What should I be doing with my Apex that I’m currently not?

Bent · 02/03/2018, 04:10 PM

I’ve been working recently on utilizing my apex more. I was just wondering what all the more experienced users are doing with this that they find they couldn’t live without.

Right now mine is set up like so:

High/low sump level alert
Heartbeat
High/low sump level skimmer shut off
Temp alerts
Refugium light schedule

That’s pretty much it. So anything I’m missing here that would drive someone else nuts?

angelargill · 02/03/2018, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent

I’ve been working recently on utilizing my apex more. I was just wondering what all the more experienced users are doing with this that they find they couldn’t live without.

Right now mine is set up like so:

High/low sump level alert

Heartbeat

High/low sump level skimmer shut off

Temp alerts

Refugium light schedule

That’s pretty much it. So anything I’m missing here that would drive someone else nuts?

I am just now returning to the hobby. I had a build I did about 6 years ago that I mastered auto water changes, water leak sensors, and even a doorbell that I could press during feeding to pause my vortex pumps. You can do a lot by programming "virtual outlets".

I sold the tank I built with the house (it was fully built in and plumbed) so now I will be starting from scratch with a nano-ish system.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bent · 02/04/2018, 12:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angelargill

I am just now returning to the hobby. I had a build I did about 6 years ago that I mastered auto water changes, water leak sensors, and even a doorbell that I could press during feeding to pause my vortex pumps. You can do a lot by programming "virtual outlets".

I sold the tank I built with the house (it was fully built in and plumbed) so now I will be starting from scratch with a nano-ish system.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Automatic water changes are on my list, I just can’t wrap my brain about how to do it short of just flat out buying a dos

angelargill · 02/04/2018, 12:10 AM

Here is a video on mine. Now remember this is 5 years ago. I am sure a lot has changed. https://youtu.be/NTVUybjiNXs

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angelargill · 02/04/2018, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bent

Automatic water changes are on my list, I just can’t wrap my brain about how to do it short of just flat out buying a dos

I had everything timed and plumbed through my house. It worked like a charm - but took quite some time to get right. Here is my video from 5 years ago: https://youtu.be/NTVUybjiNXs.

I miss that tanks!

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Bent · 02/04/2018, 10:04 AM

Anyone else?

scuzy · 02/04/2018, 10:39 AM

ATO, awc, calcium reactor pH monitoring, leak detection.

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Bent · 02/04/2018, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scuzy

ATO, awc, calcium reactor pH monitoring, leak detection.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

You know, I never considered the calcium reactor PH probe. I have the avast kalk stirrer and there’s a place for the probe. Educate me, if you don’t care, on how that’s useful and how you utilized t.

scuzy · 02/04/2018, 03:34 PM

I use it to monitor the pH in my calcium reactor. Turn off my calcium solenoid when a pH < 6.5

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joshbrookkate · 02/04/2018, 03:45 PM

Doing auto water changes with DOS. It's made a HUGE improvement in how I spend my time on my tank. Worth every penny!
Bought a second DOS for dosing. This has mage a huge improvement on coral growth.
No regrets in investing in those equipment pieces.

DesertReefT4r · 02/04/2018, 03:57 PM

ATO, ph for tank, ph for calcium rx, controlling lighting, AWC, dosing trace elements ect, temp control.
I did not have an Apex but used a RKL wish many extras. I set mine up to run my MH lights, controlled heaters and a sump fan for cooling and turned off 1 MH at a time if temps continued to increase. Turned off ATO if ph got to high incase of a ATO failure since I dosed kalk in my ATO. I used the wave maker mode to control in tank flow day, night and when feeding, controlled the skimmer for feeding. I would have setup more if but I did not have the exra equipment needed. Looming for a used orignal Apex or RKE for my next tank.

Indymann99 · 02/04/2018, 07:27 PM

Lots you can do with your APEX

1. ATO with APEX is easy. Breakout box (I made my own) couple of floats and you have a reliable ATO that can have programmable backups.
My APEX ATO has
ATO ON/OFF in the sump return chamber.
ATO reservoir ON/OFF for LOW water in the ATO Res

2. Display Tank HIGH WATER LEVEL float valve in the overflow lets me know if the DT water level gets high for any reason.

