Aquarium Controllers
- Thread starter jamest0o0
- Start date
Reefer2727
New member
When will the Apex's be available? I wonder what the odds of seeing them in Canada anytime soon are.
james3370
Premium Member
it depends on how complex your system is &/or what you want to "control".......
lets say you have daylights, actinics & fuge lighting & want them on in a sunrise/sunset/opposite lighting schedule. to do this, you will need (3) wall outlet light timers. the good ones will run you $20-25/each, so that's $75 right there
the base reefkeeper lite level 1 is now at $99 & it will control 4 outlets & also monitor temps. the benefits of the controller that you can't do w/ just wall timers is shut the lights off (&/or turn on fans) if the temps get too high....& that's just the basics
the more advanced your syatem, the more a controller makes sense......want to monitor your ph & contol a calc reactor? want to automate your ATO? etc etc etc
I have a 39g with sump, fuge, ato, etc. I plan to have SPS one day. I want this tank to turn out good, but I'm not sure since the tank won't have tons of SPS (since it is smaller) I don't know if I will need some of the more advanced equipment such as calc reactors? although I'm a newb when it comes to that so I may be wrong.
cnaegler
New member
IMO, if you plan on SPS, you might want to consider start saving for a quality CArx. It makes life SOOO much easier. It's sorta set and forget...i hate dosing every day. Try to get one a little overrated for your tank size...just in case you upgade. If you love the hobby, chances are you will, so save yourself the money now and get a "larger than you need" model. Just my opinion. That way you won't end up with three CArx laying around because they're too small for you new tank.
cnaegler
New member
Well a backlit AC jr. with serial port would probably suffice your needs. Anything better would have internet access, such as an ACIII or the new "apex". That would allow you to check and configure anything controlled by the controller via the internet...but do you really need that? I don't need it, but i sure do want it!
builderguy
New member
I've been researching the available controllers for about a year as I was going to upgrade my ACII last Christmas...but got laid off in November so never did.
It COMPLETELY depends on what you will want to do now and in the future. Most disagreements come from the value/functionality arguments, followed by reliability.
The value/functionality arguments for more expensive controllers becomes irrelevant if you'll never use that functionality...for instance Tunze Control. Profilux Users love to use this as a reason why that controller is really cost competitive after all...but if you have lots of equipment to control (i.e. outlets to control that controller gets expensive fast).
If you want to be able to program/control through the internet then you'll want to look at the APEX or Profilux.
If you want to only monitor or get email alerts to a problem then the Reefkeeper Elite or APEX will work fine for less $$$.
If you don't need complex control then Reefkeeper Lite or ACJr would do.
As far as Neptune Systems (ACJR, AC3, Apex) goes....Curt is fantastic at supporting his users and will personally help you with questions. As I said, I have an AC2 and I have never had a problem with it. I can't imagine not having a controller on my system.
I use mine for lighting main tank, refugium, and frag tank, Kalk ATO (overide if pH too high), Kalk stirrer, cooling/heating, dosing, and Ozone.
It COMPLETELY depends on what you will want to do now and in the future. Most disagreements come from the value/functionality arguments, followed by reliability.
The value/functionality arguments for more expensive controllers becomes irrelevant if you'll never use that functionality...for instance Tunze Control. Profilux Users love to use this as a reason why that controller is really cost competitive after all...but if you have lots of equipment to control (i.e. outlets to control that controller gets expensive fast).
If you want to be able to program/control through the internet then you'll want to look at the APEX or Profilux.
If you want to only monitor or get email alerts to a problem then the Reefkeeper Elite or APEX will work fine for less $$$.
If you don't need complex control then Reefkeeper Lite or ACJr would do.
As far as Neptune Systems (ACJR, AC3, Apex) goes....Curt is fantastic at supporting his users and will personally help you with questions. As I said, I have an AC2 and I have never had a problem with it. I can't imagine not having a controller on my system.
I use mine for lighting main tank, refugium, and frag tank, Kalk ATO (overide if pH too high), Kalk stirrer, cooling/heating, dosing, and Ozone.
I really do not think I will have a lot of equipment to control, like you would with a large reef since I only have a 39g, but I will also have a fuge/sump/ato/rdsb. The internet access sounds nice, but it doesn't seem necessary to spend so much more for just the internet when I can get the ACjr for much cheaper and control everything just as well just w/o internet. I'll spend money for something that will help a lot, but like mentioned above I'd be afraid to spend so much and end up not using a lot of the functions. So I think I the ACjr may be the best for me, if anyone has anything to add please do I can use any help I get 
because I'd also not want to end up buying a controller and then end up needing a better one down the road.
because I'd also not want to end up buying a controller and then end up needing a better one down the road.
I don't know about anyone else, but I NEED my controller. My wife got tired of me calling every twenty minutes from work asking about the tank, so I bought an AC Jr. and hooked it up to the web. I can control it from the web and even run ACIII programs on it now thanks to doughboys' awesome program. Here is a glance at my tank specs right now:
Refresh this page in a couple minutes and it will be updated.
I LOVE my AC Jr.!!
Refresh this page in a couple minutes and it will be updated.
I LOVE my AC Jr.!!
