considering a CONTROLLER - can I have some educated opinions?

[debbythefowler]

Folks,

I have a 220gallon tank with ATO (50 gallon reservoir), 2 little fishies reactors (carbon + gfo), a biopellet reactor (all three reactors are run by submerged pumps), a skimmer with a swabbie and an auto shut off on its reservior and a dosing pump (not yet operational).

The things i'm most concerned about would be anything that might cause a flood (like if the tubes popped off of the ATO pump) so I need a controller that has a leak detector (at the least) that can shut off pumps.

Question 1, could a single or two leak detectors shut off more than one pump simultaneously? (would they need to be on the same power strip) and then plugged into the Controller strip? Or do they each need to be plugged into the controller strip?

Question 2, what other main things should I monitor for? PH to detect any changes in ALK / CALC (like a failure of the dosing pump)? Temp (failure of the chiller, or the inverse, failure of the thermostat on the chiller? Is that something i could turn off from a controller??

Thoughts, experience, advice - please!!!

debby

 

[LBC]

When I had my reef angel (which i accidently tossed in the trash by accident during a move, since i had it stored in doubled grocery bag), I was able to hook up a home security water sensor as a top-off io expansion module, which turned off my sump pump and turned on the buzzer.

 

[Widdy]

Being in an apartment, leaking and flooding is always on my mind.

I have an Apex with their Advanced Leak Detection module. It supports 4 detection probes; I currently run 3. Speaking from experience, you can have various probes do the same task or different tasks. I don't have my pumps on a power strip then into the controller strip because I need to be able to independently control each pump. Don't think you want your return pump (constantly on) and ATO pump (defined time) on the same power source.

 

[lnevo]

Fyi the reef angel now has its own leak detection system. And its a "rope" type not individual sensors. It can go up to 18 feet i think IIRC (maybe longer!) the good thing with this type is you can run it completely around the stand and/or sump.

Anything you'd want to turn off has to be plugged into the controller strip. Whether its leak detector controlled or ph, salinity, etc.

For me my controller has been a lifesaver and a god send. I would recommend it for anyone looking to do any kind of automation/monitoring for their tank.

 

[LBC]

FYI isn't that a $99 extra/optional module?

 

[lnevo]

It's an add-on and actually it's $119 and comes with 16 feet of rope and you can add 2 more to monitor almost 50'

The apex version in comparison is $75 and the probes are $29.95 each so pretty comparable...

 

[LBC]

Aww too bad the RAPlus doesn't come with it included.. but I for one would still get that $120 expansion esp if I were in an apt/condo setting

Guess the $99 was only introductory price months ago:

http://reefbuilders.com/2013/06/11/reef-angel-rope-leak-detector/