Controller users

Anyone using a controller that can be access outside your home network? I use this site because its easier for me to see my tank parameters while I am at work. I recommend using www.reeftronics.net to log data outside of your controller. I find it useful if you are using a browser that will not allow you access a dynds site or using an app on your phone. You can find my tank parameters on this site.

That is pretty cool. I was trying to turn your lights on but I guess you can't do that on that site. What type of info do you give the site?

Haha, nice try! You can only view data on the reeftronics site. I would have to login to the controller to turn on/off any channels via the dyndns or router address.

This is only for info if anyone was interested.

Just sign up and provide dyndns info and he handles the rest. They log the data for 24 hrd, one week and one month. The graphs are great! Can anyone confirm there is a corelation with temperature and pH?

I looked at it and started to fill out the request sheet and then realized that I'm giving them all my information to access my controller, if they wanted to they could do whatever they like with my tank, turn the heaters on, bug my controller. I definitely don't feel comfortable about doing that so I stopped right there. It’s a great idea but for me the benefit doesn’t outweigh the risk.

I understand Jimmy, I, too was hesitant at first but I do not provide the username and password (only Neptune Controllers are required). And if the only channels controlled are my lights, heater and chiller. I guess if someone wanted to sabotage my system, those are the only channels that could be affected. I guess I am taking a risk including 100+ users.

cool site but if you have an apex controller you get all that and with using dyndns you can have access to all of it when you have a dhcp or ppoe ipaddress for you ISP.

I use reefchat to access my rss feed so I can have tank information on a web site or with my avatar on forums. I have not had any problems

But it is a risk just having your information out on the net but just being on the net you are at rick of being hacked.

shapermike, you are still using the RKE? I might want to upgrade from the RKL to RKE but if I am only 4 channels, I won't really need to.

Hi everybody! I'm the system operator of Reeftronics

I fully understand the concerns about security expressed here - I am an IT consultant and am extremely conscious of security - it's part of my job, which includes conducting IT security assessments for my clients. Reeftronics was originally created solely for my own use; when other reefers started asking me to give them the same capability, I put extensive effort into providing ample security for members' controller usernames & passwords. I won't go into technical details for obvious reasons, but let me simply say that controller credentials are quite well protected.

The DA RKE & RKL controllers have status data available without authentication - no password required. At my request, Neptune added the capability to retrieve Apex status data in a read-only manner without authentication. So, Reeftronics does NOT need credentials for members' Apex controllers (Apex firmware v4.10 or newer has this feature, which is called "Open XML access." So, the only supported controller models which requires authentication to access status data is the AC3/AC3Pro.

"I looked at it and started to fill out the request sheet and then realized that I'm giving them all my information to access my controller, if they wanted to they could do whatever they like with my tank, turn the heaters on, bug my controller." 'Them' is just one person - me, who is a fellow reefer and an aquarium automation aficionado. Could I? Yes. Would I? Absolutely not!!! I assure you, I have no interest in messing with *anyone's* tank.

The graphs on Reeftronics are clear and fast - many people have commented that they prefer Reeftronics' graphs over those available in the controllers' embedded webpages or in the various smartphone apps. Plus, the data used for the graphs is stored independently of the controller. Sisterlimonpot, I know from your posts on RC that you have an AC3. What happens to all the probe data in the AC3 when the AC3 gets rebooted due to a power glitch or something? It's GONE! The data on Reeftronics will still be there though

Reeftronics has a couple of benefits which may not be readily apparent:

- Some companies block access to residential IP addresses; several Reeftronics members use Reeftronics to check on their systems, because they cannot access their controller directly from their workplace.

- Reeftronics has an automatic email notification system. Reeftronics polls each member's controller(s) every 15 minutes to collect status data. If the Reeftronics server cannot communication with a given controller for an hour, an email is sent to the member. Another is sent after 6 hours of no communications, and still another after 12 hours of failed comms. This feature is credited with saving multiple tanks - the emails from Reeftronics were the first warning the member had of a problem. In one case, a member was on vacation - upon receiving the notification email on his smartphone, he called his tank sitter (who wasn't due to go by until late the next day). The sitter found that the return pump had smoked and a breaker had tripped, killing power to most of the system, including the controller. That one email saved many thousands of dollars in livestock.

Russ,
if I knew it was your program then I wouldn't have been concerned.

I really like the idea of getting an email notification if the power went out. ACIII doesn't offer anything of the sort.

is there an option to forego the email and get a text message instead?

Russ, Thanks for the clarification! I too have received an email when I had issues. I suggested this site because ot was useful to me.

sisterlimonpot wrote:Russ,
if I knew it was your program then I wouldn't have been concerned.

Thank you!

I really like the idea of getting an email notification if the power went out. ACIII doesn't offer anything of the sort. Is there an option to forgo the email and get a text message instead?

At the moment, no. The notification emails are not well suited for delivery as a text message. But I could easily add the capability to have a second email address associated with each controller upon request, which would then be used to send an abbreviated notification specifically formatted for delivery as SMS, in addition to the primary email notification. I actually considered doing this about 2 years ago when I did a major overhaul of parts of the Reeftronics software, but didn't do it because it seems so many people have smartphones with email capability.

RussM wrote:

sisterlimonpot wrote:Russ,
if I knew it was your program then I wouldn't have been concerned.

Thank you!

I really like the idea of getting an email notification if the power went out. ACIII doesn't offer anything of the sort. Is there an option to forgo the email and get a text message instead?

