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NAB
10-29-2013, 09:49 AM
Hi guys and gals,

After looking into heater controllers, we thought maybe we could be proactive and get an aqua controller. I guess the idea that it could expand to control and monitor just about anything you could ever want to.

I guess my question would be which of the models would suffice. I know they have a Jr, Lite and the big daddy.
Prices on the jr and Lite are less expensive but the price would climb as you add modules and probes to probably the same price as the full-blown one. I guess I'm trying to see if we should just get the full Apex one or would that be overkill for any freshwater application.

Also, is anyone here using one? Which model is it? And how do you like it?

dkeef
10-29-2013, 02:26 PM
u would get more answers from reefcentral than here. tons of ppl in RC use it but rarely here...

NAB
10-29-2013, 02:40 PM
I was thinking about asking over there but wanted to get things from a freshwater perspective. If I mentioned freshwater over there, I'm sure they'd give me a hard time.

I do know that people love the Ranco's but was wondering whether to just get those or think ahead to other possibilities like the aqua controller.

So not many folks are using them in freshwater applications? Hmm.

Second Hand Pat
10-29-2013, 02:55 PM
Nab, PM Len_S. He uses one of these.

dkeef
10-29-2013, 03:34 PM
i have ranco but now that im thinking of using a controller it was a waste of money.

u can also look into digital reefkeeper lite for only $119. it comes with temp controller already. its worth way more than ranco IMO

but if u wanna automate everything then id go for the aquacontroller. their customer service is way better than digital reefkeepers. ppl in reef dont even buy digital reefkeeper but i considered it for freshwater application cuz its so cheap.

For saltwater u really need aquacontroller but it could be overkill for freshwater.

Len
10-29-2013, 04:24 PM
I have the Jr, but wish I would have went with at least the lite. The jr limits the number of expamsion modules to 5 weheras the others don't. The Jr also only has a built in port for a temp probe, and not a pH probe so if you want to monitor pH you have to but a module (PM1) to do this. The probes are the same no matter which controller you choose.

All that being said, I love my controller and plan on getting one of the larger ones with more modules when time allows. You ca monitor/control as many tanks as you like and have historical data to refer to and compare.


Hi guys and gals,

After looking into heater controllers, we thought maybe we could be proactive and get an aqua controller. I guess the idea that it could expand to control and monitor just about anything you could ever want to.

I guess my question would be which of the models would suffice. I know they have a Jr, Lite and the big daddy.
Prices on the jr and Lite are less expensive but the price would climb as you add modules and probes to probably the same price as the full-blown one. I guess I'm trying to see if we should just get the full Apex one or would that be overkill for any freshwater application.

Also, is anyone here using one? Which model is it? And how do you like it?

DiscusOnly
10-29-2013, 04:30 PM
Hi guys and gals,

After looking into heater controllers, we thought maybe we could be proactive and get an aqua controller. I guess the idea that it could expand to control and monitor just about anything you could ever want to.

I guess my question would be which of the models would suffice. I know they have a Jr, Lite and the big daddy.
Prices on the jr and Lite are less expensive but the price would climb as you add modules and probes to probably the same price as the full-blown one. I guess I'm trying to see if we should just get the full Apex one or would that be overkill for any freshwater application.

Also, is anyone here using one? Which model is it? And how do you like it?

The main question is what are you planning to control?

I have an Aqua Controller III. I've been using it for a few years now.

It is a great controller but really an overkill for fresh water. Sure I can have individual control for Lights, CO2, Air, Heat and whatever I wan to thinking of (even auto water change with pump). I started playing with it a few years ago when I set up a planted tank. It works well, and have been running for a few years. So good that I stopped monitoring it. I used to have the software on the iPhone that control/monitor the tank fron anywhere there is an Internet connection. The last time I used it? Almost 2 years ago.. LOL

My tank is still running with all the settings I had before. The only thing I control is lights, air pump, heater and CO2. Quite honestly, I don't touch the tanks for weeks at a time (to top off). Only when I do water change (6-8 months) do I shut off the power and restart everything.

While it's a great gadget, it's not cheap (at least a few years ago). The fancy version was the Apex back then and it was about $500.

So the question remains. What do you want to control? If it's reef, it makes more sense as people try to replicate sunrise, sunset and moon phase.

Van

NAB
10-29-2013, 05:50 PM
Thanks for the info guys.

Not really sure how much we want to control at this point as we are new to the hobby. I knew we wanted to have the heaters on some type of safety so if one got stuck on and the tank temp started to rise, it would turn it off. Temp and pH would probably be nice to monitor so we can understand natural fluctuations and dynamics of our system. Not sure if lighting would come into play later...would be nice to simulate real time light cycles. Maybe even monitor if a power failure happened and if the battery backup kicked in or not. Certainly one of these is a must for saltwater setups as they have a lot more to monitor but I wondered if freshwater folks have adopted them...especially in dealing with more fish like discus. After all, I'm sure many folks have about $1k worth of fish swimming in their tank and would be devastated if they died.

I think I will go with the overkill and get the full version. I think it still runs about $500+ but we have that much in fish already.

Thanks again.

DiscusOnly
10-29-2013, 08:41 PM
Thanks for the info guys.

Not really sure how much we want to control at this point as we are new to the hobby. I knew we wanted to have the heaters on some type of safety so if one got stuck on and the tank temp started to rise, it would turn it off. Temp and pH would probably be nice to monitor so we can understand natural fluctuations and dynamics of our system. Not sure if lighting would come into play later...would be nice to simulate real time light cycles. Maybe even monitor if a power failure happened and if the battery backup kicked in or not. Certainly one of these is a must for saltwater setups as they have a lot more to monitor but I wondered if freshwater folks have adopted them...especially in dealing with more fish like discus. After all, I'm sure many folks have about $1k worth of fish swimming in their tank and would be devastated if they died.

