ProfiLux - THE Review and set up guide

[Greg 45]

When you get time can you post a how to set up moonlights using the L1 and L2 ports.
Can never get this right.
Thanks in advance.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Hi

I assume you mean the moonlights using the Simu or simu-L as you mention L1L2?

if this is the case L2 is factory default with the simu's as blue

go to 1-10V interface and set L2 as illumination 2 (for simplisity of numbering I have chosen I2 no other reason)

go to illumination 2 and set your on time and the dimming curve for instance

8pm 0%
12pm 50%
8am 0%

so here you would have set seperate schedules within illumination 2

remember to press save to load the settings.

If for some reason the sunrise LEDS illuminate instead the channels of the simu are switched so just set L1 in 1-10V interface up instead of L2 everything else remains the same.

 

[mr murphy]

confused

confused

So the next part of the "how to guide" is to cover initial connectivity via USB and or USB to RS232 adapter.

So first off -

Always install first the matching and newest driver before you connect the USB with the PC! I will explain how to do this below

If you use the PLM-USB card you will find our newest driver at our download-page

http://www.aquariumcomputer.com/Syst.../download.html

Important: there are 2 different drivers available - one for Prolific chipset, the other for FTDI chipset.

If you are not sure which chipset (the name is printed on the chip of the USB-card) you can install both drivers, this is not a problem.

Third party adapters (RS232 to USB) - The only time you should use one of these is for firmware updates using the fujitsu tool. I do advise everyone with a Plus II to get PLM-USB as adapters are our biggest nightmare. The biggest issues faced is by the use of these adapters so i will cover as many hints as possible regarding this. Of course ProfiLux will always get the blame when it does not work even though they did not make it So this is very important for everyone to read

If you do decide to use a third-party USB-RS232-converter then you have to use the shipped driver, always look for an updated driver on the manufacturers website. If the adapter does not come with a driver or a brand name, my advise is do not buy it, but if you do have one like this and can not find the driver, use the driver for PLM-USB, however we do not guarrantee this will work

So you have installed the driver(s), if you now connect the profilux to the PC with power applied windows should say "new hardware found" and after a few seconds display what COM port it is using. if not then the USB-port will be displayed in the windows device manager under "Ports (COM and LPT)". There you can also see the assigned port number (e.g. "COM 7").

In ProfiLuxControl this port number has to be adjusted under connection settings. Connection settings can be located by clicking on the 3 dots ... next to the connect button.

open the connection window for RS232/USB and this box will be displayed

The baudrate (transmission speed) of ProfiLux and ProfiLuxControl must be matching. Standard is 9600 for both, usually you need not to change them.

In the COM window edit this to match the COM number that you noted earlier.

Make sure RS232/USB is ticked

Press save

in the list of connection tick the connection for RS232/USB

Exit

You should now be able to connect

Notes - Even if you are using a USB-RS232-converter you must use our cable ProfiLux-SER between converter and ProfiLux!

If the connection fails although then:

The used USB-RS232-converter is not working correctly (hardware and/or driver are not according to the standards). In this case try using the profiLic driver I personally have found this to work in my case, also use this driver if you adapter was not supplied with a driver CD.

I hope this gives a good insight

whats all this about. is this about when buying the software and installing it on ure laptop? is the lap tops u can buy that will just be ready to install everything. this all seems complicated

 

[AQD_ottawa]

??????

The software is FREE.

This is about helping people connect their profilux to their computers to the installed drivers.

 

[mr murphy]

This is the intention

OK so pH -

Well once you have set up the Temp everything starts to fall into place like a jigsaw really, setting pH up is no different you are just dealing with different values.

So here we have the pH screen

Just as the temperature control page, you have nominal value current value and hys'. As with the temp input there are plenty of other funky add ons to play with if you wished here, for example nocturnal mode etc, this is important only if you really do not like natures ability to lower pH at night, I personally let the tank follow a rythm.

