KH Guardian: Automatic Alkalinity Controller- My Experiences

[andrew james]

Illl defer to the experts but this tubing seems to fit the bill https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002APXPA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[eltonw]

Awesome thank you. Never seen air tubing that small in the hobby. I ordered, Metric Tubing, 2 mm OD, 1.2 mm ID you think this is correct?

It is should be OK but a little too samll and i am afraid the connector can not fix on thetube of KHG end.

Our suggest is 2.5mm for ID.
Or you can order it from Coralvue.

 

[eltonw]

I would also like to know what size tubing is correct for the lines on the Guardian unit and where to order in the USA.

2.5mm ID is what we suggest to use.
I also believe Coralvue order some of tubing with his first shipment.

 

[BoomCorals]

Just thought I'd throw in my experience so far with the KH Guardian Monitor (monitors only, doesn't dose). After running through setup, everything works correctly, except the results. It always reads almost 11 dkh exactly, at all times of the day, no matter what. But my Hanna and Red Sea titration both show DKH around 8.7 at night and 8.1 during the day, moving up and down slightly as expected. Contacted support, and after a few follow up questions and info gathering, the answer I get is to wait a few days to see if it starts working correctly. We shall see...

 

[agent462]

Just thought I'd throw in my experience so far with the KH Guardian Monitor (monitors only, doesn't dose). After running through setup, everything works correctly, except the results. It always reads almost 11 dkh exactly, at all times of the day, no matter what. But my Hanna and Red Sea titration both show DKH around 8.7 at night and 8.1 during the day, moving up and down slightly as expected. Contacted support, and after a few follow up questions and info gathering, the answer I get is to wait a few days to see if it starts working correctly. We shall see...

That doesn't seem right at all. After a few tests it should be inline.

I'm sure they asked you some of these but some obvious ones:

• Positive no air bubbles in reagent hose?
• Length of hose from tank water to unit?
• Post a few lines from your log; I'm curious the value for W.
• Positive you mixed reagent with 1500 grams of water without major error?
• Try calibrating pH problem again?

 

[agent462]

I figured I'd do this as a separate post. My KHG is officially on the fritz/blink. It's unplugged and I have a ticket open with Coralvue.

Here is basically what I said:
So everything was humming along nicely and then I started to get SW<ERR. The reaction chamber is purging properly and I can manually fill the chamber and have it purge out. The White water level sensor seems to be sliding back and forth without issues. What I can't get it to do is take water in. When I try the SW Tube Degas the doser sorta clicks once and then stops. Nothing I can do seems to get water to go into the reaction chamber or get the pump to run continuously.

09/09 03:07:54 W.0 KS=57D L%1 S%0 SW<_ERR KH :7.86
09/09 07:11:08 W.0 KS=0D L%0 S%0 SW<_ERR KH :0.00
09/09 11:14:23 W.0 KS=0D L%0 S%0 SW<_ERR KH :0.00
09/09 15:17:38 W.0 KS=0D L%0 S%0 SW<_ERR KH :0.00
09/09 15:39:50 Test KH doser
09/09 15:48:42 Test KH doser
09/09 15:53:49 RESET !
09/09 15:57:16 W.0 KS=0D L%0 S%0 SW<_ERR KH :0.00
09/09 16:01:52 RESET !
09/09 16:02:21 W.0 KS=0D L%0 S%0 SW<_ERR KH :0.00
09/09 16:05:34 RESET !

 

[BoomCorals]

That doesn't seem right at all. After a few tests it should be inline.

I'm sure they asked you some of these but some obvious ones:

• Positive no air bubbles in reagent hose?
• Length of hose from tank water to unit?
• Post a few lines from your log; I'm curious the value for W.
• Positive you mixed reagent with 1500 grams of water without major error?
• Try calibrating pH problem again?

Correct they did ask quite a few. I've calibrated the PH probe 4 times now. The PH probe reads correctly though. Hose from tank water to unit is 24" long tip of hose to back of unit. I weighed exactly 1500g of water. I did this by putting my container onto my scale, zeroing it out, then adding RODI until it got to 1500g. I cannot see any bubbles visibly in the hose.

 

[BoomCorals]

That doesn't seem right at all. After a few tests it should be inline.

I'm sure they asked you some of these but some obvious ones:

• Positive no air bubbles in reagent hose?
• Length of hose from tank water to unit?
• Post a few lines from your log; I'm curious the value for W.
• Positive you mixed reagent with 1500 grams of water without major error?
• Try calibrating pH problem again?

Today's log.

09/11 08:18:04 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.06
09/11 08:19:41 W.137 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.06
09/11 09:06:19 W.135 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.03
09/11 09:06:20 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/11 09:07:56 W.136 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/11 13:20:42 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.02
09/11 13:22:18 W.136 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/11 17:34:19 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/11 17:35:55 W.136 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/11 21:48:00 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/11 21:49:36 W.138 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/12 02:01:22 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/12 02:02:58 W.139 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/12 02:26:30 RESET !
09/12 02:34:41 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.06
09/12 02:36:17 W.138 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.03

 

[agent462]

Today's log.

