Validate my trident auto dose settings

[m.kristoff]

I'm not sure why Neptune made it to where the Trident auto dose will continue to dose when the setting exceeds the +/- range. I'm sure the is a good reason but I don't know what the logic was to revert back when the range is exceeded

Example
My CA level is set for 225
the recommended setting is +/-50
if the CA level exceeds 275, the system will revert to normal dosing- I don't understand the logic behind that. Same with the ALK setting.
If stability is the game, why revert to normal dosing?

I added a few statements to my DOS that what I hope will help maintain less of a swing and a "fail safe" to stop or start dosing

For calcium
<415 then ON
>430 then off

For alk
< 8.0 then on
>8.70 then off

I also used the BRS calculator to figure out how much 2 part I would need to raise the levels from my lowest to my set level and added 5%

Is there anything with this logic or settings that could cause issues Other than a faulty test? is there a way to delay the off/on statement until then next test is ran to verify the actual level?
I see that the alkatronic does that

 

[Gtinnel]

Ok the logic behind it is its assuming if the reading is out of range that it is possibly a false reading, so it goes back to the default (safe) dose.

I'm not great on programming but your code for the dos may be a bad idea. If you say to turn on does that cause the dosing head to start continuously dosing? If so how does that work when it won't check that parameter for several more hours. Also, what if your value is high and it turns off the dos pump, it won't have any input to turn it back on until much later at the next test will it?

If alk/cal were tested every few minutes like the probes are, then it seems reasonable, but with only being tested several times a day I don't think you can do it that way.

 

[m.kristoff]

If so how does that work when it won't check that parameter for several more hours.

I am bi-passing the +/- by adding the turn off statement. so it will start dosing to my set range. I'm still relying on the +/- of 50 so when it hits my high mark it will turn it off. that was my thought process

I think it might be a better idea to remove the low turn on statement. might not be necessary

 

[SuncrestReef]

You need to remove the “If Alkx11 < 8.0 The ON” line right away. Any time the DOS is set to “ON”, it will run continuously at 25 mL per minute rather than following the graphical schedule. It will continue at that rate until the next Trident test result reads 8.0 or higher. But depending on your Trident schedule, that could be 6 hours, so that means the DOS will have delivered 9,000 mL (at 25 per minute for 360 minutes). You will kill your entire tank with this approach.

 

[m.kristoff]

You need to remove the “If Alkx11 < 8.0 The ON” line right away

I already did! Not sure I completely understand that concept but I did remove it

 

[SuncrestReef]

I already did! Not sure I completely understand that concept but I did remove it

The DOS is normally controlled by the graphical schedule, where you tell it how much to deliver over a period of time. You then set the DOS dashboard slider to "AUTO", and it follows that schedule. But if you place a command into the Advanced tab setting it to ON, that overrides the schedule and simply instructs the DOS to run continuously at 25 mL/min. It's the equivalent of setting the dashboard slider to the manual ON position instead of the AUTO position.

 

[Gtinnel]

With that logic the off statement would also not be wanted, although not something that would crash the tank like the on statement. I assumed that is how it would work but I'm not confident enough with programming to tell someone definitively not to do it.

 

[m.kristoff]

The DOS is normally controlled by the graphical schedule, where you tell it how much to deliver over a period of time. You then set the DOS dashboard slider to "AUTO", and it follows that schedule. But if you place a command into the Advanced tab setting it to ON, that overrides the schedule and simply instructs the DOS to run continuously at 25 mL/min. It's the equivalent of setting the dashboard slider to the manual ON position instead of the AUTO position.

I used the Task to set it up so the control on my DOS is set to auto and cannot change it. So, my thinking is that once the desired level is reached and exceeded, my statement will turn off the DOS. If understand what you are saying, once the level drops back down and turns the DOS back on, it will dose 25ml a minute until the next test?

 

[SuncrestReef]

I used the Task to set it up so the control on my DOS is set to auto and cannot change it. So, my thinking is that once the desired level is reached and exceeded, my statement will turn off the DOS. If understand what you are saying, once the level drops back down and turns the DOS back on, it will dose 25ml a minute until the next test?

No. What I was saying is to never add a line of code to the Advanced tab that turns the DOS to "ON". It's fine if you want to turn it OFF in the Advanced tab. But ON would cause it to ignore the scheduled amounts created by the Task. Once the "OFF" condition is no longer true because the Trident test result is better, then the DOS will resume it's regular scheduled amount. It's only a problem if you set it to ON in the Advanced tab.

 

[m.kristoff]

No. What I was saying is to never add a line of code to the Advanced tab that turns the DOS to "ON". It's fine if you want to turn it OFF in the Advanced tab. But ON would cause it to ignore the scheduled amounts created by the Task. Once the "OFF" condition is no longer true because the Trident test result is better, then the DOS will resume it's regular scheduled amount. It's only a problem if you set it to ON in the Advanced tab.

thank you for the clarification