Why should I get a controller for my tank

[theshaman]

It seems like temperature monitoring is one of the main reasons for a controller.
I just picked up an ink bird to control my tank temp settings.

 

[jda]

I don't use one. It has nothing to do with cost or having to program it. I don't trust a hobby grade temp probe - they are toys compared to something like a Ranco. ORP and PH are a waste of time. Other than a few fringe features that nearly nobody uses or really aren't that useful, they end up being expensive light timers. Some of the "problems" that they are said to solve are not really "problems" at all.

I have no venom for folks who love them. They can really keep folks into their tanks. However, don't kid yourself and say that it is for the corals and fish... they are for the hobbyist.

High grade equipment does not fail all that often. All critical equipment needs to be redundant. Have a heater in the tank along with some flow pumps and your tank will never get cold or get low on oxygen. A tank can live without a skimmer or sump for a while if you lose a return pump, but there are literally dozens of pumps that have 10+ year lifespans and proven track records. Now that I think about it, folks should probably do all of this even if they do have a controller.

BTW - Ink Bird is also hobby grade - there are posts about them failing in the "on" position. Please get a Ranco or use heaters with internal thermostats. Rancos are not even expensive.

 

[grigsy]

You don't need one IMO.

 

[homer1475]

I always LOL when I see these threads posted, they always end up the same. t

Those that love their controllers show up and say why you NEED one. Then the others that have been in the hobby for years and see no use to use one, or to flame those that do have one by saying their just justifying their purchase.

Again I LOLED!

 

[exsequor]

Pretty sure he meant the apex notified him when temps got to 75 degrees and he intervened before it could get any lower.

Yeah having a heater fry up is the reason Im considering a controller. I use a doser but no controller

 

[allicassydanny]

I love the feed mode feature, makes it very convenient to feed fish and corals and not worry about forgetting to turn things back on. I often use this feature when I am not at home from my phone and my wife is feeding for me.

 

[allicassydanny]

My temperatures commonly fluctuate from 75 to 78 degrees, and sometimes even much more extreme. Never an issue. Obviously you don't want your water temp to drop below 72 or above 86, but beyond that I feel like it's being a little dramatic to say it SAVED your tank in this instance. 75 degrees is not radically cold, and any fish or coral we keep could probably handle this shift if it was a gradual as 1-3 hours.

I mean for gosh sakes have you ever felt micro current temperature spikes and dips while swimming / snorkeling / or diving in the actual ocean?

Just making a point, with my furnace set to 65 when everyone is a sleep and I am on a 13 hour night shift it could have been a disaster so yes my Apex SAVED my tank. To each is own, I like gadgets, some people don't. IMO, the best reef purchase I have made in my 20+ years of reefing. I definitely recommend them.

 

[mike810]

Nobody needs a controller, a reef tank can be run perfectly fine without a controller. However I like the convenience a controller brings and connectivity to my tank even when I am away from it.

 

[PhreeBYrd]

Yeah having a heater fry up is the reason Im considering a controller. I use a doser but no controller

Keep in mind that heater controllers can also fail. Every heater controller (including heaters with integrated thermostats) has its own temperature probe or sensor. If the probe/sensor fails, even on a dedicated controller, the heater can run away and overheat the tank. For any system, redundant sensors (at least 2) should be used to monitor the tank temperature.

Don't ask me how I know this...