Aquatronica
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TheMoneyPit
Premium Member
I believe you, I feel the same way. You had no luck with your pH readings with a pinpoint probe?
TheMoneyPit
Premium Member
oogie,
Which one did you buy? All I need is a controller that will control PH, Redox and lights and monitor salinity, a web server would be nice too. I would concider buying something that can do that, and do it correctly. Fliger sold his Aquatronica pretty quickly.
Which one did you buy? All I need is a controller that will control PH, Redox and lights and monitor salinity, a web server would be nice too. I would concider buying something that can do that, and do it correctly. Fliger sold his Aquatronica pretty quickly.
After hearing all the problems with many different controllers, I decided to go with simple one. I bought Premium Aquatics LightHouse Aquarium Controller. Now, it doesn't do all the fancy things, but it works. But there are couple things about this controller you should know. It will monitor both PH and ORP, but you can only control one equipment. Meaning, you can use this machine as either PH controller or ORP controller but not both. This is not a problem for me cause I don't need ORP function but it might be problem for you. It will control the lights, and it will also control heater/chiller, and it does have built in web-server which i like! Also, it does not monitor salinity.
TheMoneyPit
Premium Member
I had the Lighthouse controller before I purchased the AQT, but it did have some limitations.
RobbyG
Active member
What happened oogie the last post I saw from you was this
"Please don't get me wrong! Aquatronica is awesome other then the fact of remote controlling/monitoring. Its most well build controllers out there, and its very accurate at everything it does."
After that you smashed the controller !!!
"Please don't get me wrong! Aquatronica is awesome other then the fact of remote controlling/monitoring. Its most well build controllers out there, and its very accurate at everything it does."
After that you smashed the controller !!!
It seemed that way but...... Afterawhile, it started to act funny. After month or so, I could not re-caliberate PH probe to be accurate. Also, my power bar started act funny displaying weird power symbols on above every letter. So i got worried and bought another power bar. Second power bar I got had all the letters switched around! LOL For example, A slot on the controller would be controlled by B slot on the controller. But that was minor thing i could live with so I stuck with it. But after trying to fix bugs here and there, I decided to change it so I smashed one of the power bars out of the frustration! LOL! Again, I like the controller. It looks sleek, got a great display, and if all the bugs can be worked out, it would be best controller out there. I just didn't feel like being a beta tester after awhile.
TheMoneyPit
Premium Member
There are days when I feel like drop kicking this thing accross the street. I still can't get accurate salinity readings and my probe is rusting, and some times it seems like this problem will never be fixed by Aquatronica, other then that I have nothing but nice things to say.
RobbyG
Active member
This is exactly why you should not knock the Aquatronica, it does a whole lot more than most other controllers and has the ability to surpass all of them. The fact that Aquatronica is constantly updating the stuff (Eg Better Salinity Probes) and the fact that they are willing to change problem parts for FREE gives them an A+ in my book.
Add into that the fact that AO and others have sold a boat load of these units and only a few people have had problems means they are very reliable.
Add into that the fact that AO and others have sold a boat load of these units and only a few people have had problems means they are very reliable.
Armando
Premium Member
There are several other controllers with similar or better quality than the Aquatronica. What happens is that none of them are represented here in the US.
Unfortunately Aquatronica made a poor choice to be represented in the country by Aquarium Obsessed. If you look at the Vendor Experiences forum, you'll see several other well intended reefers with disastrous experiences with Aquarium Obsessed that were left with no other resource than post their experience to inform the reef community about this specific vendor.
Although I avoid posting in that forum as much I as can, I am close to doing just that, if the problem with my controller is not resolved soon. No one should have to wait 6 months to have a simple problem like this resolved.
Unfortunately Aquatronica made a poor choice to be represented in the country by Aquarium Obsessed. If you look at the Vendor Experiences forum, you'll see several other well intended reefers with disastrous experiences with Aquarium Obsessed that were left with no other resource than post their experience to inform the reef community about this specific vendor.
Although I avoid posting in that forum as much I as can, I am close to doing just that, if the problem with my controller is not resolved soon. No one should have to wait 6 months to have a simple problem like this resolved.
RobbyG
Active member
Armando no one will argue that it has been a long time but I will argue about the AO vendor record. In many of those cases it was pretty clear that AO had gone out of their way to resolve the issue but the persons involved always seemed to want more.
Most of those thread starters where bashed by fellow RC members when both sides of the story was told. At that point most people seemed to indicate that they thought the person involved was being unreasonable.
The reality of the matter is that Vendors don't have the luxury of being able to complain about the Client because that is simply Taboo. Therefore I would be skeptical of using most of those posts as any real indicator, unless AO's side of the story seemed shaky.
Lastly I would remind you that there are many favorable posts about AO in that same area, and to be fair those should also be mentioned.
Most of those thread starters where bashed by fellow RC members when both sides of the story was told. At that point most people seemed to indicate that they thought the person involved was being unreasonable.
The reality of the matter is that Vendors don't have the luxury of being able to complain about the Client because that is simply Taboo. Therefore I would be skeptical of using most of those posts as any real indicator, unless AO's side of the story seemed shaky.
Lastly I would remind you that there are many favorable posts about AO in that same area, and to be fair those should also be mentioned.
