Opinions on dosing pumps and help with apex

[CoryC]

I've just started dosing two part and with my schedule it's abundantly clear i need to automate the process. I have a Neptune Apex controller, but i'm pretty ignorant to how to program it, after looking at full dosing units, seeing that with ones like the Bubble Magus i wont be able to dose say 10ml at 2am, it would be throughout the day, i have looked at the BRS single pumps. I dont want to get an ancillary timer, so if it's possible to program these pumps using my Apex, I would love to know how. I guess it would make sense to just get the pumps and not the unit with the microprocessor as I already have basically the same thing in my apex. any opinions on the various brands, or what might be best for my situation would be much appreciated.

 

[Lazys Coral House]

Dosing is pretty easy with the Apex. Here is my code.


Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 030:00/014:00/016:00 Then ON
If S_pH > 08.40 Then OFF


THe above code will turn on the doser on the half of every hour. That is the the 030:00/. It will run for 14 minutes. That is the 014:00/. Then it is off for 16 minutes which is the /016:00. Using the OSC command it must always equal a full hour in total
I run Mag, Calcium and Alk all off the same outlet.

 

[CoryC]

through the same dosing pump? how would i tell it to come on for like 10 min at 2am? and 10 min at like 2 pm?

 

[Lazys Coral House]

Your code would look something like this and dose about 44ml

Set OFF
Fallback OFF
If Time 02:00 to 02:10 Then ON
If Time 14:00 to 14:10 Then ON
If S_pH > 08.40 Then OFF

I use these BRS 2 Part Doser ? 1.1 mL per minute - Bulk Reef Supply

 

[Dowtish]

I have 2 BRS 1.1ml dosing pumps hooked to my APEX. One for Cal and the other for Alk. I like to run my alk at night to help stabalize my ph.

got to reeftronics.net and at the bottom right of the homepage under the Tools menu, you will find the Apex OSC Calculator. Its a spreadsheet you download and you can plug in the amount of ml's you want to dose over however many hours you choose. It then gives you the exact code/language to plug into your APEX.

 

[blackx-runner]

Dosing is pretty easy with the Apex. Here is my code.


Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 030:00/014:00/016:00 Then ON
If S_pH > 08.40 Then OFF


THe above code will turn on the doser on the half of every hour. That is the the 030:00/. It will run for 14 minutes. That is the 014:00/. Then it is off for 16 minutes which is the /016:00. Using the OSC command it must always equal a full hour in total
I run Mag, Calcium and Alk all off the same outlet.

Your code will have the doser off for 30 minutes (030:00) on for 14 minutes (014:00) then turn off for 16 minutes (016:00) then repeat, that's correct, but These do NOT have to add up to one hour, or end up at an even 24 hours. You can do any cycle you choose.
If you want something to run for 6 hours, off for minute then on for 4 hours 12 minutes you can do it no problems. OSC 360:00/001:00/252:00 then OFF
Its just a repeating (Oscillating) time command. Page 51,52 of the reference manual explain it very nicely.

 

[CoryC]

you mean 24ml? with the 1.1 ml pump? i'm going to start with the bigger 1.6ml Drew's peristaltic pumps, a friend has one he is kindly letting me use. i offered him a 3 eye my miami for his used Bubble Magus doser but no cigar. kinda glad he didn't take it now that i figured out the limitations of the Bubble Magus and what i can do with my Apex. I just feel so dumb only using it to monitor pH and control temp and turn pumps on and off. i love it for that, but feel as if i'm underutilizing it.