Weekly Discussion - Controllers

[Anonymous]

Weekly Discussion - Controllers

What do you think about using a single controller to control the electrical of your system?
Do you? Why or why not?

About the RDO Weekly Discussion:
This discussion is meant to get at your experience and to share information that is in your head, so don't necessarily treat it as information gathering. State your opinion and, if available, use material, anecdotal or otherwise, that will back up your opinion.
Past weekly discussions will be archived in the archives.
If you have topics that you think would be helpful for the RDO community to discuss, please send me a pm or start your own thread! :mrgreen:

 

[Anonymous]

I don't use one because the idea of a centralized controller scares me. I have had enough timers go bad to really worry about having one thing control everything. I really like the functionality, but I am too much of a redundancy freak to go that route.

 

[dougc]

My next tank WILL have a Neptune controller. The very reason to use one is to have redundancy. The controller acts as the primary on-off switch for heaters, chillers, and lights. With heaters and chillers, the built-in thermostats act as a backup if the Neptune should fail. I will install an alarm module to alert me of any problems. After the tank has been set up for a while, complacency sets in and problems can go undetected until the effects are seen in the tank. Problems with heaters played a role in the crash of my last tank and I am determined not to succumb to that problem again.

 

[Len]

Considering what the neptune does, it's really not a bad deal if you can afford the initial cost. It's a light controller (with seasonal simulation), a moon-light controller, a pH monitor and controller, a ORP monitor and controller, an accurate temperature controller, a wavemaker, a fully programmable timer (for misc equipment like kalkreactor stirrers), and an accurate, complete data logger. If you plan on employing 3-4 functions listed above, it's ultimately cheaper (and better) just to get a all-in-one controller.

In the last 5 years or so, the Aquacontrollers I've owned have never failed on me before except for a burnt out X-10 on an outdoor chiller, not really the fault of the controller nor affecting its other functions. I fully trust its dependability.

My tank couldn't have succeeded without my Neptune - literally. Basically, I needed a full monitoring and controlling device because I was away from the tank for extended periods of time (upwards of a week). Without my controller,

 

[Anonymous]

I only use industrial controller because I try to stay away from X10 product. Just a personal preference.

 

[Eryl Flynn]

I am trying to convince the master of finances (ie girlfriend) that we should get a controller. I figure for the over all cost it takes alot of the work out of it for us, and all we have to do is check the stats daily to weekly and occasionally manually test to confirm it is working.

How important and how much work do you think they remove from the hobby?

 

[Anonymous]

I use cheap appliance timers. They are cheap and dependable. I dabbled with X-10's for a while but didn't like that fact that if the computer screwed up, it could screw everything up. With cheap timer you just have to accept that you have to readjust the time after a power outage or time change.

Louey

 

[73ChargerFan]

I only use industrial controller because I try to stay away from X10 product. Just a personal preference.

What kind? Do you have any links?

 

[Anonymous]

I do not use one currently, but would like to get one. I like the idea of have a controller and data recorder in one. I would like to have somthing that does not rely on X-10 though.

 

[bentwookie]

Anyone know anything about the AMACS controller? I was interested in it mostly because it didn't rely on X10. It's a bit more expensive however.

http://www.automatedaquariums.com/starter.htm

 

[liquid]

That's a new one to me. I've never seen that before...

I wish I had the coin to be able to purchase something like this as I can see how it would be an asset to maintaining a tank. However since I'm poor, I stick to using inexpensive appliance timers. So far they haven't failed me and I've used them for kalk stirring, lighting, powerheads, etc. Maybe someday when I win the lottery...

Shane

 

[playfair]

Once you have a controller you don't know how you lived without one!
I use ACII, but have no loyalty to Neptune as there is plenty of bugs to deal with. There are options to avoid X-10 modules, but I haven't had too much of a problem with them.

I did the appliance timer thing for a couple years, but got sick of dealing with 6 of them that were dependent on each other (2 sets of tank lights, moon light, refuge light, top off solenoid, kalk rxr stir). The digital ones aren't that cheap either. Having a single clock to control everything is great. Then there are the other bennies mentioned above... I don't think a controller saves you work (sorry Eyrl), but it will simplify many tasks. One is monitoring heating and cooling so you can experiment with making the system more efficient. For example, fans shouldn't be on when the heater is. Another BIG one is the alarm feature, with lets you know if a parameter is out of wack when you aren't with the tank, and some actions can be taken- light turning lights off if the temp gets too high.

 

[-JB]

Anyone know anything about the AMACS controller? I was interested in it mostly because it didn't rely on X10. It's a bit more expensive however.

http://www.automatedaquariums.com/starter.htm

Neptune systems sells hardwired solutions that hook into their AQ2 if you don't want to go the X-10 route. I have my lighting, heaters and chiller on them, the rest is on x-10. No problems.

 

[reefman101]

I use a Medusa dual controller to control the heater and the cooling fan. It has worked great for 4 years. I turn the pumps off to feed the fish. Because I keep the temperature probe in the overflow, if I forget to turn the pumps on the temperature alarm goes off. I am not sure I would trust makeup water levels to a single controller. I do not find pH critical enough to be worth calibrating the probe every few months and replacing it every few years.

 

[down&dirty]

I know that I am chimming in a little late for a weekly discussion, but I am actually currently in the process of building my own controller that will take care of the heaters, pumps, lights (day and night), vent fans, and will also have 2 float sensors that alarm me of the water levels in the sump and main tank. All controlled by a simple processor and switched using industrial relays. I would love to add Ph meters but I haven't found one that can actually stay in the water and get good readings. they all need to be calibrated in known solutions.

 

[Veng68]

I use a Medusa dual controller to control the heater and the cooling fan. It has worked great for 4 years. I turn the pumps off to feed the fish. Because I keep the temperature probe in the overflow, if I forget to turn the pumps on the temperature alarm goes off. I am not sure I would trust makeup water levels to a single controller. I do not find pH critical enough to be worth calibrating the probe every few months and replacing it every few years.

WHat are the intervals of maintenance with the probes and how often do you replace them?

Cheers,
Vic [Veng68]