Digital Aquatics ReefKeeper Elite Controller

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Great

I like it. by BRIAN PALMER

Experience Level: Expert

Posted on 10/14/2009 from DALLAS, TX UNITED STATES

Comments: I have had both Apex and RK elite V2.I had to send the Apex back for corrupt software. Then I still could not get it to simply turn on the lights.I suppose it's possible the problem was me but I read the manual cover to cover like 3 times. Got frustrated and sent the whole thing back.I think if it worked it would probably be a slightly nicer unit than the reefkeeper which is what is ended up with.The cord for the display on the Apex is thin, nice and long. RKE is a clunky telephone cord. The RKE has more mount options as there are 2 4 plug units vs. Apex has all 8 outlets at one spot. So I liked that.RKE came with it's own PH calibration solution and a screw on cap for the probe. That was nice because you will have to buy that separately with Apex.The Apex has a beafier longer temp probe. The one on the RKE can pop out of the tank easily which would mean the heater would then start heating things up too high. I put a clip on it to hold it in place. It's just a thin wire vs. the Apex has some weight to it.One big thing I like on the Apex was the ability to name the outlets. That way I don't have to keep looking at the outlets to see what is plugged where.Also the Apex seemed a little more simple to program basic things like what temp should the light go off if it get's too hot. It's all there with the RKE but I had to go through extra steps to get there.RKE has several color to choose from for the display .. Big deal but it's kinda nice.Both manuals are a little weak.Overall I think the Apex is a little nicer but probably not $100 nicer.. maybe $20-$30 nicer.I have only set it up for heater , temp , PH monitoring, lights, wavemaker. .. so I know I could get a way with a $100 controller but I like this display and may use other functions in the future. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Pretty Darn Good by PRESTON

Experience Level: Expert

Posted on 8/31/2009 from SAN DIEGO, CA UNITED STATES

Comments: I appreciate the fact that digital aquatics has spent the time and developed a control system of this magnitude. For most peoples needs less than a thousand dollars for a totally complete system is a steal. I have had this for over a year no problems no issues. Make sure you put update system on laptop for easier installation. If you complain about this system you are doing something wrong. The interface is a little tricky at first however after a little fumbling you figure it out. I dont think digital aquatics is making millions of dollars off of this so give em a little credit for what they have done, and maybe a little slack on support response time. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Excellent Reef Controller by DUANE JANES

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 5/29/2009 from WESTERLY, RI UNITED STATES

Comments: I have been using this controller since I purchased it during the pre-release sale almost a year ago and it has worked flawlessly. My Temp, Ph and Orp probes are rock solid and need minimal attention since they were originally calibrated. This system controls my display tank and my frag tank’s lights, pumps and heaters and has been very reliable since inception. This was money well spent and I recommend this controller to anyone currently in the market for a dependable, easy to use controller to manage their reef system. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

12 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

Unsatisfactory

This system is junk. by PATRICK CONNOLLY

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 5/15/2009 from CYPRESS, TX UNITED STATES

Comments: I have been having problems with this system since I bought it (a $950 mistake I would not do over again). I bought the RKE controller, Net module, Five extra PC4 modules, extra SL1, probes, etc. Since day one the 2 PH probes not only report different values, but immediately after calibration they report the 10 PH Calibration fluid as much as 1 PH off and the 7 PH Calibration Fluid as much as .9 Off (and usually in differnt directions). Since day one the system has suffered from random shut-downs of the entire system. I can only hope that my expensive Metal Halide bulbs and various pumps survive the constant on-ff-on-off behavior of this expensive experiment. Customer service sometimes takes a week to reply. At one point a Customer service rep actually called me and he was nice and professional. He had me try a bunch of tests while he was on the phone (turn this off, set that to this value, etc). I had high hopes. After spending a good hour on the phone with the guy and using up all of my remaining calibration fluids, I never heard from him again and have yet to receive the promised replacement Cal Fluids. If you post on their "Support" boards they tell you "We're working on it" using verbiage that sounds alot like, "Go away please". If they ever work the bugs out it might be a decent system, but until then it is definitely not worth the hassle. I would NOT recommend this product to anyone. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Nice Controller by RC

