How to control my CO2 ?

[Reef Man]

Hi,
Need some help to configure my CO2 for my CA reactor.
Want to have it opened just 12 hours per day during the day, not during the night, let´s say from 9am to 9pm.
Then control to have it on 6.5ph during that period of time.
Any idea on how can I code this for my AC3?

Thanks !

[RussM]

I know we helped you with your Co2 solenoid before - post your current program and timer listing.

[Reef Man]

Yes Russ, Solenoid was another issue, remember? It was fixed as I changed it for a new one.

Here is my program:
LT1$-A01 //FRAG TANK LIGHTING
NON&-A02 //DOES NOT WORK
FAN%-A03 //FAN TO CONTROL TEMP
HET%-A04 //HEATER
PM1#-A05 //KORALIA ON FRAG TANK
PM2#-A06 //KORALIA ON FRAG TANK
SKM&-A07 //SKIMMER PUMP
CO2%-A08 //CO2 SOLENOID
ALM&-A09 //ALARM


If Time > 12:59 Then LT1 ON //Turn light frag tank ON
If Time > 20:59 Then LT1 OFF //Turn light frag tank OFF
If Temp > 26.0 Then FAN ON //Turn ON FAN
If Temp > 28.0 Then FAN OFF //Something is wrong
If Temp > 27.0 Then ALM ON //Notify Me
If Temp < 25.2 Then FAN OFF //Turn OFF FAN
If Temp < 24.0 Then HET ON //Turn ON heater
If Temp < 23.8 Then ALM ON //Notify Me
If Temp > 24.5 Then HET OFF //Turn heater OFF
If Time > 09:59 Then CO2 ON //Turn on CO2
If Time > 21:59 Then CO2 OFF //Turn off CO2
If pH2 > 06.55 Then CO2 ON //Turn on CO2
If pH2 < 06.50 Then CO2 OFF //Turn off CO2
If pH2 > 06.80 Then ALM ON //Notify me
If pH2 < 06.45 Then ALM ON //Notify me
If pH > 08.50 Then ALM ON //Notify me
If pH < 08.20 Then ALM ON //Notify me
OSC 015/015 ON/OFF Then PM1 ON //Oscilation of Koralias in frag tank
If Timer PM1 = ON Then PM2 OFF
If Timer PM1 = OFF Then PM2 ON
If Timer LT1 = OFF Then PM1 OFF //Just oscilate flow when lights are on
If Timer LT1 = OFF Then PM2 OFF //Stop oscilate flow when lights are off
If Power 005 Then ALM ON //Notify me if power goes out
If Time > 01:00 Then ALM OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then SKM ON //Skimmer on all time
If FeedA 020 Then PM1 OFF //Feed modes
If FeedA 020 Then PM2 OFF //Feed modes
If FeedA 020 Then LT1 ON //Feed modes
If FeedB 020 Then PM1 OFF //Feed modes
If FeedB 020 Then PM2 OFF //Feed modes

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry, I forgot mention the flow of the tank is by a pair of jebaos with its own controller (lookin to get an Aquasurf to control them).

Lighting is a Pacific sun, so it is not controlled by AC3.
Return pump is a DC6000, it is controlled by its own controlled (waiting to find an Aquasurf and DC8 for more control capacity).

Thanks !

[RussM]

Add the lines in blue. This uses a dummy timer to indicate when it's daytime - it will be ON from 9AM-9PM. If the dummy timer is OFF, CO2 will be held OFF. This may seem a bit backwards - but using a dummy timer to tell when it is nighttime (vs daytime) would require two If Time statements whereas the way I have it only needs one If Time statement. The AC3 has a limit of 100 program lines, and you'll be at 33 lines if you do what I suggest - it's always a good idea to be as economical in programming as possible with the older controllers. If you add another DC8 and an AquaSurf, you are probably going to burn through a lot of program lines with the additional outlets and get fancy with the AquaSurf and your pumps. You probably won't hit 100 lines, but it's still a good idea to be frugal.

The AC3 processes all If Time statement first, then other types of statements. It's a good practice to list your program statements that same way: all If Time lines first, as a reminder of that statement execution order. So, the lines in purple are ones that were lower in the listing, but I've moved them up.

The lines in red serve no purpose... they actually interfere with the proper operation of the later If pH2 < and If pH2 > statements. You should delete them.