So what can pH be used for? In my case its just monitoring, of course I can set an alarm to wake me at 2am if it drops too low, or goes to high if my Alk dosing got stuck on, or if running a kalk stirrer etc. But the main purpose in reef tanks for pH control other than just monitoring the tank is calcium reactor control.

So to set up a ca reactor Co2 solenoid (I do not have this on my tank as I cast that old pony out long ago )

First set up your nominal value in a ca reactor it should be around 6.2 to 6.5 depending on your media. The Hys' can be set to 0.1 in this case, we are controlling a solenoid so does not have so many issues with being switched on and off often.

Now go back to the socket function screen and decide what socket you wish the solenoid to be plugged into, lets say socket 2 for now.

Just as you did with the temp socket set up, select the socket to be edited and set as follows

pH - downward

thats it you are set, of course you can name the socket Co2 control or Freds Diner what ever you choose

If you want to control a Kalk stirrer you can do the same but opposite, if the pH drops you want the kalk to be turned on so set to pH up.

Next Salinity control - Oh thats a scary one [/QUOTe

if im not using calcium reactor and was using 2 part dosing alkanicity and acid can 2 solenoids hooked up to 2 bottl3s and be controlled eg if ph drops solenoid turns on to dose acid and vice versa???????

 

[AQD_ottawa]

yep pretty much just make sure you have the solenoids connected to the right sockets

 

[mr murphy]

how would i hook these up to the bottles

 

[jumboswart]

Wondering if you can help?
I have 2 optical level sensors connected to the profilux via the splitter on Level 1&2. The PAB setting is Water 1 and the Level 1 is set to ATO with 2 probes. The pump is connected to the PAB but doesnt come on when the level drops, I have to manually overide. I have the profilux iii ex.

 

[shaggss]

you'll have better luck asking your question here!

 

[manni]

dosing pumps

dosing pumps

hi there ottawa
if i have my powerbae6d connected to s1 - s4 then how do i go about using the dosing unit would it run of a splitter cable. this thread has been very helpfull!! bottoms up! lol Also its probably not the best place to ask this but would i be better of controlling my ph through my doser or a kalk stirrer etc? my tank is just over 900 litres however my sump does not permit much room.

 

[mr murphy]

So good ole level control etc etc

Lets start with the basics.

ATO.

There are different ways of doing this

Direct from the RO unit (my choice)
From storage container (most popular)
From one of the above controlled by a salinity probe instead of level sensor (advance topic - later)

So which ever you choose of the first two the only thing that changes in the set up is what you plug into the assigned power bar socket, whether it be a water solenoid of water pump. In my case water solenoid.

So first thing we must do is set a float or optical level sensor up in the sump to the desired (controlled) level point.

Here is mine.

Set up the assembly and loose fit to the sump so it can be adjusted, now go to the profilux front screen and go to level - diagnostic - level 1, adjust the sensor until it just turns off, you now have your level set at where you wish the water to always be maintained at.

So back to the software.

Go to the level control screen

By now you should have plugged in your sensor to the back of the profilux and not by mistake plugged it into the temperature port instead :celeb1:

Double click on Level 1 in the settings tab at the top and up pops -

In this box you can set all sorts of treats, the first important thing to set is the function, in this case ATO, the next most important is Max on time, this is your safety net, lets say heavens forbid you forgot to clean your ATO sensor and it stuck on, you are in Cuba and downing a lovely cool local brew while your ATO goes AWOL and floods the Granny apartment below! To avoid such minor issues here you set the maximum time you wish the sensor to be in an active state. So in my case 5 minutes is, well probably to long and needs to adjust that down to 30 seconds, thats a good target. So now you have fail safe ATO

next in the same screen you need to set up the reaction time, no this is not the time you have to get back from Cuba to sort out the mess in the apartment below, but the amount of time the sensor is active before the controlled socket is switched, this is ideal for tanks with turbulance or other things that can make the sensor switch on and off periodically. I have mine set to 5 secs, which is just right.

So thats the ATO sensor set up, what about the socket?

You have now chosen a socket to control your pump or solenoid. Just as before go to socket function and click edit the chosen socket. Set this to water 1.