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 5/10/2009 from Northern CA

Comments: This is my first controller and I love it. I read all the hype on the bugs, maybe I got lucky, But mine has been running strong for over 6 months with zero problems. This controller can do basically anything, and it was easier to setup than I had expected. The online warning upgrade capability is why I bought this controller. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

10 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Great Product by Harry

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 4/24/2009 from LIVERPOOL, NY

Comments: I replaced my Profilux controller with the ReefKeeper Elite. The ReefKeeper Elite has proven to be a very capable controller (far more capable than I first realized). It has been a rock solid preformer! I would definitely recommend the RKE to anyone looking for a serious controller. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Great

Getting there by Don

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 4/9/2009 from LAKEVIEW, NY UNITED STATES

Comments: Some bugs to work out , but DA guys are great for support make sure you keep return pump and a heater on a wall outlet untill all major bugs are worked out. Very nice layout very easy to use after a short period of time. I really enjoy this thing once the issues are hammered out it will be perfect . Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Hands Down the Best by Larry Webster

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 1/28/2009 from PEYTON, CO UNITED STATES

Comments: I received my RKE from Marine Depot, and set it up in about 15 minutes. The only issue I had was a DOA PC4 which Digital Aquatics support swapped out quickly. I called them, we did a couple tests and re-loaded the firmware, and they determined it was bad, and replaced it. Setup was simple, and I would recommend Reading the Manual prior to receiving it, as well as having it on had to answer any questions you might have about a setting or two. the bus cables are the key, you plug the controller into the SL1, then the SL1 into your PC4's. that's not real clear in any instructions, but took 2 minutes to figure out. setting up the temp probe was simple, as was the light timers. Overall I love this thing, and cant wait till the network component comes out! Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Best controller out there. by Mike Branch

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 1/21/2009 from CANTON, OH UNITED STATES

Comments: I have had this controller for about 8 months now and love it. Saves a lot of time and piece of mind. I have had no issues at all. It controls everything, PC's, moon light controller, PH, Temp, ATO, fans, chiller, pumps, ORP. Love the standby's for feeding and maintenance. I would not go back to doing this by hand. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Excellent controller by DAVID MORRIS

Experience Level: Expert

Posted on 1/17/2009 from LEMON GROVE, CA UNITED STATES

Comments: I have had my RKE for months now and I am extremely pleased with it. It is currently controlling every piece of equipment on my 300g display tank perfectly. I had very little trouble setting it up and figuring out how to program it. There is a simple menu to navigate instead of using an archaic programming language. It is stylish enogh to have it mounted on the front of my stand and the head unit is quite functional for accessing the system. Standbys are great for feeding time. The moonlight system works great and looks very cool. I'm not sure why some people have had problems, but none here. Everything works great and the system is getting better every time DA puts out a new module. With the nice, modular design I only have to pay for the features and hardware that I want. I see a very clear upgrade path as new modules come out. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

Best Controller Ever by ANDREW

Experience Level: Expert

Posted on 1/8/2009 from GREENSBORO, NC UNITED STATES

Comments: I work in an Aquarium Store and have a lot of experience with different controllers, particularly the AC III Pro. Due to the almost infinite expandability of this system and the limitations which I have encountered on the AC II Pro in working with them frequently, I decided to purchase this controller for my personal aquarium. I absolutely love it! It does everything I could ever ask of a controller and with the upcoming NET module will give me ease of mind when I am on the road. Setup, calibration, and programming were a breeze and I was off and running! For me, there is no comparison between the RKE and any other controller on the market. I will certainly never look back and will recommend this controller to all my future customers as well. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

47 of 76 people found the following review helpful:

Unsatisfactory

Stay Away by ReefFreak

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 1/8/2009 from ROCHESTER, MI

Comments: Buying this controller was a huge mistake. The unit simply doesn’t work. As soon as the ballasts turn on the buttons no longer work. Graphing doesn’t work. Outlets don’t follow the programmed operation. The probe readings are erratic. All these problems persist even after updating to the latest version of firmware. Customer support is a joke – I’ve never been able to get anyone on the phone. When you get an email response as just says that we are looking into the problem. Stay away from this product. I would not recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

23 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

Excellent!

