How much would it cost to fully automate a reef tank?

[leo12345]

Im Just curious what’s the cheapest it would cost to fully automate your system? Im talking like automated dosing, water changes, water testing, feeding and things like that.

 

[BZOFIQ]

It would appear that you have wholly missed my point.

None of what you just posted is abundantly clear or laid out in any if their marketing or communications and their naming conventions are random and not overly descriptive or intuitive.

It is not that they are "hiding it" or that it is "hard to use" - I never got that far! it is that their marketing, website and every other aspect of this products presentation are a disaster. When I went to look at the product to compare it with competitors, I was left more confused than when i started. Overlapping functions, no succinct differentiation between "controllers" and "functions" and "ports" etc.

So for me, I walked away because the marketing is (was) so utterly bad. It may be the best controller and ecosystem ever developed. If I can't make heads or tails of it in 5 minutes (let alone 30 seconds) from their marketing and further can't figure out what the different names for things mean....

Force, Drive, Minnow, Maven, Kraken, Control, XP, XD, X4, LE, Wave Engine... etc, Worse then being ambiguous there isn't even a theme. It is just random nonsense or obscurata to sound cool for marketing.

Anyway, to each their own. We all have different reasons for buying things and different ways of evaluating things, petty or not.

LOL, you're absolutely right about naming and the mess with overlapping features.

I too looked at the ecosystem at RAP NY few years ago but knowing that I have so many analog type sensors I was blown away that such basic functionality comes at such huge price point from a maker of a controller who is trying to outcompete the current majority share holder.

I am however interested in Maven as a standalone unit; jury is still out.

 

[BZOFIQ]

The names make sense to me but I have only used Digital Aquatics and Hydros controllers. It was not that hard to convert from the Digital Aquatics controller to the Hydros. With Hydros the modules are stand alone controllers or can be combined in a collective to form a larger controller. Which ones you use in the collective is up to you and your needs. The sense port is the normal input port for all sensors other than pH, ORP and salinity. So the are a general input port. They have a digital input and analog input. It also has a 5v out so sensors with login can be powered from the port. Temp sensors, triple level water level sensors, TDS sensors are some that use the digital input rather than the analog. A float switch would use the analog input along with most leak detectors and the single level water level sensor. If you know the pins you can connect your own float switches to the sense ports which I have done. The info on the ports and their pinouts is on their forum i the DIY section so they do not hide the info.

Just to be educated, how many analog sensors can be directly wired to a single sense port?

 

[n2585722]

It would appear that you have wholly missed my point.

None of what you just posted is abundantly clear or laid out in any if their marketing or communications and their naming conventions are random and not overly descriptive or intuitive.

It is not that they are "hiding it" or that it is "hard to use" - I never got that far! it is that their marketing, website and every other aspect of this products presentation are a disaster. When I went to look at the product to compare it with competitors, I was left more confused than when i started. Overlapping functions, no succinct differentiation between "controllers" and "functions" and "ports" etc.

So for me, I walked away because the marketing is (was) so utterly bad. It may be the best controller and ecosystem ever developed. If I can't make heads or tails of it in 5 minutes (let alone 30 seconds) from their marketing and further can't figure out what the different names for things mean....

Force, Drive, Minnow, Maven, Kraken, Control, XP, XD, X4, LE, Wave Engine... etc, Worse then being ambiguous there isn't even a theme. It is just random nonsense or obscurata to sound cool for marketing.

Anyway, to each their own. We all have different reasons for buying things and different ways of evaluating things, petty or not.

It is more what each of us is used to also. Someone posted these as examples in another post and I have no idea what they are or what they do( "PM1, PM2, PM3, FMM" ). So naming on any of them might not make sense unless you are already using the system. I really liked it once I got one and have added to it and slowly replace my Digital Aquatics equipment with the Hydros and so far I have not run into anything I wanted it to do that I have not figured out how to do it on the Hydros. I have quite a bit automated. I have 55 inputs setup on my collective and 142 outputs setup. Some of the outputs are what you would call virtual since the do not directly control a output port but are used for logic on other outputs.

 

[n2585722]

LOL, you're absolutely right about naming and the mess with overlapping features.

I too looked at the ecosystem at RAP NY few years ago but knowing that I have so many analog type sensors I was blown away that such basic functionality comes at such huge price point from a maker of a controller who is trying to outcompete the current majority share holder.

I am however interested in Maven as a standalone unit; jury is still out.

Do you want to do dosing with it also? If so there are 2 drive port that are 12v output ports that will drive a couple of dosing pumps on the Maven. If you need more than that or dosers with a slower flow rate you can always add a XP8 and create a collective and then you would have 8 AC outputs. There is also the Minnow which is two dosing pumps and 4 sense ports in a controller. They plan on releasing the Sole which is a single dosing pump that can go from .1ml a minute to 300ml a minute in either direction but those are more for high flow things I would beleive. They do have wifi power strips but I would not use those for dosing, ATO or AWC since if wifi communications is lost they will stay in their current state regardless of how long it takes for communication to be restored. The exception is of there is a loss of power then they default to off until commanded otherwise.

