Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
I saw that foam and was like...whaaaat? That stuff is going to clog in no time. So I'm glad I wasn't crazy
Rebuild and recovery of a dead tank
- Thread starter jason2459
- Start date
jason2459
Well-known member
I thought so too but figured since they included it I'd try it out. The flow was impressive to start with and I was hoping for at least a few days before I had to bump up the flow or clean the foam covers. It was quite obvious as soon as I got home and looked at the tank. The left side's surface agitation was dramatically less then the right side which was the same if not more on the right as I left it last night. I bumped up the flow rate to adjust and will work on replacing the foam with the mesh tomorrow night.
I know vortech has some foam covers for their pumps and people that have used them say they have to clean them just about every day or two. But those just slide on and off. With the gyre it's much more involved as the entire pump has to be removed, the magnet brackets removed, then carefully slide the foam off and back on so as not to rip it. Not some I want to do every week let alone every day to every other day. No. Thank. You.
I have yet to clean off the 7 mesh. Sure the flow is cut back more so initially then the foam but it's maintained basically the same flow since day 1 and it's been well over a week or two or a month? I can't 'remember but it's been a little while. Have to look back on my posts on when I put them on. I can handle a once a month cleaning and worth it to protect the eventual anemone floating and getting stuck on a pump.
Which reminds me I get to pull the screen on the ATS in the next few days. Can't wait to see what it's like.
jason2459
Well-known member
I haven't seen my cleaner shrimp for a few days and wondered where they went off too. Well, it looks like my anemones finally got sick of them prying food off their tentacles.
Here's the remains of one of them coming back out.
My porcelain crab is doing well filter feeding and travels among all the anemones and they are all uses to it by now. It's starting to get some really nice color and pattern on its outer shell now.
Here's the remains of one of them coming back out.
My porcelain crab is doing well filter feeding and travels among all the anemones and they are all uses to it by now. It's starting to get some really nice color and pattern on its outer shell now.
jason2459
Well-known member
Here's a close up of that new bushing. It's more like a bushing in a bushing which the original was one
Took it out as u was swapping out the foam with the plastic canvas 7 mesh.
Here's the clogged up foam and at 100% was useless before 3 days were up.
I also completely wrapped it up and going back to vertical mount on both sides.
Took it out as u was swapping out the foam with the plastic canvas 7 mesh.
Here's the clogged up foam and at 100% was useless before 3 days were up.
I also completely wrapped it up and going back to vertical mount on both sides.
jason2459
Well-known member
This is fun. So, recently since the power outage back on the 14th my ORP levels have been going crazy again and back on the downward trend ending in the 390's after it had climbed back up to the 400's.
I didnt think about it but the ATS did not go with out harm during that outage. The power was out for around 4 hours. I pulled the screen out tonight and it was fuller then last cleaning. But what I saw was something different. I had the very pale patch dead spot and film like flakes of dead algae like small flakes or nori sheet. BUT on top of that I was getting growth of algae I've never seen in my tank before. Some thin filaments, tuffs of the hair algae, some weird light green strands with thick bulb like ends, and some kind of egg sack looking bubbles. I would say bubble algae but not any kind if seen. I've also have never seen bubble algae in my tank before or really any of those filiment and stands before. Also had quite a few more critter on there this time probably eating the die off.
Have no idea what to make of it all but its awesome and I almost feel like I can predict how my Turbo ATS is doing bt watching the ORPs over all trend. To many variables and spikes here and there to utilize it as live indicator like a pH probe.
So the pictures
Front seemed to get the worst of it and most of the die off. That pale patch goes all the way to the screen. I scraped it all off
Back was thicker and gave it the weight last cleaning didn't have
I really think this was heading to be a great thick mat on the screen until the power outage. The bottom plate was covered but there was a strip of flaky algae the entire length under that newer growth
Here's a good shot of some of that dead algae turned basically into nori that didn't completely flake apart with a bit of new growth on top
One of many critters found
Sacks of something
Hard to see the bulb lime ends but here's that algae and the filiment almost chaeto like algae
I think I'll leave the flow as is the next couple weeks but now extend the light hours from 12 to like 15.
Flow: slightly cut back from fully open
Blues: diffused with scotch tape
Reds: high intensity
Time on: 15 hours
I didnt think about it but the ATS did not go with out harm during that outage. The power was out for around 4 hours. I pulled the screen out tonight and it was fuller then last cleaning. But what I saw was something different. I had the very pale patch dead spot and film like flakes of dead algae like small flakes or nori sheet. BUT on top of that I was getting growth of algae I've never seen in my tank before. Some thin filaments, tuffs of the hair algae, some weird light green strands with thick bulb like ends, and some kind of egg sack looking bubbles. I would say bubble algae but not any kind if seen. I've also have never seen bubble algae in my tank before or really any of those filiment and stands before. Also had quite a few more critter on there this time probably eating the die off.
