APEX with IceCap Battery Backup?

[jk1151]

Hi all - I can't seem to think through this for some reason and wondered if someone could help. I have had my apex up and running for over a year and everything connected to it. I just bought the icecap battery backup because I have maxsepct gyres on my tank. After opening it and getting ready to connect I am realizing that might mean I can't connect my gyres to my apex and turn them on/off for feedings and water changes. Is that correct or is there a way to keep them connected to apex while still being able to use the ice cap battery back up. Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[SuncrestReef]

If the Apex turns them off, the Icecap battery will interpret that as a power outage and automatically kick in. You'd need to wire some sort of bypass circuit that only turns it on if the house power is out. That's beyond my DIY skillset.

 

[Montiman]

I would battery back up the Apex head unit because that is always good, and then control the gyres with the 0-10v IceCap interface module. Then feed modes could turn the gyres off through the 0-10v control and run them at a low speed during power outages. (There may even be a way to run the Apex off of the IceCap battery with the right cable.)

 

[powers2001]

Hi all - I can't seem to think through this for some reason and wondered if someone could help. I have had my apex up and running for over a year and everything connected to it. I just bought the icecap battery backup because I have maxsepct gyres on my tank. After opening it and getting ready to connect I am realizing that might mean I can't connect my gyres to my apex and turn them on/off for feedings and water changes. Is that correct or is there a way to keep them connected to apex while still being able to use the ice cap battery back up. Thanks in advance for any help!

@jk1151 @SuncrestReef first of all I assume you have the version 3 IceCap BBU? There is three versions of their BBUs, however if you connect your gyres to the Apex via 0-10V control it doesn’t matter which version you have. Second we need to know if your particular gyres interface with the Hydros app or can they connect to the Apex through a link between an Icecap Interface Module and 0-10V abilities. If you’re doing the Hydros app there is limited connection with the Apex I believe and I’ll post a link to a playlist of videos that might help. I don’t have experience with the Icecap Interface Module but I know it’s a good way to go for certain brands of gyres and I’ll post a link for those as well.

Broken Tank | CoralVue

CoralVue is one of North America's largest distributors of marine and freshwater aquaria products and represents a wide range of industry-leading brands including Reef Octopus, Abyzz, Fauna Marin, IceCap, and more. CoralVue also manufactures the HYDROS Control, which is the fastest-growing...

www.coralvue.com

 

[jk1151]

If the Apex turns them off, the Icecap battery will interpret that as a power outage and automatically kick in. You'd need to wire some sort of bypass circuit that only turns it on if the house power is out. That's beyond my DIY skillset.

Haha yeah me too. Thank you!

 

[jk1151]

I would battery back up the Apex head unit because that is always good, and then control the gyres with the 0-10v IceCap interface module. Then feed modes could turn the gyres off through the 0-10v control and run them at a low speed during power outages. (There may even be a way to run the Apex off of the IceCap battery with the right cable.)

Ok thank you. I appreciate the idea and thoughts.

 

[jk1151]

@jk1151 @SuncrestReef first of all I assume you have the version 3 IceCap BBU? There is three versions of their BBUs, however if you connect your gyres to the Apex via 0-10V control it doesn’t matter which version you have. Second we need to know if your particular gyres interface with the Hydros app or can they connect to the Apex through a link between an Icecap Interface Module and 0-10V abilities. If you’re doing the Hydros app there is limited connection with the Apex I believe and I’ll post a link to a playlist of videos that might help. I don’t have experience with the Icecap Interface Module but I know it’s a good way to go for certain brands of gyres and I’ll post a link for those as well.

Broken Tank | CoralVue

CoralVue is one of North America's largest distributors of marine and freshwater aquaria products and represents a wide range of industry-leading brands including Reef Octopus, Abyzz, Fauna Marin, IceCap, and more. CoralVue also manufactures the HYDROS Control, which is the fastest-growing...

www.coralvue.com

Thank you for the playlist I will watch those for sure. Yes it is a version 3. I am thinking it would be better to just try and back up the whole apex maybe? Thank you again.

 

[SuncrestReef]

Thank you for the playlist I will watch those for sure. Yes it is a version 3. I am thinking it would be better to just try and back up the whole apex maybe? Thank you again.

Scroll down about half way through my tutorial on Apex Power Monitoring to get to the section where I provide instructions on how to integrate your Apex with a UPS backup battery. With this configuration, the Apex can detect when the power fails, turn off high-powered devices like heaters, lights, and pumps to preserve battery power for water movement, and can send you an alert notification about the power failure.

Neptune Apex Programming Tutorials, Part 4: Power Monitoring

Part 4 of our series on programming your Neptune Apex: Power Monitoring

www.reef2reef.com

 

[jk1151]

Scroll down about half way through my tutorial on Apex Power Monitoring to get to the section where I provide instructions on how to integrate your Apex with a UPS backup battery. With this configuration, the Apex can detect when the power fails, turn off high-powered devices like heaters, lights, and pumps to preserve battery power for water movement, and can send you an alert notification about the power failure.

Neptune Apex Programming Tutorials, Part 4: Power Monitoring

Part 4 of our series on programming your Neptune Apex: Power Monitoring

www.reef2reef.com

Perfect. Will do. Thanks again!

 

[powers2001]

@jk1151 you have a PM.

 

[boogiesnap]

Scroll down about half way through my tutorial on Apex Power Monitoring to get to the section where I provide instructions on how to integrate your Apex with a UPS backup battery. With this configuration, the Apex can detect when the power fails, turn off high-powered devices like heaters, lights, and pumps to preserve battery power for water movement, and can send you an alert notification about the power failure.

Neptune Apex Programming Tutorials, Part 4: Power Monitoring

Part 4 of our series on programming your Neptune Apex: Power Monitoring

www.reef2reef.com

 

[boogiesnap]

In researching apex jr with a EB4 I came across this tutorial. Man fantastic. Thank you.
I’m wondering…I have a a coralbox battery(it’s an icecap V3 rebranded).

Would this work in the configuration you suggest instead of an actual UPS? I’ll put a small ups on the internet/router.

Looking to power the apex brain and an MP-10, or even an IM mighty jet 326 return pump in the event of a power outage.

Very many thanks.