What controller, if any, would fit my system best?

[Extremeengineer]

So I have been struggling with the controller or no controller question. I have a new in the box APEX Lite, which I had a thread on here, but it seems it might be a hassle to adapt to new technology. I wish the Energy Bar 8 in it could be used as a good power strip, but as it is relay controlled it would not make sense. So here is what I have now:

75g, with lids, so not planning on an ATO. Tank is in our LR, wife says lids, so I can live with that trade-off.
2 Vortech MP10mQD, so will run those off Mobius app
2 Radion XR15 Pro, again, Mobius app
Innovative Marine Helio with redundant elements, so was not planning on another monitor with them.
1 Vortech and the heater will be running off a 600wH battery back up
Fluval FX6, so no sump
Tunze 9004 in tank skimmer

As I am doing corals, down the road I may need dosing, so that's a valid get a controller reason, but right now I just don't know what I gain, other than leak detection alarm, and with no sump I'm at less risk for that.

I feel like maybe just an individually switched power strip may be my best option right now. I know the DJ rack mounts seem popular here, but I noticed someone on one of the forums took one apart, and it was not well built, so maybe my best bet is to order one online.

Or should I get a base controller now that I can then upgrade later? I don't want to have a similar situation to my APEX Lite, where in a couple of years it's old technology, so just hoping for some perspectives here. Thanks

 

[n2585722]

So I have been struggling with the controller or no controller question. I have a new in the box APEX Lite, which I had a thread on here, but it seems it might be a hassle to adapt to new technology. I wish the Energy Bar 8 in it could be used as a good power strip, but as it is relay controlled it would not make sense. So here is what I have now:

75g, with lids, so not planning on an ATO. Tank is in our LR, wife says lids, so I can live with that trade-off.
2 Vortech MP10mQD, so will run those off Mobius app
2 Radion XR15 Pro, again, Mobius app
Innovative Marine Helio with redundant elements, so was not planning on another monitor with them.
1 Vortech and the heater will be running off a 600wH battery back up
Fluval FX6, so no sump
Tunze 9004 in tank skimmer

As I am doing corals, down the road I may need dosing, so that's a valid get a controller reason, but right now I just don't know what I gain, other than leak detection alarm, and with no sump I'm at less risk for that.

I feel like maybe just an individually switched power strip may be my best option right now. I know the DJ rack mounts seem popular here, but I noticed someone on one of the forums took one apart, and it was not well built, so maybe my best bet is to order one online.

Or should I get a base controller now that I can then upgrade later? I don't want to have a similar situation to my APEX Lite, where in a couple of years it's old technology, so just hoping for some perspectives here. Thanks

The Hydros system instead of a main brain and several modules has each module that can run as a stand alone controller or in a collective of controller. In a collective they share all information so it is like one large controller that is the some of all member controllers. You can get one of the smaller starter packs. They even have one that is a monitor only package but just adding a wifi strip or a controller with outputs will allow you to start controlling things when ready. As far a battery backup I don't think I would bother with heaters since that will drain a battery quickly. That would require a large battery and water flow is a lot more essential. As long as the temp dose not change rapidly you should be ok without the heaters. Just be careful that they are not large enough to change the temp back up quickly. A few years ago we had a rolling blackout that lasted a week. The outside temp was below 32 degrees that whole time. The power was out 50% of the time. It would vary between 1 hour on 1 hour off to 4.5 hours on and 4.5 hours off. My tank got just below 70 degrees and once power was restored it took 2 days to get it back up to the 76 degrees that the heaters were set. I did not loose an corals or fish but my MP10's had a battery backup and continued to run that whole time.

 

[Extremeengineer]

@n2585722 Thanks, I looked around at the Hydros, and I do like the modularity and the app control. I like that I could get a pretty simple package now, but that doesn't really limit me long term, as you mentioned. Initially I think I'd use it as more of a monitor, mainly alerts for temp and leak detection, so it looks like the Control X3 Monitor Pack would give me the detector with temp monitor and ph monitor. If I added a Power 4 I could put some of the devices, probably FX6, Tunze and in cabinet LED strips on it right now.

 

[Dragen Fiend]

Hydros Launch. For me its the right price for smaller tanks without breaking the bank.

salinity/PH sensor, 4 outlets, 4 (12) drive ports and 1 (10v) plus the sense ports for things like skimmer, ATO dosers etc. Its a nice step down from the X10 which is the only other controller with a salinity probe.

The reason I am going towards Hydros is how the ecosystem is designed. Its a scale up system. You can buy what you need and save. Plus the high availability side with the collective is also a really good failsafe.