Have no idea what to make of it all but its awesome and I almost feel like I can predict how my Turbo ATS is doing bt watching the ORPs over all trend. To many variables and spikes here and there to utilize it as live indicator like a pH probe.
So the pictures
Front seemed to get the worst of it and most of the die off. That pale patch goes all the way to the screen. I scraped it all off
Back was thicker and gave it the weight last cleaning didn't have
I really think this was heading to be a great thick mat on the screen until the power outage. The bottom plate was covered but there was a strip of flaky algae the entire length under that newer growth
Here's a good shot of some of that dead algae turned basically into nori that didn't completely flake apart with a bit of new growth on top
One of many critters found
Sacks of something
Hard to see the bulb lime ends but here's that algae and the filiment almost chaeto like algae
I think I'll leave the flow as is the next couple weeks but now extend the light hours from 12 to like 15.
Flow: slightly cut back from fully open
Blues: diffused with scotch tape
Reds: high intensity
Time on: 15 hours
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
When you clean the screen, do you also rinse it well? What I do is after the scrape, I run it under room temp tap water and take the toothbrush and swipe it across the screen making one pass on each side. This removes any detritus that may have filed in the holes. You can see in one of your pics that you've got some of that in the holes near the top of the screen.
The bubble looking algae might be a but of green turf filling it. They're like firm gelatinous pustules, about 1cm long and a few mm wide. I've seen this come in phases, at one point I had an entire screen full of it, then the next cleaning, all GHA. I have no explanation for that unfortunately, I've seen a screen grow consistently for months and then for one or two cycles, it'll grow completely different.
The bubble looking algae might be a but of green turf filling it. They're like firm gelatinous pustules, about 1cm long and a few mm wide. I've seen this come in phases, at one point I had an entire screen full of it, then the next cleaning, all GHA. I have no explanation for that unfortunately, I've seen a screen grow consistently for months and then for one or two cycles, it'll grow completely different.
jason2459
Well-known member
I haven't been rinsing it. I've been scraping the screen off with that yellow scraper and then brushing the top 1" clean to the screen with that stiff orange bristled brush. Then run my fingers over it pulling off any bigger lumps that roll off. I did use the brush on that white spot this time a little. I'll start rinsing it again. ORP just hit 400
Right now I'm playing around with the apex programming trying to get a virtual outlet to work as a tide control with the lunar seasonal chart and the gyres to work together based on that.
Right now I'm playing around with the apex programming trying to get a virtual outlet to work as a tide control with the lunar seasonal chart and the gyres to work together based on that.
jason2459
Well-known member
Here's my first attempt at tides with the dual gyres and the apex controller using the lunar cycle. I have all my display lights, lunar lights, and even heaters/ranco using the Apex Seasonal tables to control when to turn on, intensities, and temp. So, why not try to use that seasonal table to control the direction of the gyres like a tide.
Now, tides are rather complex and varies greatly from place to place. They could change once a day, twice a day, more then twice a day, on a fairly regular schedule, or completely variable on when it happens. I'm going go with trying to change directions every 6 hours or so. Now timing there is fairly regular and mostly (not entirely of course) controlled by the moon's gravitational pull and high tides following behind the moon on both sides of the earth shifting in time through out the months/years.
So, in comes trying to time it with the lunar cycle. Right now for my viewing pleasure I have all the lighting off set by 3.5 hours (white lights on 30 minutes after blues and off 30 minutes before blues.)
What I'm trying to do below is use the Lunar chart to start the cycle and kick the virtual outlet to an ON state 6 hours after the Lunar lights turn on so about when they hit full intensity what ever that intensity level is that phase of the moon is in during that time of the month. This should start the cycle BUT I'm using the MIN time function so it's not ON the entire 12 hour or so cycle. Then while the Lunar timing is in an Off state I'll have another virtual outlet kick in to start from that point in time 6 off then 6 on or longer between moon set and moon rise as the moon rises later each day by around 45-50 minutes. The min time will cause the off state to stay in an off state for an additional 6 hours.
At least that's what I'm hoping. I was looking at maybe using the OSC function but it goes back to midnight to control the on/off states which I don't want it to be set to fixed times as I want the times to drift each day along with the moon rise/sunset times. So, I had to use a few virtual outlets and get some MIN time functions in place to keep states off for 6 hours before being turned on for 6 hours and then hope I have the order right in another virtual outlet. Just to set profiles into place in hopefully the right order and nothing is overriding something else in an undesired way. Guess I'll find out in the next 24 hours as I watch the graphs in what direction the gyres are going.