LT1$-A01 //FRAG TANK LIGHTING
NON&-A02 //DOES NOT WORK
FAN%-A03 //FAN TO CONTROL TEMP
HET%-A04 //HEATER
PM1#-A05 //KORALIA ON FRAG TANK
PM2#-A06 //KORALIA ON FRAG TANK
SKM&-A07 //SKIMMER PUMP
CO2%-A08 //CO2 SOLENOID
ALM&-A09 //ALARM
DAY%-P01 //dummy timer to indicate daytime

If Time > 12:59 Then LT1 ON //Turn light frag tank ON
If Time > 20:59 Then LT1 OFF //Turn light frag tank OFF
If Time > 09:00 Then DAY ON
If Time > 21:00 Then DAY OFF
If Time > 01:00 Then ALM OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then SKM ON //Skimmer on all time
If Temp > 26.0 Then FAN ON //Turn ON FAN
If Temp > 28.0 Then FAN OFF //Something is wrong
If Temp > 27.0 Then ALM ON //Notify Me
If Temp < 25.2 Then FAN OFF //Turn OFF FAN
If Temp < 24.0 Then HET ON //Turn ON heater
If Temp < 23.8 Then ALM ON //Notify Me
If Temp > 24.5 Then HET OFF //Turn heater OFF
If Time > 09:59 Then CO2 ON //Turn on CO2
If Time > 21:59 Then CO2 OFF //Turn off CO2
If pH2 > 06.55 Then CO2 ON //Turn on CO2
If pH2 < 06.50 Then CO2 OFF //Turn off CO2
If Timer DAY = OFF Then CO2 OFF
If pH2 > 06.80 Then ALM ON //Notify me
If pH2 < 06.45 Then ALM ON //Notify me
If pH > 08.50 Then ALM ON //Notify me
If pH < 08.20 Then ALM ON //Notify me
OSC 015/015 ON/OFF Then PM1 ON //Oscilation of Koralias in frag tank
If Timer PM1 = ON Then PM2 OFF
If Timer PM1 = OFF Then PM2 ON
If Timer LT1 = OFF Then PM1 OFF //Just oscilate flow when lights are on
If Timer LT1 = OFF Then PM2 OFF //Stop oscilate flow when lights are off
If Power 005 Then ALM ON //Notify me if power goes out
If FeedA 020 Then PM1 OFF //Feed modes
If FeedA 020 Then PM2 OFF //Feed modes
If FeedA 020 Then LT1 ON //Feed modes
If FeedB 020 Then PM1 OFF //Feed modes
If FeedB 020 Then PM2 OFF //Feed modes

[zombie]

You never asked this question to begin with, but I would suggest adding the line

If pH < 8.2 Then CO2 OFF

Either right before or right after the if timer day line. Could be a useful failsafe to stop the calcium reactor co2 feed if tank pH dips too low

You might be an engineer if...You have no life and can PROVE it mathematically.

[Reef Man]

Thanks for the help.

I placed the code in this way. I added the line zombie recommended and made the modifications Russ indicated. Just take out the line that turn off the fans of the temp is to high. Let´s see how it works:

LT1$-A01
NON&-A02
FAN%-A03
HET%-A04
PM1#-A05
PM2#-A06
SKM&-A07
CO2%-A08
ALM&-A09
DAY%-P01


If Time > 12:59 Then LT1 ON
If Time > 20:59 Then LT1 OFF
If Time > 09:00 Then DAY ON
If Time > 21:00 Then DAY OFF
If Time > 01:00 Then ALM OFF
If Time > 00:00 Then SKM ON
If Time > 00:00 Then NON OFF
If Temp > 26.0 Then FAN ON
If Temp > 27.0 Then ALM ON
If Temp < 25.2 Then FAN OFF
If Temp < 24.0 Then HET ON
If Temp < 23.8 Then ALM ON
If Temp > 24.5 Then HET OFF
If pH2 > 06.55 Then CO2 ON
If pH2 < 06.50 Then CO2 OFF
If pH < 08.19 Then CO2 OFF
If Timer DAY = OFF Then CO2 OFF
If pH2 > 06.80 Then ALM ON
If pH2 < 06.45 Then ALM ON
If pH > 08.50 Then ALM ON
If pH < 08.20 Then ALM ON
OSC 015/015 ON/OFF Then PM1 ON
If Timer PM1 = ON Then PM2 OFF
If Timer PM1 = OFF Then PM2 ON
If Timer LT1 = OFF Then PM1 OFF
If Timer LT1 = OFF Then PM2 OFF
If Power 005 Then ALM ON
If FeedA 020 Then PM1 OFF
If FeedA 020 Then PM2 OFF
If FeedA 020 Then LT1 ON
If FeedB 020 Then PM1 OFF
If FeedB 020 Then PM2 OFF


Thanks for the support !!