Help with Micmol instructions

[Ron Reefman]

OK, first you have to know I REALLY hate admitting this, but I can't get my Micmol Aqua Air 300 to operate properly. I suspect the fixture is OK (but maybe not) and that I just don't understand the instructions. I NEED HELP!

I run through setting for all 3 channels and everything seems fine. But the system just goes back to running what was in the system before I did my programming. Am I doing something wrong? I set the clock and it works perfectly. That's why I think it may be me and not the controller??? I sent an email to Micmol last week, but I never got a response.

The fixture is nice and I'm just using it over a small 16g frag tank that is shallow.

For those who would like PAR reading for this fixture, I have a PAR meter and I'd post some numbers... but I need to be able to program the auto setting first.

 

[andrewkw]

I'd love to see the par readings I am using a small one on a 10g nano. I recall having a lot of trouble programming mine. I'm almost scared to touch it to help you lol. The real problem is the interface. If they added just one button it would help a lot. I think the problem you have is you have to set it your settings - sorry I can't recall what this is called but if you don't set it to what you've programmed it will run on default, and maybe there is a 3rd setting. You probably just aren't hitting confirm.

I know these are sketchy instructions but try and go through it again. If you're really stuck I'll check my controller which I haven't touched since February.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Well, at least I don't feel like a complete idiot! Thank you for that. Now if I could get to where you are I'd be happy. But I'm still at a loss. BTW, seeing that you are in Ontario, although I'm in SW Florida, both my parents were born in Ontario. My dad in Stratford and mom in Cobalt. I was raised in Detroit but we spent summers at a cottage near Kingsville, on the beach along Lake Erie!

OK, the issue at hand. I still can't see anything that looks like a way to confirm my settings. But that seems exactly like the problem I'm having. I go through and set all the times and intensities in white, blue and special (stupid name) and then hit home to get back to the main menu and then just leave it alone and in 30 seconds or so it goes back the the running screen. And on the running screen I get a cycle between 1) time, white and blue that also has an 'A' for Automatic and an 'L' that I assume is for lock, and 2) time, special and the 'A' but no 'L'???

I considered how do I unlock it to make changes and/or how do I lock it so I get my program to run? Nothing I have considered has worked.

I made need to go to a PM and swap phone numbers so you or somebody can try and walk me through it.

 

[oreo54]

What happens if you don't go to "home" after programming .. just let it time out...

they are "On line" now.. ;)
Good luck...
http://www.micmol.com/programsettings.html

 

[Ron Reefman]

Good thought oreo5457, but doing each channel separately and then letting it time out didn't work either. The website you linked has videos that show the same thing the instructions show, so they didn't help me.

 

[oreo54]

Sometimes these things need to do a cycle..i.e won't be immediate.. Bsically wait like 24 hours..

 

[Ron Reefman]

Sometimes these things need to do a cycle..i.e won't be immediate.. Bsically wait like 24 hours..

I've had a device work like that before as well. But as of this morning it's still running the default settings... but the last time I tried doing settings was late yesterday afternoon.

I sent an email to Micmol at the contact email they have on their website and I got no reply (5day ago), but yesterday I sent one to a seller of Micmol at Amazon and over night I got a reply direct from Micmol and an email address and a name of somebody to try and help. Now I assume she is in China (the middle of the night reply indicates to me that she is 12 hours around the world... but that's an assumption. She just sent a short message and although her english isn't perfect, I think we'll be able to communicate. When I worked for Ocean Revive and had to communicate with EverGrow (the factory that makes Ocean Revive fixtures) occasionally a person there was nearly impossible to communicate with.

So we will see how this goes and I'll keep everybody here up to speed. But if anybody has any advice, I'm still in need. And once I (we) get it working I'll do some PAR work with it and add that here as well.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Finally, yesterday (Mon Dec 17th) my new Micmol led controller arrived. I'm very relieved to report that the problem wasn't my lack of ability to program the old controller, it was defective. The new controller turned lights off last night and back on again this morning. And they appear to be ramping all 3 channels as programmed!

My thanks to everybody who offered help here and in PM's as well. And I'd like to thank Micmol for making good on a defective product. It took some time to get it all accomplished, but that's because I had to communicate by email with a customer service person in China. Jessica was helpful if not as quick to answer questions as I might have liked. And there were the 'normal' language issues we have all become used to when dealing with people in China who are not as proficient in English as we might like (but then my Chinese sucks). The new controller had to come from China to Cincinnati, go through Customs and then ship to SW Florida. But all in all, I can't complain too much about it taking 2 weeks to get this issue resolved.

If anybody else has a Micmol Aqua Air 300 and would like to see some PAR numbers, just let me know and I'll take some and post them.

 

[Tknecht]

It would be great if you could post par numbers. I have been looking at these fixtures as they are really reasonably priced. Wondering if the amount of coverage would make them better even if par suffered a bit.

 

[Ron Reefman]

At 10" underwater while the fixture is 4" off the water on its legs and set with all 3 channels at 100% I got a PAR of 100 to 110. I moved the sensor around and got readings of about 150% when I moved out toward the front of the fixture. I found that strange and did a lot more readings and got a lot of 115's but it moved higher toward the front. Then I realized that I have the fixture close to the vertical glass at the front of the fixture. So I was getting direct PAR from the leds at 110 and then adding in another 40 PAR from light reflected off the glass and down to the sensor! At just 5" of water I got 160 PAR.

So the answer is at 10" deep and 100% on all 3 channels it's only 110 PAR. That's barely enough to keep most corals alive... barely

 

[oreo54]

not sure what you were expecting w/ 24 watts... ;)

These things are like rabbits.. ;)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G42FR3...&pd_rd_r=03d9f4f2-0ed1-11e9-84bf-671441283cd1

Macegrow Led Aquarium Light-Dimmable Timer Control 78w Saltwater Reef Light with uv Full Spectrum for Hard SPS Lps Coral Reef
by macegrow

Mace means most awesome commodity experience

 

[Ron Reefman]

not sure what you were expecting w/ 24 watts... ;)

These things are like rabbits.. ;)

I wasn't expecting much and that's what I got. I works for me over a 12" deep holding/frag tank. I just wanted to share the PAR because some people asked for it.

 

[oreo54]

I wasn't expecting much and that's what I got. I works for me over a 12" deep holding/frag tank. I just wanted to share the PAR because some people asked for it.

Much appreciated btw..

 

[eggplantparrot]

Anyone have the micmol mini 60W light and can measure PAR? Id like to know what the heck im doing with mine and if itll grow any sps. I mean birdsnest is growing but i heard theyll grow in anything so...

 

[Kwesi ck]

hi guys i just bought thr micmol aqua series 900 literally just did couple hours. my power pack is cause its showing the green light. but the smart controller isnt coming on. am i doing somerthing wrong??

kj