Variable Ports Controlling direction
[Dir_GyreL]
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirF_GyreL
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirR_GyreL
[Dir_GyreR] Mirror of the above
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirR_GyreR
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirF_GyreR
[vTide_B1] Hope I have these in the right order.
Set ON
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = ON Then ON
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = ON Then ON
(above will hopefully allow for the outlet to start in an off state for 6 hours, then on for 6 hours, then off for 6 hours, and then on for 6 hours approximately based on Moon rise/set times will very shifting the on off states each day.)
[vMoonUp_B2] Min time to keep it off for 6 hours
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Moon 210/210 Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
[vMoonDown_B3]
Set ON
If Moon 210/210 Then OFF
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
Now, tides are rather complex and varies greatly from place to place. They could change once a day, twice a day, more then twice a day, on a fairly regular schedule, or completely variable on when it happens. I'm going go with trying to change directions every 6 hours or so. Now timing there is fairly regular and mostly (not entirely of course) controlled by the moon's gravitational pull and high tides following behind the moon on both sides of the earth shifting in time through out the months/years.
So, in comes trying to time it with the lunar cycle. Right now for my viewing pleasure I have all the lighting off set by 3.5 hours (white lights on 30 minutes after blues and off 30 minutes before blues.)
What I'm trying to do below is use the Lunar chart to start the cycle and kick the virtual outlet to an ON state 6 hours after the Lunar lights turn on so about when they hit full intensity what ever that intensity level is that phase of the moon is in during that time of the month. This should start the cycle BUT I'm using the MIN time function so it's not ON the entire 12 hour or so cycle. Then while the Lunar timing is in an Off state I'll have another virtual outlet kick in to start from that point in time 6 off then 6 on or longer between moon set and moon rise as the moon rises later each day by around 45-50 minutes. The min time will cause the off state to stay in an off state for an additional 6 hours.
At least that's what I'm hoping. I was looking at maybe using the OSC function but it goes back to midnight to control the on/off states which I don't want it to be set to fixed times as I want the times to drift each day along with the moon rise/sunset times. So, I had to use a few virtual outlets and get some MIN time functions in place to keep states off for 6 hours before being turned on for 6 hours and then hope I have the order right in another virtual outlet. Just to set profiles into place in hopefully the right order and nothing is overriding something else in an undesired way. Guess I'll find out in the next 24 hours as I watch the graphs in what direction the gyres are going.
Variable Ports Controlling direction
[Dir_GyreL]
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirF_GyreL
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirR_GyreL
[Dir_GyreR] Mirror of the above
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirR_GyreR
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirF_GyreR
[vTide_B1] Hope I have these in the right order.
Set ON
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = ON Then ON
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = ON Then ON
(above will hopefully allow for the outlet to start in an off state for 6 hours, then on for 6 hours, then off for 6 hours, and then on for 6 hours approximately based on Moon rise/set times will very shifting the on off states each day.)
[vMoonUp_B2] Min time to keep it off for 6 hours
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Moon 210/210 Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
[vMoonDown_B3]
Set ON
If Moon 210/210 Then OFF
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
Last edited:
jason2459
Well-known member
The above programming is not working as planned. I believe I have the Min Time's wrong so modified those by changing the off to on. But will have to wait to see if it works right.
So now
[vMoonUp_B2] Min time to keep it off for 6 hours
Set OFF
If Moon 210/210 Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then ON
[vMoonDown_B3]
Set ON
If Moon 210/210 Then OFF
Min Time 360:00 Then ON
So now
[vMoonUp_B2] Min time to keep it off for 6 hours
Set OFF
If Moon 210/210 Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then ON
[vMoonDown_B3]
Set ON
If Moon 210/210 Then OFF
Min Time 360:00 Then ON
jason2459
Well-known member
No, I think I had the Min Time with Off right. That On is not what I want. Then it would be ON during the Min time and on again. Something isn't right but I think I have it now and Also, I simplified it I think. Since, I have the Lunar module and it's already turning on and off I'm going to use it as an outlet control for the virtual outlets. And time to wait to see but testing out switching between off and on state is working as I think it should.
