Maintenance Mode

[chrisjj625]

Is there a way for me to create a maintenance mode on my apex. For example, to turn off my heater, ATO, and pumps so I can do a water chance?

 

[glb]

Is there a way for me to create a maintenance mode on my apex. For example, to turn off my heater, ATO, and pumps so I can do a water chance?

Yes. Just use one of the feed cycles and schedule it for the time you need to get your maintenance done. I have one that shuts everything down for 30 minutes when I treat for aptasia or clean the plumbing. Good luck!

 

[SuncrestReef]

I explain how to do this in my tutorial on Virtual Outputs. I prefer this method over the Feed cycles because if the maintenance takes longer than planned, a Feed timer might expire before you're done and turn things back at a bad moment.

Neptune Apex Programming Tutorials, Part 5: Virtual Outputs

Part 5 of our Apex Programming Tutorials. This one is on Virtual Outputs.

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I explain how to do this in my tutorial on Virtual Outputs. I prefer this method over the Feed cycles because if the maintenance takes longer than planned, a Feed timer might expire before you're done and turn things back at a bad moment.

Neptune Apex Programming Tutorials, Part 5: Virtual Outputs

Part 5 of our Apex Programming Tutorials. This one is on Virtual Outputs.

www.reef2reef.com

This.

I went with a slight alternate, a physical 'red' button tied into the bob that stops all pumps, shuts off the uv light & heaters as long as its depressed or in a 'closed' state. Turn to reset so even I cant screw up and turn something on, on accident. Im planning to replace that one with a illuminated model so the sometimes exhausted cloudy brain wont forget. Green button is for manual feed mode.

 

[glb]

Sometimes I just turn off the outlets for any equipment I work on, like the carbon reactor, skimmer or pumps/power heads that have to be cleaned.

 

[chrisjj625]

I explain how to do this in my tutorial on Virtual Outputs. I prefer this method over the Feed cycles because if the maintenance takes longer than planned, a Feed timer might expire before you're done and turn things back at a bad moment.

Neptune Apex Programming Tutorials, Part 5: Virtual Outputs

Part 5 of our Apex Programming Tutorials. This one is on Virtual Outputs.

www.reef2reef.com

Thank you! This was very helpful!

 

[SuncrestReef]

Thank you! This was very helpful!

Glad to help!

Be sure to check out all the other topics in my series of Apex tutorials:

Articles by SuncrestReef

www.reef2reef.com

 

[glb]

I explain how to do this in my tutorial on Virtual Outputs. I prefer this method over the Feed cycles because if the maintenance takes longer than planned, a Feed timer might expire before you're done and turn things back at a bad moment.

Neptune Apex Programming Tutorials, Part 5: Virtual Outputs

Part 5 of our Apex Programming Tutorials. This one is on Virtual Outputs.

www.reef2reef.com

Agreed that this is a better idea than mine!

 

[uninformed]

This.

I went with a slight alternate, a physical 'red' button tied into the bob that stops all pumps, shuts off the uv light & heaters as long as its depressed or in a 'closed' state. Turn to reset so even I cant screw up and turn something on, on accident. Im planning to replace that one with a illuminated model so the sometimes exhausted cloudy brain wont forget. Green button is for manual feed mode.

To solve the problem of forgetting to turn equipment back on, I create virtual outlets that trigger the APEX alarms when they have been off for too long. For example, if my ATO has been off for more than 30 minutes, I will start getting alarms. All it takes is a simple DEFER statement in the virtual outlet.

[X_ATO_OFF]
Set ON
If Output ATO_3_8 = ON Then OFF
Defer 030:00 Then ON

ATO_3_8 is obviously my ATO outlet. In the alarm program, you trigger the alarm when this virtual outlet, X_ATO_OFF, is ON.