KH Director

[Mallard]

The KHD can be configured to dose a certain amount of Alkalinity if the KH result comes back lower than the set amount. This "extra" dose would help compensate for any ALK decreases.

Is the doser able to increase other dosages based on the alk dosage? Essentially making the other fluids dependant on the alk dosage for those of us using a balling method. This would be for the extra does and any increases in the alk dosage amount.

 

[Vinny@GHLUSA Verified Sponsor]

KHD controls only Alk. It has no relation to any other supplements that are being added.

The test results will be logged so if you notice the KHD sending commands to the ALK doser to compensate often, you will know that your normal ALK dosing schedule will need to be adjusted to suit the new demand. If the KH needs to add a small amount of ALK, the effect on Ca and Mg will be minuscule. If the compensation were larger, then adjustments to all 3 levels would be needed anyway.

 

[Mortie31]

Wh

The KHD can be configured to dose a certain amount of Alkalinity if the KH result comes back lower than the set amount. This "extra" dose would help compensate for any ALK decreases.

What will happen if your Alk has risen over the set point? will the KHD recalculate and reduce your daily dosing amounts, to bring into line? Or simply miss the next dose? And then remeasure etc etc

 

[Mallard]

Thank you. While I understand your statement, one of the ultimate goals in reefing and alkalinity monitoring is consistency and stability. There are a number of dosing programs that ask that if ALK is increased, so should the rest. I would ask that the developers look at adding functionality to the software that will make ALK the primary additive and have the ability to assign other dosing heads on a secondary Doser 2/2.1 to follow exactly what the ALK dosing is doing. Having the ability to add time offsets between additives and/or to add the small dosage increases to the next dose of say calcium would be very desirable. This removes the user from possibly not looking at their logs for a week or couple weeks and have the dosages and trace elements become out of whack. Also, if ALK is consistently out of line, having the ability to have the software automatically update the dosages without user input would be highly desirable. The software should be able to figure out the concentration of the solution used, or it could be added into the software that the doser can then use. This would be amazing and it really comes down to software, not necessarily hardware.

 

[Mortie31]

Thank you. While I understand your statement, one of the ultimate goals in reefing and alkalinity monitoring is consistency and stability. There are a number of dosing programs that ask that if ALK is increased, so should the rest. I would ask that the developers look at adding functionality to the software that will make ALK the primary additive and have the ability to assign other dosing heads on a secondary Doser 2/2.1 to follow exactly what the ALK dosing is doing. Having the ability to add time offsets between additives and/or to add the small dosage increases to the next dose of say calcium would be very desirable. This removes the user from possibly not looking at their logs for a week or couple weeks and have the dosages and trace elements become out of whack. Also, if ALK is consistently out of line, having the ability to have the software automatically update the dosages without user input would be highly desirable. The software should be able to figure out the concentration of the solution used, or it could be added into the software that the doser can then use. This would be amazing and it really comes down to software, not necessarily hardware.

I suggested this to Marco on there FB page and he said they would look into the possibilities

 

[eg8r210]

Thank you. While I understand your statement, one of the ultimate goals in reefing and alkalinity monitoring is consistency and stability. There are a number of dosing programs that ask that if ALK is increased, so should the rest. I would ask that the developers look at adding functionality to the software that will make ALK the primary additive and have the ability to assign other dosing heads on a secondary Doser 2/2.1 to follow exactly what the ALK dosing is doing. Having the ability to add time offsets between additives and/or to add the small dosage increases to the next dose of say calcium would be very desirable. This removes the user from possibly not looking at their logs for a week or couple weeks and have the dosages and trace elements become out of whack. Also, if ALK is consistently out of line, having the ability to have the software automatically update the dosages without user input would be highly desirable. The software should be able to figure out the concentration of the solution used, or it could be added into the software that the doser can then use. This would be amazing and it really comes down to software, not necessarily hardware.

The only time you would need to adjust your Ca or Mg would be if you were adjusting your daily dosing of Alk. Making an adjustment to get your Alk back in line wouldn't be cause to add Ca or Mg. If you notice you are having to do this regularly then when you adjust your daily dosing schedule of Alk to accommodate your increase consumption you will adjust your Ca and Mg.

 

[Mortie31]

The only time you would need to adjust your Ca or Mg would be if you were adjusting your daily dosing of Alk. Making an adjustment to get your Alk back in line wouldn't be cause to add Ca or Mg. If you notice you are having to do this regularly then when you adjust your daily dosing schedule of Alk to accommodate your increase consumption you will adjust your Ca and Mg.

Does this mean that KHD doesn't actually control dosing and adjust our daily use to match increases, it simply adds abit if it sees levels dropping?

 

[eg8r210]

Does this mean that KHD doesn't actually control dosing and adjust our daily use to match increases, it simply adds abit if it sees levels dropping?

I don't believe KHD will make any changes to your daily dosing schedule (out of the box). I haven't had the opportunity to mess with it but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to write a simple program to make extremely minor adjustments if you choose. I find that bordering on catastrophe if you do but some people like to walk a tight line. You will have the ability to "control" dKH with the fourth head. I think best practice for this is going to be to monitor the 4th head and see how often it is needed. If this pump is constantly being turned on every day that should tell you that your "daily" dosing regimen is not keeping up with consumption at which point you could increase those dosages. If you want to do that programmatically I don't see too much difficulty in doing so as long as you do it in small increments and test.

