# TMC Aquaray 8 way controller



## Antipofish (20 Aug 2012)

Can someone shed some light on this controller ?

Im confused how the separation between channels works regarding dimming for sunrise/set... something about one program on two channels and the other on the remaining 6 ?  And how does the storm function work in terms of how you tell it which channels you want to storm ?

I currently have a normal controller and a power controller (which has storm on it).  Both control two channels only.

Would I be better getting two more standard controllers or selling these two and getting a 8way ?


----------



## wazuck (20 Aug 2012)

The 8 way I would assume does 2 channels at once and 6 at once. And I would have thought that you run the storm off of the 6 channels. Don't quote me on this.


----------



## Antipofish (20 Aug 2012)

wazuck said:
			
		

> The 8 way I would assume does 2 channels at once and 6 at once. And I would have thought that you run the storm off of the 6 channels. Don't quote me on this.



Lol, I wont !

Anyone got one  ?


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (20 Aug 2012)

Get an 8 on ebay, i want a storm one.
So dibs on that mate please if you do!


----------



## Antipofish (20 Aug 2012)

Whitey89 said:
			
		

> Get an 8 on ebay, i want a storm one.
> So dibs on that mate please if you do!



I now know the answer lol and think I made a mistake buying mine.  Great for a larger setup but not as flexible for multiple smaller setups like mine.


----------



## Johno2090 (21 Aug 2012)

Hmm it uses every channel with the storm mode and runs 6 on one with the remaining 2 on another channel. I use 6 strips over a 55 gallon and works well for me but I understand what you mean about smaller setups! 

The 1% is pretty bright too would be nice of you could moonlight it at 0.2% like just before it turns off!


----------



## Antipofish (21 Aug 2012)

Thanks Johno, so I am right, the other 6 channels are not dimmable ?  Only the first two ?  Then the other six are just timed on/off channels ?


----------



## Johno2090 (21 Aug 2012)

No all the channels are dimmable mate! Just the first 6 go on one timer with one sunrise and sunset. And the other two channels run in another timer.

For instance I have 4 lights coming on at 10am that turn up from 0% to 100% over a 2 hour period turning off at 8pm over two hours (channel 1) then I have two lights turning on at 2pm over another two hour period. These then stay on until 9pm and take two hours to turn off (channel 2).

So yes all channels are dimmable and have separate timers.


----------



## Antipofish (21 Aug 2012)

Johno2090 said:
			
		

> No all the channels are dimmable mate! Just the first 6 go on one timer with one sunrise and sunset. And the other two channels run in another timer.
> 
> For instance I have 4 lights coming on at 10am that turn up from 0% to 100% over a 2 hour period turning off at 8pm over two hours (channel 1) then I have two lights turning on at 2pm over another two hour period. These then stay on until 9pm and take two hours to turn off (channel 2).
> 
> So yes all channels are dimmable and have separate timers.



So you basically tell it which outputs (1 to 8) are on which channel (1 or 2) ?

Does the storm function operate all 8 outputs at once (IE channel one and two) or can you make it storm on one channel only ?

Where I am getting confused is on my current Power Controller, it says "channel 1 and channel 2" and I need BOTH of those to power ONE 1000ND.  So it seems that they are calling "outputs" channels on there. ?  Am I making sense cos it sounds wrong to me lol ?


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (21 Aug 2012)

No Chris, output 1-6 will be on channel 1  (up to 3 Tiles) & 7+8 will be on channel 2 ( 1 tile).

I think anyway from logic


----------



## Johno2090 (21 Aug 2012)

What whitey said is correct, although im a Chris also you for a few moments I was wondering what was going on!

Although if you use the beams then you can use 8 seperate beams not just 4 tiles


----------



## Antipofish (21 Aug 2012)

Whitey89 said:
			
		

> No Chris, output 1-6 will be on channel 1  (up to 3 Tiles) & 7+8 will be on channel 2 ( 1 tile).
> 
> I think anyway from logic



OK So I cant have two tiles on one tank and two on another and control them seperately then can I ? As each tile takes up two outputs.


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (21 Aug 2012)

No,
3 Tiles on one and one on another. 

The 3 you could have together on your 90 and have one on a tank next to it say. 

Or alternatively, you could use two on each if the photoperiods are the same. 

Or have a staggered photoperiod on  one. The possibilities are not as limited as you think.

The only major limiting factor would be the proximity of the tanks to one another mate


----------



## Antipofish (21 Aug 2012)

Whitey89 said:
			
		

> No,
> 3 Tiles on one and one on another.
> 
> The 3 you could have together on your 90 and have one on a tank next to it say.
> ...



LOL thanks Nat... you misread my post, I said "so I CAN'T have... not so I CAN have..."


----------



## Nathaniel Whiteside (21 Aug 2012)

Sorry mate, just trying to clarify


----------



## Antipofish (21 Aug 2012)

Whitey89 said:
			
		

> Sorry mate, just trying to clarify



All good but it looked like you had misunderstood what I meant too.  I understand what you are saying though, and that does help.


----------

