Rebuild and recovery of a dead tank

[jason2459]

ORP hit 418 earlier with or without out interference its trending higher again and it will be interesting to see how high now with the extended photoperiod. Didn't see anything wrong with the probe cable run. The ORP port is right next to the variable speed pumps. I'll have to try the firmware update even if just having the base unit restart may help.

Did a quick set of tests

Temp 78
Salinity 35ppt
pH 8.2

Nitrates: undetectable (

 

[jason2459]

I finally got the dual gyres and the apex controller timed with the lunar cycle from the seasonal tables. I have all my display lights, lunar lights, and even heaters/ranco using the Apex Seasonal tables to control when to turn on/off, 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, not at all, 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 with the standard two high and two low tides per day causing a change in flow direction 4 times a day. Now timing there is fairly regular (at least predictable) and mostly (not entirely of course) controlled by the moon's gravitational pull and high tides slightly ahead of the moon by about 10 degrees due to friction forces that shifts in time through out the days/weeks/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 behind by 3.5 hours (210 minutes with white lights on 30 minutes after blues and off 30 minutes before blues.)

What I'm doing now is using the Lunar chart to start the cycle and kick a series of virtual outlets to finally get to an ON or OFF state spreading out 6 hours coordinating with the moons position and causing low/high tides and flow changes. Each vMoon cycle re-syncs the timing as the moon rises about 50 minutes later each day and can happen during the day. I'm using a vMoon virtual outlet instead of my Lunar LSM outlet as I want the timing to be offset from my Moon lights in the display. Typically high tide coordinates with the moon rise will happen around 1-1.5 hours after the moon starts rising. Which is that 10degree offset mentioned earlier. So by the time the moon reaches the full height(median) in the sky high tide already came and went well ahead of it.

I looked at using OSC but it bases its timing from a fixed point which I don't want a fixed point. I played with Min Time and that worked in testing but in practice virtual outlets where in an OFF state that I wanted them to be in long enough to turn on right away that I didn't want to happen. So, in came defer and its worked so far through out today. If it ends up breaking for some reason I will post an update.

Next thing I'll work on is ramping up and down. As during peak high and peak low tides there's not much water flow besides any surface movement. Mostly this is all just for the fun of it.

So for now here's my programming that really would work for any water pump plugged into an outlet on the Apex directly or controllable and wants to time themselves to the constantly shifting Lunar cycle and not a static timing.

Programming and brief comments:
Here's my Lunar lights shifted in time forward the same amount as my main display lights

[ Lunar_5_1 ] ( 5_1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Moon
Logging: Enabled
Program:
Set OFF
If Moon 210/210 Then ON
If Power Apex OFF 001 Then OFF

Virtual outlet to set a lunar timer offset ahead 1h 10m after moon rise to trigger the peak high tide ahead of full Lunar median in the sky and tide change. This also re-syncs my gyres to the Moon Cycle. If I need or want to adjust timing I can do it from this single spot.

[vMoon_B4 ] ( Cntl_B4 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Clock
Logging: Enabled
Program:
Set OFF
If Moon 280/280 Then ON

Now based on if that vMoon outlet is on or off will trigger two more virtual outlets. In each virtual outlet is a Defer Then ON statement delaying them being turned on for 6 hours. This sets the off(6(hrs)/on(6hrs)/off(6hrs)/on(6hrs + ~50m sync) timing to corrodinate with the moon traveling through the sky (more the earth's spinning) causing the low and high tide changes approximately every 6 hours. OSC could do this but again that would be easy and boring and a fixed point every day.

[vMoonUp_B2 ] ( Cntl_B2 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Moon
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then OFF (sets the off state)
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then ON
Defer 360:00 Then ON (keep in that off state for 6 hours then turn on)

[ vMoonDown_B3 ] ( Cntl_B3 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Moon
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then ON
Defer 360:00 Then ON

Now for the virtual outlet that will be used by the variable speed ports to determine which profile to use. This is a simple off/on but need the order

[ vTide_B1 ] ( Cntl_B1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
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


Then finally the variable speed ports.

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



That is all now working. For now the speed is constant. I will work on the speed controls next trying to ramp up and down. I would also love to vary the max speed based on other variables but that is not available.

 

[jason2459]

I just got an Alert text and email from my apex. ORP broke past 425 for the first time ever. I guess I need to adjust that alert threshold.

 

[jason2459]

Here we go again. First attempts at Speed control based on timing of the moon cycle and the reversal of my gyre direction ("tide").

