Setting up heater on Apex

[RMD photography]

I got everything hooked up just fine, but was curious what you set your heater's temp setting at on the heater itself? Is it better to just keep it set at your ideal temp where it cycles on and off? Or should you crank it to it's highest setting and let the Apex cycle it to your programmed temp?

[minus9]

I have mine set 2 degrees above my desired setting. I prefer slower temp changes and in case of a programming mishap, I don't want the water temp to change rapidly.
Just my two pennies.

[Member No. 1]

Set your heater 2* higher than what you have in your Apex programing.
Also be sure the first line of the program is Fallback ON
This will insure that in the event the EB8 loses communication the outlet will default ON and you will still have heat. Your heater's thermostat will take over.

And you don't use a SET command in the program.

Example:

Fallback ON
If Temp < 77.5 Then ON
If Temp > 78.5 Then Off

[RMD photography]

Originally Posted by Member No. 1

Set your heater 2* higher than what you have in your Apex programing.
Also be sure the first line of the program is Fallback ON
This will insure that in the event the EB8 loses communication the outlet will default ON and you will still have heat. Your heater's thermostat will take over.

And you don't use a SET command in the program.

Example:

Fallback ON
If Temp < 77.5 Then ON
If Temp > 78.5 Then Off

Thats the first I have heard about having the Fallback on. Everything I have seen highly recommends to have it off. If the EB8 were to lose connection I would get a text and email to notify me to go check everything out.

[sixpackgarage]

I have my heater set at 78.

My Neptune setting is fallback off, on temp at 77.8 with off temp at 78.1

this setting gives me an average temp of 78 with very little variation. It's almost a straight line when you plot it. I had to play with the settings for a few days to hit a sweet spot without cycling the heater too much.

[Member No. 1]

Originally Posted by RMD photography

Thats the first I have heard about having the Fallback on. Everything I have seen highly recommends to have it off. If the EB8 were to lose connection I would get a text and email to notify me to go check everything out.

Let me explain Fallback - This is the state an outlet will be in if the EB8 was to lose communication with the base unit. Say if a USB cable somehow became unplugged.
So with Fallback OFF in the event it loses communications, the outlet your heater is plugged into will default to the OFF state and you will be without heat.
Fallback ON, same deal, only the outlet will remain ON, and you will have heat and then the heater's own internal thermostat will now take over since it was set 2* higher than your Apex was programmed for.
This will only hold true IF you are using a heater with it's own thermostat.

What you are thinking of is a statement in your email alarm to send you a notice if you lose power. That is something totally different.

[Member No. 1]

Originally Posted by sixpackgarage

I have my heater set at 78.

My Neptune setting is fallback off, on temp at 77.8 with off temp at 78.1

this setting gives me an average temp of 78 with very little variation. It's almost a straight line when you plot it. I had to play with the settings for a few days to hit a sweet spot without cycling the heater too much.

You might want to bump up your heater a degree or two so if the temp reaches your high setting on the heater before it does on the Apex, the two won't be in conflict.

While this is nice, but trying to hold a tight range might be hard for some people depending on ambient room temp, lighting, other equipment in the sump.
Plus it's better for the corals if the temp varies a little daily. They will have a better tolerance should the temp ever fluctuate. Think of how the temp changes in nature. Some corals are exposed to direct air at low tide and in direct sunlight. Also with currents constantly bringing in warmer/cooler water, the temp around the reefs are never held that tight.

Mine runs 77.5-80 daily. No issues at all.