Pls Review My Programming Set Up (Very Long...Sorry)

[Ron R.]

I am programming my Apex controller for the first time. I know my programs are simple compared to the ones most of you guys are using, but I want to be sure my programs are correct. I'm using my Apex in a 180g freshwater tank where I've been keeping a wc colony of Moba Frontosa since Jan 2005.

Here's what I am trying to do with my equipment:

For Lighting I'm using a double set LED Moonlights. Both sets of moonlights will be plugged into a double outlet extension and then into Plug 1 in the EB8. Since these lights will be turning on/off two times within 24 hours (from 5:30am to 6:45am and from 10pm to 2am), I configured the lights using the VarSpd1_I1 "“ (base_Var1) outlet on the Apex Outlet Setup page. For the Control Type I chose Advanced and chose the Moon icon. In the Advanced Setup Section I wrote:

Fallback ON
Set OFF
If Time 05:30 to 06:45 Then ON
If Time 22:00 to 02:00 Then ON

For Lighting I'm also using a right and left set of Marineland Double Bright LEDs. Both LEDs will be plugged into a double outlet extension and then into Plug 2 in the EB8. These lights will be turning on/off three times within 24 hours (from 6:45am to 8am, from 12noon to 1pm and from 7pm to 10pm).
I configured the lights using the following VarSpd2_I2 "“ (base_Var2) outlet. For the Control Type I chose Advanced and chose the Sun icon. In the Advanced Setup Section I wrote:

Fallback ON
Set OFF
If Time 06:45 to 08:00 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 01:00 Then ON
If Time 19:00 to 22:00 Then ON

When I checked my Apex Status page at 10:39pm both my VarSpd1_I1 "“ (base_Var1) and VarSpd2_I2 "“ (base_Var2) are ON. Are they on because Fallback is set to ON? Shouldn't my base_Var2 be OFF because it's after 10pm (22:00)?

To keep my aragonite sand substrate debris free I have been using 2 6080 Tunze Streams. Both Tunze Streams will be plugged into a double outlet extension and then into Plug 3 in the EB8. The Tunzes turn on/off four times daily for 20 minute cycles (from 8am to 8:20am, from 12noon to 12:20pm, from 7pm to 7:20pm and from 12:01midnight to 12:30am). My last cycle will be 29 minutes. The Tunzes create a whirlwind in my tank which gently sweeps the fish gunk and poop to my eheim canister filters located at either end of my 6' tank. I configured the Tunzes using the following VarSpd3_I3 "“ (base_Var3) outlet. For the Control Type I chose Advanced and chose the Hourglass icon. In the Advanced Setup Section I wrote:

Fallback ON
Set OFF
If Time 08:00 to 08:20 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 12:20 Then ON
If Time 17:00 to 17:20 Then ON
If Time 00:01 to 00:30 Then ON

I use 2 500w titanium heaters that are controlled by a Johnson single stage ETC. I know they are drawing about 8 amps combined. Both of them will be plugged into a Neptune Socket Expansion (SEU) outlet. The SEU will be plugged into Plug 4 in the EB8 which is rated for 10amps. I have set my Johnson controller's set points for 77 and 79 degrees. I know I can separate them, but I like the heat they generate to keep my water consistently heated. This unit has performed very well for me, but I want to build redundancy in my heating system. The Johnson ETC will be my primary controller. I want to keep this the SEU and Plug 4 on all the time until the water temperature hits 85 degrees. If the Johnson malfunctions like my previous Ranco ETC did a few years ago, I want the Apex to cut the power to my runaway heaters. I chose 85 degrees as the warmest water temperature I want in my tank because when I do my weekly 50% water changes during the summer, my water temperature can rise to around 84 degrees. I understand there may be a difference between the temperature at the Johnson unit and the Apex temperature probe and I may have to adjust for that. I configured the dual heaters using the following VarSpd4_I4 "“ (base_Var4) outlet. For the Control Type I chose Advanced and chose the Thermometer icon. In the Advanced Setup Section I wrote:

Fallback ON
Set ON
If Temp > 85.0 Then OFF

I'm not sure if this is correct to this point so I really need your help. And I appreciate you reading all this.

