Apex reminder dos container almost empty
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ScottF
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It seems like I can set my container size and it will track how much it thinks is remaining, but I can't find a variable for the volume remaining to send an alert and I'd prefer not to drop an optical sensor in my alk jug.
A_Blind_Reefer
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People have been asking for this feature for a long, long time. It hasn’t happened. Only way is to use a sensor.
Edit. The optical sensors (don’t jinx myself here) seem to be problem free for years in my dosing containers. I wouldn’t use it for kalkwasser but two part is fine.
Edit. The optical sensors (don’t jinx myself here) seem to be problem free for years in my dosing containers. I wouldn’t use it for kalkwasser but two part is fine.
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ScottF
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That is so dumb. Why? So they can sell more sensors and FMM modules? I went to all the trouble of drilling caps and adding bulkheads to my dosing jugs. Now I have to raw dog it so I can drop a optical sensor in there? So disappointing.
Can you do it with MXM modules and Versa?
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ScottF
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I am less worried about the well being of the optical sensor and more worried about using jugs that aren't sealed. I currently use caps that I drilled and added bulkheads. I don't want to have to worry about evaporation and my cats always want to investigate any time I open the cabinet.
If you have a way to keep the jugs sealed while using a sensor, then I'd be happy to go down that route. I don't really have room for a DDR. I'm using the tall BRS space saving jugs at the moment. My Tridents take up most of what little space I have.
Waters
"...in perfect isolation, here behind my wall."
Definately don't waste your money on a DDR. I had nothing but problems with mine. They are expensive and both sensors failed multiple times and needed to be replaced. I finally ripped out all of the electronics and now have a very expensive acrylic contaner.
A_Blind_Reefer
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If your jugs are plastic you can drill a hole and install an optical sensor. I have trouble finding old threads sometimes but there’s a ddr hack thread where it goes into great detail on how (and what parts to use) to connect generic optical sensors to a digikey connector that plugs into the dos. This will give you two sensors per dos and enable the container graphs in fusion which I thought you already mentioned having so maybe you already tried part of the hack. I have had these gallon jugs with sensors for many years, and haven’t ever had an issue. I bought several spare sensors as I think they were only five bucks a piece at the time. As long as you can get a semi flat spot it the plastic is flexible, they seal perfect.
There is a "hack" to simulate a DDR being connected, and get the fluid remaining countdown. You just connect two pins on the DOS with a wire and the feature is enabled. Takes 1 minute.
No DDR But Want The Fusion DDR Tile, No Problem
I can across this great hack for those that have the Apex DOS and want to see the liquid volume tile in Fusion but don't want to spend the money on a DDR. You do not even need the connector, I just wired the 2 pins together and bingo, Fusion told me I had a new tile :-) Hope you find...
www.reef2reef.com
There is a seller on eBay that makes DOS-compatible optical sensor harnesses as well, but that is $50.
OP
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ScottF
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Do those work with FMM module or breakout box? Do you have a part number or brand? I have a use for bulkhead style optical sensors like that.
I may use them for my dosing jugs, but what I could really use one for is setting up a recirculation for my CO2 scrubber with my skimmer . Currently I am afraid that if I recirculate the air from my skimmer, the skimmer may go out of control at some point and recirculate tank water through the CO2 scrubbing calcium hydroxide media and back into my tank.
What I'm thinking is to drill a port in my skimmer lid and run some tubing from that to the top of a container. Then run some tubing from the other side of the top of the container to my CO2 scrubber. Then add a optical sensor to the container.
If water starts being pumped through the tubing, it should collect in the container before going into the CO2 scrubber. Once it reaches the optical sensor, my Apex can shutoff the skimmer and send me a notification.
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