 

[brennyn21]

You may want to check out Reef Angel, they've been in business for a very long time and their controllers work great.

The reason why I say Reef Angel is because their products are inexpensive compared to others, and you don't get locked into an ecosystem as they are open source. (I currently use mine to control my hydros wave engine)

You don't have to know programming as their webwizard has a GUI where you select what you have and it does the coding for you.

Just thought i would share another option!

 

[Extremeengineer]

Well I bought an XP8. Yes, if I was not at all factoring in $$ I would have chosen a Launch and a Kraken, but I just could not justify 6 times the money of the XP8. I will add on to the XP8, likely a Control XS or Control X2, but initially the XP8 gives me a good starting platform.

 

[n2585722]

Well I bought an XP8. Yes, if I was not at all factoring in $$ I would have chosen a Launch and a Kraken, but I just could not justify 6 times the money of the XP8. I will add on to the XP8, likely a Control XS or Control X2, but initially the XP8 gives me a good starting platform.

Just remember the XP8 has no inputs on it so you cannot control any of the outputs on it using a input until you get a controller with inputs and create a collective with the XP8 and then add the new controller to the collective. You will also need the terminators and a command bus cable to connect the controllers together. The command bus is how the controllers communicate with each other in the collective. Once they are in a collective they will act like a controller with the sum of all inputs and outputs of the member controllers.

 

[Extremeengineer]

Just remember the XP8 has no inputs on it so you cannot control any of the outputs on it using a input until you get a controller with inputs and create a collective with the XP8 and then add the new controller to the collective. You will also need the terminators and a command bus cable to connect the controllers together. The command bus is how the controllers communicate with each other in the collective. Once they are in a collective they will act like a controller with the sum of all inputs and outputs of the member controllers.

My understanding is I can use the app to control the XP8, each outlet independently, I just cannot have it make input dependent decisions, outside of current draw based decisions. So right now where I have 2 MP10 and 2 XR15 on Mobius, an FX6 canister, a Helios heater set up, Tunze in tank skimmer and in cabinet lighting, I do not have much that I would program. When I am ready to add other things, I just need to evaluate what I intend to do in the collective to choose the right device to pair with the XP8. With 8 devices I want on the controller, I'd have had to start with 2 4 outlet wifi and some sort of controller device, so this seemed the better first step for how I am moving into this.

 

[n2585722]

Yes, you can do that by overriding them from off, auto or on or you can setup a schedule using the generic output type if you want one on at a specific time. You can also do multiple times as long as they are on the same length each time and happen at the same time interval, You can do it with they are different bout it would require more outputs as timers and a combiner output type to combine them and actually turn on the output port. You will have to setup an output on any port to use that port but there is a constant output type you can use that will be always on or always off depending on how it is setup. You can still override it to on or off though.

 

[GlassMunky]

So I have been struggling with the controller or no controller question. I have a new in the box APEX Lite, which I had a thread on here, but it seems it might be a hassle to adapt to new technology. I wish the Energy Bar 8 in it could be used as a good power strip, but as it is relay controlled it would not make sense. So here is what I have now:

75g, with lids, so not planning on an ATO. Tank is in our LR, wife says lids, so I can live with that trade-off.
2 Vortech MP10mQD, so will run those off Mobius app
2 Radion XR15 Pro, again, Mobius app
Innovative Marine Helio with redundant elements, so was not planning on another monitor with them.
1 Vortech and the heater will be running off a 600wH battery back up
Fluval FX6, so no sump
Tunze 9004 in tank skimmer

As I am doing corals, down the road I may need dosing, so that's a valid get a controller reason, but right now I just don't know what I gain, other than leak detection alarm, and with no sump I'm at less risk for that.

I feel like maybe just an individually switched power strip may be my best option right now. I know the DJ rack mounts seem popular here, but I noticed someone on one of the forums took one apart, and it was not well built, so maybe my best bet is to order one online.

Or should I get a base controller now that I can then upgrade later? I don't want to have a similar situation to my APEX Lite, where in a couple of years it's old technology, so just hoping for some perspectives here. Thanks

i dont see the issue with you using the apex lite. im still running one on an old biocube and can stills ee and do everything i need.
you dont want anything fancy as your lights and stuff are all already on their own app, so really its just maybe dosing down the line, apex can do taht on the equipment you have. im using the 1.1ml dosers from BRS on them currently for my 220 tank as well.

im not a huge fan of neptune as a company anymore but if you already have the stuff, why spend the extra money on a new controller when you could spend it on corals or fish.