KHG, AIM and Apex - setup balling

[samparker]

Hi R2R members!

Hoping you can help me out, I am trying to setup a KH Guardian with an apex to monitor/control not only alk, but also calcium and magnesium. Now, before you say "they now have a Calcium Guardian, I know, but it is out of budget/scope for this project.

I have experience with the KH Guardian, have an AIM unit on the way and a apex classic sitting in a box here ready to setup and program. The plan is, have the KHG test alk every 2 or 4 hours, send the results back via AIM to the apex, which in turn will then work out how much alk/cal/mag to dose (ideally 30mins apart to avoid precipitation)

I am a coder by trade, so am thinking I should be able to pickup the apex coding fairly quick - but I'm not sure on the limitations of it's "language".

But before re-inventing the wheel, I thought I'd see if anyone had some code they would be willing to share that they are using, or can recommend something to start with. @Rick.45cal not sure if you are using the AIM and Apex with yours or not?

Thanks all!
Sam

 

[Ridgeway]

I honestly don't think you'll see any noticeable difference in Calc and especially Mag demand during a normal systems daily fluctuation pattern. Of coarse there will be some on the Alk demand and the KHG will take care of that but for the others I can only see that a gradual trend swing over say several weeks will require managing.

 

[samparker]

Thanks for your input, still curious on what others have done

Sam

 

[Rick.45cal]

Sam, my unit is only operating in a stand-alone capacity, it doesn’t talk to my Apex at all. I recently got the AIM module but haven’t installed or set it up. I’ll be following along to see what you come up with.

For me testing Calcium is a once every 6 week proceedure when I make new seawater. Since I have been using Tropic Marin Balling salts and the KHG I haven’t had any fluctuations in my Ca level in 11 months now.

That being said I only use the KHG as a monitor and a safety net incase I don’t pay enough attention. It doesn’t dose bicarbonate solution very often, when it does it means I need to increase my dosing rates for the balling salts.

 

[samparker]

Appreciate the reply Rick.

Anyone using the AIM yet? Even if not for adjusting other dosing amounts?

 

[BoomCorals]

I have the aim. I’d be careful though about it controlling dosing based on test results. On occasion it will “hiccup” and give a fluctuating reading or worse a reading that is way off.

 

[samparker]

I have the aim. I’d be careful though about it controlling dosing based on test results. On occasion it will “hiccup” and give a fluctuating reading or worse a reading that is way off.

yeah ok, that's concerning....

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Even if I could measure and adjust calcium dosing in real time, I would not do so. IMO, that will lead to constant over-corrections due to variances in calcium measurement relative to the real depletion rate (which is pretty low on a percentage basis).

What I would do is use a well-balanced two part (or Balling, if you prefer that method for some reason) and dose both the alk and calcium parts based on the alk demand.

If calcium seems to trend up or down over an extended period, you can adjust the dosing slightly in any of several ways . For example, by adjusting its stock concentration.

 

[samparker]

Even if I could measure and adjust calcium dosing in real time, I would not do so. IMO, that will lead to constant over-corrections due to variances in calcium measurement relative to the real depletion rate (which is pretty low on a percentage basis).

What I would do is use a well-balanced two part (or Balling, if you prefer that method for some reason) and dose both the alk and calcium parts based on the alk demand.

If calcium seems to trend up or down over an extended period, you can adjust the dosing slightly in any of several ways . For example, by adjusting its stock concentration.

That’s exacrly what I’m trying to do - dose alk and cal via the alk demand.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That’s exacrly what I’m trying to do - dose alk and cal via the alk demand.

Depending on how your system is set up, you may be able to dose them simultaneously and use the same control signal. Just have them deliver in a way that they mix in to a lot of water before mixing with each other (say, one into a sump and the other into the main tank), or wrote some sort of code to mimic the alk control time of dosing with a timed offset to drive the calcium dosing (out of my area of expertise).

 

[samparker]

Yeah I’m thinking at this point it would be easier to bypass the apex all together. Create a time delay relay to mimic the alk dosing thirty mins later. Despite being a coder, something about electro mechanical systems seems more reliable, perhaps a reflection of my coding

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yeah I’m thinking at this point it would be easier to bypass the apex all together. Create a time delay relay to mimic the alk dosing thirty mins later. Despite being a coder, something about electro mechanical systems seems more reliable, perhaps a reflection of my coding

lol

Good luck!

 

[samparker]

haha cheers. Looks like it will be an easy enough project. Arduino managing the time input and multiple outputs. A couple of relays to manage the power to external pumps and we are set.

 

[RSDeano]

Sam, stick with a calc reactor.
Turn the alk up via the dosing of more alk (mix from calc reactor and therefore alk, calc and mag in ratio)
Wouldnt that make more sense.
I know for a fact that i had large fluctuations between alk and calc and mag for that fact when i was dosing a solid trace program that actually provided real trace and not just watered down elements.
Hence why i am solidly looking at the GHL4 setup with director

 

[samparker]

Cheers Dean, have worked on and made a solution with a mate. Needs to be kept under wraps for now, but once we get the kinks out - I’ll be able to share