daveloro
New Member
I was hoping someone with more experience than me could audit my setup and apex configuration.
Waterbox Infinia Reef 150.4 tank and sump.
Display has 80 lbs of live rock and 80 lbs of crushed aragonite substrate (about 2 inches)
current stage: cycle complete have just started my lights on 5 percent and have added X5 1 inch chalk bass. (doing very well!)
X2 Brs 300w heaters
X1 waterbox 270 skimmer
X2 ecotech vortech mp40mqd
X1 sicce synchra 6.0 return pump
X2 ecotech radion g6 blue xr30
X1 tunze osmolator 3
X1 Neptune apex a3 pro
X1 Neptune dos for awc
X1 Neptune afs
X1 Neptune MXM Module
sump setup
flow direction--> overflow from tank input chamber -->filter sock chamber--> refugium (has 20 lbs live rock and rubble, salinity probe, ph probe, temp probe orp probe, and awc remove tubing) --> skimmer chamber (has skimmer and x2 BRS heaters) --> return chamber (has return pump, ATO sensor, AWC add tubing)
both return chamber and ATO reservoir have a LLS (Liquid level sensor)
Description of my tank equipment logic programming:
The thermal management system utilizes two 300w heaters for redundancy controlled to keep the tank within a precise window between 25.0 and 25.5 degrees. Both heaters are programmed to stay off if the return pump is inactive or during a feed window to prevent them from firing in stagnant water. Additional safety cut-offs are set at 21.0 and 28.0 degrees to protect against sensor failure or overheating.
The Sicce 6 return pump runs at a constant 60 percent intensity and will shut down if a leak is detected, during feeding, or if the return chamber water level drops below 5.0 inches for dry-run protection. The top-off system maintains the waterline between 7.0 and 7.5 inches but is inhibited if the return pump is off, during feed windows, or if a high sump level of 7.6 inches is reached. A two-minute deferral ensures the level is stable before the top-off activates. The protein skimmer is linked to the return pump and includes a two-minute delay upon restart to prevent cup overflows.
Nutrient management is handled by two DOS pumps performing a daily 5-gallon water change to address nitrate levels that are slightly high after the cycle ending. Plan is to lower this to 2 gallons per day once nitrates are below 15ppm. These pumps are synchronized to add and remove water simultaneously but will cease operation if the return chamber level fluctuates outside the 6.5 to 8.0 inch safety zone or if a leak is detected.
Water movement is provided by two MP40 powerheads running an hourly alternating schedule of 20 percent and 45 percent intensity to eliminate dead spots. They operate in lagoon mode overnight and reef crest mode during the day. The fixtures are mirrored so that one side surges while the other stays low. Lighting is provided by Radion G6 fixtures set to a deep blue and green spectrum with no white or red light, peaking at 10 percent intensity and maintaining a base of 5 percent.
Feeding windows occur twice daily at 13:00 and 20:00 for 10 minutes. During this time, the return pump and heaters shut down while the powerheads continue their cycle to pull small pellets into the water column. A five-minute recovery timer manages the equipment restart to ensure the sump level is stable. The system-wide alarm hierarchy monitors leak sensors, temperature, salinity, and water level, providing notifications and emergency shutdowns if parameters drift outside established safety buffers.
The emergency power strategy for the aquarium is designed to maximize life support longevity by isolating the two MP40 powerheads on a 1500VA APC UPS while the rest of the equipment remains on standard wall power. In the event of a power failure, the EnergyBar 832 and Apex controller will shut down immediately, but the powerheads will continue to operate at 20 percent intensity to maintain critical surface agitation and oxygenation. This specific configuration allows the battery to last significantly longer, potentially providing over 24 hours of circulation since it is not burdened by the heavy draw of heaters or return pumps. Because the powerheads are plugged into the battery-backed outlets of the UPS, they will continue to run uninterrupted at their saved internal settings even when the wireless controller signal is lost. Upon the restoration of utility power, the system is programmed to reboot automatically, with the return pump and top-off system utilizing specific deferral timers to allow the sump water level to stabilize at its baseline before resuming automated water changes and top-offs.
please take a look at my apex summary included and see if there are any issues with any of the logic or if there's anything not needed, or something I'm not capitalizing on.
also is my equipment placement locations ideal? There's not a lot of room in the sump!
I truly appreciate you reading this far and hoping i get some action items to make sure I'm doing this as best as can be.
