controller you use

biecacka · 04/03/2010, 07:31 PM

hey been thinking about getting a controller, and am curious what ppl are using and if you like it. i was leaning towards the acjr price range. maybe not necessarily that unit but that price range. control my lights, 3Mh 4pc fixture and a few tunze 6000's.
thanks

milkman55 · 04/03/2010, 07:34 PM

I have the ACJr and the Apex. I really like the Neptune products.
You could make the ACJr work for you needs.

I also have a Reefkeeper Lite on a small tank. Good basic control for $99, but would not would be enough for your equipment

Kaos · 04/03/2010, 09:23 PM

I have used RK I , RK Lite, and ACjr. Out of those I like the ACjr. best because of the programing language. It's a little aggrevating at first, but let's you do a lot of stuff (even abnormal stuff).

boxer385 · 04/03/2010, 09:59 PM

i have the acjr and the rkl and i choose the rkl, one of the reason is that the acjr display is just too dark, or is it me can it been adjusted so that i can view it better at night?

lalo809 · 04/03/2010, 10:35 PM

I've been using the rkl plus for a month and love it.

solitude127 · 04/03/2010, 11:11 PM

I have an RKL and like but I don't have anything to compare it to. The programming is relatively easy for me. I do like that I can upgrade to a RKE if I need to down the line.

rbnice1 · 04/04/2010, 12:20 AM

Since your using Tunzes look into the Apex. IT can contol them and do everything your wanting out of the box.

Nereaga · 04/04/2010, 05:51 AM

I use an old RK2 for my setup. Works great for what I need!

tkeracer619 · 04/04/2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nereaga

I use an old RK2 for my setup. Works great for what I need!

I use this also but for your setup I would go with the apex since it will control the 6000s off the shelf.

Mongoose33 · 04/04/2010, 02:53 PM

I just got acjr and am amazed at what I can do with it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

jimsplace · 04/05/2010, 03:53 AM

+1 on the Apex and Tunze control out of the box. I have the Lite model since I didn't need the Tunze control. Great product, check out the Neptune forum here on RC, fantastic support.

biecacka · 04/06/2010, 04:30 PM

yeah i do like the control the tunze aspect. i have them on a 7094 now but cant ever get it tuned the way i like! lol (i dont know what i like...)

JCeballos27 · 04/06/2010, 07:28 PM

I'm new at this.. I have an acjr and I'm very happy with it. VERY easy to use! : )

cubsFAN · 04/06/2010, 07:35 PM

I like my rkl, but for you i would go with the apex for the tunze's as others have said.

piscivorous · 04/06/2010, 08:25 PM

I just ordered an Apex Lite. I should be picking it up on Thursday..I can't wait!!

slief · 04/06/2010, 08:40 PM

Apex. I had an older Neptune Aqua Controller that I had for several years. The Apex is managing things I only dreamed of. Auto top offs, water changes & adding fresh water and removing salt water if my salinity is too high in conjunction with my Litermeter3. I have five EB8's, redundant float switches for high level, low level as well as 'too high' with failsafes including solenoids. I monitor PH, ORP, Conductivity. I could go on and on. I dont know how I lived without some of what I have automated. Granted I could have done nearly the same with my older Aqua Controller but the Apex is light years ahead of my previous unit and more more user friendly.

Problem with the Apex is that the expandability is almost endless and the fact that you can control so many things based on switches or probes can keep you busy indefinately thinking up new possibilities and implementing them. Not to mention that its very easy to get carried away with the add ons.

I have spent so much time doing the above but the labor that it will save me in the long run is incredible. Just not having to worry about my top offs or water changes alone makes every bit of time I spent on this thing worth it.

Sorry for the long winded reply.

Shard · 04/06/2010, 09:33 PM

I myself have been using RKEs and RKLs on my tanks. I think I am about to switch out the RKEs for APEX units. I am incredibly unsatisfied with customer support at DA and am tired of waiting on their promises for software and modules to come to fruition. They are constantly plagued by delays, and seem to have trouble meeting release deadlines by months. I have been waiting 18 months for myReef to come out to do something the APEX has been able to do for 8 months ago... remote programming. Neptune announced Vortech support in November and the wireless module for it is shipping next week. Digital Aquatics hasn't even commented on whether or not they will be making a module for Vortech support yet and the development kit has been available from Vortech for almost six months.

