Should I get an apex?

[Widdy]

You don't need If pH < 8.39 then on. It'll run continuously until it 8.4, but 8.4 is a fail-safe not a target.

Question is if ph hits 8.4 and pump automatically shuts off how do I write code to turn doser back on once ph drops back down?

Apex will continuously check to see if each line is satisfied. When your pH drops to 8.39, the Apex will turn on the doser itself. No need to tell it.

 

[Geraud]

Ok you have to realize that each element is considered sequentially. Aka the program is going to be read one line at a time.

Here is my dosing program, yours looks correct to me!

Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/000:40/059:20 Then ON
If Time 09:00 to 22:59 Then OFF
If pH > 8.45 Then OFF

What that means is: by default it is off.
dose 40s at XX:00:00, then wait for 00:59m:20s (to get hourly dosing, make sure your numbers add up to 60:00 aka one hour)
However if time is in between 9am to 11pm, no need to dose (aka dose only at night)
Lastly, if pH > 8.45, do not dose.

Hope that helps.

 

[Mattl22]

Yes both responses helped a lot ty

 

[Mattl22]

Ok I just traded for a older style pm1 with ph probe because I'd like to control my cal reactor with it as I'm using the one that came with the unit to track tank ph and the pm 2 that came with it to track orp

Any way will this work with the newer version?

 

[Mattl22]

??

also my orp probe isn't working any ideas?

 

[Geraud]

Regarding your ORP probe: what is wrong about it? No data? Is it enabled?

 

[Mattl22]

Geraud it was working for few days then got stuck reading 2.6 and never changed again

 

[Geraud]

2.6? That is weird considering it should be in the 300-450 range. Is it properly configured as ORP and not as pH? Recently I had the same issue, but the other way around... a pH probe was showing as ORP. I just disconnected the module from the Aquabus, reconnected it, it worked properly again.

 

[Mattl22]

Geraud I Tried that will try again maybe put it in frag water see if it changes or possibly calibrate the probe again but I just set it up so that's annoying I gotta buy new fluids etc

 

[Geraud]

For the fluids: ORA you don't really care about an absolute value, so I would not bother. pH and salinity are obviously a different story. But why would you need to recalibrate them? Values do not disappear when the unit loses power.

 

[Mattl22]

Ph and salinty are fine just the orp but on my apex main unit it says ph not orp do I need to set it to say orp?
How do I do that sorry I'm almost computer illiterate

 

[Geraud]

ok that's what I assumed. This is why I suggested you "reboot" the main unit by unplugging and replugging it. When I had this issue it fixed it.

Let's be precise though:
1- the main unit has two connections: one is pH, the other one pH/ORP, make sure your ORP probe is connected to that one
2- try restarted the unit by unplugging the aquabus that goes from your power bar to the main unit. It will also power down the screen, then plug it back on
3- if you still see values that are pH, you can go to the menu on the little controller with the screens and buttons, and under "Setup" you will see ORP setup. Enter that menu and check that the correct input (aka "ORP") is there. Then you can try and disable the probe (set enable to no) then reenable it. If you do not see the ORP probe here (in the list of "ORP devices"), look for it in the pH menu, disable it from there, and see if you can reenable it from the ORP menu.

I think 2/ should fix this issue. If it does not and 3/ does not help, I would contact Neptune Systems if I were you.

 

[Mattl22]

Really appreciate you taking time to answer all my questions been a huge help to me I'll let u know if that works will try tonight

 

[Mattl22]

Hi Geraud so I did what u recommend but orp is not on home page on main unit anymore but is listed on fusion as 370 something but no graph next to it gonna call apex on Monday

 

[Geraud]

Great let me know how it goes. I have not had to work with them but I read countless time that they were really swift in fixing issues.

 

[Mattl22]

Hi Geraud I did finally get orp I'm usally in the 390 range I've read u should shoot for 400 ?

Now I have my main heater pluged into a rancho but I tried to set the 2 I have in my sump/fuge to my apex and it's not working its 76 and my heaters not coming on I have it set go off 78 on 77 any ideas?

Again thanks for all ur help !

 

[Geraud]

Hi Matt,

390 is fine, in general, these ORP probes have a very long break-in period. When I clean mine, it takes it about two days to go back up to its normal reading value, so yours could do that as well. There is also no "target value". It is more about if you see a sudden drop, there might be something wrong. 350-450 is considered "normal". In fact an easy way to see if everything is fine is to make sure your ORP graph has the exact opposite behavior as your pH graph! pH up: ORP goes down, etc.

What setting are you using for the heaters? Aka the normal admin page set to "Control type Heater" or advanced mode? If it is the normal page (a wizard basically) you just need to enter your start and stop temperatures.

Also make sure you are setting the heater's internal thermostat (if they have one) to start at a slightly higher temperature than what you set in the APEX. This way you are sure that even if its thermostat is not accurate, it will be on when the APEX says so.

If you click on advanced mode (even if you are in "control type heater") you should see something like that:

Fallback OFF
If Temp < 76.1 Then ON
If Temp > 78.0 Then OFF

 

[Mattl22]

I think I found the problem my tank was running 76 below my temp on command of 77 I believe I fixed the issue will see soon

 

[Mattl22]

Might have to do it in advanced mode

 

[Geraud]

It should still work, since the test of the "Control type heater" is actually translated to what I posted internally (as a Temp < lower_value rather than Temp = lower_value)

Just in case, is it properly set to "auto" on the main dashboard? (I made that mistake a bunch of times when I was starting)