Feed Timers

[Rod Cobble]

Just got my ACIII Pro, very nice unit. Now if I can figure out the programming. Got new firmware installed, AC3 is on my LAN and WAN. All pretty straightforward. Could not get Aquanotes to run, kept getting runtime error 6 , overflow. Called customer service and Curt talked me through a workaround to at least get it working. Looks like a bug that needs to be worked out. All in all I am happy, seems to be working so far.

one problem I am having is the feed timer. when I Activate it, it turns off my pump for about 1 second, then it immediately comes back on. It will not stay off while feed timer counts down??? any suggestions?

I am also thinking of changing the osc line to the following because I am using an ecotech marine vortech and as wavemaker they suggest intervals not be less than 5 min. Here is new code... what do you think?

RND 025/015 ON/OFF Then PM1 ON
Max Change 005 M Then PM1 ON

[Rod Cobble]

OK, I figured out my 1 second feed timer issue. It wasnt with the feed timer per se, It was with my pump. The ecotech marine, has the same issues with the x-10's as with some ballast, if there is a load, it goes into local mode and kicks the power right back on.

I cut the jumper in the x-10 module and that fixed it. No local mode now. Module will only come back on when the controller gives it a signal.

I still would like a reply from someone who knows ACIII Pro programming language better than me. I am looking to random the time from 5 min to 25 min on the ecotech marine vortech pump ON and an OFF time of 5 to 15 min.

The following code works pretty well, but sometimes will only turn off for 1 min. How do get at least 5 min on and off?

RND 025/015 ON/OFF Then PM1 ON
Max Change 005 M Then PM1 ON

[Rod Cobble]

I changed my ecotech marine timers back to 10min on and then 10 min off. I would like a random setting, but since no response from anyone, I asssume it cant be done.

I do have a new puzzling issue with conductivity. It is showing around 40-41

But when I test my aquarium water with a sea-test hydrometer it is around 1.027

according to the chart in back of AQIIIpro book conductivity should read around 53???? I did recalibrate to high using 53000 solution to no avail. any suggestions?

[bond007069]

RND 20/10 ON/OFF Then TNZ ON

TNZ =6080 Stream


works fine

[Rod Cobble]

I tried that, but that will pick a random number between 1 and 10 or 1 and 20. I need my pump to stay on a min of 5 min and off for a min of 5 min. Any less is not recommended by ICECAP for their Ecotech vortech pump. The standard RND statement is fine for a powerhead or the tunze. My application requires the minimums for on and off to be at 5, so that statement will not work. Thanks for the reply though

[Casino]

OSC 005/005 ON/OFF Then PM1 OFF This will turn the pump on for 5 mins. and then turn it off for 5 mins.

[laurentm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9028980#post9028980 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Rod Cobble
I changed my ecotech marine timers back to 10min on and then 10 min off. I would like a random setting, but since no response from anyone, I asssume it cant be done.

I do have a new puzzling issue with conductivity. It is showing around 40-41

But when I test my aquarium water with a sea-test hydrometer it is around 1.027

according to the chart in back of AQIIIpro book conductivity should read around 53???? I did recalibrate to high using 53000 solution to no avail. any suggestions?

Take a sample of your water in a cup and measure it outside of the tank. What is it reading now?

[Rod Cobble]

laurentm, Strange.... I did what you said. Conductivity was reading 38.8 in sump, took a glass of water out of sump and measured it outside of tank. went up to 42.0, then I replaced probe back in sump and it went to 46.6??? what is going on? 46.6 is a lot closer to what it should be reading but

46.6 cond = 1.0223 sg = 30.4 salinity

my seatest hydrometer is showing

1.026 sg which should be around 53 cond


Casino, thanks for suggestion on program timers, but the whole idea is to have something random, but with minimum of 5 on and off. not just set 5 on then 5 off. I would like to have it 5-20 random on and off.

[laurentm]

The conductivity probe is very sensitive to electrical interferences. Take the controller as far as you can from the tank or any electrical source, recalibrate and measure a cup of your tank water.

To get good readings in your tank, your conductivity probe should be installed in a drip cup to isolate it. I have mine in a shot glass tied to the side of my sump 5" above the water line. I use a TOM aqualifter to feed the drip cup. Make sure the stream is interrupted.

If you're still not get accurate readings, the interferences good be radiated from your light reflectors or coming from the power supply. You could try to ground the reflectors and use chokes to filter the noise transimitted to the line by the ballasts.

Good luck.

[Rod Cobble]

Ok, will try that. Waiting on more Conductivity calibration solutions. I assume you mean by interupting the stream, the water that falls out of your shot glass is not continuous stream to your sump , in order to break any electrical currents that may be in sump water? BTW I do have my sump water grounded with a grounding probe.

I think I can set up something similar as to what you describe in my sump, but can use gravity flow from overflow box, that is going through a drip plate with about 50 holes in it, Ill just mount a cup under one of those holes instead of having to use a pump. Hey those TOM aqualifters are great arent they? Nice little device, can be used for a lot of diff applications, Im using one on my continuous overflow box to take out any excess air that may build up in the top. Keeps the siphon going.

Thanks for all your suggestions and help.