The HYDROS Power 4 WiFi Power Strip is an intelligent power bar designed to work with the CoralVue HYDROS platform. (Requires HYDROS app and HYDROS Control unit NOT included.)

The Power 4 has 4 x 120V AC outlets and 4 x USB ports that are WiFi controllable using the free HYDROS app for Android and iOS/Apple mobile devices. You can wirelessly turn outlets on and off over a 2.4 GHz WiFi frequency. In addition, the Power 4 has a range of 98’, so you can place power strips around your home without difficulty connecting to your modem or router.

Each of the 4 x outlets can be controlled individually, while the 4 x USB ports are controlled as one. The 4 x outlets have individual LED indicators, and the 4 x USB ports have a single LED indicator. The status LEDs indicate when an outlet is energized.

By using the HYDROS app with the Power 4, you can create rules and schedules to turn on and off different pieces of aquarium equipment, like pumps, powerheads, lights, heaters, algae scrubbers, UV sterilizers, protein skimmers, and whatever else you may want to control on-demand or put on a schedule. In addition, the USB ports are ideal for connecting and controlling aquarium cooling fans. So, for example, you can program it to turn on if your aquarium water gets too hot and then turn it off automatically when the water drops within ideal ranges.

Another great thing about the Power 4 is that you can control multiple Power 4 Power Strips from the HYDROS app. You might use a couple of Power 4’s to power your display tank, place another in the garage for a saltwater mixing station, and have units in each of your children’s bedrooms to turn even beginner tanks into smart aquariums. The beauty is that you can control all these different outlets using a single app for various purposes.

You can also monitor the outlets on your Power 4 power strip. If an outlet fails or loses its WiFi connection, you will be notified via alerts to your mobile device. This safety feature can help prevent a tank catastrophe. For example, if the outlet powering your return pump failed, you would receive a notification to let you know something is awry so that you can take corrective action. As a temporary fix, you might decide to turn on all your flow pumps and increase their speed remotely via the HYDROS app to keep the water moving and the temperature stable until you can arrive home to investigate.

The HYDROS Control system can utilize WiFi-based power outlets as part of its configuration. These outlets can switch lights, pumps, heaters, and other equipment on or off as needed in an aquarium environment. 

The power outlets connect to the Control device via WiFi. Understandably, there are concerns about the general reliability of these outlets and the possibility of a loss of communication.

One thing that should be pointed out is that HYDROS talks to the outlets directly on WiFi. No cloud interaction is involved. Thus, as long as your WiFi hub operates, the outlets will work even if the outbound Internet connection fails. 

The following outlines some of the safeguards that have been taken to reduce the probability of failure.