Purchased Apex - Lots o Questions

pdiehm · Jun 11, 2015

Picked up a used apex with firmware 4.33 installed, and fusion enabled.

A lot of this will be trial and error, I understand.

At this moment, all I have is a Tunze ATO 3155, my skimmer, 2 finnex titanium heaters (200W) and a Gyre (which we know cannot be controlled by apex yet). My photon lights have their own controller, no need to use the apex for that.

What are some very basic commands that I should be implementing?

I have heater1 on at 78.5, off at 79.0. Heater 2 on at 78.3, off at 78.8.

How do the feed thingers work? The dashboard has Feed A, B, C, D...is it as simple as those are the 4 feeding times for an automatic feeder?

Can I set my skimmer to shut off during a feeding? or tell my ATO and Skimmer to come back on say 5 minutes after my return pump comes on?

Lots o questions. And I'm just scratching the surface of the questions

TheClark · Jun 11, 2015

Feed A,B,C,D is used to indicate to all the outlets that you are in a feed mode. The outlets can respond by choosing to be off when feed mode is on. For example a return pump or powerheads may turn off.

Check out this manual to get started:

http://www.neptunesystems.com/downloads/docs/Comprehensive_Reference_Manual.pdf

pdiehm · Jun 11, 2015

i have the manuals. starting to right some instructions down.

is it necessary to turn off pump and skimmer for feeding?

if I have to, feed A would be, return, skimmer, gyre, and ATO off. Return turns on 5 minutes later. Gyre turns on 10 minutes later, ATO and skimmer 15 minutes later. Feed D is a maintenance program.

I guess the code for say the Return PUmp would be:

Fallback ON
OSC 000:00/005:00/005:00 Then ON
If FeedA 000 Then OFF
If FeedD 025 Then OFF

If I'm understanding, feed A keeps it off for 5 minutes, Feed D for 30.

Gyre:

Fallback ON
OSC 000:00/005:00/005:00 Then ON
If FeedA 005 Then OFF
If FeedD 040 Then OFF

Skimmer, ATO:

Fallback ON
OSC 000:00/005:00/005:00 Then ON
If FeedA 010 Then OFF
If FeedD 040 Then OFF

ksfulk · Jun 11, 2015

BulkReefSupply did a 16 or 18 part series on setting up an APEX with youtube videos. Toward the end of the series they did an entire video on basic commands and how to set up each piece of equipment. Ive watched the whole series a few times to help me set up my Apex. It does a really good job walking you through the codes and the "Why you would want to do this" questions that are part of the entire system. You can look it up on youtube, or click below to the link from their site. Once you get the hang of it, the Apex is amazing!

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/video...ex-Aquarium-Controllers-from-Neptune-Systems/

pdiehm · Jun 11, 2015

Got the web interface hooked up through the router. Even did a firmware update.

Next up is mounting the stuff.

Should I mount the eb8 to the board and store behind the tank? Or mount eb8 in the stand?

ksfulk · Jun 12, 2015

I mounted mine on a board outside of the stand (then again, I have a fish room). Basically you want to keep it away from the humidity present, as the salty water will corrode and potentially short out those plugs over time. I know some people manage to put a parition or shelf under the stand to section off an area for their electronics - which isnt the best case scenerio, but does keep some of the humidity/water/spray off of those expensive electronics.

pdiehm · Jun 12, 2015

I'm thinking of getting a small cabinet and putting it behind the aquarium stand. Or I can just get a 24x24 piece of board and lean against the wall behind the stand.

iReef86 · Jun 12, 2015

Neptunes has great customer service, you could always hit them up directly!

pdiehm · Jun 18, 2015

I did, apparently Neptune won't help with the networking. I'm fairly certain that I set it up on the router wrong since I have a dynamic IP. My IP changed in 2 days from 1.6 to 1.4.

Definitely going to have to find someone who knows how to do it, or a more current thread than the one referenced on the networking guide since the router upgrades since 2009 make that thread completely obsolete.

kevinsmixed90 · Jun 24, 2015

pdiehm said:
I did, apparently Neptune won't help with the networking. I'm fairly certain that I set it up on the router wrong since I have a dynamic IP. My IP changed in 2 days from 1.6 to 1.4.

Definitely going to have to find someone who knows how to do it, or a more current thread than the one referenced on the networking guide since the router upgrades since 2009 make that thread completely obsolete.

I'm very interested in this as I have a dynamic ip system and am unable to get my reeflink to work. always says no internet connection.