Problem With My Simple Apex Dosing Program

[MolaMola]

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

 

[rygh]

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.

 

[Bruce Spiegelman]

@Vhuang168

 

[Flagg37]

@Vhuang168

He doesn’t do tech support anymore. He’s too good for that. Plus, he’s probably out driving his car.

 

[Bruce Spiegelman]

He doesn’t do tech support anymore. He’s too good for that. Plus, he’s probably out driving his car.

But they didn't wipe his memory clean. Which is why he still remembers that thing you did with a puppet.

 

[RandyC]

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.

 

[ancientz]

If you know how much cal/alk you want to dose, this site is great for setting up apex to dose correct amounts with the osc feature.

https://www.reeftronics.net/adpg/dosingcalc.php


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[Vhuang168]

Try this osc statement

OSC 090:00/007:00/023:00




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[MolaMola]

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!

 

[MolaMola]

No luck. Will head to Apex forum. I should have staggered the times more to avoid Alk and Ca dosing simultaneously. Oops.

 

[Vhuang168]

What are the times it is dosing now after you changed the OSC statement?


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[MolaMola]

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!

 

[Flagg37]

Are you able to just dose at different sections of the sump? Then you could use the same programming for both.

 

[Vhuang168]

Take a screen shot of the outlet programming for me please. And you are sure you are programming the correct outlet?

 

[ddrueckh]

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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[ddrueckh]

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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[MolaMola]

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.

 

[rygh]

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

 

[ddrueckh]

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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[ddrueckh]

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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