My Honest Opinion About The Alkatronic

[pixelhustler]

My fix....a bit medieval, but works. i don't really notice it running when the doors are both closed.....you can also increase the test interval to every 4 hours vs default.

Pretty awesome - I’m building a similar thing but significantly smaller since it needs to fit under my tank. I fear mine won’t silence it nearly as much. What did you use (shiny panels) as insulation/soundproofing?

 

[R-balljunkie]

Pretty awesome - I’m building a similar thing but significantly smaller since it needs to fit under my tank. I fear mine won’t silence it nearly as much. What did you use (shiny panels) as insulation/soundproofing?

dynamat type material, same as used in cars....cant find where i bought it but it was pretty cheap.

 

[SimbaAnto]

Looking for some help. I run my mixed reef at 12 dKH. But unfortunately Alkatronics doesn't have low level references to handle that. Any idea how to do it. Or the only way is to lower my alk level and come to that range

 

[Dennis Cartier]

Looking for some help. I run my mixed reef at 12 dKH. But unfortunately Alkatronics doesn't have low level references to handle that. Any idea how to do it. Or the only way is to lower my alk level and come to that range

I am not following. What are you having trouble with? The alkatronic measures to 13 dKH (assuming their setup labels are accurate).

 

[SimbaAnto]

I am not following. What are you having trouble with? The Alkatronics measures to 13 dKH (assuming their setup labels are accurate).

I want to run between 11.9 and 12. But the low level range is at 9.9 Max. So the swings will be usual like .5

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I am not following. What are you having trouble with? The alkatronic measures to 13 dKH (assuming their setup labels are accurate).

Is this true? I don't think so. I run my alk in the 12s and alkatronic comes back with a pump c error.

Looking for some help. I run my mixed reef at 12 dKH. But unfortunately Alkatronics doesn't have low level references to handle that. Any idea how to do it. Or the only way is to lower my alk level and come to that range

What I do is change the way I use alkatronic. I no longer use it for accuracy, and focus more on stability.

Here's what I did. Instead of mixing 4:1 I add more acid to the reagent to trick alkatronic in thinking we're testing within its range. Although the 8 dkh reading isn't correct, I can still at least track stability.

I don't have access to what I mix the more concentrated reagent to. But when mixing a gallon of reagent it's 150-200ml more acid and less that of rodi water.

 

[SimbaAnto]

Is this true? I don't think so. I run my alk in the 12s and alkatronic comes back with a pump c error.


What I do is change the way I use alkatronic. I no longer use it for accuracy, and focus more on stability.

Here's what I did. Instead of mixing 4:1 I add more acid to the reagent to trick alkatronic in thinking we're testing within its range. Although the 8 dkh reading isn't correct, I can still at least track stability.

I don't have access to what I mix the more concentrated reagent to. But when mixing a gallon of reagent it's 150-200ml more acid and less that of rodi water.

I am fine with Measurements being different. But I don't want to have swings greater than .1 which is something I can't as the low level ranges at maxed at 9.9. For a 12 dKH system right now I use Trident and it swings at .5 dKH. With Alkatronics I want to dose using it , but restricted with low level ranges

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

I am fine with Measurements being different. But I don't want to have swings greater than .1 which is something I can't as the low level ranges at maxed at 9.9. For a 12 dKH system right now I use Trident and it swings at .5 dKH. With Alkatronics I want to dose using it , but restricted with low level ranges

I don't understand what you're saying?

Are you saying that manipulating the reagent for alkatronic to get it to operate isn't a viable solution for you?

 

[SimbaAnto]

I don't understand what you're saying?

Are you saying that manipulating the reagent for alkatronic to get it to operate isn't a viable solution for you?

No not about the Reagents. To handle alk swings and dose accordingly using the Alkatronics Doser. How do i keep the swings to minimum (not more than .1) if the low range reference in setting is maxed to 9.9 only.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Are you using pump D to dose alkalinity?

Where is 9.9 coming into play when you raise the acidity of your reagent, the alkatronic now thinks the tank is operating within its limits.

So if your tank is actually is 12dkh but alkatronic thinks it's 8 then you set your low limits according to the alkatronic reading.

But if you're getting technical and saying that the manipulation of the reagent no linger can discern what 0.1 swing actually is. I think that is valid and would agree with you.

You're giving up a lot more than just accuracy when changing the acidity of the reagent. The changes wouldn't be linear.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

Ahh, now I understand what you were saying. By low level you mean the low limit before tripping the out of range condition and causing it to use the alternate re-test interval.

As I mentioned, based on the web interface, the low level allows up to 9.9 dKH and the high level goes to 13.0 dKH. So 12 dKH should definitely be allowed.

Let me consult the manual as Focustronic.

That being said, I am not sure if this is just a dosing concern that you have (I don't use the Alkatronic to dose, and instead have my own external code/system for dosing). So if it is just a dosing limitation concern then perhaps someone who uses the Alkatronic to dose corrections can supply the answer.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

No not about the Reagents. To handle alk swings and dose accordingly using the Alkatronics Doser. How do i keep the swings to minimum (not more than .1) if the low range reference in setting is maxed to 9.9 only.

