High Tide Aquatics

Problem With My Simple Apex Dosing Program

MolaMola

Supporting Member
I can't find my mistake in setting up Apex dosing schedule. I'm using BRS dosing pumps, not Apex DOS. Until school starts and I have low daytime pH, I wanted to drip Alk at night. I thought I wrote for 6 doses of 7 min each at 9:30pm, 11:30pm, 1:30 am, 3:30am, 5:30am, 7:30am. What actually happens is 5 doses at 10:30pm, 12:30a, 2:30a, 4:30a, 6:30a.

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 030:00/007:00/083:00 Then ON
If Time 07:37 to 20:59 Then OFF
If pH > 8.45 Then OFF

Calcium is dripping fine at 10pm, 11pm, 12am, 1am, 2am, 3am:
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 000:00/007:00/053:00 Then ON
If Time 03:07 to 21:59 Then OFF
 
Yes, OSC function is a bit weird.
Suggest posting that on the Neptune forums. The experts will be able to help. They helped me on a
weird thing like that.

Side note:
I stopped using PH/Salinity to actually turn equipment off. Instead, I use those as an alarm.
The sensors are just not that reliable, so a bit of a risk.
 
That initial off time of the OSC command always messes with my head. And I also think there's some unusual behavior when you don't start on the hour and you use the initial off time.

I'd probably go with

Fallback OFF
OSC 000:00/007:00/113:00 Then ON
If Time 07:37 to 21:29 Then OFF
If pH > 8.45 Then OFF

And you don't need that Set OFF since switch is always off until the OSC command turns the switch on.
 
Thanks - I will try those suggestions. Schedule I selected is not super important - I can always change the times but wondered if I was totally missing something. I think Reeftronics came up with same thing I did.
Apex dosing is so easy overall that now I am irritated with having to dose frag tank by hand - ha!
 
First change/suggestion result: 22:30, 0, 2, 4, 6
Second: 22:30, 0, 1:30, 3, 4:30, 7:30 (skipped 6 because pH was too high)
I might just go back to original Alk program and extend the time to get in all 6 doses - easy way to not have Alk and Ca dose together. Curious what's going on but not high priority at the moment. Thanks for your help though!
 
Here is my program:

Ca:
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 000:00/000:21/059:39 Then ON
If pH > 8.40 Then OFF

Alk
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
OSC 030:00/000:15/029:45 Then ON
If pH > 8.40 Then OFF

The Alk starts on the half hour and the Ca starts on the hour.
Ca: start at midnight, dose for 21 seconds then off for 59min 39 sec = 60 min.
Alk wait 30min, dose 15sec then wait 29min 45sec = 60 min

These numbers should always add up to 60 minutes.


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I believe the OSC statement always starts at midnight. Your statement delays the start until 12:30 (030:00). To delay your first dose until 1:30am, you would need (090:00).

I believe below is what you want:

OSC 090:00/007:00/023:00
If Time 07:37 to 20:59 Then OFF









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Getting closer... got dosing at 23:30, 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30.
Program:
Fallback OFF
OSC 090:00/007:00/023:00 Then ON
If Time 07:37 to 20:59 Then OFF
If pH > 8.45 Then OFF

Not sure why it starts when it does for initial delay, but tonight I will try to get a 21:30 start with:
If Time 07:37 to 18:59 Then OFF
We shall see.
 
Getting closer... got dosing at 23:30, 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30.
Program:
Fallback OFF
OSC 090:00/007:00/023:00 Then ON
If Time 07:37 to 20:59 Then OFF
If pH > 8.45 Then OFF

Not sure why it starts when it does for initial delay, but tonight I will try to get a 21:30 start with:
If Time 07:37 to 18:59 Then OFF
We shall see.

OSC 090:00 = initial off time. 12:00 + 90 minutes = 1:30
 
Your start time is 1:30am. The dose at 23:30 is your last dose after it turned back on at 20:59. The first part of code OSC 090:00/007:00/023:00 is correct. It is the Time Off statement that needs to be tweaked.


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I think that when the dosing turns back on at 20:59, the code is telling it to wait 90 minutes before the first dose after the time off. That makes it 21:59...too late for the 21:30 dose so it waits till the 23:30 dose. Try setting the time off to

7:37 to 19:59

And I think you will be good.


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