ReefWaters' 220 Sun Room Reef
- Thread starter ReefWaters
- Start date
ReefWaters
Premium Member
I have a couple of issues with the A/C over the tank.
1. I put a gutter underneath the wall unit to catch any condensation or coolant leaks that might occur. Unfortunately, the physical unit sticks out from the wall an inch or two further than my gutter does. There is a flap in the middle of the air discharge on the unit which allows you to direct the air flow up or down. This flap collects a fair amount of condensation on it from the temperature differences and then drips past the gutter, into the tank. I've actually come up with a fairly simple fix, I just have to do it. I am going to attach a piece of thin plexi to the gutter at an angle and that should direct any drips down into the gutter from now on. It wont be pretty but it should work.
2. Cleaning the unit! Because it is sitting over the tank, it is extremely difficult to reach. I almost have to get into the tank to even touch it. I haven't tried to pull off the casing yet to clean the insides but I REALLY need to. I'm really afraid of what will fall in the tank. I'm sure that the filter is disgusting and I know there is a little mildew as well. In addition, because of where my light rack is located and the fact that it only rolls in one direction, it also gets in the way of reaching the unit. I wish I had designed it to roll off the tank parallel to the tank as well as perpendicular to the tank. That would have given me more options to access the far corners of the tank and AC.
To connect the AC3 Pro to the "Internet" don't I have to connect it to a computer that stays on all the time? Right now, I don't have a computer hooked up to the router. Its just a wireless router that I use to connect my laptop to. I do want to run the wire anyway because otherwise, I have to open the door to the fish room and plug an ethernet cable into the AC3 Pro every time I want to poll its data. At least with it connected to the router permanently, I would be able to poll it whenever I was on the wireless network.
There's another issue I haven't mentioned.
I'm thinking about moving! I LOVE my house but it is only a two bedroom, one bath. I am engaged and we will be getting married next April. The house is already small and kids are only going to make it worse. So we are considering going ahead and taking advantage of this market and interest rates to find something a little bigger. At that point, I just don't know what I'm going to do about this tank. I would love to move it but I refuse to do so if I cant set it up in wall again with another fish only room with a drain in the floor. I'm spoiled now.
1. I put a gutter underneath the wall unit to catch any condensation or coolant leaks that might occur. Unfortunately, the physical unit sticks out from the wall an inch or two further than my gutter does. There is a flap in the middle of the air discharge on the unit which allows you to direct the air flow up or down. This flap collects a fair amount of condensation on it from the temperature differences and then drips past the gutter, into the tank. I've actually come up with a fairly simple fix, I just have to do it. I am going to attach a piece of thin plexi to the gutter at an angle and that should direct any drips down into the gutter from now on. It wont be pretty but it should work.
2. Cleaning the unit! Because it is sitting over the tank, it is extremely difficult to reach. I almost have to get into the tank to even touch it. I haven't tried to pull off the casing yet to clean the insides but I REALLY need to. I'm really afraid of what will fall in the tank. I'm sure that the filter is disgusting and I know there is a little mildew as well. In addition, because of where my light rack is located and the fact that it only rolls in one direction, it also gets in the way of reaching the unit. I wish I had designed it to roll off the tank parallel to the tank as well as perpendicular to the tank. That would have given me more options to access the far corners of the tank and AC.
To connect the AC3 Pro to the "Internet" don't I have to connect it to a computer that stays on all the time? Right now, I don't have a computer hooked up to the router. Its just a wireless router that I use to connect my laptop to. I do want to run the wire anyway because otherwise, I have to open the door to the fish room and plug an ethernet cable into the AC3 Pro every time I want to poll its data. At least with it connected to the router permanently, I would be able to poll it whenever I was on the wireless network.
There's another issue I haven't mentioned.
I'm thinking about moving! I LOVE my house but it is only a two bedroom, one bath. I am engaged and we will be getting married next April. The house is already small and kids are only going to make it worse. So we are considering going ahead and taking advantage of this market and interest rates to find something a little bigger. At that point, I just don't know what I'm going to do about this tank. I would love to move it but I refuse to do so if I cant set it up in wall again with another fish only room with a drain in the floor. I'm spoiled now.
carlosngloria
Active member
i tried to warn u earlier but i had a feeling it would come down to this. but what i would do is when the lights go off cover the tank with cardboard or something and open the filter area up and clean the filter out. As for your little catch pan you could try to add an acrylic sheet to it in an angle up to the a/c unit so that whatever water falls will roll down the sheet and into the pan.