I have enough room to plug in my 2 2217 eheim filters, a WISA double air pump and a Schego air pump to be on 24/7. I don't know how to write that program or if I even need to. I need your help here.

My heaters are my biggest concern so I want to be sent emails and text messages when my water temperature exceeds 85 degrees. I think I also want to be sent emails and text messages when my water drops below 75 degrees. I don't know where or how to do this.

Lastly, I want to receive emails and text messages when I have a power outage. I already had a 31 second outage that I didn't even know about, but it registered on my Apex. How and where do I do this? If I plug my EB8 into an APC battery backup will this still be possible? Is it safe to plug my EB8 into an APC battery backup?

Thank you for all your help. If there are any changes or suggestions, both will be greatly appreciated! Maybe this will help other newbies like me as well.

 

[kurt_n]

Well... we can't complain because you didn't supply enough information!!:hmm5:

1. Regarding the lighting... the VarSpd "outlets" you're programming are not what you want to be doing. Those VarSpd outlets are referring to the Variable Speed ports on the Apex base unit - the things that look like phone/ethernet jacks, and are labeled "V1/V2" and "V3/V4". Those ports supply 0-10V control voltage based upon profiles and/or your programming. (See page 67 of the Unofficial User's Guide that is stickied at the top of this forum.) That control voltage then can be used to control the speed of certain pumps, or the intensity of certain LED lighting. But not the lighting you mention... or at least the Marineland lights. Not sure what you have for moonlights, but 99.9% sure they aren't dimmable. If what you're trying to control doesn't have a phone jack looking port, it ain't gonna happen.

You mention you're using the variable speed ports because you're turning them on/off multiple times during the day. That's not a problem for normal outlets. Just use the programming you've listed for the OUTLETS that you have the lights plugged in to.

As far as why the variable speed outlets aren't turning off when they're supposed to... I'm not even sure if the programming is valid for the VS ports. But I don't use them, so I'm no expert. However, my guess is that those outlets are set to "ON" manually. For any programming to take effect, the outlet must be in "auto" mode. If they are manually set "on", doesn't matter what the program says, it's going to be "on".

2. Tunze Pumps - Same problem as #1. Although some of the Tunze pumps are controllable with the VS ports, the 6080 is not. You just need to program the outlet - not the VS outlet.

3. Heaters - VS ports again.

4. For outlets to remain on all the time, you just need

Fallback ON
Set ON

5. Search this forum for the term "UPS" and you should find quite a bit of reading on different backup power scenarios. This is also covered in the Unofficial Users Guide with a couple different scenarios.

 

[Ron R.]

Thanks Kurt for the quick review. I see the drop downs under Light 1/2, Pump1/2.....for Advanced Setup.

Do I need to go back to the VarSpd outlets and reset them or can I leave the programming in there? If I erase the programs I put in there, what do I put in there?

I still need help with this:

"My heaters are my biggest concern so I want to be sent emails and text messages when my water temperature exceeds 85 degrees. I think I also want to be sent emails and text messages when my water drops below 75 degrees. I don't know where or how to do this."

Thanks for your help. Yes, I can get pretty detailed with stuff.

 

[worm5406]

For Lighting I'm also using a right and left set of Marineland Double Bright LEDs. Both LEDs will be plugged into a double outlet extension and then into Plug 2 in the EB8. These lights will be turning on/off three times within 24 hours (from 6:45am to 8am, from 12noon to 1pm and from 7pm to 10pm).
I configured the lights using the following VarSpd2_I2 "“ (base_Var2) outlet. For the Control Type I chose Advanced and chose the Sun icon. In the Advanced Setup Section I wrote:

Fallback ON
Set OFF
If Time 06:45 to 08:00 Then ON
If Time 12:00 to 01:00 Then ON
If Time 19:00 to 22:00 Then ON

13:00 not 01:00

 

[kurt_n]

Thanks Kurt for the quick review. I see the drop downs under Light 1/2, Pump1/2.....for Advanced Setup.

Do I need to go back to the VarSpd outlets and reset them or can I leave the programming in there? If I erase the programs I put in there, what do I put in there?

