Can someone give me a run down on controllers and exactally what they do? I think I have a basic understand but would like more info. Whats the differences between the basics and the elaborates? Whats a good choice for someone thats fairly basic like me but wants to automate as much as possible? I know someone here is an expert!
I have a reef-keeper elite it can control about any thing you want it to. I have the moon lights that go with it and realy like them it has a setting for the lunar cycle. I also control my lights, calcium reactor and all my pumps it is real nice when you do maintenance you can put it in standby and that turns off or on anything you tell it to. It monitors your PH and Temp. You can also put float switches and use it to control auto top off.They are real easy to program. Here is a link to there site http://www.digitalaquatics.com/
I just got a Neptune Apex. It also controls everything. It also can be controller over internet. I can turn lights on/off from work. It also sends e-mail alerts when certain conditions are met such as when temp >85 degrees, or what ever conditions are met that you set.
http://www.marinedepot.com/MarineDepot. ... MI-vi.html MarineDepot.com Exclusive Reef Keeper Lite + SL1 Expansion Unit w/ FREE PH Probe $169 for 7 more hours
now you owe me money...i got worried and ordered it and a float switch to make an ato....ha ha ha hjust kidding but i did order it
this deal is ok.... this is a spin off on the regular RKL lvl 2.... i did notice that it is missing the other PC4 with this package thou. a regular RKL lvl 2 would come with 8 plugs instead of 4 .just a thought...
level 2 has been discontinued. Heres what L2 showed to come with... ReefKeeper Lite - Level 2 Includes: 1 x Head unit (GC2) [/*:m:2pdl6wkm] 1 x PC4 (4 outlets) [/*:m:2pdl6wkm] 1 x SL1 (pH, ORP, temp, 2 x switch inputs) [/*:m:2pdl6wkm] 1 x Temp Probe[/*:m:2pdl6wkm] Dont see paying 209 for that when the marine depot one was this plus a pH probe for 169
sorry they changed the name to a RKL plus .. but it still includes the 2nd PC4 i know blake has several vendors that still show them for sale.
congrats on the new controller ! A friend of mine that has one pm me this... <div id="post_message_888781">pretty good deal. A pH probe alone is around $40, so you're basically getting the SL1 module for $30 more. Normally the SL1 module is $70. Savings about $40. It's basically adding pH monitoring ability for the RK Lite for $70.</div>
<html xmlns=""> plus i added a float switch so i should have an ATO as well...seemed like a good deal to me
Just be careful with controllers. I have seen alot of disasters happen because one of the functions went haywire. One also has a tendency to forget about checking things, as the contoller well shut things down if something goes wrong and I had a friends 650 overheat from the chiller shutting down and the controller never shut down the lites or sounded the alarm and he lost several thousand dollars in sps and some fish, mainly because he had gotten out of the habit of regularly checking the tanks temp with his eyes. Also had a friend with a 450, calcium reactor dosing to much CO2 and it turned the reactor media to mush and killed alot of corals. Personally I never did use them, I always wanted to check several times a day the important levels, just a thought.
dang sam way to dash my hopes!!  im mainly going to use it for controlling my heater and lights. Going to try the ATO also. I think you can use a single switch that kicks on when the float drops and kicks off when the float raises. A second float could be used in the topoff source to insure the pump wont run dry. We will see.  May use the wavemaker function too.
were not trying to kill things for you.. to answer the question thou... you do NOT need a 2nd switch to make a ATO.. the reason for it is a Fail safe system. we strongly suggest one. which ATO did you order ? or did you just get the switches?
just got one switch. may also set the outlet to run for 60 seconds or whatever need be to make sure even if the switch fails it cant overfill
