Aquarium Controllers (1 Viewer)

[Scott]

So I was reading the NOW THAT THE NEW YEAR IS HERE thread and saw that a couple of people looking forward to new controllers.

I think my big purchase for this year will be a Reef Keeper Elite w/net.

My goal is to buy a fully loaded Apex Controller...

What makes you guys choose the controllers you have or hope to have? If you dont mind, could you get into details like cost, accessories, usability and the like?

I have a PII Plus EX and hope to upgrade to the PIII. I bought it firstly because the price was right at about 65% retail.

• I enjoy the option to control my pumps in great detail like alternating flow patterns and volume. I can change the flow from practically nothing to 100% rated volume or anywhere in between allowing me to constantly change the current flow in my tank. I also have the option to use some of the hobbies top powerheads (Tunze, Vortech, Koralia) and get all the same options.
  The lighting is also fully controllable and dimmable in the same manner making it virtually hands free as well. Not to mention the fact that the controller keeps track of the hours of use on the bulb with a counter I can reset when i change out the bulbs for new ones.
  It comes standard with the ability to perform auto top-offs and with a few extra sensors can be configured to automate water changes.
  As most controllers do it monitors regular tank parameters like temp, pH, conductivity (Im assuming others do this) and ORP (another assumption).
  I enjoy the fact that there is an audible alarm and that I have the option to turn it off but still have a visible alarm on the front of the unit. Also, with the new PIII featuring built in networking or the older models hooked into my home network I can get alerts straight to my phone.
  I think this feature is available on most controllers too but the fact that there are multiple outlets directly controlled by the unit is a huge like for me.
  Dosing is also controlled by the unit with an add-on dosing unit with up to four pumps.

There is probably more but one thing that ties all of these together is that I can change any of these options from the GUI provided from GHL on any home computer.

@Bad_LS1 - What do you mean by NET with the RKElite? Internet?

 

[soymilk]

The cost to benefit ratio is much in favor to the apex. It's the most featured controller out the box.

I do love the Profilux ability to upgrade but cost is a major issue with Profilux. 360-400 dollars just to upgrade. The apex can be had for 450.

The apex can do 99% of what the Profilux can do. The only disadvantage I see is programming dimmable lights. The apex works but calling subprograms or profiles. While the Profilux has a nice graph to show he lighting schedule.

Another disadvantage for the apex would be number of pump profiles is limited to 16. If you program vortech/Tunze powerheads with ai lights.... You can use them up pretty fast.

Out the box for 450 the apex is quite a beast when it comes to functionality. While I do agree the Profilux is prob a better controller, I don't think it's worth 1k+

 

[soymilk]

That's from a buying full price retail point of view. Might be a lil different for you because you received a nice discount over full price.

 

[Scott]

The cost to benefit ratio is much in favor to the apex.

Agreed, but I got mine on the cheap so it helped.

I do love the Profilux ability to upgrade but cost is a major issue with Profilux. 360-400 dollars just to upgrade. The apex can be had for 450.

A bit ridiculous I know but the cost isn't just to upgrade the PII model, its more like an upgrade/trade in program. You send in your old one and get the newest model for half the retail cost.

Good info on the Apex though soy, didn't know most of that.

Also guys and gals, I don't want this to turn into a "mine is bigger than yours" contest. I just want to know what attracted folks to their prospective controllers and maybe learn a few things along the way.

 

[tmgrash]

I just ordered an apex, basically for all the reasons soymilk already said. The profilux "seems" to have a slight advantage but for a little over double the cost. And, honeslty I dont think I could/will ever even use the apex to its full potential.

 

[soymilk]

Geez typing on the iPhone sucks. Autocorrect makes me sound like an esl student.

I'm not trying to be an "apex" fanboy, but it is a great controller. Many times I think more than I would ever need.

I personally don't like the reefkeeper too much. Seems kinda shady how they do business. Poor tech support, faulty firmwares that crashes your tank.

.net refers to the additional module you would have to buy to conntect it to the Internet. P3 has this built in now, just like the apex.

I really do hate programming led lights for the apex. Seems very unituiative. I was bored at work the other day to rewrote the whole AI led light program to dim. Haven't gotten a chance to test it out on my set up yet. I just basically separated the dimming channels so you can control each color seperately. Then added "storm" mode to feed d. And edited so it's easier for someone else to look at it and change it if needed.

 

[soymilk]

So what do you think about it Tmgrash? What are your plans for it?

Ato? CalcRX? Anything fancy?

 

[tmgrash]

So what do you think about it Tmgrash? What are your plans for it?

Ato? CalcRX? Anything fancy?

ph, temp, conductivity obviously. Running all my pumps, fuge lights, ato, right now going to plug the ai's in to it but control it with the ai controller. Going to go with dosing pumps controlled by it over the calrx (dont trust them). Water on floor sensor. And wireless monitor/control is the big one.

I know it can do much more, just cant grasp the whole thing yet.

 

[Scott]

I was bored at work the other day to rewrote the whole AI led light program to dim. Haven't gotten a chance to test it out on my set up yet. I just basically separated the dimming channels so you can control each color seperately. Then added "storm" mode to feed d. And edited so it's easier for someone else to look at it and change it if needed.

You can do that when youre not at home? How? Do you write the program then add it to the controller when you get there? I wonder if I can do that with mine.