 

[reefwiser]

One can adjust the alk dosing pump
Based on your testing and limits you set up

 

[Mortie31]

I don't believe KHD will make any changes to your daily dosing schedule (out of the box). I haven't had the opportunity to mess with it but I don't see why you wouldn't be able to write a simple program to make extremely minor adjustments if you choose. I find that bordering on catastrophe if you do but some people like to walk a tight line. You will have the ability to "control" dKH with the fourth head. I think best practice for this is going to be to monitor the 4th head and see how often it is needed. If this pump is constantly being turned on every day that should tell you that your "daily" dosing regimen is not keeping up with consumption at which point you could increase those dosages. If you want to do that programmatically I don't see too much difficulty in doing so as long as you do it in small increments and test.

So if im getting you correctly the 4th pump on the Alk doser is completely separate from my main Alk dosing pump, and small adjustments only are made on this 4th pump.. so I'd need 2lines into my Alk container? That can't be correct, if it is then it's mad, if I can't have my main Alk dosing controlled by this unit given the computing power of the unit then that's a poor show.

 

[Mortie31]

I think it's about time GHL gave us a proper explanation of exactly how this unit will control our ALK dosing, as there seems to be a lot of uncertainty that helps no one.

 

[Elder1945 Verified Sponsor]

OOooOooOo i am excited about this and can not wait!

 

[Vinny@GHLUSA Verified Sponsor]

I think it's about time GHL gave us a proper explanation of exactly how this unit will control our ALK dosing, as there seems to be a lot of uncertainty that helps no one.

This information is already out there, take a look at the product page on our website. The dosing pump that is already assigned as the ALK pump is controlled by the KHD. You do not need yet another ALK dosing pump.Under normal conditions, the dosing schedule you set will run, but if a test comes back with a KH value below the desired value, KHD will tell the assigned pump to dose in addition to the regular dosing schedule.

You can also find more information on how it works, by taking a look at a recent AquaNerd post:
http://aquanerd.com/2017/08/ghl-to-release-kh-director-to-monitor-and-dose-alk.html

There's also a video posted by Reefwiser with information on page 6.

Additional info will be released soon.

 

[Dawsokj1988]

I'm trying to understand how this system will be compatible with current balling methods.

I'll use Triton for an example. With Triton, it's required to dose all elements based on alk consumption. We set up a daily dosing schedule of all elements (3 to 4 pumps, depending on if you mixed the third/4th bottle) in equal portions. If our baseline alkalinity is 8, and our alk test comes back 7.6, we increase all elements (all pumps) by a small amount. If our alk reads higher than 8, we lower all elements (pumps).

With this controller, if our measured alk is lower than 8, the system will compensate and dose alk back up to 8, ignoring the other elements. This would slowly throw our balling methods "out of wack" for lack of better terms. It seems the only integration would be to use this new system as an automatic alkalinity monitor and adjust all dosings manually.

If we were allowed to set multiple dosing pumps to "activate" when the alkalinity dosing pump activates to compensate for the decrease in alkalinity, the system would remain stable. From what I gather, the way it's currently programmed is to allow activation of the dosing pump labeled "alk". Is there a way to program the system to allow multiple dosing pumps to be labeled "alk" to have them activate when the auto-correction dose is activated?

 

[Ditto]

On the website it stated update beginning of September. I know the Hurricane caused some disruption are we going to hear any news on price and availability this month?

Thanks

 

[reefwiser]

The release date mentioned at MACNA was around November pricing was 500 to 600.

 

[chefjpaul]

https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/the-new-kh-director/

 

[Jerel]

Looks like I was within range of the KH Director price.

 

[Mortie31]

Just preordered.... early Xmas prezzie to myself

 

[KJoFan]

I'm trying to understand how this system will be compatible with current balling methods.

I'll use Triton for an example. With Triton, it's required to dose all elements based on alk consumption. We set up a daily dosing schedule of all elements (3 to 4 pumps, depending on if you mixed the third/4th bottle) in equal portions. If our baseline alkalinity is 8, and our alk test comes back 7.6, we increase all elements (all pumps) by a small amount. If our alk reads higher than 8, we lower all elements (pumps).

With this controller, if our measured alk is lower than 8, the system will compensate and dose alk back up to 8, ignoring the other elements. This would slowly throw our balling methods "out of wack" for lack of better terms. It seems the only integration would be to use this new system as an automatic alkalinity monitor and adjust all dosings manually.

If we were allowed to set multiple dosing pumps to "activate" when the alkalinity dosing pump activates to compensate for the decrease in alkalinity, the system would remain stable. From what I gather, the way it's currently programmed is to allow activation of the dosing pump labeled "alk". Is there a way to program the system to allow multiple dosing pumps to be labeled "alk" to have them activate when the auto-correction dose is activated?

I would still like to see this question addressed, as I too would like clarification. My plan is to use Aquaforest balling method but the idea behind any alk monitor is that you don't have to keep adjusting your levels manually, however, it seems in this case we absolutely will have to.

The only way around it so to speak that I can see is to underdose the balling method so that the KH Director will make the compensation, however, then we are also underdosing the other elements in the balling method.

I honestly am wondering how useful this is for those who use these balling methods. Doesn't seem to help that much, or am I missing something?

I would also like to see the ability for the software to be able to control multiple dosing heads in unison, so doses are happening in equal amounts.