Low Entry Cost

When aquarium controllers first came out, they were expensive. For a long time, aquarium controllers were at least $500 (retail). The Hydros Control XS and Hydros Control 2 are less than $240 (2026 MAP Prices). These are great basic controllers for nano tanks or for people who want to try a controller without spending a large sum of money.

Many Hydros modules are also considerably cheaper than the competition. The Hydros Dosing Pump is only $72.25, Hydros Triple Optical Auto Top-Off $97.01, and Hydros WiFi Power 4 Strip $46.19. Most competitors will charge 2-3 times this much for the same add-on modules. Using a Hydros controller may actually save you money because it allows you to add integrated options, such as the Hydros Auto Top-Off and Hydros Dosing Pump, at a lower cost than with competing stand-alone solutions.

Redundant Brains

Most controllers use a single central “brain” with a CPU and memory that controls all devices. But this means that if the main control unit fails or is disconnected, then everything stops working. With Hydros, each “control” unit has its own memory and CPU. This means that when you use multiple Hydros products together, much of your system will continue to work if one unit fails. You can also wire the units together so that if one unit loses WiFi, it can still function by receiving data from the other connected units.

Bluetooth and WiFi

Most modern aquarium controllers can only be controlled with an app or an internet connection. When the network is down, there is no way to turn things on and off. All Hydros Control modules have built-in Bluetooth, allowing you to turn items on and off even when the internet is down.

Wireless Connectivity

With most aquarium controllers, you need to run wires from the main control unit to all of the connected devices and modules. With Hydros, devices communicate wirelessly, so there are fewer wires to tuck away,, and devices in one room can communicate with devices in another without running a cable through your walls.