Reefer_Madness June 11, 2015 Share June 11, 2015 I just went from a ReefKeeper over to an Apex system. I am blown away by all the cool things it can do. I am a gadget junkie, so this is going to be a problem for me!! I've only had it about week or so, but I am becoming obsessed with the possibilities. Tell me what cool things you have gotten your APEX to do. Feel free to brag!! Feel free to say what you plan to do, or are working on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCReefer1964 June 11, 2015 Share June 11, 2015 The one thing I cant do is block your posts with my Apex. Too many to list FWIW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness June 11, 2015 Author Share June 11, 2015 (edited) The one thing I cant do is block your posts with my Apex. Too many to list FWIW!Squid humor?......... I've heard about you Navy boys....haha Edited June 11, 2015 by Reefer_Madness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob A June 11, 2015 Share June 11, 2015 One of the greatest things for me has been setting up the auto top offs. I have a solenoid valve/float switch combo that controls the RO/DI unit (to fill a holding tank) and then two aqualifter/float switch combos to add water to my systems. I recently started a new build and I needed to add about 75 gallons to the new tank, which I figured would take 14 hours. I took the solenoid and rigged it on the edge of the tank and changed the Apex settings for the solenoid's outlet to "Light" and told it how long to be "On" so it could fill all night. I only let it run for 8 hours to be safe (in case my calculations were off), then checked the level on my way out the door in the morning-it was a little over 1/2 full. When I got to work I calculated how much longer it would need to run, then Iogged in through Fusion and set it to be on for another 6 hours. When I got home from work the water it was at a good level. That was much better than the old days of leaving the RO/DI on, forgetting about it and finding a flood! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness June 11, 2015 Author Share June 11, 2015 (edited) One of the greatest things for me has been setting up the auto top offs. I have a solenoid valve/float switch combo that controls the RO/DI unit (to fill a holding tank) and then two aqualifter/float switch combos to add water to my systems. I recently started a new build and I needed to add about 75 gallons to the new tank, which I figured would take 14 hours. I took the solenoid and rigged it on the edge of the tank and changed the Apex settings for the solenoid's outlet to "Light" and told it how long to be "On" so it could fill all night. I only let it run for 8 hours to be safe (in case my calculations were off), then checked the level on my way out the door in the morning-it was a little over 1/2 full. When I got to work I calculated how much longer it would need to run, then Iogged in through Fusion and set it to be on for another 6 hours. When I got home from work the water it was at a good level. That was much better than the old days of leaving the RO/DI on, forgetting about it and finding a flood! Nice!!!! Eventually I want to do the same thing with the solenoid on the RODI to a holding tank. The 'flood' is always a worry and my wife reminds me often. Haha. The most common phrase in the evening is "are you making water". Edited June 11, 2015 by Reefer_Madness Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arkonen June 11, 2015 Share June 11, 2015 I swear by my Apex. Couple things I have set up besides the standard stuff: - Used magnetic switches on my panel doors so the light in my stand turns on when a door is open and turns off when closed - The Apex emails me when my topoff container is empty (float switches in the topoff reservoir to monitor level) - The Apex emails me when my skimmate locker is full (Avast large locker with bare wire to breakout box) and will shut off both skimmer pumps until the locker pressure sensor is emptied and has a 10 minute defer so it doesn't go nuts when the sensor resets. I also have the native alarm turned on when the skimmate locker is full, so if I am home, I can hear it as well. - Created a virtual outlet for when I want to do a water change I just have to hit one button on the Fusion dashboard and it turns off my 2 skimmer pumps (main and recirculating), turns off my 3 MP40s, turns off my return pump, turns off the ozone, GFO, and carbon pumps, and switches my AI Hydra lights to 100% white so I can see what I'm doing. - Created a virtual outlet for at nighttime when I want to look at the tank I just toggle the outlet and it turns only the reds on my Hydras and lowers the MP40s to 10%. - Created a virtual outlet for before a water change my return pump turns off and the Vortechs are all turned to 100% power for 10 minutes to stir up any major detritus so I can suck it out. - Custom email alerts if temp/pH/ORP/excessive Amps draw on 2nd EB8 go out of whack or if power fails on the circuit. (Router