Here's the Speed Profiles for ramping up, full speed, and ramping down. Ramp up and ramp down I have lasting 15 minutes each giving 30 minutes 4 times a day of less then 100% flow. Something may like it? Don't know. Or maybe it's better then an instant switch from one direction to another at 100%. Don't know. But it's fun to figure it out.

[ TideRampUp ] ( PF10 )
Type: Ramp
Ramp Time: 15
Start Intensity: 30
End Intensity: 100

[ TideRampDn ] ( PF11 )
Type: Ramp
Ramp Time: 15
Start Intensity: 100
End Intensity: 30

[ FullSpeed ] ( PF12 )
Type: Pump
Synchronize: Disable
Divide By 10: Disable
Initial Off Time: 1
On Time: 0
Off Time: 0
Minimum Intensity: 100
Maximum Intensity: 100



Just like for the direction control I'm going to use vMoon virtual outlet for the moon cycle timing and single point of timing control if I want to changing when the "tides" change.

[ vMoon_B4 ] ( Cntl_B4 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Clock
Logging: Enabled
Program:
Set OFF
If Moon 280/280 Then ON


For the Ramping up and down I setup an entire series of virtual outlets based on the timing for directional control virtual outlets created and working above. Reason I think for all these is to stager the timing and sync the timing with the profile 15 minute ramp up/down profiles and for each direction with the moon up cycle and moon down cycle.

[ vMuRampUp_C1 ] ( Cntl_C1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then ON
Defer 360:00 Then ON


[ vMuFull_C2 ] ( Cntl_C2 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Left/Right Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then ON
Defer 375:00 Then ON


[ vMuRampDn_C3 ] ( Cntl_C3 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then ON
Defer 705:00 Then ON


[ vMdRampUp_C4 ] ( Cntl_C4 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then ON
Defer 360:00 Then ON


[ vMdFull_C5 ] ( Cntl_C5 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Left/Right Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then ON
Defer 375:00 Then ON


[ vMdRampDn_C6 ] ( Cntl_C6 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then ON
Defer 705:00 Then ON



Then to apply them in hopefully the right order to the variable speed Speed control ports. Just trying it on the one side for now.

[ Spd_GyreL ] ( base_Var1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Fan
Logging: Enabled
Program:
Set SpdF_GyreL
If Outlet vMuRampUp_C1 = ON Then TideRampUp
If Outlet vMuFull_C2 = ON Then FullSpeed
If Outlet vMuRampDn_C3 = ON Then TideRampDn
If Outlet vMdRampUp_C4 = ON Then TideRampUp
If Outlet vMdFull_C5 = ON Then FullSpeed
If Outlet vMdRampDn_C6 = ON Then TideRampDn

Have no idea if this will work. After apply this my left side is in a ramp down profile mode. Will be watching to see what happens over the next 24 hours.

 

[jason2459]

That ^ wasn't working quite right. So, taking a look at it I saw an obvious way to simplify the trigger for the up/full/down virtual outlets that the variable speed outlets use to apply the ramp up/full speed/ramp down speed profiles.

So, instead of using moon again I'm just going with the vTide but changed it's name to something more meaning full (at least to me) called vTideChng. vMoon is still my main timing for the cycles. I still have two sets of up/full/down virtual outlets but cycles through based on vTideChng

So, here it is and I think this is it. (*maybe)


The basis for the cycles timing that syncs to the lunar seasonal chart and adjusted the same amount of time as my main display LED lights for my viewing pleasure. Plus an additional offset forward from my actual Lunar lights for reasons explained in the previous post on tidal changes, gravity, earths friction, 10 degree offsets, etc.
[ vMoon_B4 ] ( Cntl_B4 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Clock
Logging: Enabled
Program:
Set OFF
If Moon 280/280 Then ON


Simulation trigger of the moon rising and falling triggering the Tide Change virtual outlet and helps split up the tide changes around 6 hours apart. Used for the directional variable speed outlets and now for the speed control.

[ vMoonUp_B2 ] ( Cntl_B2 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Moon
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then ON
Defer 360:00 Then ON


[ vMoonDown_B3 ] ( Cntl_B3 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Moon
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vMoon_B4 = OFF Then ON
Defer 360:00 Then ON




Tidal change trigger on reversing directions and main trigger for ramping up/full/ramping down speed profiles.

[ vTideChg_B1 ] ( Cntl_B1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
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


Now for the new stuff to time the directional changes with a period of ramping up, full speed, ramping back down, ramping back up, full speed, and so on...