Waheyy, you now have fail safe fully set up ATO

i understand this completely but what if im using a perastalic pump to draw water from storage container in another room then into sump, could this be used instead of solenoid

 

[AQD_ottawa]

yes just plug in that device instead of solenoid

 

[mr murphy]

i have profilux 3 ex. what will i need to control 2 or 3 tunze flow powerheads, and aqua illumination lighting unit. if im using laptop would i need the ai controller also?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Tunze 1 cable
Tunze 2 cable
YL2-1 splitter
GHL to Ai cable

No ai controller required

 

[mr murphy]

if i use 3 peristalic pumps 1 for drain from sump 1 for ato from resovoir to sump and 1 for sw from resovoir to sump that means i will be using 3 sockets?

 

[meinestrasse]

I have the Profilux 3ex, Power6D-PAB and 4-unit slave dosing pump. I've got three probes: temp, salinity and pH.

I've read thru this forum and the other set-up guide here on RC and have tried my luck at reading the programming guide and manual (terrible English translation IMO).

What I'm having trouble understanding is how to use the Powerbar6D-PAB. The Powerbar connects to the Profilux via a network cable. The Powerbar has LEDs for S1 thru S6. If I plug the slave doser into the S1-S4 port on the back of the Profilux, am I sacrificing 4 outlets on the PowerBar6d-PAB to the doser since 4 of those outlets on the Powerbar are associated with S1 to S4?

Also, what do I do in the ProfiluxControl software under Sockets? Do I click the checkbox for 'Digital powerbar coonected on S1-S4'? And what are outputs 1-24?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Support is no longer offered on Reef central as per the posts on this forum please go to www.profiluxsupport.com

 

[Halfmoon61]

So good ole level control etc etc

Lets start with the basics.

ATO.

There are different ways of doing this

Direct from the RO unit (my choice)
From storage container (most popular)
From one of the above controlled by a salinity probe instead of level sensor (advance topic - later)

So which ever you choose of the first two the only thing that changes in the set up is what you plug into the assigned power bar socket, whether it be a water solenoid of water pump. In my case water solenoid.

So first thing we must do is set a float or optical level sensor up in the sump to the desired (controlled) level point.

Here is mine.

Set up the assembly and loose fit to the sump so it can be adjusted, now go to the profilux front screen and go to level - diagnostic - level 1, adjust the sensor until it just turns off, you now have your level set at where you wish the water to always be maintained at.

So back to the software.

Go to the level control screen

By now you should have plugged in your sensor to the back of the profilux and not by mistake plugged it into the temperature port instead :celeb1:

Double click on Level 1 in the settings tab at the top and up pops -

In this box you can set all sorts of treats, the first important thing to set is the function, in this case ATO, the next most important is Max on time, this is your safety net, lets say heavens forbid you forgot to clean your ATO sensor and it stuck on, you are in Cuba and downing a lovely cool local brew while your ATO goes AWOL and floods the Granny apartment below! To avoid such minor issues here you set the maximum time you wish the sensor to be in an active state. So in my case 5 minutes is, well probably to long and needs to adjust that down to 30 seconds, thats a good target. So now you have fail safe ATO

next in the same screen you need to set up the reaction time, no this is not the time you have to get back from Cuba to sort out the mess in the apartment below, but the amount of time the sensor is active before the controlled socket is switched, this is ideal for tanks with turbulance or other things that can make the sensor switch on and off periodically. I have mine set to 5 secs, which is just right.

So thats the ATO sensor set up, what about the socket?

You have now chosen a socket to control your pump or solenoid. Just as before go to socket function and click edit the chosen socket. Set this to water 1.

Waheyy, you now have fail safe fully set up ATO

Under level sensor, that wouldn't be 5 hours max time?

 

[AQD_ottawa]

No thats just a typo when i set it up and took the screen shot.

 

[juldelf]

GREAT EXPLAINATION, thanks
is there a place where we can find how to program tunze pump and for the networking part step by step
thx