Ohhh! Ya, definitely a dosing concern. So assuming the low level setting is the only input that affects when it activates it's correction doses, then yes, a limit of 9.9 is problematic if you wan to run at 12.0 dKH. Perhaps the Dosetronic offers support for this.

However, my understanding is that the correction dosing offered by the Alkatroninc should only be used for emergency alk support, it is dosing a single element, so not balanced, and that 'normal' dosing (external to Alkatronic) should keep your alk level at your target range.

 

[SimbaAnto]

Are you using pump D to dose alkalinity?

Where is 9.9 coming into play when you raise the acidity of your reagent, the alkatronic now thinks the tank is operating within its limits.

So if your tank is actually is 12dkh but alkatronic thinks it's 8 then you set your low limits according to the alkatronic reading.

But if you're getting technical and saying that the manipulation of the reagent no linger can discern what 0.1 swing actually is. I think that is valid and would agree with you.

You're giving up a lot more than just accuracy when changing the acidity of the reagent. The changes wouldn't be linear.

Let me give you more Details.

My Tank Runs at 12 to 12.5 any given day as per Apex Trident. So Swings are about .5dKH. Sometimes its .6dKH.

Now i got a Alkatronics so i can lower the swings to .1dKH as Doser in Alkatronics can add based on Testing. My aim is keep the swings minimal at .1dkH instead of .5dKH

E.g. Now my Alkatronics is Reading as below

12.06 @9 AM Testing
11.75 @12 Pm Testing

How do you handle the Doser to Dose when the results are not in the desired range?

So the setting 'Low Reference Range and High Reference Range need to be Set. This is where the problem is . Low Reference Range is maxed to 9.9 in the setting. High Reference Range is good and i can keep at 12.1dKH.

Now Unfortunately my Range is 9.9 to 12.1

So at 12 PM testing when the Test Result is at 11.75dKH, the Doser wont be in action as the Low Reference Range is Maxed at 9.9dKH.

So how to handle this. Is the only is to Lower my ALK in the reef tank or any other ways?

Hope i explained more. Happy to text if you would like. +1 651 757 8804. Thanks again for helping out.

 

[SimbaAnto]

Ohhh! Ya, definitely a dosing concern. So assuming the low level setting is the only input that affects when it activates it's correction doses, then yes, a limit of 9.9 is problematic if you wan to run at 12.0 dKH. Perhaps the Dosetronic offers support for this.

However, my understanding is that the correction dosing offered by the Alkatroninc should only be used for emergency alk support, it is dosing a single element, so not balanced, and that 'normal' dosing (external to Alkatronic) should keep your alk level at your target range.

Yep you got it. I Still use APEX DOS to run my Dosing. But couldnt control the swings. Thought i could use Alkatronics Pump for Dosing would help.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

This is just a classic case of software adding unnecessary limits to the functionality.

 

[SimbaAnto]

This is just a classic case of software adding unnecessary limits to the functionality.

Not sure if Focustronics would increases the limit with a software update. People running mixed reef may have this problem and wouldn't use the Doser in Alkatronics. I think my only choice is to lower my System Alk if i want to use the Doser or Go with Dosetronics which might offer wide range

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Not sure if Focustronics would increases the limit with a software update. People running mixed reef may have this problem and wouldn't use the Doser in Alkatronics. I think my only choice is to lower my System Alk if i want to use the Doser or Go with Dosetronics which might offer wide range

I've been trying to get them to make some fundamental changes since I set this up. The software is so rough around the edges and nothing had changed in the 4 years of owning it.

I personally only use alkatronic to monitor and then relay the information to my apex via a PM1. When I was using a calcium reactor I used that information to control aspects of the reactor, but now I just monitor.

 

[Oldreefer44]

I also only use it to monitor and not as a controller. I also haven't heard of anyone being able to keep their alk within .1ppm throughout the day. Not sure that it is a realistic goal except in a very large system.

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I also use it as a monitor only and use the alk reading from it to provide input to a custom dosing solution that modulates the effluent flow from my CaRx and/or 3 part depending on time of day.

Honestly, I would suggest using the Alkatronic to drive your external dosing logic rather than try to have it dose as a part of normal dosing. Unless you are using a one part dosing system (like AFR), every time the Alkatronic doses, it is doing in an unbalanced way (dosing alk with no calcium).

You can see how I approach it in the post below. I believe you are using an Apex, so you would need to use whatever tools Apex provides. If you can vary the flow rate of your DOS based on time of day (to sync up with your light schedule and consumption), that will get you 85% of the way there.

DIY Alkatronic reagent

I have been testing twice a day for 10 months using the Focustronic reagent. So roughly 300 days. At $110 dollars (currently) for 4 liters. A rough estimate is that there is still roughly 40% (conservative estimate) left so another 120 days worth. At roughly 13 cents per test It is definitely...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Borat]

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