Controller selection?????

[Alarsen77]

Hey guys, I'm sure there have been discussions on this before, but I am looking into getting a controller for my 70 gallon cube. My basic logic behind looking at a controller at this point is cause I was going to buy a Blue Line heater and controller but the blue line controller is $59 and it is just a heater controller then I saw the RKL which would control my lights as well. I have been wanting to get a better timer for my lights as I have the Apollo Reef LED Solarblast Ultra non dimable with moonlights and want to have separate control over when the blues and whites turn on. I also wanted a nicer heater controller for a more accurate temp monitoring in my tank. I like the RKL cause you have the display and can see everything right there, however as I started reading up on these controllers and such I saw all the crazy options available and the Apex line as well. The more reading I have done it seems that the Apex has a better programming end to it and if I am understanding right I can buy an Apex Jr. that will do everything the RKL will do and also have network capabilities but no display, which I don't mind cause I can use my iPhone for that and I like being able to monitor my tank from my phone and see whats going on with at all times.

So my basic question is in terms of what I want to do, monitor temp and have a more accurate controlled heater, and have my light timers controlled alot better than just one single timer for on and off for the whole unit, would the apex jr. be better than the rkl and is there any advantages to having the display on the rkl or getting a display for the apex jr, or is using my phone or a web browser going to do the same thing for me?

I am leaning towards the apex jr. unless there is something much better about the rkl than the apex. I am trying to keep it on that $150 or lower budget cause I don't need to have ph probes and all that other crazy nonsense you get with an rke or apex.

Oh I also have one Koralia Evolution 1050 powerhead in my tank for flow and figured if the wavemaker feature on the apex jr. or rkl would help achieve better flow with that, I would also have that hooked up to it as well.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

ApexJR

you can do so much more with the programming compared to the RKL

 

[Alarsen77]

So for what I have listed I want to do is there any advantage to the apex or apex lite over the apex jr.? I am on a budget and would like something to control my system with but don't want to spend $350 for the lite or $500 for the full apex especially if I am not losing any capability for what I want to do. If I didn't need a skimmer right now I'd just buy the apex.

 

[SethTheWineGuy]

Don't even consider RK. Neptune runs circles around them. No matter which unit you select.

 

[Reef Breeders]

The rkl is a great start, for $100 bucks you get temp and 4 outlet control, and you can always upgrade to the apex.

 

[andywe]

Agree RKL is best value for entering the controller market. You can upgrade later if you wish, either to an RKE or go Anew with another solution. Many peeps seem to be very aggressive towards their preference, and each have pro's and cons. Whatever advice you take, strip the emotional sentiments out of it for yourself and stick with what capabilities suit you and your tank best. There is even a DIY controller out there (ocd_reefer has info on his site, Reefnook.com).

Just find what you seem to like and go from there.

 

[Reef Breeders]

Rke is no better than the rkl, other than having more module capacity. I would go from rkl to apex

 

[StReNuOuS BiOmArKeR]

i agree with anemone, to get a good non-bias comparison from any human is pretty difficult. i have used both and enjoyed both. they both have similar but at the same time different capabilities, not going to go through all of em now.
my thought is this even if you get the RKL, and lets say buy a couple upgrades or not, you still are going to want the apex. what i am getting at is if you are already going to spend 100,200 or 300 why not spend a little more getting what you want/think is best, the apex. you are going to spend double buying a controller twice when you could have a nice skimmer and nice controller for the cost of getting a RKL and upgrading to a apex. hope that makes sense and helps a little.

 

[bct15]

Just get the apex, you are going to want to upgrade later and will just be spending more money. You can find websites that sell the components individually, then just build your own. The neptunes systems are better and why not have the expandability already on hand that you will want after getting used to having a controller.