Apex AFS Emergency Help Needed with Programming

[Scott Christenson]

Good morning, is anyone available to please help me finish my Apex AFS programming. I'm leaving town in 3 hours and am a little desperate right now.

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

What do you need help programming?

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

The feeder?

 

[Scott Christenson]

What do you need help programming?

I have the Feed A cycle manually working perfect and I have a scheduled Feed cycle that does not work. I basically need t schedule the working Feed A cycle and I'm stuck.

 

[Scott Christenson]

It's the Apex programming that I'm stuck on

 

[Scott Christenson]

Would you be willing to remote control my pc to look at the Apex Fusion?

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

I’m on a cell phone. This is what my feed cycle A looks like

 

[Scott Christenson]

The problem I have is I'm running out of time

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

 

[Scott Christenson]

ok, and that works for me but I have to turn off my powerheads and pumps otherwise the food goes straight out of the tank in the overflow

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

The first picture is the programming via apex fusion. The second is what it looks like in “advanced” mode where you manually program it. Mine is set up to feed 1 drum rotation at 09:30 am and then again 300 minutes later at 3:30

 

[Scott Christenson]

and I have that all programmed in Feed A but I cannot schedule it for some reason

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

I mean 2:30, not 3:30

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

Are you using fusion?

 

[Scott Christenson]

Yes

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

I’m not understanding what you mean by you can’t schedule it.

 

[SuncrestReef]

ok, and that works for me but I have to turn off my powerheads and pumps otherwise the food goes straight out of the tank in the overflow

My article explains exactly how to do what you're describing: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptune-apex-programming-tutorials-part-7-feed-cycles.715/


Here's the relevant part:
----

The best way to incorporate an automated feeder and mimic the Feed Cycle buttons is to use a virtual output to control everything. Here’s an example:

Virtual Output vFeed:

Set OFF
If Time 08:00 to 08:02 Then ON
If Time 17:00 to 17:02 Then ON
Defer 005:00 Then OFF

AFS Output Configuration:

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Output vFeed = ON Then ON
Defer 001:00 Then ON

Return Pump Configuration:

Fallback ON
Set ON
If Output vFeed = ON Then OFF

Skimmer Configuration:

Fallback OFF
Set ON
If Output vFeed = ON Then OFF
Defer 005:00 Then ON

Now when the vFeed output is set to AUTO, it will turn on at 8am and 5pm for 2 minutes each. This will cause the return pump and skimmer to turn off immediately. The AFS feeder will wait 1 minute (due to the Defer timer) and then make a single rotation. One minute later the vFeed output turns off, so the powerheads and return pump come back on immediately. The skimmer waits an additional 5 minutes due to the Defer timer, allowing the sump water level to return to normal. Just like the manual Feed Cycle buttons, but all unattended!

 

[Scott Christenson]

My article explains exactly how to do what you're describing: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptune-apex-programming-tutorials-part-7-feed-cycles.715/


Here's the relevant part:
----

The best way to incorporate an automated feeder and mimic the Feed Cycle buttons is to use a virtual output to control everything. Here’s an example:

Virtual Output vFeed:

Set OFF
If Time 08:00 to 08:02 Then ON
If Time 17:00 to 17:02 Then ON
Defer 005:00 Then OFF

AFS Output Configuration:

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Output vFeed = ON Then ON
Defer 001:00 Then ON

Return Pump Configuration:

Fallback ON
Set ON
If Output vFeed = ON Then OFF

Skimmer Configuration:

Fallback OFF
Set ON
If Output vFeed = ON Then OFF
Defer 005:00 Then ON

Now when the vFeed output is set to AUTO, it will turn on at 8am and 5pm for 2 minutes each. This will cause the return pump and skimmer to turn off immediately. The AFS feeder will wait 1 minute (due to the Defer timer) and then make a single rotation. One minute later the vFeed output turns off, so the powerheads and return pump come back on immediately. The skimmer waits an additional 5 minutes due to the Defer timer, allowing the sump water level to return to normal. Just like the manual Feed Cycle buttons, but all unattended!

So how do I create the Virtual Output?

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

[emoji115][emoji115]That is one way to do it. If that doesn’t work, this is how I do it. I essentially use if/then programming. Basically if the feeder outlet is on, the pump shuts off and then defers a programmed time. This is what my main return pump is programmed to when the feeder kicks on.

 

[Mrtakeoff53]

So my feeder outlet turns on, the main pump shuts down and is off for 7 minutes. That way if I manually feed or automatically, whenever the feeder is in, the main pump shuts down.