I'd just erase them and leave them blank. I'd also turn those outlets to manual "OFF" - that way the little blinking green lights on the base unit next to those ports will turn off. Unless of course you like the look of the little blinking green lights!

I still need help with this:

"My heaters are my biggest concern so I want to be sent emails and text messages when my water temperature exceeds 85 degrees. I think I also want to be sent emails and text messages when my water drops below 75 degrees. I don't know where or how to do this."

In your outlet configuration, go to the "outlet" for the email alarm. Not exactly sure what it's labeled, as I'm not at my Apex. In your outlet configuration, you have your 8 outlets that correspond to the EB8, the 4 Var Spd "outlets" that correspond to your variable speed ports, and 3 "outlets" that are virtual outlets that control your email alarm, your warning sounds, and your alarm sounds.

In the outlet for the email alarm, just add the conditions for which you want to be notified. You should start off with a "Set OFF" command. So for what you list, if would look something like...

Set OFF
If Temp > 85.0 Then ON
If Temp < 75.0 Then ON

... just make sure to replace "Temp" with the actual name of your Apex's temperature probe.

 

[Ron R.]

13:00 not 01:00

Thanks!!!

 

[Ron R.]

I'd just erase them and leave them blank. I'd also turn those outlets to manual "OFF" - that way the little blinking green lights on the base unit next to those ports will turn off. Unless of course you like the look of the little blinking green lights!

In your outlet configuration, go to the "outlet" for the email alarm. Not exactly sure what it's labeled, as I'm not at my Apex. In your outlet configuration, you have your 8 outlets that correspond to the EB8, the 4 Var Spd "outlets" that correspond to your variable speed ports, and 3 "outlets" that are virtual outlets that control your email alarm, your warning sounds, and your alarm sounds.

In the outlet for the email alarm, just add the conditions for which you want to be notified. You should start off with a "Set OFF" command. So for what you list, if would look something like...

Set OFF
If Temp > 85.0 Then ON
If Temp < 75.0 Then ON

... just make sure to replace "Temp" with the actual name of your Apex's temperature probe.

Kurt, thank you very much for all your help. I do appreciate it!!!

I tried leaving them blank.......I highlighted the commands and hit my delete key and even backspaced to delete them and then hit the update button. The commands stayed there. When I changed the commands and updated, the new commands where there. I put this command in:

Fallback ON
Set OFF

Not sure if this hurts or helps?

I left VarSpd 1-4 in the manual ON position. I like the steady green lights.

By leaving these ON am I hurting anything?

Can you explain what you mean by this? ... just make sure to replace "Temp" with the actual name of your Apex's temperature probe. Where do I do this?

If I leave "Temp" what will happen? I'm confused.

Also, when I renamed my outlets they look like this now:

Moonlights-(4_1)
DaytimeLEDs-(4_2)
TunzeStreams-(4_3)
Heaters-(4_4)
Eheim2217L-(4_5)
Eheim2217R-(4_6)
WISAPump-(4_7)
SchegoOutlet-(4_8)

Since they are unique names this should be okay........right?

 

[kurt_n]

I left VarSpd 1-4 in the manual ON position. I like the steady green lights.

By leaving these ON am I hurting anything?

I don't think so.

Can you explain what you mean by this? ... just make sure to replace "Temp" with the actual name of your Apex's temperature probe. Where do I do this?

If I leave "Temp" what will happen? I'm confused.

You can rename your probes in the Apex. All I meant was that I couldn't remember the default name for the temperature probe with the Apex. Also, I didn't know if you'd changed the name of the temperature probe. You can find the name of the probe in the probe setup page. Just make sure you use the actual name of the temperature probe in your programming... that's all I meant.

Also, when I renamed my outlets they look like this now:

Moonlights-(4_1)
DaytimeLEDs-(4_2)
TunzeStreams-(4_3)
Heaters-(4_4)
Eheim2217L-(4_5)
Eheim2217R-(4_6)
WISAPump-(4_7)
SchegoOutlet-(4_8)

Since they are unique names this should be okay........right?

Seem fine to me.