What do you use your controller for?

[E.intheC]

I just received my controller and will be setting this up tonight.
Obviously these can control temp, monitor pH, control lights, dosers, allow you to control and monitor your tank with a phone, etc. What do you use your controller for?

If you want to post which controller you have that's great, but the point of this thread is to share your ideas and maybe come up with redundancies, safety features, etc and also come up new things to control/monitor.

Thanks.

 

[Widdy]

Neptune Apex

Temp
Heater
Lighter (just on/off, 2x Kessil A350)
pH
Calcium Reactor w/2nd pH probe
Leak Detection w/4 sensors
Vortech control for 2x MP40wES via WXM module
Aqualifter pump for ATO (every hour on the hour for 10min max)

Which controller did you get?

 

[Custom05Taco]

Aqualfter pump great idea!

 

[edd]

rkl elite

lights, on/off
temp for heaters
return pump, skimmer for stand by
ph for cal reactor
ato redundency
have another float switch I'm going to use to shut pumps if water level drops too low.

 

[lnevo]

Lights heater skimmer reactors
feed mode
vortech control
sump level monitoring
automatic water change
automate ato refilling
Dosing
Maintenance counter/reminders
Photoperiod Acclimation schedule for new coral
Vacation mode (top off the top off...)
AutoFeeder control
Temp/pH monitoring
Skimmate container monitoring
ATO reservoir level monitoring
Shutdown unused equip during power outage when switching to ups power

More planned...

 

[Moneymaks24]

Fan

 

[Pseudo]

Halides
T5's
Vortechs
Return pump
ATO floats
Top off peristaltic pumps (dual for DT and frag Tank)
ATO tank monitor
Frag tank lights, return, skimmer, ato and vortech
Chiller
In room air conditioner
dosing
calcium reactor and co2
Ozone reactor and generator
ATO RO/DI unit with pressure switch/solenoid backup
Leak Detection 3 modules
Tank sump fan temp control

Maybe some things I forgot

 

[Moneymaks24]

Turn the lights off on my living room every 5 minutes just coz I can.

 

[E.intheC]

Neptune Apex

Temp
Heater
Lighter (just on/off, 2x Kessil A350)
pH
Calcium Reactor w/2nd pH probe
Leak Detection w/4 sensors
Vortech control for 2x MP40wES via WXM module
Aqualifter pump for ATO (every hour on the hour for 10min max)

Which controller did you get?

How do you like the ATO part of it?

As for me, I got an Apex Lite (I heard they're discontinuing the Lite models, by the way).

To start, I'm going to use the Controller for temp control and I'll plug in my return pump, two Vortech MP10s, skimmer, and my Radion, just so I can access them via phone or iPad.

I plan on ordering the leak detection module, two dosing pumps, and hopefully Neptune will release the Fusion software so I can fully control the Radion.

Lots of good ideas so far. Keep them coming.

 

[Widdy]

How do you like the ATO part of it?

As for me, I got an Apex Lite (I heard they're discontinuing the Lite models, by the way).

To start, I'm going to use the Controller for temp control and I'll plug in my return pump, two Vortech MP10s, skimmer, and my Radion, just so I can access them via phone or iPad.

I plan on ordering the leak detection module, two dosing pumps, and hopefully Neptune will release the Fusion software so I can fully control the Radion.

Lots of good ideas so far. Keep them coming.

Works well. My ATO is DIY'd with 2 float switches for redundancy with a low voltage relay and on alarm at the upper most float switch (similar to autotopoff.com's dual float w/low voltage option). For another line of redundancy, should both float switches fail, the aqualifter is only allowed to come on for no more than 10 minutes. I can probably decrease the time to maybe 5-7 minutes.

ATO via the Apex breakout box will offer much more flexibility.

 

[d5332]

really? hmmm, you forgot salinity and sand stirring, geezzzz

I keep looking at this controller in preparation to start traveling.

What is your opinion on their tech support?

Lights heater skimmer reactors
feed mode
vortech control
sump level monitoring
automatic water change
automate ato refilling
Dosing
Maintenance counter/reminders
Photoperiod Acclimation schedule for new coral
Vacation mode (top off the top off...)
AutoFeeder control
Temp/pH monitoring
Skimmate container monitoring
ATO reservoir level monitoring
Shutdown unused equip during power outage when switching to ups power

More planned...

 

[E.intheC]

From what I've read and heard, their tech support is outstanding.

 

[lnevo]

really? hmmm, you forgot salinity and sand stirring, geezzzz



I keep looking at this controller in preparation to start traveling.



What is your opinion on their tech support?

I'll get a salinity module one of these days...but with the ATO..its pretty stable. Sand stirring lol...thats what my goby is for.

I did leave out the geographically based lunar and solar schedule. Dosing by volume (so I set ml to dose and the controller converts it to seconds based on the calibrated speed...) and my refugium light control as well.

Considering I'm one of the ppl that give tech support on the forum, I'd rate it top notch. As far as hardware support Roberto is pretty on point and great when it comes to RMA. Usually you get answers very fast from him or others on the forum very quickly.

It's an open source platform and since its programmed in C/C++ it can do whatever you want. Both of those were key for me to choose RA.

I just came back from 7 days of vacation. Everything did great and the controller handled a power outage we had on the first day away like a champ. I got the alert when things came back online and had my friend ready to drop by, but everything ran smooth for the rest of the week. Came back to growth tips everywhere

 

[Geraud]

Neptune Apex.
- control lights
- dosing pumps
- alarms for levels, plus leak detection
- coming next month: calcium reactor (with pH probe)
Lights etc are depending on parameters: pH too high = no Alk dosing, no light, etc.

And coming soon: an RKL to measure pH and temperature independently, and possibly "reboot" the Apex.

 

[ECFENCING]

Right now I only have the Neptune apex jr controlling temp but will add a ph probe and tie it to dosing + add leak detection

Lights and ato are controlled separately