HaroldT · 04/06/2010, 10:38 PM

+1 ACJR - I have been happy with it.

d0ughb0y · 04/07/2010, 12:26 AM

if you do go with ac jr, remember you can web enable it using my program

and do things like this

sjm817 · 04/07/2010, 05:53 AM

I run a Neptune ACIII and am very happy with it. I previously had an ACjr, but upgraded to the ACIII for the web interface. Frankly, in this day and age it is surprising to see controllers available without a web interface. If I were looking now, the Apex would be high on the list.

Guillaume · 04/07/2010, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by piscivorous

I just ordered an Apex Lite. I should be picking it up on Thursday..I can't wait!!

Hey piscivorous, can you control orp and conductivity with the Apex Lite? Your second thread suggest that. I was to order it but stopped not seeing these features. Their site just say: "Monitor/Control Temperature, pH"
Tx

G

rbnice1 · 04/07/2010, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Guillaume

Hey piscivorous, can you control orp and conductivity with the Apex Lite? Your second thread suggest that. I was to order it but stopped not seeing these features. Their site just say: "Monitor/Control Temperature, pH"
Tx

G

Yes you can however. The lite comes with only 1 pH port. You would need to get a PM1 for a extra ph/orp probe slot and a PM2 for the conductivity.

JCeballos27 · 04/07/2010, 06:46 PM

hey I didn't know that. Thanks for the input

04/03/2010, 07:31 PM	#1
biecacka Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 6,361	controller you use hey been thinking about getting a controller, and am curious what ppl are using and if you like it. i was leaning towards the acjr price range. maybe not necessarily that unit but that price range. control my lights, 3Mh 4pc fixture and a few tunze 6000's. thanks

04/03/2010, 09:23 PM	#3
Kaos "Lurker" Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,131	I have used RK I , RK Lite, and ACjr. Out of those I like the ACjr. best because of the programing language. It's a little aggrevating at first, but let's you do a lot of stuff (even abnormal stuff). __________________ Ordinary people are the ones scared to be themselves.

04/03/2010, 11:11 PM	#6
solitude127 Proud user of IO Salt! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 9,136	I have an RKL and like but I don't have anything to compare it to. The programming is relatively easy for me. I do like that I can upgrade to a RKE if I need to down the line. __________________ Mike <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ ReefKeeping.com TOTM Nov 2012 Socalireefs Featured Reef Oct 2011 Current Tank Info: 603020, 8x54 ATI Powermodule, ReefBrite XHO, ATB Elegance 200, Aquamaxx CTech CaRx, Ecotech Vortechs, Apex Controls, WM Ecobak powered. RedSea Reefer 170, MP10, Apex Jr, Ecotech Radion XR15, Aquamaxx WS-1

04/04/2010, 02:53 PM	#10
Mongoose33 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Villa Park Posts: 145	Re: controller you use I just got acjr and am amazed at what I can do with it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ "It has always been my private conviction that any man who puts his intelligence up against a fish and loses had it coming." John Steinbeck Current Tank Info: Nano 25 Gallon build in progress 2010

04/05/2010, 03:53 AM	#11
jimsplace Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, Tx Posts: 633	+1 on the Apex and Tunze control out of the box. I have the Lite model since I didn't need the Tunze control. Great product, check out the Neptune forum here on RC, fantastic support. __________________ Jim Current Tank Information; - 90 Gallon DT / 30 Gallon Sump - SPS Dominate - IC VHO Lighting

04/03/2010, 07:34 PM	#2
milkman55 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Parkville, MO Posts: 832	I have the ACJr and the Apex. I really like the Neptune products. You could make the ACJr work for you needs. I also have a Reefkeeper Lite on a small tank. Good basic control for $99, but would not would be enough for your equipment

04/03/2010, 09:59 PM	#4
boxer385 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: University Park, illinois Posts: 1,718	i have the acjr and the rkl and i choose the rkl, one of the reason is that the acjr display is just too dark, or is it me can it been adjusted so that i can view it better at night?

04/03/2010, 10:35 PM	#5
lalo809 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: west,Indianapollis Posts: 346	I've been using the rkl plus for a month and love it.

