Programmable Logic, Maintenance Mode, and Feeding Pauses

DirtDiggler2823 · Apr 2, 2022

I'm stuck trying to figure out how to program maintenance and feeding equipment pauses. I've just fully transitioned from my Reef-Pi to my GHL setup and I'm trying to recreate these pauses, which were called macros on my DIY controller. They allowed me to shut down, and power outlets on at certain times after activation. For instance: I had a macro called coral feed that would shut down my return pump, uv sterilizer, skimmer, and wavemakers after a 30 second delay. Then for the next 30 or so minutes, the wavemakers would kick on to lift any food off the substrate, and then kick back off for a couple minutes before turning on again. It would do this a few times then the return pump would kick on, uv would kick on, wavemakers would kick on, and after a 20 minute wait, the skimmer would finally kick on. When I go to program my P4 to do anything like this, I don't see any settings that would allow for it. Even the instructions listed on the GHL website show options that I seem to not have. I'm running firmware version 7.25, which is odd because the current firmware listed online is 7.24. I need some help with this. Right now I'm not really able to feed my reef the way I need to. @Vinny@GHLUSA

Lasse · Apr 2, 2022

Do you use GCC or Web interface?

In GCC - activate expert mode here

In Webinterface

Go to App settings - press the three dots and after that app settings

I´ll think that it is possible to program all of that you want - but it will take some time to construct it

Sincerely Lasse

DirtDiggler2823 · Apr 2, 2022

Lasse said:
Do you use GCC or Web interface?

In GCC - activate expert mode here

In Webinterface

Go to App settings - press the three dots and after that app settings

I´ll think that it is possible to program all of that you want - but it will take some time to construct it

Sincerely Lasse

I can use either or. I'll turn on expert mode in the web ui to see what I get. I'll back back with questions if any more pop up. I appreciate the help on this.

DirtDiggler2823 · Apr 2, 2022

Lasse said:
Do you use GCC or Web interface?

In GCC - activate expert mode here

In Webinterface

Go to App settings - press the three dots and after that app settings

I´ll think that it is possible to program all of that you want - but it will take some time to construct it

Sincerely Lasse

Expert mode was already turned on. It's also turned on in the GCC, let me see what that lets me do.

ingchr1 · Apr 2, 2022

As an example, here's how I have my maintenance modes and feed pauses setup.

ingchr1 said:
You will need to use programable logic. Here's how I have mine setup using all four Feed Modes and Two Maintenance Modes to give you an idea how to do it.

Time Delay

Time delay for after each Maintenance Mode is set by G1 and G2.

Time delay for after each Feed Mode is set by G3, G4, G5 and G6.

Actuation of Time delay after either Maintenance Mode is set by G7.

Actuation of Time delay after any of the Feeds Modes is set by G10 (combining through G8 and G9).

Actuation of Time delay after any Maintenance or Feed Mode is set at G11. The G11 logic gate is applied to my skimmer and ATO to delay them 5 minutes after Maintenance or Feed Mode.

Feed Mode

The four Feed Modes are combined using G12, G13 and G14. The G14 logic gate is applied to my powerheads which I turn off during Feed Mode.

DirtDiggler2823 · Apr 2, 2022

ingchr1 said:
As an example, here's how I have my maintenance modes and feed pauses setup.

What order did you set everything up? Do I need to set up timers before I can set everything else up? Man I feel so lost right now.

ingchr1 · Apr 2, 2022

DirtDiggler2823 said:
What order did you set everything up? Do I need to set up timers before I can set everything else up? Man I feel so lost right now.

You can enter all the programming then "Save changes". The programming doesn't take effect until you save.

DirtDiggler2823 · Apr 3, 2022

ingchr1 said:
You can enter all the programming then "Save changes". The programming doesn't take effect until you save.

Got it. I'm going to plug in the rest of the programming and try it out today.

DirtDiggler2823 · Apr 3, 2022

Everything is in Expert Mode as detailed by @Lasse , and I have the programming tables laid out as outlined by @ingchr1 as seen below. I didn't do anything with the feed pauses, as my feed pauses are probably going to be pretty involving. I still don't understand how this all works quite yet, but that may be because I'm used to speaking a different language to my controller, if that sentence makes sense.

Vinny@GHLUSA · Apr 4, 2022

No need to feel "lost".

The knowledge base has quite a bit of information on both FP and maintenance modes.
Use these articles to get a basic understanding of how these work: