Profilux 3EX-My Review and Set Up Guide

[this is me]

Let's start with some background on my tank
-Elos System 70
-Eheim 1260 Return pump
-Elos Planet II LED
-Vortech MP40es
-SWC mini cone skimmer
-GFO and Carbon running 24/7
I've keeping mainly anemones(giganteas, haddoni, and BTA). These things really do have a mind of its own. I've lost a tank due to a magnifica clogging the drain while I was out of the country last year.
I used to have a neptune AC Jr along with an MRC dual stage CA reactor and a Tunze Osmolator. All these equipments are now retired since my new set up with Profilux. The AC Jr. was very basic. I was using it really as an expensive(but reliable) timer and a heating/cooling controller. The CA reactor required a lot of space and a lot of equipments running 24/7. I especially didn't like the CO2 tank. The Tunze osmolator is a very very reliable piece of equipment. Almost ten years and hasn't miss a beat. However, I want the Profilux to be the brain of every equipment for the tank so the osmolator along with the ca reactor has to be replaced.

I have many controllers in mind but some of the reasons why I went with Profilux are
-Future proof-Internal boards of profilux are replaceable and upgradable.
-Extensive and detailed control(of lighting, temp, ph, cond, pumps, etc)
-Unlimited connections with PAB devices
-Logic gate programmable
-Web enabled
-Built quality

Profilux package I ordered and received. Thanks to ProgressiveReef.com and Michael for their timely response and shipping it out.
-Profilux 3eX
-2 PAB digital power bar
-temp probe
-ph probe
-conductivity probe
-4 slave doser unit
-2 float level sensor
-1 optical level sensor

Upon receiving my package, I was really surprised how big the power bar is. These are truly well built and heavy duty power bars. It makes other power bars look like a toy.
After unpacking everything, it was time to download the ProfiluxControl software and set it up. Setting up the temp, ph, cond, and timer was a breeze. I think it took me a couple hours to hook up the devices and set up the basic temp, ph, cond, and timer. The user interface was pretty easy to understand although I had to search for the programming manual for some terms that I don't understand.

 

[this is me]

Here are some screen shots of my set up. Hopefully this will help others to set up their Profilux as well.

The main screen after connecting the profilux to the PC via a USB or Serial cable. I use a USB. You should see the serial number and the firmware of the controller. Make sure it's the latest one. For the time and date, just hit the "PC time" and it will sync to your PC.

The temperature tab.
Use either C or F depending on your geography. Here you get your nominal temperature of the tank. This is the stable condition where the controller will neither calls for heat or fan/chiller. Hysteresis is the allowed change before the controller calls for heat or fan/chiller. You can set the light to turn on/off or dim according to the change of temperature as well. If you have the alarm turn on, the controller will send you an email if you have it set up. One neat thing here is the track of the probe's life.

Same for PH.

Same for Conductivity. Keep in mind that conductivity varies on temperature. So make sure you have it linked with the temperature probe you're using. In this case, temperature 1

 

[this is me]

Now, let's plug all the electronic devices you wish to be controlled by the profilux and assign its function.


Here, I have my 4 slave doser unit plugged in the S1-S4 port. So S1 to S4 switch are reserved for the doser. The 1st switch on the power bar will start on S5.
What I love most is the ability to use Logic gate. This, IMO, gives the Profilux unlimited power of control. Some logic gate and Boolean algebra is required.

I use the logic OR for S1 which is my ALK dosage. What I'm doing is manual set the time and dosage I want to dose ALK. The timer only allows 8 set of dosage. So I created another timer and use the logic OR. If timer 1 OR timer 2 is on, then that switch is on.

 

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More on dosing.
Here's my setting for the ALK dosing. I mainly want to do ALK dosing at night because that's when the PH drop and the ALK will help it rise a little.
As you can see, I labeled it as nighttime ALK dosing. Every hour at 5ml per dose. The manual timer only allowed for 8 sets of dosing.

But have no fear, create another timer and use the logic OR.
This is my daytime dosage. The dosage here is a lot less than at night.

.

For CA and Mag, I just use auto dosing.
20 dosages per day. 5ml per dose. Total of 100ml per day.

 

[this is me]

For light, I just use the on/off timer with temperature dependent light reduction. If the temperature reached the max allowed, this light will be off.
When I get my dimmable driver from ELos, I will set up the more fancy feature like cloud, thunderstorm, etc. But that's really not on top of my list.

Next, the level sensors for ATO and leakage detection.
I have a 2-level ATO. An optical and a float. You really need an optical sensor and that would be sufficient but the second sensor provide another level of security which I don't think you need. But if you do have the second float sensor, the pump will automatically shut off if the float is triggered.
I have my other float sensor in my main aquarium to detect overflow.

The reason why you don't really need the second level of security because there's a Max time that you can set for the pump to run. If the pump is run for longer than the set time, the alarm will trigger and the pump will be shut off.
Also, the reaction time is the buffer for the sensor to react. If your sensors are in an area where the level is constantly going up and down, you might want to set this time longer so that the sensor doesn't oscillate.

Leakage detection is something very important to me and should be important to everyone. If the drain is clog, the water in the main tank will rise and trigger the float. Triggering the float will cause an alarm and the return pump and skimmer will be automatically shut off.
Here, I have my reaction time of 1s. And remember to check the " reset error" box. This will turn on your pumps back on when the water level sink back down and float sensor is not trigger.

