle requirements of our tank inhabitants or purely aesthetics. timers control the lights as well as a controller for significantly less money, (aside from dimmable, which is a feature i don't utilize, you may). my zeovit reactor is on a timer that works flawlessly. I dose manually so no need for automation there, would be nice as in less work for me, but it's not really a big deal. I am not a gadget person so seeing my tank at home from the net is useless, most times if there was a problem I could not run home (school is far more important, as would work be than the tank...a shame but reality) to fix it if online monitoring alerted me of a problem. sms msg for a tank controller is simply appealing to the equipment people....which if this is your thing then by all means. the practicality of it is questioned in my mind...again to those who use this feature so be it. Salinity monitoring is useless beyond when you mix the water for me...with a top-off system you should be fine, even without as long as you top-off every day your fine. (manually i mean). For a big system with a lot of things plugged in, then i could see a benefit in consolidating everything into a controller, but if done properly (there are a lot, and i mean a lot of amazing timers on the market, i have all I need in them). It looks nicer than a lot of timers etc...but again that is if you use an ugly timer.
Proper utilization of cheap timers, a music board (forget the exact name) power switch thing (yep, technical i am) or two and some common sense and sticking to your guns with maintenance you are fine without. That last point is a good argument against zeo, fauna marine, etc as well...good housekeeping on the tank may be what makes these tanks work...with these systems you have to be very diligent...(yes I'm experimenting as to the benefits...) again. if you want a controller go ahead...do you NEED one..

No.

[lastlight]

double post.