Controllers/monitors for pH and ORP

[DougH]

I'm setting up a new tank. I was thinking about a pH monitor from American Marine Pinpoint but I would eventually like to add ozone and would need an ORP controller also.

I will probably consider a dual type controller and get the additional benefits of light controls, powerhead controls, etc.

Temperature would be a plus, not mandatory (they are cheap enough to add).

I was looking at the Neptune AquaController Jr but noticed this model does not have ORP. Only their AquaController 3 which is a little pricey.

Has anyone tried the Duo ORpH ?http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CP2311

Looks like after adding pH and ORP probes, the combo is at $450, back around the better Neptune ORP AC3 combo w/ pH & ORP std probe.
https://estore.neptunesys.com/neptune/store/agora.cgi?cart+id=&product=Combos

What is IM513 & 2 CM466?
Are they mandatory accessories?
How much better are the Lab quality probes vs. std?
Is this "all in one" package any better or less expensive then buying seperate pH, ORP, light timers?

Thanks
Doug

 

[DougH]

corrected link for Duo ORpH

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CP2311

 

[DougH]

Controllers vs. Monitors for pH and ORP

bump........

 

[Marcusaltec]

I have used Aqua Controller 3 and it's great! There you have all in one, pH, ORP, Temp, timers, etc...

 

[shallowreef]

I also agree on the aquacontroller 3 its your best bet if you want to monitor and control all of those things and more.

 

[jetaero]

I have been pricing a few months... looking at all the options...

AquaController, biomatix, reefkeeper, aquatronica...

Last weekend I chose the most feature rich, and best bang for buck IMO. I got an Aquatronica, it monitors with 2 pH probes, temperature, float swith, conductivity probe, orp, and has a controlled power strip both upstairs and downstairs I can plug probes into.

-Josh-

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I seem to have too many timers and strips and getting a bit messy and am considering upgrade. Many have been running multi-controllers for some time now. I noticed on another thread that Dr Dee and others also runs one. Will also be setting up a calcium reactor.

Which brand seems to do the most for the least and stays reliable? The neptune Jr seems affordible if not running ozone, but what other units might be preferable at todays prices?

Any and all dual controller comments are quite welcome

 

[DonW]

The duo will non control both it will only monitor both. You have to decide wether or not you want control over ph and orp at the same time.
As far as controllers go I would not put all my eggs into one basket so to speak. Running every aspect of a tank with a controller may cost you your entire investment if the controler fails. JMO

Don

 

[JoshF]

Don, don't you run all or nearly all of your tank off of an ocelot controller? I was just skimming through your controller thread and found it really interesting.

Josh

 

[DonW]

Don, don't you run all or nearly all of your tank off of an ocelot controller? I was just skimming through your controller thread and found it really interesting.

Josh

No way, everthing that could kill my tank or flood has some sort of redundancy. Heaters Ocelot/ranco, PH ocelot/hanna controllers, Lights ocelot/ranco so on.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

OK, so you do like controllers, just not relying on any single unit to go out and take the tank out with it. Thanks

 

[JoshF]

Don: Interesting; thanks for the clarification.

Just to muddy it up a bit more, using pH as an example, how would you institute redundancy? Would you have multiple pH controllers? It seems like if one system went out of calibration trying to send the pH either up or down, the other system would kick in and try to balance the pH. Is that what you mean, or do you just have one pH controller and then several monitors to tell you how accurate things are?

Thanks, Josh

 

[DonW]

Don: Interesting; thanks for the clarification.

Just to muddy it up a bit more, using pH as an example, how would you institute redundancy? Would you have multiple pH controllers? It seems like if one system went out of calibration trying to send the pH either up or down, the other system would kick in and try to balance the pH. Is that what you mean, or do you just have one pH controller and then several monitors to tell you how accurate things are?

Thanks, Josh

PH can be complicated to control, kalk is the normal way to raise it. I would have the ocelot look at the ph while watching water level and on time of the peri feed pump. If the ocelot were to go belly up I'd just let the ph controller do what it was designed to do which is shut down or turn on the co2 to the carx. Assuming the ocelot is working fine you can easily see a odd probe reading. Say its reading 5 or 6 obviously this is impossible so we just have the ocelot shut down ph control and trigger a low priority warning. Lets say it sees a ph of 10. If the high level indicator is not on and the ato level is not on then we can assume the kalk feed pump is not stuck in the on position, so again we just dont do anything but disable ph control and trigger a low priority alarm. Basicly you only want to let the smart controller have so much control and not allow it to make large adjustments. The dumb controller just controls simple tasks that have no drastic effects on the system.
This is just a simple example, everyones system is different so we all have different concerns. For me heat, cooling and level are my real redundancy concerns. They all have dual systems ocelot and other. I can be confident if the ocelot goes belly up my tank will continue to be topped off, heated and cooled. The whole thing just reverts back to being a typical dumb system.
Make sense? I know I'm not very good at explaining this stuff.

Don

 

[Herefishyfishy]

I know I'm not very good at explaining this stuff.

Don

Einstein used to say the same thing:lol:
I would love to see your system some day.