 

[this is me]

Now for some cool and critical features when you're away from the tank. Assuming you have the profilux hooked up onto a network, you can get instant email sent to your smart phone when the alarm is triggered.

Email set up.

Push email received.

Email message.
Here, you can see what caused the alarm. In this case, I pulled my conductivity probe out of the water. You can also get the current reading of the rest of the probes, level, and the state of all the switches.

 

[this is me]

For remote access, make sure you know what you doing and have it encripted. This feature is so cool but also dangerous if you allow others to access it freely.

You can monitor and control your tank while away. I use this pretty often to check up on the tank's readings.

To see which lights are on or off

To see which switches are on or off

Take control of it if you have to.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Wow thanks Nick, keep it coming

It has been featured on www.aquariumcomputer.com support forum also.
http://forum.aquariumcomputer.com/s...cks-Review-and-set-up-guide&p=27998#post27998

I will make this a sticky also.

 

[Hydrologist]

Well done Nick. When I get back home I am going to try and set up those email alerts. ( you may get a PM from me on how to set that up) You should also take a look at the marinemad Iphone App. You would love it!

Now that I have the Profilux it's tough to imagine my system without it.

Thanks again for the in-depth setup.

 

[Rotknee]

Hey Nick, thanks for sharing!:thumbsup: I've admired your success from afar based upon what you have done with the Gigantea's in your tank. I was recently told that one of the keys to keeping Gigantea's is a VERY stable pH. Using your current Alk dosing algorithm how much does your pH change over a 24 hour period?

I like the your Alk dosing schedule much more than what I am currently doing. I just want to make sure I can keep my pH above 8.10 with minimal large changes over a 24 hour period. My pH now is tracking between 8.03 and 8.19. Ideally I would like to be able to use your method and keep my pH between 8.15 and 8.20.

 

[njadik]

very nice, thanks for posting.
As i know many new users of profilux will make a good use of this.

again thanks for posting.........

 

[this is me]

You should also take a look at the marinemad Iphone App. You would love it!

I have looked at it. It does look good. But to be frank, at $21.99 for the app, I can do without.
The Profilux is its own server and you can upload your own website with anything on it. I'm planning on taking advantage of this in the near future. Just have to brush up on my HTML knowledge.

Hey Nick, thanks for sharing!:thumbsup: I've admired your success from afar based upon what you have done with the Gigantea's in your tank. I was recently told that one of the keys to keeping Gigantea's is a VERY stable pH. Using your current Alk dosing algorithm how much does your pH change over a 24 hour period?

I like the your Alk dosing schedule much more than what I am currently doing. I just want to make sure I can keep my pH above 8.10 with minimal large changes over a 24 hour period. My pH now is tracking between 8.03 and 8.19. Ideally I would like to be able to use your method and keep my pH between 8.15 and 8.20.

Thanks,
I'm not sure how sensitive the giganteas to PH swing but before I was dosing and using the CA reactor, my lowest PH reading at night is almost in the 7.8x range.
Taking the reactor offline and dose 2-pars, I'm seeing more in the 8.0-8.2 range. I just cleared all my measurement log because I was still dialing in my dosing system. Otherwise, I would've posted a graph. Guess I can wait another week.

 

[this is me]

Here's a 24hr graph of temp, ph, and cond. Temp and Cond on left-hand y-axis. PH on right-hand y-axis.
Notice the sawtooth characteristic in the graph of PH in the middle of the night as the ALK dripping temporary helps raising it up. This clearly shows the benefit of dripping ALK mainly at night or when the lights are off.

 

[moondoggy4]

Wow great review I always wondered what the Profilux could do, I can see I would definitely need paid assistance to set one of these up.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

You would get FREE assistance from our global user base including me

 

[doggydoc]

NOTHING BETTER THAN PROFILUX.....And customer support and people like Michael and Gareth.....A+

 

[Rotknee]

Nick, thanks for posting the 24hr Temp and pH graph. Now all I need are a pair of Gigantea's

NOTHING BETTER THAN PROFILUX.....And customer support and people like Michael and Gareth.....A+

I agree!

 

[nzsilentone]

Hey Nick,

Just brought my own GHL system, Found everything for setup to be a breeze! Thanks for your advise in my earlier thread about what i needed.

Wondering if i could please grab your snippet of code which you use for emailing?

 

[boboxx]

Here is what I was using:

$$ALMS$$

P
$$REPS[32][00]$$ $$SENN[xx]$$ - $$SENV[xx]$$
$$REPE$$

I
$$REPS[32][01]$$ $$ILLN[xx]$$ - $$ILLV[xx]$$
$$REPE$$

S
$$REPS[32][02]$$ $$SWIN[xx]$$ - $$SWIS[xx]$$ [$$SWIC[xx]$$]
$$REPE$$

L
$$LEVN[0]$

 

[this is me]

That is what I use as well. But I changed the P to probe, I to illumination, etc. The code is basically saying give me the name and the state of each probe and repeat 32 times.
The code for the level is useless because the allowed characters is limited and you can not add any more code to it. The way it is right now is just displaying the name of the level. It would be nice if GHL can expand this.