Improvements to the RK2

[Rueg]

Now that I have had my RK2 a while there are a few things I would like to see improved. I would like to start a thread on people's ideas on how to improve the RK2. If people want to post their suggestions I will keep editing this first initial message with the items and adding to the list. These are just suggestions on how to improve the functionality of the RK2.

1. Standby feature - allow different levels of off times for different items so they will restart at different times. Example - return pump starts after 15 minutes and the protein skimmer pump starts after 60 minutes. Right now everything has to start back up at the same time.

2. Standby feature - have a different way to indicate the unit is in standby instead of having the word 'Standby' replace the PH and time display. The PH and time should still display when the unit is in standby mode.

3. Ability to expand the unit to control more than 8 independent pieces of equipment.

4. Ability to do ORP measurement and or control.

[blufish]

Here's one improvement I'd like to see:

The ability to turn lights on manually but still have timer shut them off at the appropriate time. This is something that cheapo household timers can do, but RK2 cannot. (Unless I have missed something!)

[Rueg]

Well, so much for keeping it all in one list:

The administrator has specified that you can only edit messages for 60 minutes after you have posted. This limit has expired, so you must contact the administrator to make alterations on your message.

At least it will be all in one thread.

[digitalaquatics.com]

blufish,

We do have a manual override function for each channel. It is the first item in the channel configuration. You can select "on", "off" or "auto" for each channel.

Nick

[blufish]

Thanks Nick...I know about the manual override. (BTW, I love the RK2 unit!)

What I would like to see is a separate setting for a channel that would be "on with auto off," meaning you could turn the lights on early, but they would turn off by timer at the usual time.

Household timers have this feature; you can manually turn the lights on by rotating their little switch, but the timer will turn off at the usual time.

Why is this important? Because if you turn the lights on with RK2 manually and forget to switch them back to AUTO, they will stay on forever. Not good if you go out of town or are otherwise unavailable. I think the RK unit with its sophisticated computer should at least be able to emulate the behavior of a household timer. :rollface:

Thanks for listening!

[tangman99]

In addition to what listed I would like to see the following which may have already been mentioned in another thread.

I have my fans set to come on at 81 degrees and turn off at 80 degrees which works fine. I would like to be able to combing the following logic

If temp is 81 or lights on - fan on
If temp is 80 or less - fan off

This way even though my water is cool when the lights come on, the fans can go ahead and come on anyway to keep the water cooler longer before the lights heat it up. Now the lights heat up the water pretty fast and the fans come on when it reaches 81

[waltm]

The ability to daisy chain 2 power modules so you still have 8 channels but 2 outlets per channel. This would give more flexibility, higher load capacity if each module were run on a seperate circuit and more sales of power modules :)

The ability to sense line voltage from another plug or a current probe. So if the RK2 is plugged into a UPS for battery backup and the main power goes out then shut off lights, heater, etc and only run power head for circulation to maximize battery life.

[DC321]

Good ideas!

[lvpd186]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7568193#post7568193 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rueg
1. Standby feature - allow different levels of off times for different items so they will restart at different times. Example - return pump starts after 15 minutes and the protein skimmer pump starts after 60 minutes. Right now everything has to start back up at the same time.


I think you can already do that. I have my standby period run 10mins then the sump pump turns on. Two mins after that the skimmer pumps turn on. All you have to do is set your standby period to the shortest time (in your example the 15min.) and then when you create a channel for your skimmer add the option to start after a delay (in your example 45min). Hope that helps.

BTW I like the idea of being able to have more channels.

[Rueg]

That is an option that they added on through a firmware update. Back in June of 2006 when I posted that it was not available.

[lvpd186]

edit

[lvpd186]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9868874#post9868874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rueg
That is an option that they added on through a firmware update. Back in June of 2006 when I posted that it was not available.

Oh, sorry about that. I didn't even look at the post date.

[Rueg]

No biggie. Nice to see this thread brought back.

[dja1980]

Moonlight Cycle... like the Aqua Controller has.

[hounddog01]

I just want it to stay simple to program. Unlike the competition that you almost need to be a computer programer to figure out.

[Tehrab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9908510#post9908510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dja1980
Moonlight Cycle... like the Aqua Controller has. I too would be immensely happy with a moonlight program. Shouldn't be terribly difficult to code either.

Constant moonlights now annoy me but it's my only night light source.

[Eggplant!]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9931814#post9931814 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Tehrab
I too would be immensely happy with a moonlight program. Shouldn't be terribly difficult to code either.

Constant moonlights now annoy me but it's my only night light source.

I'm probably missing something, but how would this be any different from a normal (not halide) light source channel? Just set the on/off times accordingly?

[dja1980]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9933508#post9933508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Eggplant!
I'm probably missing something, but how would this be any different from a normal (not halide) light source channel? Just set the on/off times accordingly?
My moonlight is currently set to turn on form 9p-9a, however, there is no cycle. It's full intensity moonlight for 12 hours every night.

"The AquaController Jr has another special type of timer which can be used to simulate the moon cycle in your tank. A special lamp control module is used. This control module is capable of varying the intensity of light emitted from an incandescent bulb. The intensity variations are controlled by the AquaController Jr which is preprogrammed with correct intensity values for each day of the moon cycle. The AquaController Jr automatically updates the intensity value depending upon the current setting of the AquaController Jr`s clock. With this artificial moon cycle, it is possible to induce corals and fish to spawn." (Neptune Systems)

Even if the RK didn't make it this technical, I still think it would be nice to have varying moonlight photoperiods, with some nights not having any moonlight at all. From what I understand, fish and corals do like to be in complete darkness from time to time, especially when some of the newer, more intense, moonlights are being used.