04/04/2010, 12:20 AM	#7
rbnice1 Moved On Join Date: May 2008 Location: Cedar Hill Posts: 3,905	Since your using Tunzes look into the Apex. IT can contol them and do everything your wanting out of the box.

04/04/2010, 05:51 AM	#8
Nereaga Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oley, Pa 19547 Posts: 1,513	I use an old RK2 for my setup. Works great for what I need!

04/06/2010, 04:30 PM	#12
biecacka Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Columbus Ohio Posts: 6,361	yeah i do like the control the tunze aspect. i have them on a 7094 now but cant ever get it tuned the way i like! lol (i dont know what i like...)

04/06/2010, 07:28 PM	#13
JCeballos27 Monster Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, Fl Posts: 418	I'm new at this.. I have an acjr and I'm very happy with it. VERY easy to use! : ) __________________ J

04/06/2010, 07:35 PM	#14
cubsFAN Moved On Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Lake Tahoe Posts: 1,550	I like my rkl, but for you i would go with the apex for the tunze's as others have said.

04/06/2010, 08:25 PM	#15
piscivorous Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Groton, N.Y. Posts: 801	I just ordered an Apex Lite. I should be picking it up on Thursday..I can't wait!!

04/06/2010, 08:40 PM	#16
slief RC Sponsor Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 14,173	Apex. I had an older Neptune Aqua Controller that I had for several years. The Apex is managing things I only dreamed of. Auto top offs, water changes & adding fresh water and removing salt water if my salinity is too high in conjunction with my Litermeter3. I have five EB8's, redundant float switches for high level, low level as well as 'too high' with failsafes including solenoids. I monitor PH, ORP, Conductivity. I could go on and on. I dont know how I lived without some of what I have automated. Granted I could have done nearly the same with my older Aqua Controller but the Apex is light years ahead of my previous unit and more more user friendly. Problem with the Apex is that the expandability is almost endless and the fact that you can control so many things based on switches or probes can keep you busy indefinately thinking up new possibilities and implementing them. Not to mention that its very easy to get carried away with the add ons. I have spent so much time doing the above but the labor that it will save me in the long run is incredible. Just not having to worry about my top offs or water changes alone makes every bit of time I spent on this thing worth it. Sorry for the long winded reply. __________________ Director Customer Support Royal Exclusiv USA For All Royal Exclusiv & Bubble King questions please refer to our Sponsor forum: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/fo...play.php?f=745 Current Tank Info: 480G display mixed reef, 90G sump, 90G refugium, 60G display refugium. Check out my build thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1783476

04/06/2010, 09:33 PM	#17
Shard Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Valdosta, GA Posts: 624	I myself have been using RKEs and RKLs on my tanks. I think I am about to switch out the RKEs for APEX units. I am incredibly unsatisfied with customer support at DA and am tired of waiting on their promises for software and modules to come to fruition. They are constantly plagued by delays, and seem to have trouble meeting release deadlines by months. I have been waiting 18 months for myReef to come out to do something the APEX has been able to do for 8 months ago... remote programming. Neptune announced Vortech support in November and the wireless module for it is shipping next week. Digital Aquatics hasn't even commented on whether or not they will be making a module for Vortech support yet and the development kit has been available from Vortech for almost six months. __________________ University: Biology M.S. - 2012, M.D. 2015 Tanks: (2) 28g Nanocube 150w MH HQI - 18w Actinic CF 29g Blue Spotted Jawfish Tank

04/06/2010, 10:38 PM	#18
HaroldT Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Fresno, California Posts: 582	+1 ACJR - I have been happy with it.

04/07/2010, 12:26 AM	#19
d0ughb0y Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: sf bay area Posts: 5,165	if you do go with ac jr, remember you can web enable it using my program and do things like this

04/07/2010, 05:53 AM	#20
sjm817 On Yer left! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Northern VA Posts: 18,777	I run a Neptune ACIII and am very happy with it. I previously had an ACjr, but upgraded to the ACIII for the web interface. Frankly, in this day and age it is surprising to see controllers available without a web interface. If I were looking now, the Apex would be high on the list. __________________ - Scott

04/07/2010, 06:46 PM	#23
JCeballos27 Monster Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Miami, Fl Posts: 418	hey I didn't know that. Thanks for the input __________________ J