This splits up the tidal changes into 2 major cycles. Which basically splits up the 6 hour intervals which is all that I had to worry about for the direction. But once I was able to get that done I am now able to split it out even further. So, here's Tide Cycle 1 and Tide Cycle 2.

Ramp up kicks in right away as soon as the Tide change trigger kicks in. This kicks in the ramp up speed profile that is timed to last 15.
[ vT1RampUp_C1 ] ( Cntl_C1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
Set OFF
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = ON Then ON

The defer here waits 15m for the ramp up profile to finish
[ vT1Full_C2 ] ( Cntl_C2 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Left/Right Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = ON Then ON
Defer 015:00 Then ON

The Defer here times it to the last 15 minutes of the 6 hour cycle to start cycling down.
[ vT1RampDn_C3 ] ( Cntl_C3 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = OFF Then OFF
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = ON Then ON
Defer 345:00 Then ON

Then start ramping up right away again repeating above.
[ vT2RampUp_C4 ] ( Cntl_C4 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = OFF Then ON


[ vT2Full_C5 ] ( Cntl_C5 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Left/Right Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = OFF Then ON
Defer 015:00 Then ON


[ vT2RampDn_C6 ] ( Cntl_C6 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Up/Down Arrows
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = ON Then OFF
If Outlet vTideChg_B1 = OFF Then ON
Defer 345:00 Then ON

Then back to tide cycle 1.


The Profiles
[ TideRampUp ] ( PF10 )
Type: Ramp
Ramp Time: 15
Start Intensity: 30
End Intensity: 100

[ TideRampDn ] ( PF11 )
Type: Ramp
Ramp Time: 15
Start Intensity: 100
End Intensity: 30

[ FullSpeed ] ( PF12 )
Type: Pump
Synchronize: Disable
Divide By 10: Disable
Initial Off Time: 0
On Time: 0
Off Time: 0
Minimum Intensity: 100
Maximum Intensity: 100



The variable speed outlets then check the Tide cycle 1 and Tide cycle 2 virtual outlets for their states and to decide which of the profiles to apply.

Again I'm just testing this out on the Left side gyre for now.
[ Spd_GyreL ] ( base_Var1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Fan
Logging: Enabled
Program:
Set SpdF_GyreL
If Outlet vT1RampUp_C1 = ON Then TideRampUp
If Outlet vT1Full_C2 = ON Then FullSpeed
If Outlet vT1RampDn_C3 = ON Then TideRampDn
If Outlet vT2RampUp_C4 = ON Then TideRampUp
If Outlet vT2Full_C5 = ON Then FullSpeed
If Outlet vT2RampDn_C6 = ON Then TideRampDn




this tested out ok which doing these things that take such long cycles to go through doesn't mean much. So, I'll see tomorrow if this works as planned and tested.

 

[jason2459]

Working like a charm.

Edit:

There was one minor change and I took out the Set SpdF_GyreL first line out of the Variable speed outlet program.

[ Spd_GyreL ] ( base_Var1 )
Program Type: Advanced
Display Icon: Fan
Logging: Enabled
Program:
If Outlet vT1RampUp_C1 = ON Then TideRampUp
If Outlet vT1Full_C2 = ON Then FullSpeed
If Outlet vT1RampDn_C3 = ON Then TideRampDn
If Outlet vT2RampUp_C4 = ON Then TideRampUp
If Outlet vT2Full_C5 = ON Then FullSpeed
If Outlet vT2RampDn_C6 = ON Then TideRampDn

 

[jason2459]

Have to give some skimmer love tonight. The Aquamaxx EM300 has been very consistent and productive.

Since put into use I've been watching the measurement marks and keeping track of how much skimmate has been producing. So far it's been consistently going about 3 cups a day and even though it's dialed in what I would consider wet its still very dark coffee colored. No tea here. When dumping its got some nice sludge chunky like consistency towards the bottom.

Dumped back on the 14th

Tonight already back up to about 2.5 gallons so just over 3 cups a day.

 

[jason2459]

What ever I did back around the 22nd shuffling around with the cables for the ORP probe must have fixed the interference. It's been stable since and reacting as normal.

ORP is now maintaining above 400 at a times and peaking just over 425 every day. It seems back on track and liking the couple extra hours of light to break that 425 mark and consistently now.

I also figured out how to do a screen shot on an android phone. Never tried or had the need before.

 

[jason2459]

I feel like my tank is finally back in balance with itself. I haven't felt this way about my tank since last year before my tank was "nuked" killing off all my corals and any invert that wasn't buried in the sand plus many fish from I'm assuming an ammonia spike or directly from the cleaning chemicals themselves.

