Constant salinity

[janet]

I am toying around with the idea of constant salinity. In a nut shell I've got 3 barrels
1 with ro 55gal
1 that I mix salt 55gal
1 that I store salt mix 100gal
I've got an apex with 2 salinity probes.
I'm looking for a program that will dose ro or salt mix triggered by a topoff float switch in my sump. How can I get the apex to know witch water to top off with? I'm not grate with programming.
Also thinking of a way to do automatic water changes. I'm going to need a salt dispenser. But that's a project for another day.




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[s_kelley]

I don't have an apex but with an auto top off your salinity will be about as stable as you can get it. Top off with ro/water only as salt does not evaporate. If you add salt water as top off your salinity will go thru the roof.

 

[janet]

I've got auto topoff but I do get some fluctuations and salinity. I tend to lose salt sucking crap out out the tank,bagging up frags for friends,salt creep etc. and my water changes are not that accurate. I'm just looking for perfection


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[reefstarter]

the only system I know of that will do what you are asking is a dialyseas they are pricey but can pretty much automate the entire system , alk , calcium salinity top off you name it . can even do water changes . What most people do is set the skimmer to a dryer skim and rely on an ATO

 

[Spudsly]

I mean you could have two ato containers one at high salinity and one just typical RO/DI. Anytime your ato gets triggered in the tank have the apex use the salt or the fresh ato containers depending on current salinity. The only thing I'd worry about is rubber banding but if it is just small topoffs it should be ok.

 

[janet]

I mean you could have two ato containers one at high salinity and one just typical RO/DI. Anytime your ato gets triggered in the tank have the apex use the salt or the fresh ato containers depending on current salinity. The only thing I'd worry about is rubber banding but if it is just small topoffs it should be ok.

I think your getting what I'm putting down. I just need the apex program to do it.


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[Spudsly]

I've never programmed in apex but I assume you can do conditionals:
If salinity > 35ppt and float switch active, activate to pump. If salinity <35 PPT and float switch active, activate salt pump. Maybe you know this and the question is more "how do you program in apex" to which I have no idea!

 

[janet]

I've never programmed in apex but I assume you can do conditionals:
If salinity > 35ppt and float switch active, activate to pump. If salinity <35 PPT and float switch active, activate salt pump. Maybe you know this and the question is more "how do you program in apex" to which I have no idea!

That helped. Thanks. But I am looking for the program itself. I'm shure that is close.


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[Reef55]

You need to define two outlets, "topoff salt" and another for "topoff fresh". They would look something like:

"topoff salt"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If ATOSw OPEN Then ON
If salinity > 35 then OFF

"topoff fresh"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If ATOSw OPEN Then ON
If salinity < 35 then OFF

 

[janet]

You need to define two outlets, "topoff salt" and another for "topoff fresh". They would look something like:

"topoff salt"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If ATOSw OPEN Then ON
If salinity > 35 then OFF

"topoff fresh"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If ATOSw OPEN Then ON
If salinity < 35 then OFF

Bingo! Thanks!!!


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[Spudsly]

See how that works. I haven't done any real programming in apex and I don't have a salnity probe but for temp it reads continuously and bounces around a ton. The thing I worry about is constant cycling between the two pumps when you are near 35. It could put a ton of wear on the pumps and also result in no water ever actually getting to the tank. You probably want to work out something that once the topoff container is chosen, it sticks with it until the float switch closes.... or make it so that it stays on for 30 seconds (or whatever is appropriate). Does Apex know While? What about elseif so they don't both get triggered? Could you do:

"topoff salt"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If salinity > 35 then OFF
While ATOSw OPEN Then ON

"topoff fresh"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If salinity < 35 then OFF
While ATOSw OPEN Then ON

This would make it so that once it choses the container it uses that one till the switch closes. Obviously if you had a tiny tank this could be a problem because the salinity is always changing as you topoff but there's no chance the water is well mixed during this time so the fluctuations are pretty much meaningless anyways. Maybe this is a lot to do about nothing but it all depends on how often the salinity probe reads and what it's precision is.

Also just an aside, you might want to be inclusive of 35 so that they both aren't off at 35, just change a < to a <= or > to >= (this is less and less a big deal depending on how many digits the probe reads, again no idea since I don't own one).

 

[janet]

See how that works. I haven't done any real programming in apex and I don't have a salnity probe but for temp it reads continuously and bounces around a ton. The thing I worry about is constant cycling between the two pumps when you are near 35. It could put a ton of wear on the pumps and also result in no water ever actually getting to the tank. You probably want to work out something that once the topoff container is chosen, it sticks with it until the float switch closes.... or make it so that it stays on for 30 seconds (or whatever is appropriate). Does Apex know While? What about elseif so they don't both get triggered? Could you do:

"topoff salt"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If salinity > 35 then OFF
While ATOSw OPEN Then ON

"topoff fresh"

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If salinity < 35 then OFF
While ATOSw OPEN Then ON

This would make it so that once it choses the container it uses that one till the switch closes. Obviously if you had a tiny tank this could be a problem because the salinity is always changing as you topoff but there's no chance the water is well mixed during this time so the fluctuations are pretty much meaningless anyways. Maybe this is a lot to do about nothing but it all depends on how often the salinity probe reads and what it's precision is.

Also just an aside, you might want to be inclusive of 35 so that they both aren't off at 35, just change a < to a <= or > to >= (this is less and less a big deal depending on how many digits the probe reads, again no idea since I don't own one).

Thanks for all the replies I think I've got the gist of it. I will definitely need to add a lot more redundancy. I'll let you know how I make out.


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[JasonandRay]

you could also little salt to your top off water if skimmer production is consitant