09/11 08:18:04 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.06
09/11 08:19:41 W.137 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.06
09/11 09:06:19 W.135 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.03
09/11 09:06:20 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/11 09:07:56 W.136 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/11 13:20:42 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.02
09/11 13:22:18 W.136 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/11 17:34:19 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/11 17:35:55 W.136 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/11 21:48:00 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/11 21:49:36 W.138 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/12 02:01:22 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.03
09/12 02:02:58 W.139 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.02
09/12 02:26:30 RESET !
09/12 02:34:41 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.06
09/12 02:36:17 W.138 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.03

Doesn't seem correct at all. They don't seem to document some of the other fields on Error lines. It's clearly reporting an error before you get a proper KH result. I'm curious what W.A 176 is as it seems like a max number of something. What's the No_SW_ERR value in your system setup? Maybe make sure the white float in the reaction chamber can slide back and forth without issue.

You might also want to find the Facebook group. The guys in Taiwan will respond sometimes and give things to try.

 

[BoomCorals]

No_SW_ERR is 175. So it seems like it's hitting that. Yet then does a second test and succeeds?

 

[BoomCorals]

Tried setting sw err to 190, but same result.
09/12 04:05:31 Save New System Environment.
09/12 04:15:40 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.04
09/12 04:17:16 W.139 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.04

 

[agent462]

Tried setting sw err to 190, but same result.
09/12 04:05:31 Save New System Environment.
09/12 04:15:40 W.A 176 K2：80 ERROR ! KH :11.04
09/12 04:17:16 W.139 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :11.04

It's very possible it's not related. They don't list W.A # in any reference. Interesting it's the same number as the default though. The manual actually says the normal range is lower. I'll look at what mine is set at tonight.

Does it sound like it's running a second test? I'm guessing, but what it sounds like: it's running a test; detects some sort of error (maybe no sw/too much sw?), reports error, finishes its test cycle by purging some water, gives you some wrong KH value.

Maybe investigate like this:
Pre Test - Check the reaction chamber for water
Run Test - After it's been adding water to the reaction chamber, unplug it before you would get an error and it could purge water, check the reaction chamber, more water? white float, floating?

Not sure whether we're allowed to post FB Groups but it's called "KH Guardian---KHG Auto alk dosing ; auto KH controller Dr. Bridge". Get a post going there too.

 

[BoomCorals]

It starts test by purging chamber. Runs test. Errors near the end, then does a second test that succeeds. The LED doesn't show any error which is interesting, it's only in the log. The floating thing works fine.

Edit: one of the retention tabs that holds the rod in place the float is on appears to be broken. But the rod stays in place and the float moves freely so I don't think that is the cause.

It's very possible it's not related. They don't list W.A # in any reference. Interesting it's the same number as the default though. The manual actually says the normal range is lower. I'll look at what mine is set at tonight.

Does it sound like it's running a second test? I'm guessing, but what it sounds like: it's running a test; detects some sort of error (maybe no sw/too much sw?), reports error, finishes its test cycle by purging some water, gives you some wrong KH value.

Maybe investigate like this:
Pre Test - Check the reaction chamber for water
Run Test - After it's been adding water to the reaction chamber, unplug it before you would get an error and it could purge water, check the reaction chamber, more water? white float, floating?

Not sure whether we're allowed to post FB Groups but it's called "KH Guardian---KHG Auto alk dosing ; auto KH controller Dr. Bridge". Get a post going there too.

 

[BoomCorals]

I told coralvue if the only suggestion they can give me is wait a few days even though I've run about 25 tests now, I just want to return it. I should have just waited for neptune's alk monitor I guess. :/

 

[BoomCorals]

When I watch the LED during the test, it starts with KH at 0 and PH at 7.9 which is about what my tank is. As it adds reagent drops, the PH gets to 6.0 and then changes to an [A] instead. The LED screen stays this way until the KH hits 11.0, the test finishes, and the unit reboots. So it is NOT running the test twice.

 

[eltonw]

Please check your ph probe on monitor settled in correct position?

 

[BoomCorals]

Please check your ph probe on monitor settled in correct position?

That's not the position the video and documentation show. But I'll try it. Stand by.

 

[BoomCorals]

The result is a slight drop in what its reading for KH. Still substantially higher than the other two tests I ran. It showed 10.7 dkh this time, while my hanna checker says 9.1 and my red sea titration says 8.7. Log below - also noticed it did not error this time.

09/12 08:47:50 W.119 %0 AK. 0.00 KH :10.70

 

[BoomCorals]

Running the test more and each time the KH gets lower. Down to 10.0. Getting closer to what it should be. Will run more and overnight and see what happens. You guys need to update your video and manual on the position of the PH probe!!

 

[deaclauderdale]

Running the test more and each time the KH gets lower. Down to 10.0. Getting closer to what it should be. Will run more and overnight and see what happens. You guys need to update your video and manual on the position of the PH probe!!

I agree that the manual(s) leave a lot to be desired, but I'm happy to report that my unit has been running flawlessly and glad to see that yours is coming in line.