Inkbird model question

[quikv6]

I am looking to buy my first Inkbird. The models are a bit confusing. Here are my "requirements":

1) Dual heater plug input. (2 heaters specifically....I don't want cooling.)

2) High and Low audible alarm thresholds. (Alarm will sound if either is reached. I would want to set those thresholds).

3) NON-wifi.

I did email them today, but then read they are offline for a week for Chinese New Year. I figured the Nerms here may be able to guide me. Thanks in advance.

[Guppysnail]

I replied once but it did not seem to post so if this is duplicate I apologize. The one I use meets all your requirements except the audible alarm and no low temp alarm as I use dual heaters. I set my tank heaters to the desired temp. I set the inkbird control function 2 degrees higher. If my tanks reach the cutoff temp I set it kills the power to the heater. The power does not get turned back on by the inkbird until temp drops below the set temp by 1-2-3-4 etc degrees that I choose that differential as well.  A red light is on when power is on it goes off when it shuts down power. If my tanks start running high to the shut off temp I know my heater is malfunctioning. It displays my set cutoff temp and the current tank temp. I run 2 heaters in all tanks 20g and up so these work perfect. I’m so not a tech person and they are amazingly easy to use and are NOT WiFi. Hope this helps give you a starting point  

Edited February 5, 2022 by Guppysnail

[Torrey]

On 2/4/2022 at 5:34 PM, quikv6 said:

I am looking to buy my first Inkbird. The models are a bit confusing. Here are my "requirements":

1) Dual heater plug input. (2 heaters specifically....I don't want cooling.)

2) High and Low audible alarm thresholds. (Alarm will sound if either is reached. I would want to set those thresholds).

3) NON-wifi.

I did email them today, but then read they are offline for a week for Chinese New Year. I figured the Nerms here may be able to guide me. Thanks in advance.

I have a pymeter, not an Inkbird. The Pymeter was originally used by herps and brewers, so will refer to the #2 outlet as 'cooling', however you are able to program it **on the controls on the pymeter** for both #1 & #2 to control heaters. Frequently I control two completely separate tanks with one pymeter.

 

Yes, you can select a "too hot" alarm & a "too cold" alarm, it sounds a lot like a fire alarm and is impossible to miss.

I don't have any Inkbirds, so I don't know if their 'cooling outlet' is programmable the same way. 

I chose pymeter because it remembers all of the programming, even after a power outage. 

The #2 outlet is unplugged because I broke down the tank right before my surgery. I have the sensor in the #1 tank so it won't scream at me, because our apartment is a warm and balmy 65° right now🥶 and -2° on the other side of the window😰

 

[quikv6]

Thanks for the great info. As of now, I am pretty tied to getting an Inkbird, and also to having, and also to having the audible alarm. I am not home much during the week, and would want something that my wife would hear, as she's never in the same room as the tanks, nor does she have an interest in them.

I guess the best way to ask my question is:

- Is there a NON-Wifi Inkbird that has 2 heating plug inputs and an an audible alarm if it reaches is extremes?

[Guppysnail]

I’m not certain why you need an alarm. It shuts the power off without human involvement and turns it back on by itself. That is why I went with them. Even if it did alarm at hot there is nothing for me to do but look at it. Unless the heater just gives out and goes cold (I cover this never happening with dual heaters) it’s automated control so your wife does not need to be bothered by an alarm.  I think the more advanced non WiFi brewing ones have the audible alarm but they have a metal probe not made for continuous use in aquariums. I just looked at the inkbird website quickly. I’m not sure any have audible alarms aside from the WiFi ones. The cooling function ones are a second plug for refrigeration equipment. Not sure any of that helps but I was confused when I purchased my first one by all the choices https://inkbird.com/products/itc-306t

[BAT]

On 2/4/2022 at 8:24 PM, Guppysnail said:

I replied once but it did not seem to post so if this is duplicate I apologize. The one I use meets all your requirements except the audible alarm and no low temp alarm as I use dual heaters. I set my tank heaters to the desired temp. I set the inkbird control function 2 degrees higher. If my tanks reach the cutoff temp I set it kills the power to the heater. The power does not get turned back on by the inkbird until temp drops below the set temp by 1-2-3-4 etc degrees that I choose that differential as well.  A red light is on when power is on it goes off when it shuts down power. If my tanks start running high to the shut off temp I know my heater is malfunctioning. It displays my set cutoff temp and the current tank temp. I run 2 heaters in all tanks 20g and up so these work perfect. I’m so not a tech person and they are amazingly easy to use and are NOT WiFi. Hope this helps give you a starting point  

@Guppysnailwhich heaters do u use in ur 20g?

[Guppysnail]

On 2/4/2022 at 9:02 PM, BAT said:

@Guppysnailwhich heaters do u use in ur 20g?

I’ll DM you so it does not interrupt this question.  

