Switching Controllers from Apex to GHL

[Ditto]

It can detect power outages. There is a extra power port to sense outages. The profilux itself needs to be powered via UPS for that to work of course.
You can configure how your tank should react to a power outage.

I don't know if it can notify you as I have a 3rd gen profilux only. But I would very much expect that. Just can't confirm it.

For a P4 it will notify you but it through your network. So if your router is down due to the power outage you would not receive the notification.

 

[Dive Dive]

Thanks. If I may ask what flow were u looking for? I have a 100 gal SPS tank so wondering if flow was the only issue. Are you using a peristaltic pump or other method. I was looking at the Pacific Sun Calc Feeder controller with peristaltic pump as an alternative. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks again!

 

[Ditto]

If I had more time to play I could have gotten the maxi to work. Right now a peristaltic pump it good but I do miss the maxi being hooked up.

I may go back to it now the KH online and have it adjust the maxi. I could not fully dial it in fully, had to keep adjusting with the KH fully online that may no longer be he case.

 

[Dive Dive]

Thanks. Can you tell me what brand peristaltic pump you are using? Appreciate any future updates on maxi doser and KH director

 

[Ditto]

NE9000 adjustable pump

 

[Ditto]

Steps I used to Install the Avast Barrel Tender V2:

Parts Needed:
One Avast Barrel Tender V2: https://www.avastmarine.com/products/barrel-tender
One GHL PL-ADIN Card for my Expansion box: https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/usa/product/plm-adin/
One 9 Pin Adapater from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-sign...139&sr=8-2-fkmr2&keywords=EZsync+Female+D-Sub) which was needed to connect to the GHL PL-ADIN Card.

I connected mine as follows with the above Terminal:
For the Wire Terminal I used Above
White - Low (Pin 3)
Red - High (Pin 4)
Black - Common (Pin 8)

Once Installed I had to do some testing with the Barrel Tender in and out of water to see which Pins were being used and how they would map to the Digital Input based on the Amazon Adapter I chosen,

Determine the Digital Inputs being used by Barrel Tender V2
Open GCC Desktop Software
Click System
Click 1-10V Interfaces
I watched as I tested the Low and High, which will provide a check-mark when they are shown activated which for me was when barrel was EMPTY.

Click on Each one and Provide a name, for me it was Barrel Low and Barrel High, do not forget to Save

Program Advance Gate Logic for the Barrel Tender

Click Programming Logic
Select the Gate you wish to use for me it was G22
Set Digital: Input 2
Reset Digital: Input 3 Inverted
Function: SR-Flipflop

Once you have your Programming logic done you need to assign it to the outlet that the Barrel Tender is installed on:

Configure Outlet Barrel Tender V2 is Plugged Into:
Click System
Click Switch Channels and Outlets
Click the Switch Channel (Outlet) you have your Barrel Tender plugged into
Function: Programmable Logic 22
Do not forget to Provide a name and Description
And do not forget to setup the blackout delay
Last do not forget to save.

Pretty Simple to do

 

[TilmanBaumann]

Seems odd to me to use the rather expensive digital inputs for that.
Isn't that just regular float switches? If you got float switch ports available that would be cheaper.

I can find you the float switch pinout if you like. It's available on the net.

PS: Not just cheaper. You could also use the float switch logic for it which is made for those purposes.

 

[Ditto]

@TilmanBaumann - The Digital Inputs is what the Avast Barrel Tender 2 came with, and are built inside the unit. Would be interesting to see if they would work if I plugged them into a standard sensor port, would need to pin the ground and white and ground and red. Might be my next project

 

[Ditto]

I already outlined the Steps on how to setup the ATO (Auto Top Off), below are the steps used for AWC (Auto Water changes) with another Maxi being used to do the AWC option. I could have done this with a 3 sensor, but went with a 4 sensor for redundancy. 2 Were used for my ATO, and 2 Were used for the AWC.

