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Even when broadband access began expanding, the thought of having a router that controlled something for your reef aquarium hadn’t entered the minds of most aquarists. Reefers were oohing and awing over wireless thermometers that placed a probe in your tank and allowed you to track temperature changes from another room. While communication technology hasn’t evolved solely for purposes related to reef aquariums, advances have opened up almost limitless possibilities for aquarists. Online monitoring equipment, controllers, webcams; all of it ushers in an exciting new era of reef keeping. LED lighting, with its ability to ramp up and down, creating a host of different profiles allows marine aquariums to be more beautiful than ever. When deciding on technology to implement for your reef aquarium, what options are the most useful and how much technical knowledge do you need? Achieving a fully connected reef: All of my aquariums (one reef and two fish only) are very connected. Since I studied computer science for a while during college (with my first real job being a programming internship), and have always had a profound love of technology, having a high tech reef tank comes naturally for me. In adopting a variety of technology for my reef, I’ve had the chance to key in on a few things I’ve found immensely helpful. Have your tanks near your modem and router:Image may be NSFW.
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This is sometimes possible and sometimes not. If your tank is close enough to a router, than it’s possible to plug devices directly into the router. For most, the idea of mixing saltwater and electronics makes them queasy. LED lights are usually wireless capable, so they connect to an existing network, offering control from any computer on the network and often extending it to any internet connected device. Depending on where the tanks are, in relation to a router, a wireless signal may need boosted. This is easily accomplished in most cases with simple wireless extenders. Upgrading to an AC router can increase speed and range on compatible devices, although there isn’t any aquarium technology that I’m aware of that makes use of AC technology. Overall, having a reliable G/N router that provides good signal throughout the home will satisfy your aquarium needs. If you find yourself in a situation where a device requires a hard-wire network connection, such as the Neptune Aquatics Apex and you are simply way too far from a router to make it happen, look at home plug devices.… More:
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