I think I want a Profilux

[watteau]

Hi, I'm looking for some insight and help. I'm very new to the hobby, 6 months only, I have a habit of getting very evolved with hobbies early on and then losing interest, but 6 months in and I'm still as excited as when I got my first tank. So what does a profilux do for me? Am I right in thinking that it will monitor a lot of things for me and fix them if they go above or below my preset levels? Obviously I have to give it the right things to dose, is there a guide book or something?
I have a 60 gallon cube with a 30 gallon sump and refugium, 2 vortechs and a radion LED light, I have just got a seneye monitor but I haven't tried it yet. From my reading I could get a profilux and measure ph, temp, water level, salinity and then set up a dosing pump with containers to remedy any situations from the above. Is it really this simple?
I saw that there is a controller unit for vortechs, and that the radion is a work in progress. Do I still need a power bar?
I also want to be able to view all of this on my mac, does the software work with parallels?
Can you give me a shopping list of everything that I would need to do what I have mentioned above, I'm not bothered about sms, but web access is a must. I'm in Dubai so I will need 220v, as well as UK plugs on a power bar (if necessary I can use adaptors to that).

Thanks in advance.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Hi,

yep ghl will do all you require, and better still as GHL is a global product it works on all voltages.

you dont need a power bar to run your vortechs

for more local sales support for your area go to www.aquariumcomputer.com and click on the contact tab

 

[pulit]

i wish i had a controller from the start . i went with apex controller because my LFS carries them . if i ever have a problem i can just take it to the store and they will send it out . also my LFS has a rewards point system , so id rather spend my money there . all of the newer controllers today are good . what i look for is customer service . some are better then others by far . apex got great reviews here on rc plus they have an entire section on apex . im sure profilux will do all you need and more .

 

[AQD_ottawa]

It always amazes me someone would buy a controller having to think where you would have to send it if it goes wrong!!

Here is another great point with GHL - ITS USER SERVICEABLE! So you dont have to suffer even in missfortune.

But the good news with GHL is that we have never ever had to receive a controller back for warranty repair, it is simply unheard of, the few that have gone wrong have been from water damage.

This is what makes GHL so great, yes you pay a bit more for it however you can relay upon it and not thik about where you may have to send it if it goes wrong, becuase it likely never will

A controller is the lifeline of your expensive system, if reliability is a worry with the product you are purchasing and you have to think where you would be sending it for repair then something is very wrong, I would rather pay that bit more and in doing so receive better functionality not only reliability for my system.

In regards to support - GHL has multiple support forums throughout the world and you will be hard pressed to find a better support product, being a global product also it likely has a mass more users than any other.

GHL also has over 200 accesories dedicated to work directly with the product so you do not have to worry about hot wiring some DIY accessory to make it work, this is one of the biggest areas reliability comes into play.

GHL - buy once and enjoy NOT buy and worry i might go wrong

 

[subshop]

can't go wrong w/ Proflux

can't go wrong w/ Proflux

Hi, I'm looking for some insight and help. I'm very new to the hobby, 6 months only, I have a habit of getting very evolved with hobbies early on and then losing interest, but 6 months in and I'm still as excited as when I got my first tank. So what does a profilux do for me? Am I right in thinking that it will monitor a lot of things for me and fix them if they go above or below my preset levels? Obviously I have to give it the right things to dose, is there a guide book or something?
I have a 60 gallon cube with a 30 gallon sump and refugium, 2 vortechs and a radion LED light, I have just got a seneye monitor but I haven't tried it yet. From my reading I could get a profilux and measure ph, temp, water level, salinity and then set up a dosing pump with containers to remedy any situations from the above. Is it really this simple?
I saw that there is a controller unit for vortechs, and that the radion is a work in progress. Do I still need a power bar?
I also want to be able to view all of this on my mac, does the software work with parallels?
Can you give me a shopping list of everything that I would need to do what I have mentioned above, I'm not bothered about sms, but web access is a must. I'm in Dubai so I will need 220v, as well as UK plugs on a power bar (if necessary I can use adaptors to that).

Thanks in advance.

Watteau, first of all welcome to the hobby. it can be very rewarding but definitely take your time.
As for the Proflux , it is a very comprehensive way to monitor all your parameters. Lighting, dosing and even water changes can be accomplished with the Proflux. But please do not make the mistake in thinking that having one of these great controllers will be " set it and forget it " system. Certain things will still need to be tested for the old fashion way --- with test kits. You will still need to make adjustments in your dosing schedule. And again as your tank matures and coral begin to grow. I will describe how i use my Proflux and remember this is just the tip of the iceberg !
Temp. - I have two heaters that are on the power bars and they both have their own controllers but the proflux shuts them off should they become stuck and begin to overheat the tank.
Lighting --- Ai's . sunrise, sunset moon phase, lighting and cloud cover. All very cool !
Dosing --- Alk, Mg and calc. all dosed throughout the day and i check these every two weeks and adjust the dose if necessary.
Ozone --- comes on based on Conductivity levels
Surge --- I run a hammerhead pump as a secondary loop that i call a surge loop. Moves settled debris back into water column to be filtered out.
Now here is example of how i use my Proflux and its program-ability. The skimmer i have had from the start was custom built and i have had issues with it from day One ! I was able to get it to work by injecting more air into it but found that the seals were wearing out fast and the motor tended to overheat . As my solution i have programmed the Proflux to turn the skimmer on whenever the surge pump comes on ( 8 times a day for and hour) but the skimmer continues to run for an additional hour after the surge pump turns off. This really makes good use of the time that the skimmer is on, when most of the material is free floating. And it allows the skimmer to cool down in between. No problems with the skimmer since !
Now using a Mac is no big deal. I run Paralles on my Mac and windows vista. Real solid and easy to do. Hope this helps in your decision and good luck, Neil.