Auto Water Change:

Configure Two Sensors for AWC Control:
First Configure the Level Sensors ( I am using Two Float Sensors (Sensor 5 and Sensor 6) both plugged into the Expansion Box V2 using a PL-LY Splitting Cable. (https://www.aquariumcomputer.com/usa/product/pl-ly/))
Open up My GHL Desktop Software
Expand Probe/Sensor Menu Option
Click Level
Click on Control Circuit 1 (We are now going to Setup up the ATO sensors)
Control Circuit 5
Operational Mode: Water Sensor
Maximum
On time: 30 Minutes (When you first set this up, you need to pay attention and actually watch how long it takes, use the Reset Error Automatically and once you have the time place the time interval inside the box and unchecked the Reset Error. Mine took Approx 22 Minutes, so I went with 30 Minutes max, I plan to turn it down to 25 in a few days once I monitor it some more)
Automatic Water AWC Activate Through Timer: XX (For me I am using Timer 29)
Used Sensors for this Control: Sensor 5 (High Water AWC Sensor) and Sensor 6 (Low Water AWC Sensor)
In GHL Control Center: Enter in GHL Control Center Description
In device: Enter in Device a Description

Save Settings

Configure Drain Maxi Doser (This is the Doser that will be drawing water out of the tank for AWC):
Expand Dose Overview
Click Dosing Pump that you are going to use for ATO (For me it is Dosing Pump 11)
Capacity: XXXXX (I set mine to 18,500 Approx 5 Gallons)
Minimum: 200 Ml
Pump Setting:
Flowrate of the pump (Make sure you calibrate your pump, this will allow you to see how much water your using)
Max. Speed: (3 Fast)
Description in GHL Control Center: AWC - Tank Water
Description in ProFilux: AWC - Tank Water
Pump Reacts
to Switch Channel: Index 37 (Drain Water Switch Channel)

Save Settings

Configure Fill Maxi Doser (This is the Doser that will be placing new saltwater into the tank for AWC):
Expand Dose Overview
Click Dosing Pump that you are going to use to pump fresh saltwater into the tank (For me it is Dosing Pump 12)
Capacity: XXXXX (I set mine to 18,500 Approx 5 Gallons)
Minimum: 200 Ml
Pump Setting:
Flowrate of the pump (Make sure you calibrate your pump, this will allow you to see how much water your using)
Max. Speed: (3 Fast)
Description in GHL Control Center: AWC - SaltWater
Description in ProFilux: AWC - Tank Saltwater
Pump Reacts
to Switch Channel: Index 38 (Fill Water Switch Channel)

Save Settings

Configure Drain Switch Channel for AWC:
Expand System
Click on the Switch Channel you used above for the Drain maxi for me 37
Function: Drain Water and the Control Circuit we used for the AWC above for me it was Control Circuit 5
In GHL Control Center: Drain Water
In ProFilux: Description: Drain Water

Save Settings

Configure Fill Switch Channel for AWC:
Expand System
Click on the Switch Channel you used above for the Drain maxi for me 38
Function: Fill Water and the Control Circuit we used for the AWC above for me it was Control Circuit 5
In GHL Control Center: Fill Water
In ProFilux: Description: Fill Water

Save Settings

Setup the Event Timer for the AWC to take place:
Expand Process
Click on the Timer you used in the AWC Level Control for me it was 29
Description In GHL Control Center: AWC
Description in In ProFilux: Description: AWC
Specify the days of the week you want your AWC to take place: I am dong smaller water changes, so twice a day every day of the week.
Switchmode: Event Start

Save Settings

This would complete the AWC Setup. If you want to change out more water just separate the high and low water sensors. The High Water Sensor should be at the same exact level as your ATO upper level, and your Lower AWC water sensor can go as low as you wish).

Because I used different sensors, I had to also program Advance Logic onto my ATO Switch Channel, with below. This prevented the ATO to run while the tank was draining

Advance Programmable Logic for the ATO to shutdown while AWC is taking place:
Click Programming Logic
Choose a Gate to Program your Programmable Logic for me it was Gate 6
Input 1: The Fill Water ATO
Input 2: The Timer that was used for the AWC events to take place for me 29 (Inverted)

Apply Advance Logic to the Switch Channel used for the ATO:
Expand System
Click on the Switch Channel you used in the step above for me it was 64
Function: programmable Logic and the gate logic I programmed in the step above which for me was 6

 

[TilmanBaumann]

Nice setup. But I would add, that if you use level switches to control the amount taken out and back in, you can use regular ac water pumps if you set them up in a way that they cannot syphon.
The precision of dosing pumps isn't exactly required in this mode.
I do water changes that way. It works really well. ( In a freshwater system at the moment, bit the concept is the same)
My main sump chamber is drained to a certain amount and filled back up to the level equivalent to full. (Full level is basically the high water mark of the sump when the display is fully drained into the sump)

The high water mark takes a bit dialing in, but is then a very reliable system.
My sump is small, I only get 30l out. But the limiting factor for me right now is the size of the salted water container.