I think I will go with the overkill and get the full version. I think it still runs about $500+ but we have that much in fish already.

Thanks again.

If you are new to the discus hobby. Save your money and invest is good heaters and water changing device.

That's all you will need. You don't want any automation yet. Why are you interested in controlling your pH? Are you doing co2 dosing?

As stated earlier, my planted tank is on the aqua controller. That is an almost maintenance free tank. All I do is add tap water to top off evaporation every 2 weeks. With that said, I don't have discus in the tank. Only shoaling fish and shrimps with a natural looking heavily planted that is never trimmed. 80% water change every 6 months or so.

Len
10-29-2013, 08:59 PM
I don't think he said he wanted to control pH, but monitor it.

FischAutoTechGarten
10-29-2013, 11:44 PM
I don't think he said he wanted to control pH, but monitor it.

Years ago I had the Neptune AquaContoller and the Aquadyne Octopus3000 controllers. In those days Neptune was haunted with calibration drifting...so I ended up selling it and using the Aquadyne. I played with it for a few years and then eventually sold it all. Just lost my zeal for automating everything just because I could.

Now, my work has me back in wáter quality measures and micro-electronics... so guess what? as a side Project I am building my own Aquarium Controller. So I revisited Neptune and Aquadyne.... and the tables have turned.... Neptune really has a solid product... I am very impressed by the flexibility they've achieved from a hardware standpoint.... you can really mix and match. Their software... I'm certain I will never achieve this level of maturity with my homegrown Controller..... remote connectivity via Wifi, Wireless, or BlueTooth.... it's all way down on my priority lists.... But Neptune already has it.... Getting back to the mix and match... it looks like the Lite is probably a mínimum starting point as the junior almost matches it in Price once you go beyond temperatura. I studied what was out there to see if there was any potential market for what I'm building...none whatsoever... my bill of materials is too high... I could never reach the balance of affordability and expandability these guys have achieved with the Ápex Lite.

All of that said... I vote with the other guys who are telling you to invest in good hardware (heaters) and find a way to make wáter changes easy (so that you will stay on top of them). Enjoy the fish.

Disclaimer... I'm currently without any Discus whatsoever...and have been for about 8 years now. So my advise is from another time and place.

dkeef
10-29-2013, 11:51 PM
Can controller experts list all the most practical uses for freshwater?

FischAutoTechGarten
10-29-2013, 11:52 PM
If you really want to have fun.... try these prototyping tools from Atlas-Scientific:
https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/components/raspberry-pi-shield.html
or
https://www.atlas-scientific.com/product_pages/components/arduino-shield.html

Have a little fun developing your own rudimentary controllers using a Rasberry-Pi or Arduino UNO....

FischAutoTechGarten
10-30-2013, 12:00 AM
Can controller experts list all the most practical uses for freshwater?

One of the things I want to do in Software is simulate sun rise/set and moon phases (dim leds at night). I'd also like to simulate rainstorms..... drop water level for a day... raise temp 1 degF.. then dimming lights...lightening flashes... clouds moving over (need allot of independent dimmable lighting channels to do that).. etc.... big wáter change.....with lots of wáter introduced a full 1 degF cooler than the aquarium... might be fun to see if that encourages any different behavior in the fish... With my controller.. I will have control of what's going on in my aged wáter containers as well (get the temp/pH in line before introduction).

I think I did a Survey... let me see if I can find it an link to it:

OK.. found it:
http://forum.simplydiscus.com/showthread.php?103575-Meaningful-Ambient-Air-Water-Column-variables-to-measure-and-control&p=975113&highlight=#post975113

Len
10-30-2013, 01:08 AM
Can controller experts list all the most practical uses for freshwater?

The same applications that apply in salt water pretty much apply in fresh water. pH, temp, conductivity, orp. Water leak sensors to let you know if there is water leaking o the floor (how many threas have we seen about that just lately?). I also like the fact that I can control my lighting and have historical data and graphing to compare to events happening at a point in time and at some point, automate water changes.

NAB
10-30-2013, 09:02 AM
The 125 gallon is not drilled and there is no sump setup (I would have gone with a drilled tank but it's not my tank *shrug*) so there is no ATO or need for a flood sensor I guess. She bought 2 Eheim Jager heathers for it but knows that all heaters are prone to failure and doesn't want to cook the fish and so in looking at controllers for heaters, we thought why not have the option to control other things. Not that we haveto control everything but the option is there to grow whereas the Rancos, although great, only control the heaters. So Rancos would run about $150 (assuming you need one per heater $75 ea)
and the aqua controllers start at about $200? I was just trying if others were using the Apex in freshwater applications and if it would be a good idea to plan ahead and get one. Sounds like you can't really go wrong if you get one. Sure there is a pricepoint but the fish in the tank easily justify it the first time it saves their hides.

I am estimating that there will be about $1000-$1500+ worth of discus in the 125 by the time we are done and that would be a huge loss and since they are an investment and heaters are prone to failure, we'd like to limit they ways in which a loss can happen.

Thanks for the viewpoints guys, I think, even though it is technically overkill for freshwater, that we will go with the Apex.

I should say that we are in the process of moving the water aging barrel next to the aquarium for convenience. We will use the python to fill it and also to remove water from the tank for changes. In the aging barrel I will have an adjustable Eheim pump to fill the aquarium back up.