Help Me Choose a Controller
- Thread starter Adamc1303
- Start date
tgreene
Reefer
Lighthouse Controller - Available from Premium Aquatics. I use and swear by them, and I have 2. I also have 2 more on clients' systems.
There are a couple very high-end controllers out there that claim the capability to monitor calcium levels, but since it's Ion specific, the results are generally less than adequate, and it requires constant recalibration.
A Salifert Ca test kit is much easier and more accurate.
There are a couple very high-end controllers out there that claim the capability to monitor calcium levels, but since it's Ion specific, the results are generally less than adequate, and it requires constant recalibration.
A Salifert Ca test kit is much easier and more accurate.
Cultivatedcoral
New member
Cultivatedcoral
New member
crumbletop
New member
From what I have heard, the calcium monitors are very unreliable. I would go with test kits for that. Once you get Ca and Alk in range and have a feel for the requirements of your tank, you really don't need to measure it all that often.
Re controllers, This is from a post several months ago. In general things should still apply:
The low end of the controller market is around $300 for a setup (pH probe, temp probe, controller, bank of outlets). The main competitors in the $300 price range are:
1) AC Jr. (Neptune Systems)
2) ReefKeeper2 (Digital Aquatics)
3) Premium Aquatics Lighthouse (Premium Aquatics)
The AC Jr. is the most flexible, expandable, and customizable of the bunch. Here are some of the main points:
AC Jr.
Controls up to 12 channels (8 come with the basic setup)
Complex programming capability (multiple feed timers, multiple conditional statements)
Has a digital input (also if you get the serial port option) that allows you to connect things like a float switch to shut off pumps if the water level in the sump gets too low, or to use it to drive an auto topoff pump.
You can upgrade to a more advanced unit if you ever needed to.
RK2:
Looks cool.
controls 8 channels (max)
Lighthouse:
Plug and play webserver built in. Ethernet built in.
Only controls 4 channels
Will monitor orp in addition to ph
The AC Jr. with serial port, Lighthouse, and RK2 all cost right about the same ($299). I believe they all work pretty well. The AC Jr. has a bit more flexibility and functionality than the others.
Re controllers, This is from a post several months ago. In general things should still apply:
The low end of the controller market is around $300 for a setup (pH probe, temp probe, controller, bank of outlets). The main competitors in the $300 price range are:
1) AC Jr. (Neptune Systems)
2) ReefKeeper2 (Digital Aquatics)
3) Premium Aquatics Lighthouse (Premium Aquatics)
The AC Jr. is the most flexible, expandable, and customizable of the bunch. Here are some of the main points:
AC Jr.
Controls up to 12 channels (8 come with the basic setup)
Complex programming capability (multiple feed timers, multiple conditional statements)
Has a digital input (also if you get the serial port option) that allows you to connect things like a float switch to shut off pumps if the water level in the sump gets too low, or to use it to drive an auto topoff pump.
You can upgrade to a more advanced unit if you ever needed to.
RK2:
Looks cool.
controls 8 channels (max)
Lighthouse:
Plug and play webserver built in. Ethernet built in.
Only controls 4 channels
Will monitor orp in addition to ph
The AC Jr. with serial port, Lighthouse, and RK2 all cost right about the same ($299). I believe they all work pretty well. The AC Jr. has a bit more flexibility and functionality than the others.
My tank is doing fine without a controller, the reason I am lloking into getting one is because I want to be able to always monitor calcium. After looking at prices for calcium monitor I figured I wouls spen a few more bucks and get a controller which will monitor calcium as well. which ones will monitor calcium? I dont mind spending more than $300.00
crumbletop
New member
As far as I know, calcium probes are so unreliable that no full fledged aquarium controllers monitor it.
BeanAnimal
Premium Member
crumble... not a bad quick summary.
crumbletop
New member
AquaController Jr. when hooked up to a PC that has Aquanotes running.
AquaController III and III Pro when hooked up to a network.
Lighthouse when hooked up to a network.
AquaController III and III Pro when hooked up to a network.
Lighthouse when hooked up to a network.
crumbletop
New member
I don't think you can control the RK2 from the web, just look at the parameters. And the software apparently isn't out yet.
Still not sure after comparing the light house and rk2. The RK2 has a nicer display and is smaller which isn't a big deal. The Rk2 has a Metal Halide Delay Start Option, Feed Mode, Service Mode
& Soft Start plus it controls up to 8 devices opposed to the light house which has 6 ports with only 4 controllable. The rk2 can also be used as a wave maker (but I use tunzes with a controller anyway) However the light house gives a salinity reading, and will also give a SMS or e-mail warning in case of
Power Failure Alarm
Display Power Failure Duration.
The light house also offers data logging. It seems that the only thing that is pushing me towards the lighthouse is the e-mail and texts notifications. Foes the light house have expansion slots? I would need more than 4 controllable ports.
check this link out.
http://www.tankblog.com/temp/controllers.xls
& Soft Start plus it controls up to 8 devices opposed to the light house which has 6 ports with only 4 controllable. The rk2 can also be used as a wave maker (but I use tunzes with a controller anyway) However the light house gives a salinity reading, and will also give a SMS or e-mail warning in case of
Power Failure Alarm
Display Power Failure Duration.
The light house also offers data logging. It seems that the only thing that is pushing me towards the lighthouse is the e-mail and texts notifications. Foes the light house have expansion slots? I would need more than 4 controllable ports.
check this link out.
http://www.tankblog.com/temp/controllers.xls
tgreene
Reefer
Lighthouse does not do salinity readings, but a $40 refractometer does.
Also, the refugium port is selectable between refugium light/pH control/ORP control and the heater port is selectable between heater/chiller, so it is actually quite a bit more expansive than most people believe. If it wasn't, I would own 2 of them and be planning to buy a 3rd in the next week. The 3rd unit will be added to the 2nd, to allow for more features that I need controlled in my Aquaculture Facility, and at only $300 each, it's far cheaoper to do it this way, than to buy a different unit and pay for each individual expansion module.
Check out my site, and select {Tank Monitors}.
www.nea-reefkeeping.com
-Tim
Also, the refugium port is selectable between refugium light/pH control/ORP control and the heater port is selectable between heater/chiller, so it is actually quite a bit more expansive than most people believe. If it wasn't, I would own 2 of them and be planning to buy a 3rd in the next week. The 3rd unit will be added to the 2nd, to allow for more features that I need controlled in my Aquaculture Facility, and at only $300 each, it's far cheaoper to do it this way, than to buy a different unit and pay for each individual expansion module.
Check out my site, and select {Tank Monitors}.
www.nea-reefkeeping.com
-Tim
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