[Tehrab]

Yeah, something like the moonlight channel is on for X days every moon cycle (24 days, I think).

[digitalaquatics.com]

I guess I should chime in here...

The RK2 will not have this feature due to a couple limitations. However, this is a feature that's on the development list for the future aside from the RK2.

Scott

[Tehrab]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9940158#post9940158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by digitalaquatics.com
I guess I should chime in here...

The RK2 will not have this feature due to a couple limitations. However, this is a feature that's on the development list for the future aside from the RK2.

Scott I presume this is because the RK2 lacks "state"?

[digitalaquatics.com]

No that is not the case.

[dja1980]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9940158#post9940158 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by digitalaquatics.com
I guess I should chime in here...

The RK2 will not have this feature due to a couple limitations. However, this is a feature that's on the development list for the future aside from the RK2.

Scott
That’s quite disappointing.

I can’t imagine that the limitations come down to programming. I would think that this could be programmed with a simple loop that cycles down the time that the moonlights are allowed to stay on until a point that it cycles them back up and repeats. Can you be more specific about the “couple of limitations”?

[digitalaquatics.com]

While this is a neat feature, there are many other features and parameters of your tank that are much more important. And because of that we have elected to employ other features in our given code space.

Scott



Scott

[Yuki]

I second the manual turn "on to automatic" feature for lights and the more ports. I would also like to see a days of the week programable light schedule. I come home late durring the week and have my MH's on from 6-11pm. during the week end I am at home during the day and out for the night so I would like to swith it up. The "on to automatic" could also satisfy this by being able to turn my lights on early and not worry about turning them off later.

Just a little suggestion. I love my Reefkeeper. I design a perfect whole in my canopy to frame the controller.

Thanks Yuki

[KEstep]

I would like to see a cloudy day/storm option added to the light timers. I use 2 plugs for 250 watt halides, and 2 plugs for actinics. I would like a feature you could turn on when you set up your lights could have a storm occur every now and then (random setting) that would shut off the halides for a random amount of time and also turn ON all of the powerheads in the aquarium to simulate a storm surge. Also, a partially cloudy day could happen occasionally by shutting off one metal halide and leaving the other halide and actinics on. I know it could cause wear and tear on halides doing this so you should be able to select how often it occurs (and make a disclaimer that DA isnt responsible). Perhaps use a percent scale.. Lower the percent then the fewer storms/cloudy days, higher percent = more storms/clouds. It could also cause a delayed halide start to simulate clouds in the morning. Since i use a lot of my reefkeeper for lights and powerheads I would love to see this as an option. It could even display on the remote "Storm" like it does standby so you know your lights are not messed up.

[digitalaquatics.com]

There are a number of reasons this wont work quite as well as expected. The "ON" and "OFF" feature is intended to work as it does for the following reasons.

If you turn a wavemaker off and then it comes on 10min later and you're still working on things that would not make sense as you tunred it off.

Like wise if you wanted to turn a fan to on and leave it running for some time that you manual chose then to have it turn on/off when expected would not work for you either.

In short while on the surface what you're asking for sounds like the a good way of doing it there are many reasons that we don't do it that way. It takes an extra second and a bit of understanding that you need to put the channel back into "AUTO" when you're done with the manual usage.

Hope that makes sense.

Scott

[digitalaquatics.com]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9995883#post9995883 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by KEstep
I would like to see a cloudy day/storm option added to the light timers. I use 2 plugs for 250 watt halides, and 2 plugs for actinics. I would like a feature you could turn on when you set up your lights could have a storm occur every now and then (random setting) that would shut off the halides for a random amount of time and also turn ON all of the powerheads in the aquarium to simulate a storm surge. Also, a partially cloudy day could happen occasionally by shutting off one metal halide and leaving the other halide and actinics on. I know it could cause wear and tear on halides doing this so you should be able to select how often it occurs (and make a disclaimer that DA isnt responsible). Perhaps use a percent scale.. Lower the percent then the fewer storms/cloudy days, higher percent = more storms/clouds. It could also cause a delayed halide start to simulate clouds in the morning. Since i use a lot of my reefkeeper for lights and powerheads I would love to see this as an option. It could even display on the remote "Storm" like it does standby so you know your lights are not messed up.

I like this idea. However the RK2 can't support this based on certain limitations. However we do have it on the list!

Scott

[digitalaquatics.com]

Everyone,

The RK2 is well known for it's ease of us and quick set times. Adding many of the features you are all asking for to the RK2 would make the unit much less intuitive to set up for many people. While there may be easy ways to incorporate any one of the options you've asked for at a time it's just not the right thing to add them all. They're all good ideas and deserve further review in one form or another. We are listening to you and taking notes.

Thanks for your input!

Scott
Digital Aquatics

[porthios]

i would like to see actual watts/amps pulled per channel..

[Meitzler]

What about internet access so you can see the readings while on travel. Litehouse and a number of others offer this feature. That feature would be enough to stimulate me to buy one.

[Scott Wilson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10066910#post10066910 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Meitzler
What about internet access so you can see the readings while on travel. Litehouse and a number of others offer this feature. That feature would be enough to stimulate me to buy one. They are releasing software at IMAC I believe it will do what you what with the software.