I don't have a spot of cyano anymore from my recent self induced nutrient spike from feeding WAY to much food in a couple hours period emptying an entire automatic fish feeder into the tank. I never did get any hair algae from that incident. That could be due to the Turbo L3 ATS. But I didn't do anything drastic to get rid of the cyano either. I did use some GFO for a couple weeks but its been offline after that when ever that was. It's back in this log somewhere when I put it online. Other then that I just watched the cyano melt away slowly. It's always good to have a reactor and media like GFO and GAC handy even if not normally used. Same with a polyfilter (not polyfill). Emergencies happen but never panic. If there's anything I've learned from reading Douglas Adams novels is DON'T PANIC!

So, decided to get a couple small frags tonight. I like watching them grow and well small frags are cheap (at least locally they are).

I'm hoping this guy survives. I understand gonioporas are hit or miss. There's also a baby red mushroom popping up and this is on the opposite end of the tank from where the growing cluster is at.

And this little guy

My yellow Fiji leather is getting to be a pretty good size

And may as well post some more pictures.

 

[jason2459]

Got in a couple starfish that are supposed to be pretty hardy and reef safe from KP Aquatics online. There's almost always a wait list for them. I snagged them as soon as I got the email they were in.

They're almost 2" with one being pretty pale and the other more reddish.

Here's the one that's pretty pale

Some red on this one

 

[jason2459]

Looking better

 

[jason2459]

That tiny baby clown is getting some size to it and I think I've mentioned before the juvi may be maturing into a male now. My original clown and the little guy have been getting more frisky.

Tonight was the first time that little guy was swimming around the tank. Usually he's hovering around the overflows toward the surface. I have a strong feeling though that my wife and kids got me an A. percula. Which my original is an A. ocellaris. I've read they could still pair up. It's looking promising so far.

 

[jason2459]

ORP hit another all time high again. Can't wait to pull the ATS screen out and see if it matches what the ORP is showing.

Hit a high of 434

 

[jason2459]

ATS screen is much fuller this time and felt some good weight to it. It was almost completely that thin wire like algae with little thicker tips. Plus some other stuff. Had one pale patch still. Seems pods like that wire algae as there were quite a few more mixed in there this time.

Front

Back

False bottom growing a nice mat

Screen after cleaning and rinsing this time

Not sure what to do about that pale patch. Seems like its right where some water flow gets reduced by that ring holder? Afraid I'm already maxed out on the flow rate this size screen can handle. Also think if I increase light time it will burn that patch even more?

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Take some sandpaper and round off the ring so that the cross section is more oval instead of square, if that makes sense (and if I didn't already suggest that)

 

[jason2459]

Haven't heard that yet. I'll give that a try. But I might be buying a ring off you if I break it. Hope its also TBD.

 

[jason2459]

Have to remember
35
34.6
34

420

8.22
8.29

78.1

 

[jason2459]

So earlier tonight a couple hours after cleaning the ATS screen my wife yells out to me saying there's a magot on the counter!



Looks like I missed getting this little fellow while cleaning up.

 

[jason2459]

The notes above are for another round of tests I did tonight. Probably one of the last times I'll do this for a while. I'm getting out of that experimental phase I think. I'm feeling pretty good about everything I've got going and the stability is there.

Since it will probably be one of the last time I'm going to do a full round of testing in a while I figured I'll take the opportunity to compare my hobby tests and Triton ICP testing.

So, this is sealed and ready to go

To see what comes back this is what I was able to test tonight.

Temp: 78.1 (Apex probe)

pH: 8.22 at display 8.29 at sump (Apex)

ORP: 420 (Apex)

Salinity:
34ppt (Veegee refractometer)
34.6 (Apex)
35 (Milwaukee digital)

Calcium: 420 (API)

Alk: 11dkh (API)

Mg: 1440 (Salifert)

Nitrate: 0 (API)

Phosphorus: 16ppb (Hanna ULR Checker)

Phosphates: .05ppt (converted)


What I would consider undetectable. I know its not 0. It will be interesting what Triton comes back with.

In range of what I want (.04-.08) and stable now maintaining under .09

Calcium is hanging above my 400+ target I'm looking for and where it normally is. 420-440


Mg is still elevated and Alk are both the same values as last testing. I'll reduce the amount of Mg added each new salt mix batch I make. I'll keep reducing the Alk on the new saltmix as well with the muriatic acid till I hit 8-10. OR I just need to keep buying more stony corals.

 

[jason2459]

Created a thread over in the Chemistry section related to the Triton tests vs my testing.

Over here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2537234