Neptune DOS Auto Destruct Button

[Natish]

Hi,
I recently almost crashed my tank. I turned the Dos slider to On instead of Auto and a months worth of Seachem Carbonate went into the tank before the alarms sounded.

Is there a way to program it so that cant do this?

Thanks!

 

[Natish]

(thats why im calling it the auto destruct button...)

 

[Reginald Reefer III]

Keep the protect slider over everything so that you essentially have to swipe twice in the same spot.

 

[Natish]

yes, i actually hit the protective slider then accidentally turned it to On instead of Auto, then closed the app.

I had it turned off for few days and was trying to reactivate if to Auto

I guess what im looking for is a way to guard against human error

 

[JonoH]

Should be able to code an alarm to turn off if on for X amount of time...but would depend on how your dosing normally, I dose over a 24hr period anyway.

 

[Pistondog]

Hi,
I recently almost crashed my tank. I turned the Dos slider to On instead of Auto and a months worth of Seachem Carbonate went into the tank before the alarms sounded.

Is there a way to program it so that cant do this?

Thanks!

The only way i can think of is a redundant hardware timer.
Driven off the apex output. If you turn the apex on in error, the hardware timer still shuts off after some time, as preset.

 

[Natish]

The only way i can think of is a redundant hardware timer.
Driven off the apex output. If you turn the apex on in error, the hardware timer still shuts off after some time, as preset.

Very interesting idea! Could you please elaborate more? What kind of timer? how would it connect? Thanks

 

[Natish]

Should be able to code an alarm to turn off if on for X amount of time...but would depend on how your dosing normally, I dose over a 24hr period anyway.

This would be ideal. Any thoughts about what that code would looke like please?

say i want it to turn off if on for 1 minute

The other problem is that when i hit the slider ON, it ignores all code thats in the advanced settings. Right? It will only follow the code instructions if its set to Auto right?

 

[areefer01]

You will need to double check the documentation but I believe when you, a hobbyist, switch from AUTO to ON, we can't code that. Might be able to do something with a virtual outlet and timer but I have not tried that personally.

What is it you are trying to do? Sounds like maybe you are using it incorrectly (no disrespect intended - just wondering why dosing that way).

 

[Natish]

You will need to double check the documentation but I believe when you, a hobbyist, switch from AUTO to ON, we can't code that. Might be able to do something with a virtual outlet and timer but I have not tried that personally.

What is it you are trying to do? Sounds like maybe you are using it incorrectly (no disrespect intended - just wondering why dosing that way).

No worries. Normally I just leave it on auto with a schedule that works well. I turned it off for a few days to let alk drop after it had been creeping up, then when i went to turn it back to auto i accidentaly set it to ON instead.

Then the pH alarms didnt go off till it had already dosed a months worth of chemical.

What im trying to do is make it so that the pump can never be running for more than like 1 continuous minute or something equivalent to prevent overdosing

 

[areefer01]

No worries. Normally I just leave it on auto with a schedule that works well. I turned it off for a few days to let alk drop after it had been creeping up, then when i went to turn it back to auto i accidentaly set it to ON instead.

Then the pH alarms didnt go off till it had already dosed a months worth of chemical.

What im trying to do is make it so that the pump can never be running for more than like 1 continuous minute or something equivalent to prevent overdosing

Got it, thanks.

If this was recently can you pull up the ph log / graph? Adjust it so the day this happened is in the middle and have a day before, and after. Something like that. Is the change visible and over how much time?

If so there are probably two ways. The first is to open the task menu then select the Probe Alarm. Select the ph probe and then set min, max.

The second is to use the EmailAlm (I think this is default) and some custom code. I changed the name of mine to mother since I added more things for it to do. Code wise, something like below. Of course if the product you dosed does not trigger the change rapidly that is something to worry about.

Set OFF
If pH > 8.45 Then ON
If pH < 7.75 Then ON
If pH < 4.00 Then ON ( something so low that it is out of water or failed)
Defer 00:30 Then ON

Please double check the code and test. Suncrestreef probably talks about probes in one of his articles if you want to do a search. I trust his examples.

Probe task:

Output alarm:

 

[get-salty]

yes, i actually hit the protective slider then accidentally turned it to On instead of Auto, then closed the app.

I had it turned off for few days and was trying to reactivate if to Auto

I guess what im looking for is a way to guard against human error

Honestly i hate them buttons on the Apex. You need chopstick fingers to press them and when you do... oh boy, you have to make sure you pressed the right one !

But im running the Apex for nearly 5 yrs and knock on glass.... nvr done that b4.

 

[Pistondog]

Very interesting idea! Could you please elaborate more? What kind of timer? how would it connect? Thanks

YOu need an off delay timer. This would turn off the output after some preset time if you fatfinger apex on switch. The only types i see on amazon would require some basic electrical knowledge, as you wire to them vs plugging them in.

As you might know, there are other types of hardware timers to do dosing that bypass/replace apex timers. You would have to decide if less convenience is worth it.

 

[Natish]

Honestly i hate them buttons on the Apex. You need chopstick fingers to press them and when you do... oh boy, you have to make sure you pressed the right one !

But im running the Apex for nearly 5 yrs and knock on glass.... nvr done that b4.

Such an unnecessary hazard. wish they would change it

 

[Natish]

YOu need an off delay timer. This would turn off the output after some preset time if you fatfinger apex on switch. The only types i see on amazon would require some basic electrical knowledge, as you wire to them vs plugging them in.

As you might know, there are other types of hardware timers to do dosing that bypass/replace apex timers. You would have to decide if less convenience is worth it.

Gotcha. thank you very much. i think i can wire that