aquarium controllers?

[Dapple]

Im thinking about ordering a controller. I was leaning towards the reef keeper lite . Does anyone have any input on these units. I've read some negative gripe about them. I was going to buy a tunze top off kit but for $60 more you get the same feature plus a lot more.

 

[cee]

For about $15-$20 you can make an ATO. How big is your tank? What are your motivations behind wanting a controller? Timers are cheap...

 

[Dapple]

It's a 75g. I like the way it monitors the ph and temp. Heaters do cause a lot of tank failures.

 

[cee]

If you want to monitor pH it is probably worth the investment Heaters do fail, some more so than others. I personally haven't monitored my pH since 2006 LOL.

Dave

 

[Dapple]

A ATO is a definite have to have.

 

[Dapple]

I like the way the reef keeper can be hooked up to a laptop. I did decide to use leds. AI SOL units.

 

[Dapple]

I found a 3" tall Kenya tree in my refugium today. I have a energy saving bulb in a clamp light and its growing like crazy. My fuge is piled full of rubble. It was a freebie lol.

 

[EvilMel]

I really want one of the Reef Keeper Lite Basic Plus controllers because it can monitor pH, temp, and I think ORP (may need an addition). The only reason I give a crud about monitoring pH is because I want to hook up my calcium reactor, otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. The temperature is something I want monitored so I can run a chiller/heater combo and not worry about them competing against each other. ORP is something I'd like to monitor just for fun.

I wouldn't have a controller if I wasn't going to run a chiller or CaRX. It's just not worth the time/money to me for a regular tank.

 

[cee]

I really want one of the Reef Keeper Lite Basic Plus controllers because it can monitor pH, temp, and I think ORP (may need an addition). The only reason I give a crud about monitoring pH is because I want to hook up my calcium reactor, otherwise I wouldn't worry about it. The temperature is something I want monitored so I can run a chiller/heater combo and not worry about them competing against each other. ORP is something I'd like to monitor just for fun.

I wouldn't have a controller if I wasn't going to run a chiller or CaRX. It's just not worth the time/money to me for a regular tank.

Couldn't agree more and since I ditched the CaRX a long time ago and run LEDs (constant 74 degrees) neither are an issue for me. I used to monitor ORP and never found it particularly meaningful, plus the probes are expensive and don't seem to last very long.

 

[EllieSuz]

I would never run a tank without my RKL and three PC4's. It turns the powerheads off and back on when I feed. It controls two heaters, times my lights and moonlights, runs a sump fan based on temperature, etc. My next controller related purchase will be the double float switches for top-off. Just one instance of a heater getting stuck in the "on" position will make a controller well worth the purchase price.

 

[EvilMel]

That's why I run two (or even 3) small heaters instead of one big one right now.

That way if one sticks on it's not powerful enough to overheat the tank.

I'm leery of such extreme automation. That's a LOT of stuff that can go wrong.

I'm thinking back to Don's autotop off sticking on and him dumping several gallons of kalk-water into the tank at once. This is only one of MANY MANY examples of people's electronics messing them over that I've heard about over the years.

 

[goreefer]

I've used a Aqua Jr. for many years and really would not want to run a tank with out a controller of some type.
Yes many say that they are just expensive timers, but I've experienced a much more stabile tank since using it.
For my top off I use a double float switch, but limit it to the pH so that I son't dump in too much lime water at one time.
I also like that I can check on my tank when I'm traveling, which anymore seems to be all of the time.

 

[Dapple]

You all have seen my point of the neccessity of a controller. An extra set of eyes is all I really want. Stability is a feature I crave. I will be the only one keeping up with the tank. My wife doesn't show much interest in common tasks of the average keeper. I don't plan on running a CaRx so it may not be worth it too me.

 

[EvilMel]

i've used a aqua jr. For many years and really would not want to run a tank with out a controller of some type.
Yes many say that they are just expensive timers, but i've experienced a much more stabile tank since using it.
For my top off i use a double float switch, but limit it to the ph so that i son't dump in too much lime water at one time.
I also like that i can check on my tank when i'm traveling, which anymore seems to be all of the time.

garry!

 

[LawmanRob]

MY Bro-n-law is the in-house tech guy, I'm still waiting for him to set up the port that allows the app on my IPhone to controll my ACjr.