Waterbox Infinia Reef 150.4 tank and sump.
Display has 80 lbs of live rock and 80 lbs of crushed aragonite substrate (about 2 inches)
current stage: cycle complete have just started my lights on 5 percent and have added X5 1 inch chalk bass. (doing very well!)
X2 Brs 300w heaters
X1 waterbox 270 skimmer
X2 ecotech vortech mp40mqd
X1 sicce synchra 6.0 return pump
X2 ecotech radion g6 blue xr30
X1 tunze osmolator 3
X1 Neptune apex a3 pro
X1 Neptune dos for awc
X1 Neptune afs
X1 Neptune MXM Module
sump setup
flow direction--> overflow from tank input chamber -->filter sock chamber--> refugium (has 20 lbs live rock and rubble, salinity probe, ph probe, temp probe orp probe, and awc remove tubing) --> skimmer chamber (has skimmer and x2 BRS heaters) --> return chamber (has return pump, ATO sensor, AWC add tubing)
both return chamber and ATO reservoir have a LLS (Liquid level sensor)
Description of my tank equipment logic programming:
The thermal management system utilizes two 300w heaters for redundancy controlled to keep the tank within a precise window between 25.0 and 25.5 degrees. Both heaters are programmed to stay off if the return pump is inactive or during a feed window to prevent them from firing in stagnant water. Additional safety cut-offs are set at 21.0 and 28.0 degrees to protect against sensor failure or overheating.
The Sicce 6 return pump runs at a constant 60 percent intensity and will shut down if a leak is detected, during feeding, or if the return chamber water level drops below 5.0 inches for dry-run protection. The top-off system maintains the waterline between 7.0 and 7.5 inches but is inhibited if the return pump is off, during feed windows, or if a high sump level of 7.6 inches is reached. A two-minute deferral ensures the level is stable before the top-off activates. The protein skimmer is linked to the return pump and includes a two-minute delay upon restart to prevent cup overflows.
Nutrient management is handled by two DOS pumps performing a daily 5-gallon water change to address nitrate levels that are slightly high after the cycle ending. Plan is to lower this to 2 gallons per day once nitrates are below 15ppm. These pumps are synchronized to add and remove water simultaneously but will cease operation if the return chamber level fluctuates outside the 6.5 to 8.0 inch safety zone or if a leak is detected.
Water movement is provided by two MP40 powerheads running an hourly alternating schedule of 20 percent and 45 percent intensity to eliminate dead spots. They operate in lagoon mode overnight and reef crest mode during the day. The fixtures are mirrored so that one side surges while the other stays low. Lighting is provided by Radion G6 fixtures set to a deep blue and green spectrum with no white or red light, peaking at 10 percent intensity and maintaining a base of 5 percent.
Feeding windows occur twice daily at 13:00 and 20:00 for 10 minutes. During this time, the return pump and heaters shut down while the powerheads continue their cycle to pull small pellets into the water column. A five-minute recovery timer manages the equipment restart to ensure the sump level is stable. The system-wide alarm hierarchy monitors leak sensors, temperature, salinity, and water level, providing notifications and emergency shutdowns if parameters drift outside established safety buffers.
The emergency power strategy for the aquarium is designed to maximize life support longevity by isolating the two MP40 powerheads on a 1500VA APC UPS while the rest of the equipment remains on standard wall power. In the event of a power failure, the EnergyBar 832 and Apex controller will shut down immediately, but the powerheads will continue to operate at 20 percent intensity to maintain critical surface agitation and oxygenation. This specific configuration allows the battery to last significantly longer, potentially providing over 24 hours of circulation since it is not burdened by the heavy draw of heaters or return pumps. Because the powerheads are plugged into the battery-backed outlets of the UPS, they will continue to run uninterrupted at their saved internal settings even when the wireless controller signal is lost. Upon the restoration of utility power, the system is programmed to reboot automatically, with the return pump and top-off system utilizing specific deferral timers to allow the sump water level to stabilize at its baseline before resuming automated water changes and top-offs.
please take a look at my apex summary included and see if there are any issues with any of the logic or if there's anything not needed, or something I'm not capitalizing on.
also is my equipment placement locations ideal? There's not a lot of room in the sump!
I truly appreciate you reading this far and hoping i get some action items to make sure I'm doing this as best as can be.