and main EB8 are on a backup battery for this reason) - Turn my Avast swabbie on 1x an hour for 2 minutes to keep my skimmer neck clean - Automate my dry food feeding using the AFS feeder while I am at work. It logs each time it goes off, so I can see if it metered out food that day. Future plans: - Monitor for power outage and if so have it kick an air pump with stone to fallback ON that is on the EB8 that's on my battery backup. I currently have my heated/aerated RODI water in a 55g barrel in my hallway bathroom and it is plumbed to a valve box behind my tank with a remote pump, and a drain line that goes from behind the tank to the other side of my driveway. I plan on making a saltwater storage tank behind the tank so I can automate my water changes using the DOS doser by Neptune. This way all I have to do to do a water change is add salt to the mixing barrel and control the recirc pump with an outlet, and let the DOS put new water in/take old water out to the drain line. I am probably forgetting something but I think that is most of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness June 11, 2015 Author Share June 11, 2015 I swear by my Apex. Couple things I have set up besides the standard stuff: - Used magnetic switches on my panel doors so the light in my stand turns on when a door is open and turns off when closed - The Apex emails me when my topoff container is empty (float switches in the topoff reservoir to monitor level) - The Apex emails me when my skimmate locker is full (Avast large locker with bare wire to breakout box) and will shut off both skimmer pumps until the locker pressure sensor is emptied and has a 10 minute defer so it doesn't go nuts when the sensor resets. I also have the native alarm turned on when the skimmate locker is full, so if I am home, I can hear it as well. - Created a virtual outlet for when I want to do a water change I just have to hit one button on the Fusion dashboard and it turns off my 2 skimmer pumps (main and recirculating), turns off my 3 MP40s, turns off my return pump, turns off the ozone, GFO, and carbon pumps, and switches my AI Hydra lights to 100% white so I can see what I'm doing. - Created a virtual outlet for at nighttime when I want to look at the tank I just toggle the outlet and it turns only the reds on my Hydras and lowers the MP40s to 10%. - Created a virtual outlet for before a water change my return pump turns off and the Vortechs are all turned to 100% power for 10 minutes to stir up any major detritus so I can suck it out. - Custom email alerts if temp/pH/ORP/excessive Amps draw on 2nd EB8 go out of whack or if power fails on the circuit. (Router and main EB8 are on a backup battery for this reason) - Turn my Avast swabbie on 1x an hour for 2 minutes to keep my skimmer neck clean - Automate my dry food feeding using the AFS feeder while I am at work. It logs each time it goes off, so I can see if it metered out food that day. Future plans: - Monitor for power outage and if so have it kick an air pump with stone to fallback ON that is on the EB8 that's on my battery backup. I currently have my heated/aerated RODI water in a 55g barrel in my hallway bathroom and it is plumbed to a valve box behind my tank with a remote pump, and a drain line that goes from behind the tank to the other side of my driveway. I plan on making a saltwater storage tank behind the tank so I can automate my water changes using the DOS doser by Neptune. This way all I have to do to do a water change is add salt to the mixing barrel and control the recirc pump with an outlet, and let the DOS put new water in/take old water out to the drain line. I am probably forgetting something but I think that is most of it. Now we are talkin!!! Good work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob A June 11, 2015 Share June 11, 2015 Nice!!!! Eventually I want to do the same thing with the solenoid on the RODI to a holding tank. The 'flood' is always a worry and my wife reminds me often. Haha. The most common phrase in the evening is "are you making water". Yep, we had that same phrase in my house prior to getting the apex, lol. It was frequently followed by "oh crap!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanM June 11, 2015 Share June 11, 2015 Get one of these: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/auto-shut-off-kit-for-reverse-osmosis-systems.html for 25 bucks. Install it in your RO/DI container and don't worry about DI floods again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 I swear by my Apex. Couple things I have set up besides the standard stuff: - Used magnetic switches on my panel doors so the light in my stand turns on when a door is open and turns off when closed - The Apex emails me when my topoff container is empty (float switches in the topoff reservoir to monitor level) - The Apex emails me when my skimmate locker is full (Avast large locker with bare wire to breakout box) and will shut off both skimmer pumps until the locker pressure sensor is emptied and has a 10 minute defer so it doesn't go nuts when the sensor resets. I also have the native alarm turned on when the skimmate locker is full, so if I am home, I can hear it as well. - Created a virtual outlet for when I want to do a water change I just have to hit one button on the Fusion dashboard and it turns off my 2 skimmer pumps (main and recirculating), turns off my 3 MP40s, turns off my return pump, turns off the ozone, GFO, and carbon pumps, and switches my AI Hydra lights to 100% white so I can see what I'm doing. - Created a virtual outlet for at nighttime when I want to look at the tank I just toggle the outlet and it turns only the reds on my Hydras and lowers the MP40s to 10%. - Created a virtual outlet for before a water change my return pump turns off and the Vortechs are all turned to 100% power for 10 minutes to stir up any major detritus so I can suck it out. - Custom email alerts if temp/pH/ORP/excessive Amps draw on 2nd EB8 go out of whack or if power fails on the circuit. (Router and main EB8 are on a backup battery for this reason) - Turn my Avast swabbie on 1x an hour for 2 minutes to keep my skimmer neck clean - Automate my dry food feeding using the AFS feeder while I am at work. It logs each time it goes off, so I can see if it metered out food that day. Future plans: - Monitor for power outage and if so have it kick an air pump with stone to fallback ON that is on the EB8 that's on my battery backup. I currently have my heated/aerated RODI water in a 55g barrel in my hallway bathroom and it is plumbed to a valve box behind my tank with a remote pump, and a drain line that goes from behind the tank to the other side of my driveway. I plan on making a saltwater storage tank behind the tank so I can automate my water changes using the DOS doser by Neptune. This way all I have to do to do a water change is add salt to the mixing barrel and control the recirc pump with an outlet, and let the DOS put new water in/take old water out to the drain line. I am probably forgetting something but I think that is most of it. You, sir, are a beast. Get one of these: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/auto-shut-off-kit-for-reverse-osmosis-systems.html for 25 bucks. Install it in your RO/DI container and don't worry about DI floods again. Seriously. If you don't have this, buy it now. $25 is cheaper than replacing your floors. Ask me how I know. But really, don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob A June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 (edited) You, sir, are a beast. I agree! That's a great setup! Looks like I need to step up my game! Edited June 12, 2015 by Rob A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scott711 June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 i love my apex too and I am always trying to find ways to improve it and make my life easier. I currently have it doing: automatic water changes- my ato turns off, one pump pumps water out, another pumps new saltwater back in, ato turns back on. emails - when the power goes out, when the ato is empty, ph is too high/low, temp is too high/low, new saltwater container is low. plays a sound - when the ato is empty Using doorbell switches - used to turn pumps on lots more stuff I am forgetting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCReefer1964 June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 This is good stuff. I recommend starting a thread posting configuration files. This will assist in the learning curve experienced by new Apex owners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCReefer1964 June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 You, sir, are a beast. Seriously. If you don't have this, buy it now. $25 is cheaper than replacing your floors. Ask me how I know. But really, don't. +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad908 June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 You, sir, are a beast. Seriously. If you don't have this, buy it now. $25 is cheaper than replacing your floors. Ask me how I know. But really, don't. Leaving RODI on overnight was one of the best "mistakes" I've made. Insurance bought me some nice new floors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 Leaving RODI on overnight was one of the best "mistakes" I've made. Insurance bought me some nice new floors. Not everybody wins this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reefer_Madness June 12, 2015 Author Share June 12, 2015 Not everybody wins this game. Haha. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mling June 12, 2015 Share June 12, 2015 This is good stuff. I recommend starting a thread posting configuration files. This will assist in the learning curve experienced by new Apex owners. I have an Apex that only has the very basic setups; sure could use a "Apex config for dummies" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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