Sample pulsing code for controllable powerheads?

radiata · Jul 25, 2020

Anyone have any pulsing code for controllable powerheads that they can post here? This is not for WAV powerheads, but for my Reef Octopus Octo Pulse powerheads that can be controlled via Apex code. I'm looking to upgrade my existing code a notch or two, but I'm not as creative as I was in my younger days.

TIA...

SuncrestReef · Jul 26, 2020

This might get you started:

Octo Pulse 2 programming

I'm considering a pair of these for a new build which will be LPS dominant. Looking at the instruction manual it shows that all of the modes just switch between min and max power and no way to adjust the time duration with the RO controller. If using my Apex to create a slow pulse action what's...

forum.neptunesystems.com

radiata · Jul 26, 2020

Thank you for the link - I hadn't seen Carlos' video before.

I think the pulsing I'm wishing myself toward is trickier than that, possibly using the "Divide by 10" capability? (I never did figure out "Divide by 10".)

I had two Octo Pulse 4s at each end of my (standard sized) 180. They alternated from side to side every 30 seconds. They ramped up and down through the day with profiles that changed pump intensity every few hours. Needless to say, two pumps on at one end running at the same time is a bit much for a 180 - the water current flow going back to the pumps causes an on-going build-up of sand directly under the pumps. So, I ran one pump on one side for 15 seconds, followed by the second on the same side for 15 seconds. And then switched to the same 15 second logic on the other end. The pairs of pumps are angled differently, which adds to the flow complexity in the tank.

Here's my device code for one pump (VS-P8-UL-8-1):

Set 30-Pct
If Time 12:00 to 13:59 Then 40-Pct
If Time 14:00 to 19:00 Then 50-Pct
If Time 19:01 to 23:00 Then 40-Pct
If Time 23:01 to 11:59 Then 30-Pct
OSC 000:00/000:15/000:45 Then ON

The 30-Pct , and other -Pcts, are Profiles that set the pump intensity. The 30-Pct freezes the intensity at thirty percent, etc. The code for the other three pumps is exactly the same as the above code, except for the last OSC line which rotates the ON times between the four pumps.

I think what I'm trying to do is get a momentarily slightly bigger blast of water when the first pump of each pair turns on.

Hope this makes sense...

And, as long as we're talking about them, has anyone figured out a way to make the Octo Pulses run in reverse on the Apex? The Hydros WaveEngine controller is supposed to be able to do just that.