Reef Controllers?

Thanks everyone for the useful info ill have to do some shopping but not buying anything for a bit.

 

Don t want to sound stupid but what is a controller, what does it do and what are the advantage of having one.
Thanks

 

A controller is essentially a small computer that lets you activate and deactivate power outlets or monitor various sensors. You can also control power outlets via timer, or due to feedback from the sensors.
The feedback could be temperature, pH ORP, water level etc...

For example, maybe you want to have a fan on an outlet turn on if the temperature gets too hot. Or turn off the heater, if the heater malfunctions and the tank starts to get too hot.

Basically it's a central brain for your system. This can be good or bad. If you rely on it entirely, you can run into problems if it malfunctions. However, it can be used in conjunction with other pieces of equipment to add redundancy, such as the heater example.

 

I'm using the RK lite. I think the APEX is better, but I didn't want to shell out the money right away. The benefit to the RK is that they let you upgrade latter. You can do a lot with the RK lite though if you don't need special modules.

For example, I have ph, ORP, 2 x temperature probes, 2 x power strips; 1 upstairs at the main display and 1 at the sump. Also, 2 water level sensors, (although I still need to install them) one will be on the main display and 1 on a lower 2nd display I have before the sump. If either overflows the return pump is shut off.

I have a separate ATO, with kalk, but it's plugged into the power strip and controlled by the pH monitor.

I still have room for 1 more module, such as another power-strip, or salinity monitor, or net module etc.... After that, I'd need to upgrade.

The Apex definitely has more though and is compatible in price if you have the money to shell out to begin with. If I hadn't gone overboard on the rest of the system, I would have gone that route. However, for what I wanted, it was around $1000K. With a few minor sacrifices, such as no .net module, I was able to get the RK lite for something like $300 with everything I listed and it does most of what I want, with the ability to upgrade latter.

 

Dang that makes it sound way worth it lol So with your kalk and ato you just set it up with your pH monitor and it drips when needed? So set aside some funds for a Apex it records also right? I assume it would

 

yes the apex will also do that

 

I would assume the APEX would do that considering the Aquacontroller JR from neptune sys does that as well. They even have codes if you run c02 as well.

 

Yeah, keeps the pH pretty stable. I just have it set to turn off when the pH hits 8.3 and stay off until its back to 8.2. So keeps it pretty stable.

The Apex has a net connection built in, you can even control it remotely via the internet. The RK does have some free software you can download, called MyReef, to do much of the same stuff. You don't need the .net module to do it actually, but you do need the controller hooked up to a dedicated computer. Maybe not a bad way to go if you have a spare computer lying around. I haven't tried it though. I've heard the Apex version works better however.