You can of course also drain the display. But then you got sensors and pumps in the display.

Just saying, because for most situations two pump heads on a GHL doser are more probably a lot more expensive than two power ports on a powerbar plus a set of small old AC pumps.

PS: As I said I got about 30l of water changed per water change. I have a float switch in my water barrel at about the 30l hight. In order to have the float switch available in the logic section I assign it a single sensor level control
O then have a logic function on the drain pump that only engages the pump on water change "out" AND the water barre level control at "good".
That way the water control will not empty water out that it won't be able to replace. It effectively runs a dry cycle until the timeout happens.

 

[Ditto]

@TilmanBaumann - your 100% correct once the float switches are installed you can technically use any pump, and two outlets . And most of the time it would be cheaper then the Maxi, but there some added benefits with the use of the Maxi.

1- You know exact amount of water your removing and adding. Once the pump is calibrated you can see in the container view the amount of water being removed and or added.
2- I can draw from some large distances, without worrying about the size the pump. My Salt Mixing station is 27 feet away in the basement along with my ATO that feeds the new tank in the Dining Room, the Maxi is having no issues drawing the water that distance.

On my other tank(Living Room) thou it is set up like you stated above, I am using a Aqualifter pump for the ATO off an outlet, and two Rio Pumps for the AWC off outlets, because the sump for the second tank is in the basement next to the ATO/AWC station and currently doing it with 3 sensors. One is shared with both the ATO and AWC which is the ATO High level mark, the other 2 sensors are split function. 1 is for the Low level mark so a water change can be done to that level, and the last is very high in my sump as a safety in the event something fails.

My ATO is kept full by the Barrel Tender V2, and only refills when it hits low sensor. Works great, and happy with it.

My Salt Mixing Station hold about 45 Gallons of Salt Water, I go through 39-42 Gallons a week. Approx 12 Gallons in my New Tank and 27 Gallons in my Living room tank.

I currently mix my Saltwater Saturday Mornings, I am in the processes of automating this also. Just not done working out the bugs yet but getting close.

Endless possibilities

 

[Ditto]

Latest update to the P4 now allows us to see our KH readings in both text messages and emails. (1.1.1.7)

Was a painless update no issues to report.

The token to use is on the notifications menu in the GCC desktop app.

Also if you have not updated recently backup up your configs and your sensor settings

 

[Buddah001]

@Ditto i learned the hard way that it is a must to save everything right before an update. I lost it all once due to performing an update and had to reprogram EVERYTHING. I know you warned to do it before an update is performed and I did not. Completely my fault

 

[reefwiser]

Always back up your settings before doing an update. I think everyone learns that lesson the hard way one time or another.

 

[Ditto]

@Buddah001 - always always backup No matter how minor the update or major you just never know. Better to always be safe!! Sorry it happen to you!!

I learned my lesson once not doing it a long time ago and said never never again hehe

 

[VJV]

Latest update to the P4 now allows us to see our KH readings in both text messages and emails. (1.1.1.7)

Was a painless update no issues to report.

The token to use is on the notifications menu in the GCC desktop app.

Also if you have not updated recently backup up your configs and your sensor settings

How can you setup these email and text messages? Would love to be able to get these!

 

[Ditto]

@VJV no problem below is my setup:

That message is my two hour tank health check.

Open up the GCC desktop software and scroll all the way down after you connect to email notifications.

Then setup a new Email notification. Reember you can have these be text messages to by making them be Yourcellphonenumber@the carrier specific SMS text email gateway

The notification above is sent on a interval of your choosing, mine is two hours set by the sent interval. I just do this to know how my tank is doing throughout the day.

Below is the Text for the alert

Sensors:
$$REPS[32][0]$$$$SENN[x]$$ : $$SENV[x]$$
$$REPE$$

KH Director:
$$SENN[k]$$ : $$SENV[k]$$

The other 3 Are sent upon an alarm, the first one is my tank parameters, second is the actual alarm, the 3rd is my level sensors.

 

[VJV]

Thanks!

 

[VJV]

Well, just tried it and am not getting anything when I click on "Test".... . I did the Captcha thing (though perhaps not in the order that is mentioned in other posts) and the "less secure Apps" is also checked (though I really hate to do it). When I click on "Test" absolutely nothing happens. No error message, no email,... nothing. I did set it up using the P4 wifi connection, not the USB...

 

[Ditto]

Your using Gmail? Can you Screen shot your notification page minus your email address so we can see it