GREAT BUT by CHARLES GOODMAN

Experience Level: Expert

Posted on 1/1/2009 from NORTHRIDGE, CA UNITED STATES

Comments: The product is amazing. It is a top of the line digital controller that will control your entire reef system, no matter how big or complex it is. The only things to know are that it is new and there are still some bugs to work out. Also, the documentation is good, also will be better I am sure with some more time and work. I would say get this system over any other, but plan to spend some time and work before it is working perfectly. THe customer support is quite good. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

25 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

Great

Intuitive, Easy, Plug and Play by E

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 12/31/2008 from Valencia, CA

Comments: It's still a pricey new design and has some tech bugs to work out, but the engineers seem to be improving everything rapidly. Very elegant design and thoroughly planned engineering, including their modular architecture for adding on new features. I dumped my Neptune Systems Aqua Controller that was sometimes too complicated to program, had a tedious interface, and a reliance on X10 that always conflicted with electronic ballasts and other signal noise. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

20 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

Great

RKE by MCLAMAN

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 12/20/2008 from LADERA RANCH, CA UNITED STATES

Comments: This is the first controller I have owned and I love it! There are some updates from time to time you have to make with this controller. But if you enjoy reefkeeping like I do, ythey shouldn't be that big of a problem. Plus, each upgrade has come with new features and improvements. It is a new product and some people have had some issues. Personally I haven't had any issues of importance. The user interface is simple and it has tons of options and potential for a lot of upgrades. If you like gadgets, this is a great one. Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

20 of 62 people found the following review helpful:

Unsatisfactory

Buyer Beware by BILL NATANSKI

Experience Level: Expert

Posted on 11/14/2008 from COVINGTON, GA UNITED STATES

Comments: This unit is horrible. As for the last review, it stated how the user is till waiting for bugs to be worked out. This unit was released with horrible research and develoment. DA will get back to you on your issues...but it takes quite a while. I suspect their workload has increased with all of the issues. Having to load and reload firmware because the unit wasn't built correctly is horrible. How would you feel if you bought a car and had to take it back to the dealer every time it broke because of MANUFACTURER defects!!!! I'm with the first review and use the money on another controller. All I have encountered are issues. Mine is for sale on CL I would not recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

53 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

Great

Well worth the money!!! by JOHN JEFFERSON

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 10/20/2008 from GRESHAM, OR UNITED STATES

Comments: I'm NOT trying to argue but I have to disagree with that review! I have to say it was a BIG deal spending $500 on a controller for me. I've always built my tanks on a budget. I didn't get my RKE from MD. I decided to order from DA and do their preorder after talking with a friend that loved his RK2. I was worried at first because I had the MH issue that a lot of people had at first. But I have to disagree with the other reviewer on service! Now that they have fixed the issue with the a firmware update I'm flying high! This thing rocks and 1.07 fix almost all my issues! I think with new stuff it takes a bit of patients. DA seems fairly quick to update and fix bugs and they are always posting on their support forum. There are a couple other little issues that I'm hoping get worked out but from the sounds of it, there's another firmware update coming down the road that should improve graphing, (the only little bug that I'm dealing with.) It can be a hassle doing updates BUT I would rather buy from a company that releases them more frequently then not. And DA's support forum is very nicely setup. The only reason I'm posting is because I was looking to purchase another PC4 and saw the last review. It's completely opposite of my experience with the company. To many times you only hear when a company makes a mistake or a customer is unhappy. I hate it when people don't post positives so I try when I think it's worth it. :) In the interest of fair reporting - If there was one thing I would complain about, it's that they haven't released info on being able to control my Tunze's... That would about wrap it up for me! But I'm good right now as I already had a Tunze controller. (Another GREAT company by the way!!!) But this is just my opinion, but hey that's what all reviews are right. :) Johny signing out... Yes, I would recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?

17 of 78 people found the following review helpful:

Unsatisfactory

Save Your Money by Unhappy

Experience Level: Intermediate

Posted on 10/10/2008 from CHESTERFIELD, VA UNITED STATES

Comments: What a bad experience. I purchased without doing my research. I had a RK2 with little problems so I decided to upgrade to the RKE. Disaster!!! Customer service is a joke!! You have to keep upgrading firmware..that means disconnecting everything and taking it to your computer..and then it still doesn't work. As I browsed the forums, I realized I wasn't the only one having problems. $500 can be spent in so may better ways!!! I would not recommend this product to my friends.

Was this review helpful to you?