 

[soymilk]

You can review/update the apex anywhere with a web browser. But I wrote the program out on paper lol. I have to pretend to work lol.

I don't know enough about the p3 though.

Travis,
I got some modules left over like the break out box and vdm module. Let me know I you're interested.

 

[steveb]

I got the APEX for my 90 for pretty much all of the same reasons not to mention that I was given a discount if I purchased it along with a GEO Calc reactor.

I ended up with APEX, lunar module, tunze control cables, 2 ph probes, another PM1, orp probe, break out box with various float switches and a lighter bank account.

Still interested in the PM2 and PM3 but the dissolved oxygen probe is ridiculously expensive.

 

[Scott]

...and a lighter bank account.

Lol, aint that the truth!

 

[Mark L.]

So I was reading the NOW THAT THE NEW YEAR IS HERE thread and saw that a couple of people looking forward to new controllers.

I think my big purchase for this year will be a Reef Keeper Elite w/net.

My goal is to buy a fully loaded Apex Controller...

What makes you guys choose the controllers you have or hope to have? If you dont mind, could you get into details like cost, accessories, usability and the like?

I have a PII Plus EX and hope to upgrade to the PIII. I bought it firstly because the price was right at about 65% retail.

• I enjoy the option to control my pumps in great detail like alternating flow patterns and volume. I can change the flow from practically nothing to 100% rated volume or anywhere in between allowing me to constantly change the current flow in my tank. I also have the option to use some of the hobbies top powerheads (Tunze, Vortech, Koralia) and get all the same options.
  The lighting is also fully controllable and dimmable in the same manner making it virtually hands free as well. Not to mention the fact that the controller keeps track of the hours of use on the bulb with a counter I can reset when i change out the bulbs for new ones.
  It comes standard with the ability to perform auto top-offs and with a few extra sensors can be configured to automate water changes.
  As most controllers do it monitors regular tank parameters like temp, pH, conductivity (Im assuming others do this) and ORP (another assumption).
  I enjoy the fact that there is an audible alarm and that I have the option to turn it off but still have a visible alarm on the front of the unit. Also, with the new PIII featuring built in networking or the older models hooked into my home network I can get alerts straight to my phone.
  I think this feature is available on most controllers too but the fact that there are multiple outlets directly controlled by the unit is a huge like for me.
  Dosing is also controlled by the unit with an add-on dosing unit with up to four pumps.

There is probably more but one thing that ties all of these together is that I can change any of these options from the GUI provided from GHL on any home computer.

@Bad_LS1 - What do you mean by NET with the RKElite? Internet?

Well I'm glad you started this thread. To be completely honest I've only been looking at the ReefKeeper so far. I said I wanted it more of a generic term of wanting a controller with internet capabilities. I want to be able to monitor my tank from anywhere I have the internet.

Another must is that I'm able to control my ATI dimmable powermodule, Vortech pumps, etc. Soymilk had some great info in his post and I want to look into the Apex also now.

 

[soymilk]

I'm not sure why you would need to monitor oxygen. See if a bacteria bloom is about to hit?

 

[soymilk]

Bad_ls1: superray on this forum used to have a reefkeeper elite but now runs apex. You could message him his thought on it.

All 3 should be able to dim the power module. You will need to buy an additional module to controll vortices. I felt the built in controller was good enough for me. Let us know if you have some questions.

 

[flexrac]

ray changed over to apex because the net functions on the RKE system sucked, he got tired of waiting for them to release a good working firmware. other than the net issue, i love RK products, simple and easy to use. i had programming issues with the apex, but i think with enough time with it i may get it. can't think of a good reason to buy a rke or apex at the moment.

i enjoy working on my tank, if and when they in-corporate a dosing setup, i may jump in. sure they have ph probes, but it's only good for Calcium reactors, not 2 parts, i want it to measure parameters and dose accordingly.

i have a RK1 on my 75 and it does everrything i need. might get a rkL for my 110. or my 40b if and when i replace the 75 with it.

 

[steveb]

I bought a used ACJr for the bow front - wanted to monitor PH/temp, control temp, lights, return pump, skimmer and use random function to turn the two koralia evolution 750's on/off. Of course its real simplistic no fading/ramping or anything like that. Just on/off. I have the MP10 hooked to it as well to turn it off when I do one of the feed cycles.

 

[soymilk]

Well, a nice feature is to hook up water leak sensors to alert you when something happens. You can also set up true/false statements to turn off lights if the temp gets too hot. Not to mention, having control of all the outlets at your finger tips at all times is nice too.
Another thing which is nice is graphs. You can monitor, track and log ph, temp, amperage, orp, etc etc. Good tool to monitor if you're trying to fig what happened to your tank. Sure it's a bit excessive. But if set up correctly, it could be a huge tool.

 

[flexrac]

a lot of people are buying these units because of the net capability. seems to be a big seller.

 

[RR-MAN]

What makes you guys choose the controllers you have or hope to have? If you dont mind, could you get into details like cost, accessories, usability and the like?

To be honest with you, it's just another toy for me. My usage is pretty basic. I run the basic stuff, calcium reactor, lights, tunzes, and top off. I really like the Net aspect of this contorller and it gives me a chance to mess with my Iphone.