[KaitieG]

I use the same controller as @Guppysnail.  There's no need that I can see for a overheat alarm since it shuts off the power to the heaters when it hits temp (that's why I use the controller--it prevents cooking my fish).  I can see why you might want a "too cool" alarm, but unless it's a reeaallllyyy cold room and/or you have really sensitive fish, I think you'd likely have time to catch it before anything totally catastrophic happened if you're checking it a couple times a day (say, when you feed).  

[Greg Stewart]

I have the model up from the one Guppysnail has. The ITC-306A WiFi. It's got two power plugs on the same temp controler, two immersible thermocouples, WiFi enable app so you can view trends and get SMS alerts. It *does* have an audible high/low temp alarm.

The only thing I don't like is that every time the app updates on the phone you have to manually reconnect it by unplugging the controller and letting it boot/reconnect again.

I like the InkBird controllers. i also use them for brewing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X1JT372/

On 2/4/2022 at 9:33 PM, KaitieG said:

I use the same controller as @Guppysnail. I can see why you might want a "too cool" alarm, but unless it's a reeaallllyyy cold room and/or you have really sensitive fish, I think you'd likely have time to catch it before anything totally catastrophic happened if you're checking it a couple times a day (say, when you feed).  

I've actually forgotten, on a few occasions, to turn the controller back to "heat" after doing water changes and filter maintenance. I would have left it go all night without noticing if the thing hadn't started making noise. But, I'm an eejit, so there's that.

[Torrey]

On 2/4/2022 at 8:29 PM, Greg Stewart said:

I have the model up from the one Guppysnail has. The ITC-306A WiFi. It's got two power plugs on the same temp controler, two immersible thermocouples, WiFi enable app so you can view trends and get SMS alerts. It *does* have an audible high/low temp alarm.

The only thing I don't like is that every time the app updates on the phone you have to manually reconnect it by unplugging the controller and letting it boot/reconnect again.

I like the InkBird controllers. i also use them for brewing.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X1JT372/

I've actually forgotten, on a few occasions, to turn the controller back to "heat" after doing water changes and filter maintenance. I would have left it go all night without noticing if the thing hadn't started making noise. But, I'm an eejit, so there's that.

I would never consider you an eejit! 

I attribute cranial flatulence like that to global warming. My iceberg is only so big, global warming is making it shrink, and I have to choose between keeping the penguins (knowledge) I already have, or selecting which penguin is going to hop off (complete with sound effects) so a new penguin (idea) can take it's space😁

Hence why I don't have the wi-fi (my phone can't take any more apps, and I need the controller to remember the settings after a power outage because I might not 😬), and I absolutely use the alarms.

[Greg Stewart]

On 2/4/2022 at 10:55 PM, Torrey said:

Hence why I don't have the wi-fi (my phone can't take any more apps, and I need the controller to remember the settings after a power outage because I might not 😬), and I absolutely use the alarms.

I fight to keep my phone as app free as possible. Drives me insane sometimes.

The controller does keep the settings without the app, i can go for months not realising it's not connected. And, it'll keep the settings across power outages, as well.

The app is nice for watching heating/cooling trends. I thoroughly geeked out on it for about two months, and then it quickly died down to an "i'll check when I get suspicious about something" kinda thing.

[quikv6]

Thanks guys. I suppose I don't need an alarm.....but certainly want one. I would be using the Inkbird as a failsafe, and not as the controller itself. If there isn't an alarm, and the heaters' thermostat sticks closed (on), then the Inkbird becomes the controller. Yes, it would certainly save the fish, but what is there to alert anyone to change out that heater? I suppose I'd have to be home to actually view it hitting the high threshold, and then watch which of the two heaters it actually is.

Thanks again, folks. Appreciate all the input.

[Guppysnail]

I use mine as the failsafe only but when a heater malfunctions it does becomes the control until I replace the heater. The audible alerts and extra info. are why tech folks love the WiFi models  I guess these are no different than filters. None seem to have everything we want. 

[KaitieG]

On 2/4/2022 at 9:29 PM, Greg Stewart said:

 

I've actually forgotten, on a few occasions, to turn the controller back to "heat" after doing water changes and filter maintenance. I would have left it go all night without noticing if the thing hadn't started making noise. But, I'm an eejit, so there's that.

I could totally see that happening!  I've forgotten to turn filters back on (more than a couple times 🙂).  One of the tanks I have the controller on is all plugged into 1 power strip, so I just shut off the whole strip when I do the water change, and then it's pretty easy to remember to turn it back on since there are no lights (the lights are what I actually notice), no filter, etc. if I don't.  The other one is a 95 gallon that is super tall.  Even with a 50% water change, I don't have to unplug the heaters because they're below the water line, so I just never turn them off.  Makes sense why the alarm would be handy in a different tank situation.

Edited February 5, 2022 by KaitieG

[Mmiller2001]

I like the high temperature alarm because in the summer I've had the AC off and didn't realize it. Luckly, I had the WiFi version and an Alexa enabled thermostat.

[Streetwise]

If you want to take aquarium control to the next level: