This is hot.

[YHSublime]

No really, this is hot, my tank.

 

I didn't want to believe it, but I average 79-84F. I have moved my apex thermo out of the sump and into an overflow, and it's still the same reading. Here is what's in the water causing heat:

 

Sump:

eheim jager 300w

Return pump: DC-6000

Skimmer: two PSK-1000's, one mj-12000

 

Lights: two Evergrow IT2080's

 

Display Tank: Two JB-40's

 

Tank size is 150 gallons, the sump probably houses about 30 gallons.

 

We keep the apartment at about 75F. I have not tested with another thermomoter other than the apex, so there is a chance that it is off. I have my apex set to:

Fallback: On

Profile name: Temp

On Temperature: 77

Off Temperature: 79

 

I wonder if I'm doing something wrong, as every time I see my thermomoter, it appears its ON, and I have to manually switch it off when I notice my heat is very high. Is my programing causing this heat keeping my water heater on, or should I start looking into chillers. My 57 never had an issue with the temps getting this high, although I'm running an extra psk-1000 and an bigger return pump.

 

Help?

[YHSublime]

[YHSublime]

Currently I'm at 83.5 and this is what my controls look like:

 

[smallreef]

I have no clue about the controllers...but your heater is still on? You should set it to only come on at the lowest point you want...like you have it at 77... But is your temp monitor in the same section of tank?

Edited November 7, 2013 by smallreef

[YHSublime]

I have no clue about the controllers...but your heater is still on? You should set it to only come on at the lowest point you want...like you have it at 77... But is your temp monitor in the same section of tank?

 

So the controller is set to turn on the heater at 77, and off at 79. At 83.5 it appears the heater is still on. I'm wondering if I have it programed wrong? The tank seems to be hitting the same temp all over, so the sump is 83, the DT is 83, the only inconsistency is that I've only used the one thermometer, I would like to check it against another one. I also have another apex PM1, and another thermometer, so I can probably try that out.

[bqq100]

If the screen capture you posted is correct, you have the heater set to "ON".  If you want it to shut off based on the program you need to set it to "AUTO".

[gmerek2]

Set that heater to turn off at 75 and on at 74 thats gotta be your heat issue. This way its not heating when the lights are heating, combining forces to rapidly warm tank, then heater kicks off and lights continue to heat. I dont think 84 will hurt anything though my tank will get a few hotter in the summer. It would be nice to have more cushion. 

[lnevo]

If the screen capture you posted is correct, you have the heater set to "ON". If you want it to shut off based on the program you need to set it to "AUTO".

+1

 

If the apex is telling you it's 83.5 degrees and the port is on then something is not right in your config.

 

You should also set the thermostat on your heater to be a backup to your controller in case your probe gets messed up like out of water and then heater is always on

[AlanM]

If the screen capture you posted is correct, you have the heater set to "ON".  If you want it to shut off based on the program you need to set it to "AUTO".

This is the problem. Set it to Auto, silly.

[YHSublime]

If the screen capture you posted is correct, you have the heater set to "ON".  If you want it to shut off based on the program you need to set it to "AUTO".

There in lies the issue.

[YHSublime]

+1

 

If the apex is telling you it's 83.5 degrees and the port is on then something is not right in your config.

 

You should also set the thermostat on your heater to be a backup to your controller in case your probe gets messed up like out of water and then heater is always on

 

I still think I have a heat issue, but want to make sure it's not because I'm causing it, ya' know? I plan on setting up my PM1 and using my other temp sensor in the DT and one in the sump.

 

This is the problem. Set it to Auto, silly.

 

Yeah, I obviously have a long way to go with the Apex.

[AlanM]

You might want to do fallback off if you dont want your tank to go up to the 80s if the EB8 loses contact with the head unit.

 

On the plus side, now you know what the actual temp is set to on your heater's thermostat. Sounds like it would have a really large deadband without Apex control. Mine stays within 0.2 of the set point when controlled by Apex. I raised the setpoint by a smidge lately and you can see the result below.

 

http://www.reeftronics.net/alan-m/apex-history

[monkiboy]

i'm glad i'm reading all these lil apex things now so i can try to avoid the "ummm...why didn't you xyz" silly mistakes. thanks for posting up, bud.

[AlanM]

i'm glad i'm reading all these lil apex things now so i can try to avoid the "ummm...why didn't you xyz" silly mistakes. thanks for posting up, bud.

Haha. Somewhere in my build thread I did the same "on" mistake twice in a row when trying to get the skimmer to turn off when the skimmatte locker's pressure sensor registered full. "Why doesnt this darn thing work? ... Oh yeah."

[YHSublime]

You might want to do fallback off if you dont want your tank to go up to the 80s if the EB8 loses contact with the head unit.

 

On the plus side, now you know what the actual temp is set to on your heater's thermostat. Sounds like it would have a really large deadband without Apex control. Mine stays within 0.2 of the set point when controlled by Apex. I raised the setpoint by a smidge lately and you can see the result below.

 

http://www.reeftronics.net/alan-m/apex-history

 

Thanks for the advice, Alan. I'm glad here is an upside I really need to spend some time to just toy with the apex for a day or two, one thing at a time.

 

i'm glad i'm reading all these lil apex things now so i can try to avoid the "ummm...why didn't you xyz" silly mistakes. thanks for posting up, bud.

 

No problem man, I hope that it's user error here, I cant imagine how my tank would shoot up that high with just an extra pump in a bigger sump, and one extra light over 100+ more gallons of water than the 57, but I'm not a scientist.... obviously.

[sachabballi reef]

oh ,man I wish I saw this earlier...I was SO proud I knew the answer LOL.....

[AlanM]

Sometimes it's really gratifying to know that your experiences are influencing others in a positive way, even if just as a counter-example.

[Shoelace]

There is also a temperature offset if your probe is off from actual. Perhaps check that no glitch set that differently from zero? Unlikely, but take a peek

[sachabballi reef]

and what did you have the actual heater set at that it was staying on and heating the tank to 84?

[YHSublime]

and what did you have the actual heater set at that it was staying on and heating the tank to 84?

 

I've not looked, it's behind the gigantic skimmer. I'm sure I set it for higher than the high 70's in order to make sure it had enough "oomph" to hit 79. My reef has been comfortable with the temp, but I was worried about getting the fish back in.

[YHSublime]

I've held temp at 78.2 since the fix last night, obviously user error. It's funny, as the answer is so obvious, and I only look at "on" "off" never looked at Auto. And to think, a couple of days ago I was getting ready to buy a chiller....

[AlanM]

Glad it went back down.  Supposedly at higher temps baddies and diseases grow faster too.  I had mine for a while at 76 because Live Aquaria always lists 72-78 as the range for their stuff, but recently upped it to 78 after reading everyone saying that LA was full of crap and average reef temps were much higher.  Still 80+ seems high to me.  I ran mine at 83 during the initial cycle with the guess that it helped the bacteria grow faster.  No idea if it did anything.

[YHSublime]

Glad it went back down.  Supposedly at higher temps baddies and diseases grow faster too.  I had mine for a while at 76 because Live Aquaria always lists 72-78 as the range for their stuff, but recently upped it to 78 after reading everyone saying that LA was full of crap and average reef temps were much higher.  Still 80+ seems high to me.  I ran mine at 83 during the initial cycle with the guess that it helped the bacteria grow faster.  No idea if it did anything.

 

It might have been a reason the ich reared it's head. I like to keep 79. I will keep it running like this for a week and make sure this is the deal. I need to be prepared if my temps go that high again. Either way, that Apex is one H-E-double hockey sticks of a machine.