 

[danreef55]

It is more what each of us is used to also. Someone posted these as examples in another post and I have no idea what they are or what they do( "PM1, PM2, PM3, FMM" ). So naming on any of them might not make sense unless you are already using the system. I really liked it once I got one and have added to it and slowly replace my Digital Aquatics equipment with the Hydros and so far I have not run into anything I wanted it to do that I have not figured out how to do it on the Hydros. I have quite a bit automated. I have 55 inputs setup on my collective and 142 outputs setup. Some of the outputs are what you would call virtual since the do not directly control a output port but are used for logic on other outputs.

What are the input and outputs being used for? I thought I had figured this out NOT. Going to watch videos because I am confused.

Thanks
Dan

 

[n2585722]

Just to be educated, how many analog sensors can be directly wired to a single sense port?

It would be only one input but in some instances you may be able to either series or parallel them but it would still be seen as a single input.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Do you want to do dosing with it also? If so there are 2 drive port that are 12v output ports that will drive a couple of dosing pumps on the Maven. If you need more than that or dosers with a slower flow rate you can always add a XP8 and create a collective and then you would have 8 AC outputs. There is also the Minnow which is two dosing pumps and 4 sense ports in a controller. They plan on releasing the Sole which is a single dosing pump that can go from .1ml a minute to 300ml a minute in either direction but those are more for high flow things I would beleive. They do have wifi power strips but I would not use those for dosing, ATO or AWC since if wifi communications is lost they will stay in their current state regardless of how long it takes for communication to be restored. The exception is of there is a loss of power then they default to off until commanded otherwise.

I was only interested in Maven for testing and not dosing. I am past the days/years of early adopting so I'll let others work out the kinks. Knowing that they plan on releasing around Thanksgiving of 24, it will probably have enough feedback to allow for educated buying decision by summer o' 25



What I found as the right move on behalf of CV and something Trident couldn't do is the ability to test whenever one feels like and not be forced into wasting reagents and money at minimum twice daily.

 

[BZOFIQ]

It would be only one input but in some instances you may be able to either series or parallel them but it would still be seen as a single input.

Thanks for confirming.

 

[n2585722]

What are the input and outputs being used for? I thought I had figured this out NOT. Going to watch videos because I am confused.

Thanks
Dan

Are you asking about individual inputs and outputs I have setup or in general like force ports are 24v power outputs, drive ports are 12v outputs and direct drive ports are only on the Wave engine and drive BLDC type DC motors used in several pumps. Then there are 0-10v output ports that are a control voltage and can be used to control pumps and lighting that has the 0-10v input ports for control. The there are the AC outputs. The inputs are sense ports used for the majority of sensors such as water level, leak detectors, flow sensors, TDS meters and some others, pH/ORP probe ports for either pH or ORP probes and salinity ports for salinity probes. The 0-10v input ports are for a number of things and are more DIY. There are third party breakout boxes, button boxes and water level sensors you can connect to these as examples. If you want to know more about mine I go over a lot of it in my build thread if you click on my tank thread banner it will take you to my build thead here on R2R. The Hydros info start on page 6 post # 119. I also go over new features and changes I made as things progressed throughout the thread form post # 119 to the end.

 

[n2585722]

I was only interested in Maven for testing and not dosing. I am past the days/years of early adopting so I'll let others work out the kinks. Knowing that they plan on releasing around Thanksgiving of 24, it will probably have enough feedback to allow for educated buying decision by summer o' 25



What I found as the right move on behalf of CV and something Trident couldn't do is the ability to test whenever one feels like and not be forced into wasting reagents and money at minimum twice daily.

I use dynamic dosing using the alkalinity readings from the Hydros to dose All For Reef and a KH buffer currently. I plan using the calcium readings for the All For Reef and the nitrate for adjusting my AWC since I already use a dosing schedule to do that I can change it dynamically using that reading if I can get my hands on one. I do not allow too much variation in the dynamic dosing though. There not a lot of difference between my minimum and maximum dose.

 

[danreef55]

Thank you for the info and will definitely look at your thread.

 

[n2585722]

Thanks for confirming.

Also there are the 0-10v inputs that are analog inputs. I use three of those for my water levels in my reservoirs in the garage. Here is a screenshot with those inputs on it. The value is in percentage of full.

On the mix level input I also have another input that uses that same one that is for the mix pump. It is set to come on at 60% and above. Here is the settings for that input.

