Should I get a controller for my 72 gallon bowfront?

Rskillz

Rskillz

New member
Well, I'm a bit on the fence. I'm thinking about getting the Aqua Jr. by Neptune with the temperature probe and the power outlet.

My tank, for flow, is currently running 2 Koralia 1050gph powerheads that just hit the same spots in the tank (mainly SPS areas) and of course the pump, which has 4 outlets via the nozzle locks or whatever they are called (is 4 too much? Is that dividing the power too broadly) ?

I have 2 250w Metal Halide 14k spectrums I run on a analog cheapo timer from about noon til 8. I have 2 110 watt VHOs I run on another cheapo timer from 9 til 9. Then I have 3 Powerbrite LED actinic strips that I run pretty much all day and night.

My temperature is kept by a cheapo, battery powered probe from petco that I don't trust all that much.

With all of that said, do you guys think a controller would help my system? Specifically, would the Wavemaker, alerts, advanced timers to save electricity, better temperature and PH probe be worth the price?

All opinions welcome! :beer:
 
I bought a reefkeeper elite and have never looked back. Its way more than what I need, but I LOVE it. Its especially nice having the temp controller after hearing all of the heater failures people have had.

YES YES.
 
Well, I'm on a budget. I have a child on the way and I've already sunk god knows how much money into this hobby during the half-year I've been in it. Trying to find a used unit if any. The Elite units are just too spendy.
 
I have a reefkeeper lite, and really only use it to monitor the system. I don't trust it to control things such as temp. A ranco off ebay is a much safer choice for a lot less money. As far as timers go, they work fine and are cheap, I still use them. The koralias aren't the best for wavemakers. There are a lot of other things in the system that trump controllers in my opinion. Others will surely have a more knowledgeable response. Good luck.
 
More opinions PLZ! Thinking about ordering the Aqua Jr. with Temp probe and DC8 outlet. Just can't quite pull the trigger:spin2:
 
austin93 said:
I have a reefkeeper lite, and really only use it to monitor the system. I don't trust it to control things such as temp. .
Click to expand...

True, but the reef controllers can work great a s a backup to the Ranco or an alert system should the ranco fail to turn on or off.
 
I would really look at the RK Lites, the ACjr is a bit dated. $100 gets you temp probe and 4 controllable outlets. You can add another 3 modules, be it ph/orp module, other power strips, net, etc. If you ever do outgrow it, you can upgrade to the Elite and expand further.

I would nt even think of a reef tank with no controller. I currently run the RK Elite on my SPS and a RK lite on my planted. Neptunes are great, too, just the ACjr is limited with the newer models out with theu expandability.
 
Dude no doubt pick a used one up from the forum.ACJ's you can get for pretty cheap, i just picked up an RK2 for i think 105 bucks.Well worth the peace of mind that it serves.And it all depends what you want to control for your options.
 
I would second the Reefkeeper Lite for $99. Hard to beat and would handle all the things you mentioned. I have a Reefkeeper Lite, Neptune AC Jr, and a Neptune Apex. I prefer Neptune products, but for simplicity right out of the box, it's hard to beat the Reefkeeper Lite for the price.
 
What's the main thing i will miss buying the Reefkeeper lite over the Jr? Does it have alarms, or can it do web based updates? That stuff sounded helpful on the Neptune products (not sure the Jr could do web-based)

The price is certainly alluring
 
What accessories would I need? I'm guessing that 4 outlets won't be enough for my MHs, VHOs, LEDs, Koralias, etc.
Click to expand...

You can always get another PC4, but that would increase the total price.

Is the PH probe a must have?
Click to expand...

To measure the PH you would need the SL1 or SL2, which means more money. But you can always get that later and measure the PH some other way meanwhile.
 
putitang said:
I have an RKL, its a great basic controller for the money.
Click to expand...

What add ons did you get? I don't think the 4 that come with the level 1 will be enough for me. 1 for MH, 1 for VHO, 2 for my powerheads, and then nothing left for my fans.
 
I have the jr that your interested in. If you can wait go for the apex model. It comes with wifi capabilities for updates and control. The aqua jr can be a pain to update with the serial cable even with finding the special wiring. But I would never got back to control less. It can save you in a jam and give you a piece of mind. The customer service is outstanding from Neptune.
 
Apex is just too pricey. And honestly, I don't think I'd ever need THAT much control. I'm pretty much on top of my tank for maintenance. Wifi is cool though.
 
I can agree with you on that. I believe that it was worth it. If you decided to go with the jr you can hook it up to your computer then monitor and change the settings but that is it except updates which are a pain. In the end you can't go wrong with adding a controller. Let me know if you need any more info on the aqua jr.
 
IMO a controller is a luxury item for the aquarium - especially one your size. With a baby on the way, there are probably many other things that you can spend your money on right now. I know they are nice, but I have yet to put one on my 180. I guess it all depends on your priorities.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

oceangopher
Tankpocalypse Now
Replies
2
Views
160
Reefing102
Reefing102
A
Aquarium Temperature Control: How I Hacked My Air Conditioner to control my tanks temperatures
Replies
6
Views
2K
Naso180
N
T
TM Trigger Systems Platinum V2 Controller
Replies
0
Views
346
tmann51
T
R
some random questions
Replies
1
Views
221
SantaMonica
S
Reefing102
My UPS - Do you have a UPS back up?
Replies
12
Views
1K
tbone28
tbone28
Back
Top