3. 2.5 hour DELAY in ATO when I add Kalk (trigger Feed D from controller)

many other options

joshbrookkate · 02/04/2018, 08:04 PM

The Apex magnetic sensors are awesome!

muttley000 · 02/10/2018, 06:57 PM

ATO, Rodi reservoir fill automation, skimmer off when dosing liquid foods, night mode for flow, moon lights with phases..
The possibilities are endless!

02/03/2018, 04:10 PM	#1
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	What should I be doing with my Apex that I’m currently not? I’ve been working recently on utilizing my apex more. I was just wondering what all the more experienced users are doing with this that they find they couldn’t live without. Right now mine is set up like so: High/low sump level alert Heartbeat High/low sump level skimmer shut off Temp alerts Refugium light schedule That’s pretty much it. So anything I’m missing here that would drive someone else nuts? __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

02/04/2018, 10:04 AM	#6
Bent I got nothin' Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: The anals Posts: 6,420	Anyone else? __________________ Quitters never lose. [QUOTE=CStrickland]Who gets mad at a starfish?[/QUOTE] Current Tank Info: 75g DT, 30G refugium, 10g chaeto tank, 50g stock tank basement sump

02/04/2018, 03:57 PM	#11
DesertReefT4r Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Mesa Az Posts: 771	ATO, ph for tank, ph for calcium rx, controlling lighting, AWC, dosing trace elements ect, temp control. I did not have an Apex but used a RKL wish many extras. I set mine up to run my MH lights, controlled heaters and a sump fan for cooling and turned off 1 MH at a time if temps continued to increase. Turned off ATO if ph got to high incase of a ATO failure since I dosed kalk in my ATO. I used the wave maker mode to control in tank flow day, night and when feeding, controlled the skimmer for feeding. I would have setup more if but I did not have the exra equipment needed. Looming for a used orignal Apex or RKE for my next tank. __________________ Tank history 29g tropical ,55g cichlid tank, 20H softy reef, 29g mixed reef, 20H brackish goby & puffer tank, 55g mixed reef, 6g Nanocube softy lps reef, 40B sps reef, 75g sps reef, 75g sps reef in bu Current Tank Info: 75g sps reef build in the works. Last edited by DesertReefT4r; 02/04/2018 at 04:04 PM.

02/04/2018, 07:27 PM	#12
Indymann99 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Indianapolis Posts: 2,447	Lots you can do with your APEX 1. ATO with APEX is easy. Breakout box (I made my own) couple of floats and you have a reliable ATO that can have programmable backups. My APEX ATO has ATO ON/OFF in the sump return chamber. ATO reservoir ON/OFF for LOW water in the ATO Res 2. Display Tank HIGH WATER LEVEL float valve in the overflow lets me know if the DT water level gets high for any reason. 3. 2.5 hour DELAY in ATO when I add Kalk (trigger Feed D from controller) many other options __________________ 120g DT 100lbs LR / 200 lbs LS, 45g fuge, VectraM1 Return, Herbie drain, 4x RW-8, 2x AI Hydra 26 w AWM, ASM G2, Apex controller, Apex BoB w floats ATO

02/10/2018, 06:57 PM	#14
muttley000 MTS Sufferer! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NW Ohio Posts: 1,926	ATO, Rodi reservoir fill automation, skimmer off when dosing liquid foods, night mode for flow, moon lights with phases.. The possibilities are endless! __________________ Next step on the system is adding A 90 gallon! Current Tank Info: 475 multitank system is now running! Several hundred gallons of additions planned!

02/04/2018, 12:10 AM	#4
angelargill Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 12	Here is a video on mine. Now remember this is 5 years ago. I am sure a lot has changed. https://youtu.be/NTVUybjiNXs Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

02/04/2018, 10:39 AM	#7
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	ATO, awc, calcium reactor pH monitoring, leak detection. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

02/04/2018, 03:34 PM	#9
scuzy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 6,499	I use it to monitor the pH in my calcium reactor. Turn off my calcium solenoid when a pH < 6.5 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

02/04/2018, 03:45 PM	#10
joshbrookkate Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Windsor, ON Posts: 618	Doing auto water changes with DOS. It's made a HUGE improvement in how I spend my time on my tank. Worth every penny! Bought a second DOS for dosing. This has mage a huge improvement on coral growth. No regrets in investing in those equipment pieces.

02/04/2018, 08:04 PM	#13
joshbrookkate Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Windsor, ON Posts: 618	The Apex magnetic sensors are awesome!