At the moment, no. The notification emails are not well suited for delivery as a text message. But I could easily add the capability to have a second email address associated with each controller upon request, which would then be used to send an abbreviated notification specifically formatted for delivery as SMS, in addition to the primary email notification. I actually considered doing this about 2 years ago when I did a major overhaul of parts of the Reeftronics software, but didn't do it because it seems so many people have smartphones with email capability.

I'm horrible for checking my email. I check it maybe twice a month, a text is more suited for me, even if it's just a text to say that an email was sent from Reeftronics.

What kind of information is sent via text.

I'm going to have create an account now. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything Russ.

sisterlimonpot wrote:What kind of information is sent via text. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything Russ.

I'm working on it now! What I plan to do is make the TXT simply say something like "Sisterlimonpot, Reeftronics has been unable to communicate with your AC3 for the past hour/6 hours/12 hours)." This keeps it under the typical 160-character SMS segment limit.

If you have a T-mobile as your cell carrier, an email will be sent to you via text, ie. yourphonenumber@tmomail.net and takes care of your issue. I use it when I am on the navy ships that doesn't allow yahoo or gmail.

RussM wrote:

sisterlimonpot wrote:What kind of information is sent via text. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything Russ.

I'm working on it now! What I plan to do is make the TXT simply say something like "Sisterlimonpot, Reeftronics has been unable to communicate with your AC3 for the past hour/6 hours/12 hours)." This keeps it under the typical 160-character SMS segment limit.

Awesome Russ,

that was a typo on my part, I meant to as what kind of info is sent through email?

RussM wrote:

sisterlimonpot wrote:What kind of information is sent via text. Thanks for taking the time to explain everything Russ.

I'm working on it now! What I plan to do is make the TXT simply say something like "Sisterlimonpot, Reeftronics has been unable to communicate with your AC3 for the past hour/6 hours/12 hours)." This keeps it under the typical 160-character SMS segment limit.

Code for SMS notifications is written and tested.

OK Russ,

I sent you my information.

Russ, are you planning to make an App for the Android Market? I'm sure it would sell for a few bucks.

nikecivic wrote:Russ, are you planning to make an App for the Android Market? I'm sure it would sell for a few bucks.

A Reeftronics app? Nope. And if I did, it would be for iPhone/iPad There is an optional Reeftronics mobile theme for smartphones; some people like it, some don't.

There is an Android app for RKE/RKL: http://www.androidzoom.com/android_applications/tools/mymobile-reef_itsi.html

Thanks for the info! I view the reeftronics data via the mobile theme and it works great just wondering if you were planning to make an app for the Android phones. For some reason, the Android App has issues with my phone and I have emailed the creator of the app but I gave up since I can see the my controller via the web browser.

I'm liking this website.

I like being able to see everything on 1 page, not sure if the apex does that but my ACIII doesn't.

Russ hooked it up to send me a text, i'm going to unplug the cat5 plug for an hour and see if I get a text and email.

just like clock work exactly 1 hour after unplugging the controller I received a text.

Nice! You should have checked out my apexjr while you were at my house. I definitely want to check this site out, when I'm not on my phone.

So I signed up over my phone... Can't wait to see the site!

its cool that we are all on the site so we can see each others parameters!

Yea, so I can see that you had a pH jump a little while ago.

lol, the pH goes up when my doser doses Alk in the morning and pH goes up when the temperature increases in the evening.

do you dose one large dose or do you have it spread out to dose 24 times a day?

I dose once a day and yes one lump sum. I tried to do multiple doses but it doesn't spike the pH high enough. Is there a better way?

You really don't want your PH to spike at all, the goal is to have it stable. it's better to have it greater than or less than 8.3 and maintain a set level than shoot for 8.3 once a day. that will shock your corals and stunt there color.

Nike,
You have the BM? that will allow you to break up your dosing to 24 small doses throughout the day. That's what makes it better than a calcium reactor because you can maintain a certain level all day and not worry about your reactor going crazy and lowering your ph, killing everything in the tank.

I agree that setting it up to dose little doses throughout the day is better than 1 big shot. That's just my opinion, i'm no expert though.

dwolson2 wrote:So I signed up over my phone... Can't wait to see the site!

What did you sign up as?

nikecivic wrote:I dose once a day and yes one lump sum. I tried to do multiple doses but it doesn't spike the pH high enough. Is there a better way?

I dose alk and calc 24 times a day. except the vodka I do that in 2 separate doses. Once I did that everything started to really take off.

Yes I do have the BM doser. I will try to increase the dosing numbers. Do you really need to go up to 24?

I dont see why not if you can might as well add as little as possiable at a time

Jimmy, dwolson2 as always.

dwolson, I think I know what you mean by pH spike in my graphs. When I was recalibrating my new pH probe I had to use a 7.00 & 10.00 calibration fluid and that is the reason there is a huge spike in my 7 day and 30 day graphs.

did you buy your calibration fluid locally? if so where? if not I have to ask Paul to get some with his next order.

On my system I does 10 times a day for 26 min each hour for alk and cal 10 times for 21 min each hour. alk verys from 8.10 to 8.21 on avarage.

No, I didnt get it locally.

I finally added my phone numBer to reeftronics alerts and tested the function. I disconnected my wireless adapter from my controller and received the 1 hr alert from russ in my email and through test message. Anyways, everything works great!