Aquarium Controllers

[Ryanerickson]

Heaters can get stuck in the on position this is one of the great benefits of a controller the controller will simply cut off power to heater. also if your tank gets to hot the controller can turn things like lights off. There's many benefits of a controller.

[input80]

+1

[Reef Pilot]

Before I had a controller, electrical plugs and timers were getting totally out of hand. Now I control everything, lights, pumps, dosers, chiller,skimmers, heaters, ATO, etc with the controller. Allows me to program in a lot of automation, safety, redundancy, convenience and transparency which I didn't have before.

For example, if I have a power outage, my skimmer will come on 5 min after my return pump, when the sump level is back to its normal level thus preventing skimmer overflow. If I have a leak or overflow somewhere, it can automatically shut down a pump, and alerts me, so I don't have a water flood disaster. Many, many things you can do with a controller...

I am often away from home, and the controller gives me more peace of mind, too, as I can monitor and makes changes remotely through the internet.

You mention PH monitoring with the controller. I have the probe, but don't even use it, as that is least benefit, IMO.

There are good threads on RC, which should give you a better understanding of what can be done with a controller.

[The Guy]

Originally Posted by Ryanerickson

Heaters can get stuck in the on position this is one of the great benefits of a controller the controller will simply cut off power to heater. also if your tank gets to hot the controller can turn things like lights off. There's many benefits of a controller.

I use a Finnex temp controller I don't want to just depend on the on board mechanical control i've had them fail too many times, now my water temperature stays spot on @78 f.
+1 to using controllers

[SiliconGuy]

Mine saved the day a couple of times now:

a) Got a notification that a runaway heater was determined to
cook my fish! I caught the unit while the water was at 28C.

b) Got a notification one day that my ATO system was overly "enthusiastic"
and my sump was close to overflowing. Being away for 3 weeks, I had to
coordinate a fix by phone with my tank sitter but early detection was key.
It saved my tank & vacation!

[mark]

^ would hope a controller wouldn't allow these type things to happen to begin with.

Ran my tank with a PLC, used it to controller temp through heaters or fans (evap cooling) and for a bit CO2 based on a reactor's effluent, then a doser.

[SiliconGuy]

Originally Posted by mark

^ would hope a controller wouldn't allow these type things to happen to begin with.

I agree however in both cases, the sensors had failed (wire issue and
a stuck float). The nice thing is that a secondary temperature sensor
and float were wired to the alarms of the controller. You could say that
I have a new found respect for redundancy