[Lunar_5_1]
Set OFF
If Moon 210/210 Then ON
If Power Apex Off 001 Then OFF
[ vMoonUp_B2 ] ( Cntl_B2 )
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = ON Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
[ vMoonDown_B3 ] ( Cntl_B3 )
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = OFF Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
[ vTide_B1 ] ( Cntl_B1 )
Set ON
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = ON Then ON
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = ON Then ON
[ Dir_GyreL ] ( base_Var2 )
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirF_GyreL
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirR_GyreL
[ Dir_GyreR ] ( base_Var4 )
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirR_GyreR
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirF_GyreR
[Lunar_5_1]
Set OFF
If Moon 210/210 Then ON
If Power Apex Off 001 Then OFF
[ vMoonUp_B2 ] ( Cntl_B2 )
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = ON Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
[ vMoonDown_B3 ] ( Cntl_B3 )
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet Lunar_5_1 = OFF Then ON
Min Time 360:00 Then OFF
[ vTide_B1 ] ( Cntl_B1 )
Set ON
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoonUp_B2 = ON Then ON
If Outlet vMoonDown_B3 = ON Then ON
[ Dir_GyreL ] ( base_Var2 )
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirF_GyreL
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirR_GyreL
[ Dir_GyreR ] ( base_Var4 )
If Outlet vTide_B1 = OFF Then DirR_GyreR
If Outlet vTide_B1 = ON Then DirF_GyreR
jason2459
Well-known member
No, I don't think I want Min Time at all. In testing it work but in application it won't and I can see clearly why now.
The first statement for both vMoonUp and vMoonDown puts it into an OFF state which is what I want. BUT that particular outlet will be in that state for over 6 hours which meets that Min Time requirement. So when it comes time for the second line to turn ON its not going to delay another 6 hours in an OFF state. It worked for testing because I manually switched it from an ON to an OFF state kicking on the delay timer as it had not been met yet.
So, because I'm using outlets now to meet a particular requirement to go first into an OFF state I'm going to try and use the DEFER statement to delay going into an ON state for 6 hours. Again, we'll see tomorrow if this actually works. I will figure this out. There has to be a way of tying it to the Lunar cycle. Of course the easy way out is to just OSC from midnight every day 6 on 6 off etc.
The program in the previous post is the same except
Min Time 360 Then OFF
for both virtual outlets is now
Defer 360 Then ON
The first statement for both vMoonUp and vMoonDown puts it into an OFF state which is what I want. BUT that particular outlet will be in that state for over 6 hours which meets that Min Time requirement. So when it comes time for the second line to turn ON its not going to delay another 6 hours in an OFF state. It worked for testing because I manually switched it from an ON to an OFF state kicking on the delay timer as it had not been met yet.
So, because I'm using outlets now to meet a particular requirement to go first into an OFF state I'm going to try and use the DEFER statement to delay going into an ON state for 6 hours. Again, we'll see tomorrow if this actually works. I will figure this out. There has to be a way of tying it to the Lunar cycle. Of course the easy way out is to just OSC from midnight every day 6 on 6 off etc.
The program in the previous post is the same except
Min Time 360 Then OFF
for both virtual outlets is now
Defer 360 Then ON
jason2459
Well-known member
BTW Bud where the heck can I find black plastic canvas 5 mesh. I found one source for 5 mesh but came only in white. I did find rug canvas in 5 mesh but they were white or off white with blue stripes. Saw black gutter guard but that looked bigger the 5 mesh would be.
jason2459
Well-known member
:bounce1:
Looks like that ^ is working with the Defer 360 Then ON. When the Lunar outlet turned off a little bit ago the vMoonUp shut off and the vMoonDown did not turn on. Which that puts the vTide virtual outlet into an OFF state changing the profiles from the vTide = ON state profile on the variable speed outlets. In a little under six hours vMoonDown should turn to an ON state turning vTide ON and changing the variable speed profiles back to the vTide = ON state profile.
Floyd R Turbo
Either busy or sleeping
Honestly I'm not sure where to get black #5, I've never looked. I've only seen the clear stuff at the sewing stores in #5 come to think of it.
I might have a source for it in a slightly different material though, but I won't get a chance to hunt for that link until later today
jason2459
Well-known member
Cool thanks. I'm looking around for ideas.
Back to ATS/ORP stuff. ORP has been ending over 400 every night since the cleaning on Monday so that's a good indication things are good with the ATS. Hit 410 for a high so far. But my ORP readings have been all over the place for a while now so I have a feeling I have some interference and will have to make sure I haven't moved something around electrical that's causing it. But it's not a huge deal as I use the trends over all and not the exact measurement all the time.
Back to ATS/ORP stuff. ORP has been ending over 400 every night since the cleaning on Monday so that's a good indication things are good with the ATS. Hit 410 for a high so far. But my ORP readings have been all over the place for a while now so I have a feeling I have some interference and will have to make sure I haven't moved something around electrical that's causing it. But it's not a huge deal as I use the trends over all and not the exact measurement all the time.
jason2459
Well-known member
Looking at the ORP chart in APEX it looks like the constant fluctuations started happening by October 17th. That was also when I setup the two Icecap Gyre Modules. So, I may have moved things around causing the interference or it's the Icecap modules themselves causing some interference. I will check out the ORP probe cable isn't running across or by something that would cause it. There is a firmware update for the Apex so I suppose I should do that. It's been out long enough now to flush out any problems it could cause. I don't like doing firmware updates as soon as they come out.
