New to Apex... can you one touch shut off multiple outlets?

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

So I got an Apex for Xmas and haven't opened it up yet... so we are in the planning stages of getting it mounted etc.

My quick question for you guys with experience with Apex can you easily set it up to turn off any or all Energy Bar outlets? I have two I am going to be using and when I do water changes I would like easy access to turn off a variety of equipment.

Is this easy to do with the Apex? Or should I invest in a switched outlet?

Thanks!

wcharon · Jan 21, 2016

I am also learning with the APEX and probably others will chime in but would suggest to use the Feed Mode that is out of the box. Otherwise i think you can go more fancy with a BoB and push buttons or switches..

Remember not a guru so wait until other with experience make their approach.

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

Not sure feed mode would work as it can take quite awhile for me to do a water change... but is a good idea if i can change the length and each outlet it controls. Thanks.

wcharon · Jan 21, 2016

Yes, you can change the length. I have Feed A for 15 min and Feed B for 2 hours for Maintenance and Cleaning. I am almost sure you have to do it via the Display or the Classic Interface. .

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

Awesome. And you can select any of the outlets for that? I'm not sure what you mean classic interface?

hybridazn · Jan 21, 2016

To answer your question, yes you can have multiple outlets turn on or off with one outlet. All you would need to do is tell what outlets you want to do it with. So say you want your ato, skimmer and powerheads to shut off when you turn off your return pump. So in the outlets for the ato,skimmer,powerheads you will need the command lines:
Fallback on
Set on
If outlet return_3_2 = off then off

Now if you want them to turn on a certain amount of time after you turn on the return pump you will need this command:

Defer 020:00 then on

You would obviously put how ever many minutes you want them to wait to turn on after you turn your return back on.

Hope this helps!

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

Thank you hybridazn

I think that makes sense to me. The obvious follow up to that would be is there an easy way to turn off the return pump with one touch on the display? And if so, the command line you gave me I would just apply to any other outlet to go off when the main return outlet is off?

smh254 · Jan 21, 2016

Here's how I have mine set up. Feed A is 5 min set on head unit shuts off return pump and skimmer. The code that I have in there

smh254 · Jan 21, 2016

Has the skimmer coming 5 min after that. Feed b is set for 10 min. Skimmer starts 5 min after . Feed c shuts everything down for 30 min for water change. Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/005:00/000:00 Then ON
If FeedA 005 Then OFF
If FeedB 005 Then OFF
If Sw6 OPEN Then OFF
If FeedC 005 Then OFF
If Sw5 CLOSED Then OFF

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

Yea I don't understand any of that but thank you lol. This is going to be a huge learning curve.

BetURWrasse · Jan 21, 2016

Did you figure this out?

Let me know if you didn't and still need help

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

Any advice/help is appreciated

I am trying to learn before I hook it up but maybe getting it up and running is a smarter move first. I just didn't want to have to order more stuff once we were ready to get it all going.

BetURWrasse · Jan 21, 2016

There are two ways to do what you are asking.

1) As stated earlier setup one of the feed modes (a,b,c,d) for a specific amount of time (5min,10,20) and just select it when you do a water change. (down arrow on display unit) You will need to place a line of code on each outlet you want to shut off.
So if you want D to Turn off your Return and pumps, you would place (If FeedD 000 then OFF) in each of those outlets.

I don't like this because what if you don't complete the water change in that amount of time?

The better way is to create a virtual outlet. See Comprehensive Reference Manual pg. 89

Name the outlet "WaterChange"

Place the line of code (If outlet WaterChange = ON Then OFF) in each of your outlets you want to turn off for a water change, I put it under (Return, Gyre, Skimmer, and ATO).

To activate "WaterChange" you either use a submenu on the display, so roughly 5 selections, or easier is to use Apex Fusion on your phone.

Just select "WaterChange"

BetURWrasse · Jan 21, 2016

Download and Read the Reference Manual!!

matt_97055 · Jan 21, 2016

Mine didn't come with a manual. I have done some searching in the past for one but never could find one. Now I have found one. The whole feed mode thing has me freaking confused. I will be doing some reading tonight and hopefully get it figured out

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

Rsaalman said:
Download and Read the Reference Manual!!

Thank you that was very helpful

lyrical · Jan 21, 2016

matt_97055 said:
Mine didn't come with a manual. I have done some searching in the past for one but never could find one. Now I have found one. The whole feed mode thing has me freaking confused. I will be doing some reading tonight and hopefully get it figured out

looks like we got homework tonight lol

BetURWrasse · Jan 21, 2016

matt_97055 said:
Mine didn't come with a manual. I have done some searching in the past for one but never could find one. Now I have found one. The whole feed mode thing has me freaking confused. I will be doing some reading tonight and hopefully get it figured out

correct they don't come with manuals, you must download the comprehensive manual rom the site.

FeedA,B,C,D is just meant for feeding. Shuts down whatever you want for a short period. Say you just want your in tank pumps to turn off for 5 minutes while you feed. You just set up FeedA to turn off those pumps for 5 minutes.

But say you use something like Reef Roids and you want the skimmer off for 10 minutes. You set feed B to 10 minutes and tell the Skimmer that If FeedB 000 the OFF. 1o minutes later it will come back on.