ReefWaters
Premium Member
I guess I could but it wouldn't help. The dripping is coming from all over the surface of the air director blade (similar to the blades on your car AC vents). I tried to find a good picture of it but I don't have one. I'll try take one later. But anyway, the water is condensing on the surface of this blade and once it gets too heavy, it drips.
Not sure why I didn't think of something like that!
:lol: I would have figured it out sooner or later. 
Slow and Steady!
ReefWaters
Premium Member
Well, as I said before when you suggested I move it, the unit was already in place and the work had been done. I spent several months demoing the wall, running the plumbing, fixing all of the sheet rock, painting, etc, etc, etc, etc, etc.
Take a close look at these pictures and how much work I would have had to UNDO to move it once you made that suggestion.
Look, I know I made a mistake. Is it the end of the world? I dont think so. You live and you learn and hind sight is 20/20. I wish I could change it but its simply too late.
That's exactly what I plan on doing.
ReefWaters
Premium Member
.
Thanks man! Im trying!
melev
Well-known member
A cheap solid cover for the tank would be a big piece of the pink foam I use for everything. It is light, thick, and can be rinsed off for reuse later. A sheet is $11 at Home Depot, so cut it to the size you need for this project.
Thanks for explaining what the problems were.
Good luck deciding about the move. Looks like you have about 9 more months to enjoy this tank before you have to make that decision.
Thanks for explaining what the problems were.
Good luck deciding about the move. Looks like you have about 9 more months to enjoy this tank before you have to make that decision.
ReefWaters
Premium Member
I finally ran an Ethernet cable through the wall from my wireless router to my ACIII Pro. But AquaNotes isnt connecting for some reason. Any suggestions?
ReefWaters
Premium Member
Never mind. Did a restart and we're all good.
If the ACIII Pro is connected to a router, which is in turn connected to a cable modem, can I access it from a remote location via the Internet or does the ACIII Pro have to be connected to a computer at all times to do that?
If the ACIII Pro is connected to a router, which is in turn connected to a cable modem, can I access it from a remote location via the Internet or does the ACIII Pro have to be connected to a computer at all times to do that?
ReefWaters
Premium Member
Hey Elliott, I must have posted while you were writing your post. I got it. Simple restart fixed it.
ReefWaters
Premium Member
I don't have an iPhone!
Does anyone know of an AquaNotes app for Blackberry?On another note, I did find out from the Neptune forum that I can connect to the ACIII Pro through the Internet without having a computer hooked up to it at all times. I'm not sure where I got the idea that I needed that.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=15643137#post15643137 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefWaters
I don't have an iPhone!
On another note, I did find out from the Neptune forum that I can connect to the ACIII Pro through the Internet without having a computer hooked up to it at all times. I'm not sure where I got the idea that I needed that.
yes, that's true, just need to set up an ip address, talk to Curt
ReefWaters
Premium Member
Well this update is all about the Aquacontroller.
Ive added a PX1000 to the system along with an additional pH probe to control the pH in the calcium reactor. I've been running the reactor for a few days with no CO2 to test for leaks and everything's working great. I turned the CO2 on late tonight so we'll see how it goes. I haven't tested my water in a while (don't judge) but I did tonight. My CA was at 320 and my Alk was at 2.17 meq/L and 6.1 dKH. A little low on both ends but not bad. I'm going to take it really slow on my adjustments and I promise I'll test more over the next few weeks. :thumbsup:
My magnesium was a 1200 which I found to be pretty good considering I have only sporadically dosed mg salt. I am trying dolomite (2 cups) in the effluent chamber of my reactor this go round so I'm going to hold off on dosing any salt until I see what happens with the reactor on now.
Here's how Ive started out programming the reactor. Please let me know if you agree, disagree, or have any suggestions.
pH = pH of display tank
pHA1 = pH of main CA Reactor chamber
If pHA1 < 06.42 Then CO2 OFF
If pHA1 > 06.45 Then CO2 ON
If pH < 07.90 Then CO2 OFF
My display pH has always run a little low. I'm hoping that finally getting my Alk up will help get the pH up. Ive seen no ill effects from the low pH.
I also added a break out box but haven't fully set it up yet. My main top of float switch is hooked up to an old float switch box which turns a pump on and off accordingly. Cant remember the brand. But I'm going to use that float switch and connect it to the breakout box so the AC will control the top off pump. This should fix the constant cycling on and off of the top off pump caused from the float switch bouncing up and down in the sump.
I have a water on the floor sensor I will hook up soon as well. I haven't figured out how the whole "aquacontroller through the Internet" thing yet so its not going to do me a lot of good.
