Looking for a reef controller

andywe said:
RIck,

Thats very untrue. The RKL can do as complex as any system out there. You can stack timers, you can program conditions based off off controller functions, such as temp, PH, salinity (oops the neptune doesn't do this), wavemaker control, standby delays, as well as adding alarms. Alarms themselves can be used silently as condition triggers so really it is VERY extensible.
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RKL can be complex and is a PITA to program on the screen. Try turning on a device manually without going thru 5 menus. With my ACjr i can turn on or off anything i want with the touch of one button on my phone or web interface. I really do not think a salinity probe will make or break the apex. Anyone who trusts it to control anything anyway is just nieve. Another gimmic :lol: If i want to check my salinity i just use my refracto. Part of this hobby is actually hands on and trying to automate everything is asking for disaster.



andywe said:
Apex and RKE are both fine units, however the fact that I can buy an RKL or RKE and just the functions I want versus having to pay for a single offering (everything in one box) only makes the RK series more palatable. I pay for what I want.
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Some people like to spend money wisely and not just throw it at their tank and hope it makes it look good. I am sure you pay for what you want, but I like to pay for what I need. The basics. I have had beautiful reef tanks with no controllers, sorry I did have dial timers, and they thrived.




andywe said:
As far as modules being a gimmick?? Bah..your reaching there. It allows me to change, upgrade, reconfigure, and remove certain functions without having to remove the whole system. Since the reference was made about computers on tanks, why on earth would I want an all in one so that when 1 component fails the whole thing has to go back for repair?? I had an issue and was able to remove only that part..there is something very good about that.
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This is coming from the guy who has to buy the latest "module" released as soon as it comes out. :rolleyes:

You are correct in modular is better in some aspects, but what if your head unit fails :p I would only have 3 things (ph, temp and aquasurf) that would have a chance at failing. You odds are higher with 10 modules.





andywe said:
Last, I am always curious why the Apex looks so much alike the RKE..other than Kurt was forced to come up with something quick. Things with the AC line never moved along..new functions beyond what came out were never part of his MO. When I was researching controllers to buy, this was in fact a sentiment I heard from several people and validated researching on the web. It's a one man shop at Neptune so that is a risk as well.
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Man you are so right there! I bet he had spies. Come on Andy, what other design would you make? A fish shaped controller or one shaped like a heart? I think Neptune kept a simple box design, just like RKE did. So if thats the case then DA copied Neptunes's idea of a controller to control your Reef system ;). I hate to tell ya, but Neptune has been around a lot longer than DA. Those types of arguments are really just pointless.



The real moral of the story is choose the controller that is right for you. like i said earlier everyone has different reasons for their controller and thats what makes this hobby fun. To me more gadgets or modules means more things to fail. This will be a never ending back and forth spar. I love it :beer:
 
Well I took all the advice and I found what controller best fit my needs and I didnt pay top dollar for a used one. I bought the aquacontroller Jr with a ph probe and dc-8. Should come in the mail soon.
 
I would agree with the point that the more gadgets you have (no matter what it is or what its contols) there is more chance for problems. Convenience is nice but Im not one that likes autopilot.
 
As far as the Salinity probe goes, After several weeks of use and the three recommended calibrations I'm disappointed. It read close at first then has steadily creeped to a lower # than my water could possibly be. My water level Is monitored by ATO and does not fluctuate at all, So why Is there this constant change In Salinity by the probe and all In one direction. I have not had time to contact DA yet but I will as from what I see It don't work, At least this probe don't.
Bill
 
tkimmons85 said:
Well I took all the advice and I found what controller best fit my needs and I didnt pay top dollar for a used one. I bought the aquacontroller Jr with a ph probe and dc-8. Should come in the mail soon.
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Awesome! I'm glad you were able to see through everyone's bickering and got what works for ya. :)

As far as controller shape, I'm thinking a kelp-shaped unit would be nice. Although fish-shaped doesn't sound too bad, either. :D

And Rick, you do have to admit they are uncannily similar. Every other controller out there has a different design. Really and truly they are mostly square, but the Apex even has the same button layout. A bit annoying to me, anyway. ;)

Brandon
 
If something so simple as looks bothers everyone so much, and you actually sit and ponder the issue, call Curt and ask him why he made a black box with buttons on it for the display. The entire archictecture of the controller, the menus, the programming, the energy bars, the base unit, are all completely different. Heaven forbid he make a black plastic display with buttons. At the same time let's start calling car companies and griping at Ford for making a truck with a bed, cab, an engine, and 4 wheels and the same color as one made by Chevrolet. That's just silly and a non-argument in my opinion.

Noteworthy as well is Neptune will have a salinity module out by the end of the year. Granted, it's not out yet, but then again neither is the web based control DA has promised that the Apex already has. Maybe we should start taking shots at DA for "copying Neptune."
 
Well, Zach... you and I have already "discussed" this in person (and at length), so I will suffice it to say that I just want to know why all other controllers don't look like the RKE, but the Apex does? ;)

Brandon
 
because the company that makes Kelp shaped cases was over priced. Kurt just had to contact the supplier of DA's RKE cases and he got a good deal. They were really "cheap" :lol: Of course DA would have came out with the cheap design first.....

But like I said before, DA copied Kurts idea of a Reef controller, bottom line :thumbsup:
 
mixer911 said:
because the company that makes Kelp shaped cases was over priced. Kurt just had to contact the supplier of DA's RKE cases and he got a good deal. They were really "cheap" :lol: Of course DA would have came out with the cheap design first.....

But like I said before, DA copied Kurts idea of a Reef controller, bottom line :thumbsup:
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*snap* oh no he di'int :lmao:
 
Personally, I don't think DA copied Kurts idea of a reef controller at all... they actually said "Lets do one of these with really deep menus so things that need to be done quickly, such as manually turning outlets on and off will take forever to get to."

:D :p

Brandon
 
NeveSSL said:
Personally, I don't think DA copied Kurts idea of a reef controller at all... they actually said "Lets do one of these with really deep menus so things that need to be done quickly, such as manually turning outlets on and off will take forever to get to."

:D :p

Brandon
Click to expand...

I think your right.... one needs to make one with a few basic on/off buttons that can be programed....

But atleast we can control our Neptunes with an iphone app or web simply.... Oh wait, I can see your stats on the RKE, just can't "controll" anything remotely :lol:
 
NeveSSL said:
Personally, I don't think DA copied Kurts idea of a reef controller at all... they actually said "Lets do one of these with really deep menus so things that need to be done quickly, such as manually turning outlets on and off will take forever to get to."

:D :p

Brandon
Click to expand...

mixer911 said:
I think your right.... one needs to make one with a few basic on/off buttons that can be programed....

But atleast we can control our Neptunes with an iphone app or web simply.... Oh wait, I can see your stats on the RKE, just can't "controll" anything remotely :lol:
Click to expand...

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mixer911 said:
I think your right.... one needs to make one with a few basic on/off buttons that can be programed....

But atleast we can control our Neptunes with an iphone app or web simply.... Oh wait, I can see your stats on the RKE, just can't "controll" anything remotely :lol:
Click to expand...

Well, the RKE actually has a module that can be programmed that way, but you'd consider it a "gimmick". ;)

Whats even worse is that you can see them and I can't! :D

Brandon
 
NeveSSL said:
Well, the RKE actually has a module that can be programmed that way, but you'd consider it a "gimmick". ;)

Whats even worse is that you can see them and I can't! :D

Brandon
Click to expand...

AHahahha, I actually like that gimmic.... Finally a usefull one.

I am stalking your stats :p
 
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