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eldiente 
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 Topic: Aquacontrollers
Posted: October 23 2007 at 4:06pm |
just wondering how many people are using them? and also which ones?
I've been flirting with the idea of getting one and I'm trying to talk myself out of it because of the expense. I do not run a CA reactor, but I would like to be able to control the temp better with the fans and heaters that I have, Also any opinions on the direct connect and x10 would be great.
It seems that there are a thousand different options it can do and I probably wouldn't use most of them, but I'm curious what those of you that do have them use them for? thanks in advance
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Brian
Twin Falls, Idaho
210 Gallon Glass reef
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TriggerHappy
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 4:17pm |
I have an AC II and absolutely love it. I started with the X-10 modules but had various issues and switched to the DC8...I could not be happier! Mine controls my Ca Reactor, my all of my lights, my Ozone, my return pumps, fans, and even my Christmas lights during the season via the X-10! (I guess X-10 works for some things) 
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210 gallon Mixed Reef
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fj40fax
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 4:33pm |
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I run an ACIIIpro. The only thing I have not hooked up is the
Ozone, but my ORP has been over 400 since starting the tank. I
can't imagine a tank without one now...
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Fax 318-3632
90g 2x250W 14kK MH
Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII
Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle
Adjustments and Massages for Frags!
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 4:42pm |
I have the ACIII and DC-8 I love it and would do it again. I did start with the ACjr and it was great too.
Mike
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eldiente
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 5:01pm |
By sump is in the basement and my tank (210 G) is up stairs. So I would probably have to do X10 to controll the lights on the tank, right? I do have my lights on a coralife timer strip and I love it, but it does not have the versatility that the ACIII has as far as light cycles. Does X10 work real well through walls and ceilings? I've heard of numerous people having trouble with their X10, it would be about 25-30 ft away to controll the lights, and powerheads.
I guess another option would be to have to aquacontrollers, one upstairs and one downstairs.
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Brian
Twin Falls, Idaho
210 Gallon Glass reef
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Dion Richins
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 5:04pm |
I have The pro3. Mine controlls all three of my tanks spread through out 2 floors. Utilizing the px100 and all dc8's.
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Dutch
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 5:09pm |
Whats "ball park" for one of the controlers?
Dutch
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Honda nut(If you need your Honda worked on give me a PM)
"For the last 10 years of my life I get paid to hurt People, thats what I do, I hurt people" -Jeremy Horn
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 5:10pm |
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neptune has aux modules for this exact reason, I have the acjr I love it, It has saved my tank so many times, one in fact was that the kids shut the door on the room that the sump is in, the window was closed, I came home and was wondering why the lights were off, I checked the temp and the tank was at 79.9 the temp that my lights are set to turn off, with the door closed the tank could not cool itself, if I had not had the controller the tank would have overheated.
the acjr can control 10 devices, with a dc8 and a dc4 so you could have one downstairs and one upstairs all controlled by one controller, or if you go with one of the larger ones, then you can control more devices.
the control from one to another is one with a phone line, if you want to go more than 100' then make your own cables with cat5 line then you can go easy into the 300' range.
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eldiente
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 5:19pm |
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Thanks for the info, does anyone have acjr for sale after they upgraded?
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Brian
Twin Falls, Idaho
210 Gallon Glass reef
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H200
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Posted: October 23 2007 at 11:16pm |
Brian,
I have my controller downstairs, and the tank one floor up.
the tank has the lights, and 2 power heads (for wave making), I just ran a 8-10' heavy duty 3 prong extension cord from the tank to the controller.
Works fine!
The controller is connected to the house network so I can get to it from my computer in the home office.
randy
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210 gallon glass aquarium
90 gal Refuge.
900Gal Pond
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bbeck4x4
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 9:31am |
sounds good, yes that is also a option, I have my sump in the next room, and also am using heavy duty extension cords, now that you can get info from your network is just not fair   maybe one of these days 
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fj40fax
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 9:48am |
Having the info available on the net is sooo nice. I can turn on/off devices from my web enabled cell phone  .
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Fax 318-3632
90g 2x250W 14kK MH
Sump, Fuge, G3, UV, O3, ACIII
Pleasant Grove, UT Across State Street from the Purple Turtle
Adjustments and Massages for Frags!
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eldiente
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 10:01am |
So are there any big advantages of an ACIII or ACIIIpro over the ACjr. There is quite a big difference in price of the ACIII ($400) and the ACIIIpro ($650), I think the ACjr is around $150. That is all without probes or any auxillaries.
Are there any LFS that sell them locally?
It is hard to understand how to hook them up without seeing them personally. If I understand it correctly, you can plug the DC8/DC4 directly into the controller with an extension cord or use a phone line to do the same thing to control them or do you always need a phone line to control them, thanks
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Brian
Twin Falls, Idaho
210 Gallon Glass reef
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H200
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 10:23am |
take a look at
on page 9 it shows the connections on the side of the controller.
and on
you can see a pict. of the DC/8
the phone line from what I understand is only used for the unit to dial out if you have it set up to say page you when the temp of the tank is too high.
good luck!
Randy
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210 gallon glass aquarium
90 gal Refuge.
900Gal Pond
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Dion Richins
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 10:23am |
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You always need a phone line. The dc8's plug into the wall and the phone Cord is for the information to transfer through. You are more than welcome to come and see mine if you get down this way.
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Dion Richins
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 10:25am |
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Each dc8 is hooked up in a daisy chain with phone cords. They are not wireless. Im runing 4 dc8's between 2 floors and 3 tanks.
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eldiente
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 10:40am |
Thank you, I'll have to stop in and see it some time when I'm down that way, brian
Dion, why the ACIIIpro? I'm having a hard time discovering what makes the pro so much better, I don't see anything from their website as to what the pro does that the III doesn't do. It looks like from their website the main difference is the pro can control 4 external switches and the III only 2 external switches, that and the pro has a larger LCD screen. thanks
Edited by eldiente - October 24 2007 at 10:50am
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Brian
Twin Falls, Idaho
210 Gallon Glass reef
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 12:25pm |
The Pro offers the ability to monitor Conductivity and Disolved Oxygen with optional probes. It can also control up to 40 devices instead of 24 with optional controllers and has two more digital inputs.
Mike
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Dion Richins
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 12:49pm |
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pro has a built in web interface. does the 3?
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 24 2007 at 1:59pm |
 Holdencraft 33 wrote:
pro has a built in web interface. does the 3? |
Yes it does!
Mike
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