Powerman's 90g thread.

Well, mine is a simple setup. Controllers themselves are quite powerful. The big boys with complicated systems I don't think could do it manually. They certainly could not do it without accidents from time to time.

It really is one of those things that when it is doing it's job, you don't even think about it. But that is the point, the peace of mind that everything isn't going to crash on you somehow. How many people have had some run away kalkwasser or Calcium reactor or heater malfunction kill their whole tank. I would not run any without a controller backing me up. The stability provided isn't bad either.

 

Funny you should say that. See, I have to respectfully disagree here. I think of controllers like calculators to math majors. I once asked my 13 year old neice after watching a news snippet about how "30% of the population" was affected by an earthquake, "How many people was that, if there are 145,000 people on that island?" She looked at me like I was speaking a foreign language. I could have handed her a calculator and said, "Here, now give me the answer." She still wouldn't have known what to do with it.

It's my belief that you must have the requisite knowledge of what happens and why; when it happens and under what circumstances; to successfully employ a controller to control every aspect of your tank.

Now, I know you're not personally running a Ca reactor, or ozone, for example, but if you were--I think you; and anyone else would have greater success with a controller only after having learned first to do these things "by hand."

I'd bet you a dozen Krispy Kreme doughnuts that the lion's share of those who use controllers to govern every aspect of their reef tank, would be able to still do it all tomorrow if someone snuck in their house at night and stole their controller.

 

Lol... krispy kreme doughnuts.

I dont know about this one reefsparky... Theyd be able to do it but not as well. Human error, time dedicated to monitor your system, and not being able to prevent certain things from happening. :-/

Bottom line powerman and reefsparky.... is these controllers are beautiful things. They take worries off your mind.... And let you enjoy Your beautiful coral and fish with out having a constant "hands on" your tank and the girlfriend or wife yells at you because your not spending time with them.

We have thousands invested in equipment. Why not get a controller (cost is only a small fraction of all the money youve invested) that will safely operate all of your equipment with timers, safeties, and the if this happens do this settings.

As soon as powerman went into certain safeties of his controller I was sold. Then reading more into them... I was truly impressed;D.

 

I agree with the spirit of your post. Very knowledgeable folks run very complicated setups with a high degree of success. And of course we got to where we are today by doing it the hard way.

I guess I am just trying to highlight the safety factor. So much equipment is marketed to us that can do this job better, or make this task easier, or to grow this thing better. I sort of look at controllers as a gadget that offers another layer of safety and enhances stability. Not fool proof mind you, but another layer. Safety and stability are not that glamorous next to the shinny new Turbonator 5000, but important none the less.

 

Just some Tank porn. Got some new encrusting Monti. He called it Jedi mind trick. Whatever. It looks cool. I want it to encrust my shelf.



I got a Hammer too. It was really dark purple in his frag tank, but it looks very light in mine. Hope that changes.



This Frog spawn was DEAD in November. I got it from my LFS owners tank. All the main heads dies, only two baby heads lived. Tiny. Here she is today.



One head on my Acan got roughed up and isn't doing well, the rest is though. it will be good. I really like the mint/purple colors.



and a gratuitous tank shot after some maintenance yesterday.



I'm just jazzed because this should be here tomorrow

 

The tank looks FANTASTIC!

 

Once again, NICE!!

 

Darn it. No skimmer till Monday.

 

Isn't it just like being told your liver transplant fell through?

 

LOL

Congrats on the new skimmer Kevin. Make sure you take pics of the junk it blows out of the water ;D Awesome new corals as well.

What are you doing with the bubble king?