I use the 4th 0-10v with my three button boxes. Each box has 2 switches but in one of the switches is not used since I use 5v for power to the button boxes. That limits me to 5 switches. Below is one of the switch inputs in one of the button boxes. This one is for turning on the lights above my workbench where the reservoirs and controllers in the garage are at. It is a push button and when pressed it will turn on the bench light. If pressed again it will turn it off but if I forget it will only stay on 30 minutes and then turn off. It triggers when there is 2v on the input. The voltage is how you can set a different input on the same 0-10v but they need to be momentary push button. I do have one regular switch on the like and it is used to halt the AWC and also it will block any of the other switches from activating. I use it to stop the AWC when I am going to be out of town for a few days. I have not used that in quite a while.

That is a few examples of using a 0-10v input.

 

[danreef55]

Awesome. I am planning on 4 of these (actually the dimmable model)

36" 2x39W Miro-4 T5 Retrofit Kit

Find premium aquarium supplies at Aquacave. we offer top brands like Tunze, Ecotech, and more. Free Shipping available!

aquacave.com

Is there a way to have the 0-10V input to control all four of these fixtures. I will have 3 x Radion X30 lights. Do I simply use their standard interface or can hydros control them?

 

[n2585722]

Awesome. I am planning on 4 of these (actually the dimmable model)

36" 2x39W Miro-4 T5 Retrofit Kit

Find premium aquarium supplies at Aquacave. we offer top brands like Tunze, Ecotech, and more. Free Shipping available!

aquacave.com

Is there a way to have the 0-10V input to control all four of these fixtures. I will have 3 x Radion X30 lights. Do I simply use their standard interface or can hydros control them?

Not sure about interfacing them but the X4 and WEv2 has 0-10v outputs which is what you need. The port has 4 0-10v outputs. You can get a Hydros cable that splits them to 4 individual 3.5mm plugs so you would need to get it from that to what the 0-10v input is on your lighting. I am sure someone has probably done this. You may want to search the Hydros forum here to see if this has been ask already for those lights https://forum.coralvuehydros.com/ . If you are getting a Hydros you might want to join the forum. They also have a facebook group also.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Awesome. I am planning on 4 of these (actually the dimmable model)

36" 2x39W Miro-4 T5 Retrofit Kit

Find premium aquarium supplies at Aquacave. we offer top brands like Tunze, Ecotech, and more. Free Shipping available!

aquacave.com

Is there a way to have the 0-10V input to control all four of these fixtures. I will have 3 x Radion X30 lights. Do I simply use their standard interface or can hydros control them?

If these ballasts are dimmable with 0-10V signal then both the apex and assuming Hydros would be able to control the dim level.

I used to use 0-10V signal to dim my LED bars but these werent moved to the new setup and so 0-10V varable outputs were disabled.

For apex you can make your own RJ45 cable following this, see post #3

Diy apex 0-10 lines

Ok so I just ordered an apex, a varios and a wxm for my mp10’s. I have a wavepuck 2 as well. I have plenty of cat5 laying around as well as plugs and the crimper for it. I have made plenty of Ethernet lines for my houses patch panel but I am wondering if anyone can tell me how to wire the...

www.reef2reef.com

or buy ready made here

Two Channel Dimming Cable

Two Channel Dimming Cable This is a six foot cable that has an RJ45 connector on one end that will connect to the Apex, Apex Classic, or the VDM module and terminates in wires to connect any device that is variably controlled with an analog, 0-10V signal.   One wire will let you control...

shop.neptunesystems.com

 

[BZOFIQ]

More on apex 0-10V here.

DIY Guide:Dimming DIY LED lights with Neptune Systems Apex Controller

High power light emitting diodes quickly became the new standard in providing an artificial light source for photosynthetic animals in our reef tanks. Most emit

reefs.com

 

[danreef55]

Thanks BZOFIQ. I am planning on Hydros. Would I purchase 3 Y splitters and chain all of them together. Forgive me lack of knowledge

 

[BZOFIQ]

Thanks BZOFIQ. I am planning on Hydros. Would I purchase 3 Y splitters and chain all of them together. Forgive me lack of knowledge

Yes, you split the signal if you want to control all of them together.

 

[danreef55]

Thanks I have been trying to figure this out for a while now. Another issue I think Coral Vue said the Hydros cannot control the Radion X30. Any chance it can work or is it just easier to utilize their app?

 

[n2585722]

Awesome. I am planning on 4 of these (actually the dimmable model)

36" 2x39W Miro-4 T5 Retrofit Kit

Find premium aquarium supplies at Aquacave. we offer top brands like Tunze, Ecotech, and more. Free Shipping available!

aquacave.com

Is there a way to have the 0-10V input to control all four of these fixtures. I will have 3 x Radion X30 lights. Do I simply use their standard interface or can hydros control them?

Not sure how quickly you are going to need lighting but are you aware of these https://www.coralvue.com/hydros-xho-reef-light . They are not out yet but coming out. The light part is ReefBrite and it has a Hydros controller and comes in different sizes. Not sure what the time frame is to release but they were showing them at RAP a week ago.