They are very aware of the rust issue and are not pleased at all about it. Because not all probes are rusting. They have found that iron in the water column is sticking to the electrode bands and causing this to happen. When the probe is in the water it attracts the iron like a magnet and sticks to the bands because of the electrical impulses it gives to get the readings from the water. No matter how little there is of the iron. Over time it will cause this to happen. The Density Probe HAS to be cleaned, by taking off the cover of the probe and wiped down and scrubbed to get the sludge off it. This will cause the probe to fluctuate readings sporadically. Also this probe should be in an area with the least bubbles. The bubbles will fill the plastic cover and cause it to give sporadic readings as well. So shaking the probe to release the bubbles every so often is a good idea. I would personally make it a bi-weekly regimen to maintain this probe.
For those of you that are having a hard time Calibrating. Armando excluded, we are sending you the new stuff, But please use this step by step to calibrate your new one.
All probes you get from Aquatronica I highly recommend that you add the probe to your water and have it break in for 4-5 days before you calibrate.
1: Unplug the interface from the Power bar.
2: Select "Enter" when it tell you "Device Disconnected"
3: Go into the PH program on the controller by selecting "Enter". Scroll down to "PH", Select "Enter". Scroll to "Disconnect", select "Enter". Select "Enter" to confirm.
4: Select "ESC" to get back to the main screen.
5: Plug the interface and probe back in the Power Bar. Select "Enter" when it tells you there is a new device connected.
6: Wait for the probe readings on the main screen to stabilize. If it jumps .01 up or down it is stabilized. (even a jump of .02 is OK)
7: Get a cup of RO water and some paper towel or rag to dry off the probe. Take the probe swish it in the RO water gently. Use the rag or paper to dry it off. Blow into the end of the probe to make sure it is completely dry. Any moisture will influence the calibration.
8: Insert the probe into calibration PH 10 fluid. Wait for the reading to stabilize. This should not take more than 5-10 mins. Let stand for 5 mins. Press "Enter" no matter what the reading it. It WILL NOT go to 10 if the probe wasn't calibrated properly or hasn't been calibrated before. Most probes will get to 9.40-9.50.
9: Take the probe out of the Calibration fluid. swish gently in RO water. Dry it off with a rag or paper towel. Blow in the end to get as much moisture out of the end as possible.
10: Insert the probe in the PH 7 fluid. Let stand until readings become stable. (remembering it will fluctuate a few points up or down). Wait 5 mins and press "Enter". Again, the probe will not show 7, if it wasn't calibrated properly before.
This is also an issue that Aquatronica has dealt with. In the new Update. This part of the program has been altered. In the version we all have. The program has a very small window in which the probe reads the values of the calibration. Meaning, the distance between PH 7 and 9.3 is VERY small. So when in this window, when you are calibrating for PH 10 it will confuse the program and actually read it as a PH 7 calibration. So in the very few cases that people have not been able to calibrate or have off readings. This is the reason why. What we have found is that a lot of people are waiting to long to press "Enter" to calibrate the probe. After the readings stabilize you should NOT wait more than 5 mins to press "Enter". I have made the same mistake in the past. I was able to correct mine by recalibrating.
Also make sure your calibration fluid has not been used more than 4-5 times. Each time you use the fluid it decreases the value it actually reads. And make sure the fluid you are using is in fact reading the correct value it says on the package. I recommend using the Aquatronica fluid or Pinpoint. Both are very reliable.
All probes you get from Aquatronica I highly recommend that you add the probe to your water and have it break in for 4-5 days before you calibrate.
1: Unplug the interface from the Power bar.
2: Select "Enter" when it tell you "Device Disconnected"
3: Go into the PH program on the controller by selecting "Enter". Scroll down to "PH", Select "Enter". Scroll to "Disconnect", select "Enter". Select "Enter" to confirm.
4: Select "ESC" to get back to the main screen.
5: Plug the interface and probe back in the Power Bar. Select "Enter" when it tells you there is a new device connected.
6: Wait for the probe readings on the main screen to stabilize. If it jumps .01 up or down it is stabilized. (even a jump of .02 is OK)
7: Get a cup of RO water and some paper towel or rag to dry off the probe. Take the probe swish it in the RO water gently. Use the rag or paper to dry it off. Blow into the end of the probe to make sure it is completely dry. Any moisture will influence the calibration.
8: Insert the probe into calibration PH 10 fluid. Wait for the reading to stabilize. This should not take more than 5-10 mins. Let stand for 5 mins. Press "Enter" no matter what the reading it. It WILL NOT go to 10 if the probe wasn't calibrated properly or hasn't been calibrated before. Most probes will get to 9.40-9.50.
9: Take the probe out of the Calibration fluid. swish gently in RO water. Dry it off with a rag or paper towel. Blow in the end to get as much moisture out of the end as possible.
10: Insert the probe in the PH 7 fluid. Let stand until readings become stable. (remembering it will fluctuate a few points up or down). Wait 5 mins and press "Enter". Again, the probe will not show 7, if it wasn't calibrated properly before.
This is also an issue that Aquatronica has dealt with. In the new Update. This part of the program has been altered. In the version we all have. The program has a very small window in which the probe reads the values of the calibration. Meaning, the distance between PH 7 and 9.3 is VERY small. So when in this window, when you are calibrating for PH 10 it will confuse the program and actually read it as a PH 7 calibration. So in the very few cases that people have not been able to calibrate or have off readings. This is the reason why. What we have found is that a lot of people are waiting to long to press "Enter" to calibrate the probe. After the readings stabilize you should NOT wait more than 5 mins to press "Enter". I have made the same mistake in the past. I was able to correct mine by recalibrating.
Also make sure your calibration fluid has not been used more than 4-5 times. Each time you use the fluid it decreases the value it actually reads. And make sure the fluid you are using is in fact reading the correct value it says on the package. I recommend using the Aquatronica fluid or Pinpoint. Both are very reliable.
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