+SChrisEV Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 There is a longer story leading up to this, if you want to read it it is here. The basics is, until I get a better pump for Kalk dosing (any dosing) I'm looking for an APEX program to better control the outlet controlling my ATO. This is that I have right now (thanks to a small tweak from victoly): Fallback OFFSet OFFIf Outlet SumpLow = ON Then ONIf Outlet SumpHigh = ON Then OFFIf pH > 08.39 Then OFFMin Time 005:00 Then OFF This work well, but my current aqualifter gets clogged and stays on trying to pull the kalk water up the tube but can't, it starts to heat up. If I turn it off for a while then back on it will work. My thinking is, as s sort term fix, have my APEX come on via the float switch like it is now, but only stay on for 5 minutes, even if the "SumpLow" switch is still on. Then keep it off for at least 5 minutes then let it run again. IF the outlet would be on due to the time switching, but the SumpLow outlet is off, then it would stay off, until the next test... This is that I'm thinking about using, but I was hoping for some feedback. Your you APEX gurus does this look like it will do what I want? Any issues you see? Fallback OFFSet OFFOSC 00:00/05:00/05:00 Then ON <-- Turn on for 5, then off for 5, unless any of the following three steps turn it off?If Outlet SumpLow = OFF Then OFFIf Outlet SumpHigh = ON Then OFFIf pH > 08.39 Then OFF This is a temporary solution until I get a peristaltic dosing pump. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Yeah, I was going to suggest using an OSC statement. I think what you have there is correct. You can verify by looking at the chart that shows when your ATO is on/off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
(Bio)³ Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Tried using the aqua lifter prefilter to help with clogs? Also the code above looks fine i think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Monnat Jr Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 For over a year I had two 5g buckets filled with RODI, 10-12 tsp of Mrs. Wages Pickling Lime and ¼ cup of 5% white vinegar and an $8 Fountain Tech FT-70 pump from AutoTopoff.com. I'm still using that pump. When the bucket with the pump in it got low, I'd mix the KW in the other bucket, let it settle for at least a few hours, then move the pump over. Because that pump has higher flow than typical dosing pumps, I had the Apex outlet for the ATO programmed as: Fallback OFF Set ON If Switch1 OPEN Then OFF If pHsump > 08.20 Then OFF If pH2dt > 08.28 Then OFF If pHsump < 07.40 Then OFF Defer 000:05 Then OFF That maintained pH around 8.3 in the DT. If I lowered the pH cutoffs or lengthened the deferral time, then the pH would spike really high (8.6 or higher), because there was a delay between the KW pumped in and the pH sensors detecting it. Even with the ATO pumping into the skimmer section of the sump right by the sump pH probe. That worked really well, and I never had a failure with those components. If you want details on the amount of pickling lime and using vinegar to pack more lime into the water, see these: What Your Grandmother Never Told You About Lime "...three level teaspoons of solid lime per gallon of limewater, and 45 ml [9tsp] of vinegar per gallon of limewater." A Simple DIY Kalk DripperAll about kalkwasser The Degradation of Limewater in Air “Some aquarists add vinegar to their limewater in order to increase it potency...In terms of the degradation of limewater by atmospheric CO2, the addition of vinegar is not expected to have a big impact. The vinegar lowers the pH of the resulting solution, and the lower pH tends to decrease the driving force for CO2 to enter the solution, and for the CO2 in the solution to show up as carbonate (as opposed to bicarbonate at lower values of pH; bicarbonate is less of a concern from a degradation standpoint)...The use of very large amounts of vinegar, where the pH drops below about 11, would be expected to reduce the likelihood of precipitation of calcium carbonate. In no instance should vinegar make this problem worse.” The vinegar also carbon doses, so that needs to be slowly introduced! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Long story short, if you love your tank like I love mine, I'd switch to 2-part dosing. The pH swings always freaked me out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 Yeah so far the pH is going from about 8.17 to 8.3 in the day, seems like a lot. Before the clogging was happening it was keeping between 8.25 and 8.3. I figured that 2-part was in my future if not a Ca reactor, but I was hoping to hold off on that a bit longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Monnat Jr Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 My DT pH typically swung from 8.18 to 8.23 when I had it centered on 8.2. I don't have graphs saved for when I upped it to center around 8.3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Yeah so far the pH is going from about 8.17 to 8.3 in the day, seems like a lot. Before the clogging was happening it was keeping between 8.25 and 8.3. I figured that 2-part was in my future if not a Ca reactor, but I was hoping to hold off on that a bit longer. Yeah, your tank is considerably larger than mine, and you have a sump, so CaRx is a viable option as well. Theres a **** good one for sale in the classifieds here for $100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 victoly, and I thought you were a nice guy! Trying to get me to buy the cursed device! Note to self, victoly is NOT a nice guy. Just kidding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 Okay so this is an interesting idea, the CaRx reactor. But that $100 is just the start of the costs right? I will need other "stuff" (not including media) right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Correct. You'd need a CO2 bottle, CO2 regulator, 2nd pH probe, potentially a feed pump (that peristaltic might do it, or a tee off of your return pump manifold) plus media. There is another pretty large full CO2 setup in the classifieds as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 Do you happen to know the posting link that you referred to for the CO2? Looked but did not see it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 no, CO2 wasnt included in that. I do however, know a guy.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 And that's they way it starts ... What about this guy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I am that guy. I have a very nice regulator/bottle combo that I could be convinced to part with. Let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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