90 gallon slow and steady build
- Thread starter neil82
- Start date
Couple small updates. Picked up Aqua Gadget 5 gallon ATO container. Built a stand so it could siphon to mechanical float valve. Incorporated drawer for extra storage. Also setup BRS dosing pumps and mixed up two part. Need to program apex for dosing pumps and then get the heaters running on the apex too. Alk currently testing at 5.4 and phos .05 ppm (hanna). Ordered new test kits for cal and mg (salifert). Cabinet doors came in and I am getting them painted and ready for install. Soon I'll be done messing with equipment and focus more on the livestock and monitoring water parameters. Fish and coral seem happy for now with slow growth. I want this build thread to be more about the livestock than the equipment so looking forward to switching gears here soon.
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Just entered code for the apex jr controlling two BRS 1.1 ml/min dosing pumps and two heaters.
Dosing pump 1:
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/001:30/118:30 Then ON
Dosing pump 2:
Fallback OFF
OSC 060:00/001:30/118:30 Then ON
Heater 1:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.5 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 80.0 Then OFF
Heater 2:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.3 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 80.0 Then OFF
Feedback? Will this run each dosing pump for 90 seconds every other hour? First time with an apex so go easy on me.
Dosing pump 1:
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/001:30/118:30 Then ON
Dosing pump 2:
Fallback OFF
OSC 060:00/001:30/118:30 Then ON
Heater 1:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.5 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 80.0 Then OFF
Heater 2:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.3 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 80.0 Then OFF
Feedback? Will this run each dosing pump for 90 seconds every other hour? First time with an apex so go easy on me.
View attachment 13837
It looked like the dosing pumps were running every other hour on alternating hours, but looking at the output log, they both went on at 04:00:00. And I don't care for the frequency of on/off activity with the heaters. I'll be looking into improving the code today.
It looked like the dosing pumps were running every other hour on alternating hours, but looking at the output log, they both went on at 04:00:00. And I don't care for the frequency of on/off activity with the heaters. I'll be looking into improving the code today.
Also see my 65 build thread for a better approach to your heaters
Sent from my SM-G965U using MASC mobile app
Sent from my SM-G965U using MASC mobile app
Finally coming back to this. Updated the code to look like this:
Dosing pump 1:
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/001:30/118:30 Then ON
Dosing pump 2:
Fallback OFF
OSC 060:00/001:30/058:30 Then ON
Heater 1:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.0 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 79.9 Then OFF
Heater 2:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 78.8 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 79.9 Then OFF
Dosing pump 1:
Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/001:30/118:30 Then ON
Dosing pump 2:
Fallback OFF
OSC 060:00/001:30/058:30 Then ON
Heater 1:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.0 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 79.9 Then OFF
Heater 2:
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 78.8 Then ON
If Tmp < 70.0 Then OFF
If Tmp > 79.9 Then OFF
I would do this for your heaters instead
Heater 1
Fallback ON
If Tmp < 79.0 Then ON
If Time 00:00 to 11:59 Then OFF
If Tmp < 78.8 Then ON
If Tmp > 79.2 Then OFF
Heater 2
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.0 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 23:59 Then OFF
If Tmp < 78.8 Then ON
If Tmp > 79.2 Then OFF
If Tmp < 75.0 Then OFF
Sent from my SM-G965U using MASC mobile app
Heater 1
Fallback ON
If Tmp < 79.0 Then ON
If Time 00:00 to 11:59 Then OFF
If Tmp < 78.8 Then ON
If Tmp > 79.2 Then OFF
Heater 2
Fallback OFF
If Tmp < 79.0 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 23:59 Then OFF
If Tmp < 78.8 Then ON
If Tmp > 79.2 Then OFF
If Tmp < 75.0 Then OFF
Sent from my SM-G965U using MASC mobile app
Thanks for the feedback @zombie. And just so I understand how this program works.. does line 4 'If Tmp < 78.8 Then ON' override line 2 'If Time 00:00 to 11:59 Then OFF' so that heater 1 can still come on between 00:00 and 11:59 if needed? And then continuing with that logic, the last line 'If Tmp > 79.2 Then OFF' would override any previous statements that might result in an 'ON' output status?
Yep. In laymens terms it alternates between heater 1 and heater 2 every 12 hours to keep temp between 78.9 and 79.3 degrees. If the normal heater can't keep up and temp drops to 78.7 then both will run. If comms are lost or the temp probe fails heater 1 will run based on its internal thermostat and heater 2 will remain off.
Sent from my SM-G965U using MASC mobile app
Sent from my SM-G965U using MASC mobile app
I updated the code yesterday, and looking at the output log, everything seems to be functioning as expected. I think the temp probe might be getting some irregular readings from time to time due to it's placement. I see the backup heater is turning on occasionally, but just for a second or two, which leads me to believe the temp probe is reading below 78.8 momentarily. The temp probe is currently in the return pump section of sump. This is also where ATO water and ALK/CAL dosing fluid is added. So this might be messing with temp in that section of the sump. Suggestions on better placement for the temp probe? Or other solution to stabilize the on/off activity of heaters?
Well, I'm back here posting another update about equipment. Why am I still posting about equipment? You might ask, does this guy even have anything growing in his tank?
I'm working on a change with lighting equipment that I think will help me turn a corner with coral growth.
I picked up an old aqua medic ocean light fixture 2 x 250 DE MH with 2 x 54w t5s. Original magnetic ballast. I'll be running 14K phoenix MH bulbs with ATI blue plus t5s.
Some of the DE bulb sockets look bad so I ordered replacement parts from Hamilton. I'll make sure to post some good pictures of the livestock before switching out the lights so you can see the growth under LED since the photos posted 11/14. And we'll see what happens after the light change. For those of you with experience running MH, what kind of acclimation schedule should I consider using? View attachment 13958 View attachment 13959
I'm working on a change with lighting equipment that I think will help me turn a corner with coral growth.
I picked up an old aqua medic ocean light fixture 2 x 250 DE MH with 2 x 54w t5s. Original magnetic ballast. I'll be running 14K phoenix MH bulbs with ATI blue plus t5s.
Some of the DE bulb sockets look bad so I ordered replacement parts from Hamilton. I'll make sure to post some good pictures of the livestock before switching out the lights so you can see the growth under LED since the photos posted 11/14. And we'll see what happens after the light change. For those of you with experience running MH, what kind of acclimation schedule should I consider using? View attachment 13958 View attachment 13959