Finally :spin2: ..... My skimmer (Deltec 702) has a rare tendency to go a little nuts and overflow the collection cup. I installed a float switch in the collection cup to try to prevent it from overflowing on the floor and draining my sump, but Ive either done something wrong or possibly need to make some adjustments. The programming works fine. If the switch is up (floating) it turns the skimmer feed pump and both circulation pumps off completely. But thats when I "float" the switch by hand. I tried testing it by chocking the drain valve so that the cup would fill up, but the foamy water/skimmate doesn't make the switch float before it overflows on the floor. I'll have to take some pictures and post them tomorrow so you can see. Right now, my only guess is to find a float switch that will sit lower in the cup. Any suggestions without seeing a picture?
Okay, I think Ive been long winded enough for one night. I'll be surprised if anyone reads all of this. :lmao: Thanks for any comments.
RW
Ive added a PX1000 to the system along with an additional pH probe to control the pH in the calcium reactor. I've been running the reactor for a few days with no CO2 to test for leaks and everything's working great. I turned the CO2 on late tonight so we'll see how it goes. I haven't tested my water in a while (don't judge) but I did tonight. My CA was at 320 and my Alk was at 2.17 meq/L and 6.1 dKH. A little low on both ends but not bad. I'm going to take it really slow on my adjustments and I promise I'll test more over the next few weeks. :thumbsup:
My magnesium was a 1200 which I found to be pretty good considering I have only sporadically dosed mg salt. I am trying dolomite (2 cups) in the effluent chamber of my reactor this go round so I'm going to hold off on dosing any salt until I see what happens with the reactor on now.
Here's how Ive started out programming the reactor. Please let me know if you agree, disagree, or have any suggestions.
pH = pH of display tank
pHA1 = pH of main CA Reactor chamber
If pHA1 < 06.42 Then CO2 OFF
If pHA1 > 06.45 Then CO2 ON
If pH < 07.90 Then CO2 OFF
My display pH has always run a little low. I'm hoping that finally getting my Alk up will help get the pH up. Ive seen no ill effects from the low pH.
I also added a break out box but haven't fully set it up yet. My main top of float switch is hooked up to an old float switch box which turns a pump on and off accordingly. Cant remember the brand. But I'm going to use that float switch and connect it to the breakout box so the AC will control the top off pump. This should fix the constant cycling on and off of the top off pump caused from the float switch bouncing up and down in the sump.
I have a water on the floor sensor I will hook up soon as well. I haven't figured out how the whole "aquacontroller through the Internet" thing yet so its not going to do me a lot of good.
Finally :spin2: ..... My skimmer (Deltec 702) has a rare tendency to go a little nuts and overflow the collection cup. I installed a float switch in the collection cup to try to prevent it from overflowing on the floor and draining my sump, but Ive either done something wrong or possibly need to make some adjustments. The programming works fine. If the switch is up (floating) it turns the skimmer feed pump and both circulation pumps off completely. But thats when I "float" the switch by hand. I tried testing it by chocking the drain valve so that the cup would fill up, but the foamy water/skimmate doesn't make the switch float before it overflows on the floor. I'll have to take some pictures and post them tomorrow so you can see. Right now, my only guess is to find a float switch that will sit lower in the cup. Any suggestions without seeing a picture?
Okay, I think Ive been long winded enough for one night. I'll be surprised if anyone reads all of this. :lmao: Thanks for any comments.
RW
melev
Well-known member
I think for the pH in the Calcium reactor, it would be better to set the AC to Off at 6.5, and On at 6.9
With the IF statement about tank pH at 7.90, that seems a little close to what will probably occur often. How about 7.85 for OFF, and > 7.9 should be ON.
The float switch in the cup has to be lifted by liquid. Foam won't do it.
Which Aqua Controller do you have? Is the firmware up to date? What cellphone are you using? Do you have the controller wired to a router yet, or a wireless bridge? What internet provider are you using? These are all things others will know so that they can help you with the set up.
With the IF statement about tank pH at 7.90, that seems a little close to what will probably occur often. How about 7.85 for OFF, and > 7.9 should be ON.
The float switch in the cup has to be lifted by liquid. Foam won't do it.
Which Aqua Controller do you have? Is the firmware up to date? What cellphone are you using? Do you have the controller wired to a router yet, or a wireless bridge? What internet provider are you using? These are all things others will know so that they can help you with the set up.
ReefWaters
Premium Member
I need some suggestions on how to improve on the 1" drain line dumping into the secondary sump. See below. Ive simply got it "shooting" across the surface of the water. Needless to say it causes some serious salt creep problems and its making moving the water a lot more vigorously than I would like. Any suggestions? I don't want to add baffles because I don't want to break down that tank. Ive got some thoughts about dumping it into a tall, vertical, piece of 2" or 3" PVC?
