KH Guardian: Automatic Alkalinity Controller- My Experiences

[Rick.45cal]

Good morning everyone, thanks for tagging along. I'm about ready to head out and get a new router, just waiting on my friend who wants to tag along.

So far I do believe this is the first alkalinity controller available to the public, my understanding is that it has been in use for nearly 4 years on several systems. (Don't quote me on this, please).

I realize the high cost of this device, which is why I wanted to start this thread so that you guys can see my experiences with it (good and bad). Hopefully this will help others embarking on this journey, and help you decide if an alkalinity controller may be something that you want to look into in the future.
Any questions that come up, feel free to ask. I may not be able to answer them but you are welcome to ask them.

I'm sure this thread will evolve as it goes along. One of the possibilities this opens up to me is being able to test different (stable) alkalinity levels, it might be interesting to tweak and see what happens with growth/color.

 

[NCreefguy]

I thought you would be back by now.

It's going to be soooo nice to glance over at the screen and see your alk. Adjusting your nutrient levels and tweaking your alk to see what changes take place. Of course you could do these things without the controller but why not make things more simple and more enjoyable! I like it and you haven't even set it up yet.

 

[Rick.45cal]

So my adventure continues! After fighting traffic both ways and having aquired a new router. I promptly headed in to the disaster... I mean home office. Needless to say, I didn't want to contribute more wires and clutter to what clearly is already teetering on the brink of critical mass. So the big "office purge" of 2017 began. One enormous trash container later, less one antiquated PC/printer/monitor/UPS power supply later... among other things. The office is actually usable space again (and clean too ). Things are filed, organized etc. Needless to say I got the router installed, operating, and even my APEX is communicating through it and the tank didn't crash . So I will consider today a success! I also think I have a workable line run to the tank now for the KHG.

Tomorrow I will work on deciding where I want to place the unit, how I want to mount it, and then start working on accomplishing that. I'll also try to source some workable containers for reagent/ bicarbonate solution/ waste until I can decide on a permanent solution. Now I think I am going to relax a bit, read some threads and then call it a night!

 

[Jonty]

Looks like mine is DOA purge pump does not work, oh the joy.....

 

[Rick.45cal]

Looks like mine is DOA purge pump does not work, oh the joy.....

Ugh!!! That's no good!!! Keep us updated!

 

[Jonty]

Submitted ticket will see what happens and keep all informed.

 

[Quah]

@Rick.45cal following along. Off topic is that tang with a blue striped caudal fin an Ebili Mimic Tang?

 

[Rick.45cal]

@Rick.45cal following along. Off topic is that tang with a blue striped caudal fin an Ebili Mimic Tang?

Yes that is indeed an Ebili mimic. He used to have a companion that was a monster 6" sociopathic purple tang who aquired a taste for acans so he got rehomed. The ebili mimic was about the size of a quarter when I got him, he's his own kind of monster now!

 

[Reef2Javi]

Definitely following along

 

[samparker]

Rick, thanks for sharing your experiences. I too am playing with one at the moment and am having trouble purging the reagent line. Curious to see how you go.

If anyone in the know is reading, care to assist? I can hear a pump running (although the reagent one is not one of the visual three) and the check valve is installed the correct way and line is submerged in reagent. The line isn't blocked but it doesn't seem to be creating any vacuum at all. Any tips?

Sam

 

[Jonty]

Mine took a long time purge (read 15 min)but it did eventualy I have a 2 ft hose from the reagent to the unit and the reagent is at the same level as the unit.

 

[Jonty]

On another note I generally don't like the form factor why they would have made it without a stable base is beyond me. The unit is tall and wide and with a 2"square foot for it to balance on.

 

[Jonty]

When you file a support ticket Coralvue does not have a KHGuardian category so you have to file under the general section, I hope they respond in a timely fashion.

 

[Jonty]

One more strange thing, periodically the unit will lose its DHCP assignment and show 0.0.0.0 and you are unable to communicate with the KH Guardian, at this point powering off the unit and reboot is your only option. This has happened a dozen times in the two hours I had the unit turned on.

 

[Jonty]

When I am trying to Purge the reaction chamber the display shows C/M and counts up to 20 and nothing happens it then returns to the standard display. When I try to "get DKH" the same C/M count up occurs and then it fails to SW<ERR!.
Sorry for all the post but I want to document as much as possible for other users.

 

[Jonty]

It would appear the DCHP reset to 0.0.0.0 is caused by running the agitator test for my unit

 

[Angel53]

Can the KHG be used if you are running a calcium reactor?

 

[Jonty]

Yes Unit can be used with a Calcium reactor.

 

[Angel53]

Yes Unit can be used with a Calcium reactor.

How will it control the effluent coming out of the calcium reactor?

 

[Jonty]

This is my log entry for the purge fail.
02/05 21:48:11 W.2 KS=0D L%0 S%0 SW<_ERR KH :0.00
I wish the manual would explain what the codes KS=0D L%0 S%0 means