 

[BigAl2007]

Watteau, first of all welcome to the hobby. it can be very rewarding but definitely take your time.
As for the Proflux , it is a very comprehensive way to monitor all your parameters. Lighting, dosing and even water changes can be accomplished with the Proflux. But please do not make the mistake in thinking that having one of these great controllers will be " set it and forget it " system. Certain things will still need to be tested for the old fashion way --- with test kits. You will still need to make adjustments in your dosing schedule. And again as your tank matures and coral begin to grow. I will describe how i use my Proflux and remember this is just the tip of the iceberg !
Temp. - I have two heaters that are on the power bars and they both have their own controllers but the proflux shuts them off should they become stuck and begin to overheat the tank.
Lighting --- Ai's . sunrise, sunset moon phase, lighting and cloud cover. All very cool !
Dosing --- Alk, Mg and calc. all dosed throughout the day and i check these every two weeks and adjust the dose if necessary.
Ozone --- comes on based on Conductivity levels
Surge --- I run a hammerhead pump as a secondary loop that i call a surge loop. Moves settled debris back into water column to be filtered out.
Now here is example of how i use my Proflux and its program-ability. The skimmer i have had from the start was custom built and i have had issues with it from day One ! I was able to get it to work by injecting more air into it but found that the seals were wearing out fast and the motor tended to overheat . As my solution i have programmed the Proflux to turn the skimmer on whenever the surge pump comes on ( 8 times a day for and hour) but the skimmer continues to run for an additional hour after the surge pump turns off. This really makes good use of the time that the skimmer is on, when most of the material is free floating. And it allows the skimmer to cool down in between. No problems with the skimmer since !
Now using a Mac is no big deal. I run Paralles on my Mac and windows vista. Real solid and easy to do. Hope this helps in your decision and good luck, Neil.

Very well said Neil

 

[subshop]

thanks Al. I joined the other forum and have to get back into updates for the P3 and see whats new. That is one thing i will say , my P3 has been running so well i have not had the need to go to the forums. Now that they have a Vortech controller (BTW I had been bending Mathias and the folks at Vortech's ears for a long time to do this) I will have to go back and see what else is new at GHL! See you there , Neil

 

[BigAl2007]

....That is one thing i will say , my P3 has been running so well i have not had the need to go to the forums.

That says a LOT for the controller and its stability.

...(BTW I had been bending Mathias and the folks at Vortech's ears for a long time to do this) I will have to go back and see what else is new at GHL! See you there , Neil

*hint hint* Leakage Detection Module . . .

 

[akindbro4u]

I have had a reef keeper for years. About a year ago i made the choice to switch to profilux. Sold some old gear, a few nice corals, cleaned some tanks. Did what I had to do. I was so tired of digital aquatics support I couldn't take it. Met garreth, Michael, and others at macna in Orlando. ( they were right across from digital aquatics) it only took a few minutes talking with them to know I needed a profilux. They were great. Didn't try to sell me anything. Didn't have to. The support just started there. As I was saving to by my first profilux I sent many email to garreth, and a few to Michael, that were promptly answered. Still no sales pitch. Eight months later, finally got my pII used (all i could afford). Even though I still had not ordered from garreth, he was still there to answer my questions. I have sense upgraded to a PIII, vortech module, ordered some other things today, and i must say not once has anyone tried to sell me this extra thing I really don't need. How's that for customer support? I know if I have any problems. They have my back, and won't tell me its my fault, like I had with others. Wow sometimes I ramble

 

[chercm]

Neil are u using PII or PIII?

Watteau, first of all welcome to the hobby. it can be very rewarding but definitely take your time.
As for the Proflux , it is a very comprehensive way to monitor all your parameters. Lighting, dosing and even water changes can be accomplished with the Proflux. But please do not make the mistake in thinking that having one of these great controllers will be " set it and forget it " system. Certain things will still need to be tested for the old fashion way --- with test kits. You will still need to make adjustments in your dosing schedule. And again as your tank matures and coral begin to grow. I will describe how i use my Proflux and remember this is just the tip of the iceberg !
Temp. - I have two heaters that are on the power bars and they both have their own controllers but the proflux shuts them off should they become stuck and begin to overheat the tank.
Lighting --- Ai's . sunrise, sunset moon phase, lighting and cloud cover. All very cool !
Dosing --- Alk, Mg and calc. all dosed throughout the day and i check these every two weeks and adjust the dose if necessary.
Ozone --- comes on based on Conductivity levels
Surge --- I run a hammerhead pump as a secondary loop that i call a surge loop. Moves settled debris back into water column to be filtered out.
Now here is example of how i use my Proflux and its program-ability. The skimmer i have had from the start was custom built and i have had issues with it from day One ! I was able to get it to work by injecting more air into it but found that the seals were wearing out fast and the motor tended to overheat . As my solution i have programmed the Proflux to turn the skimmer on whenever the surge pump comes on ( 8 times a day for and hour) but the skimmer continues to run for an additional hour after the surge pump turns off. This really makes good use of the time that the skimmer is on, when most of the material is free floating. And it allows the skimmer to cool down in between. No problems with the skimmer since !
Now using a Mac is no big deal. I run Paralles on my Mac and windows vista. Real solid and easy to do. Hope this helps in your decision and good luck, Neil.

 

[subshop]

Piii