Results 1 to 10 of 10

Thread: Automated water changes

  1. #1
    New User
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    US, Texas
    Posts
    12

    Automated water changes

    So I've been poking around here a lot, but can't seem to find exactly what I'm looking for.

    So here goes,
    I want to do fully automated water changes on my freshwater 150 gallon tank.
    I have drilled the back of the tank at about 40% from the bottom. The bulkhead goes to a T fitting, with the lower side going to a drain valve, and drain, and the upper side hooked to a fill valve and thermostatic mixing valve to get the water temps correct.

    Both my drain and fill valves are 120v electric ball valves, I have them both on my EB832 drain on outlet 6 fill on outlet 8. The valves work great I've been doing my water changes with them by manually activating them in Fusion.

    I also have a FMM with a single optical sensor, this is placed in my sump just below the emergency overflow, I want to use this to close the fill valve, and then turn the return pump back on.

    I'm wanting the sequence of events to go something like this;
    Drain valve opens;
    50 seconds later the return pump shuts off
    Drain valve remains open for 15 minutes then closes.
    Fill valve opens
    When the water reaches the optical sensor in the sump the fill valve closes
    return pump turns back on.


    I would like to be able to initiate this sequence with one of the feed mode's (not A) for now.

    Ultimately I plan on getting a dos, and using it to dose prime while the water is filling, and to dose ferts at other times.


    I know I'll need a virtual outlet, and I've already got that. I just can't seem to figure out how to make this all come together.

    TIA

  2. #2
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    Are these spring return ball valves (ie failsafe) or are they open close using seperate outlets?

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

  3. #3
    New User
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    US, Texas
    Posts
    12
    Yes, they are spring return ball valves.

  4. #4
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    Set FeedB to 16 minutes. I am assuming fill will take less than 15 minutes (this is where the 15 minute part comes from).

    Drain
    Set OFF
    If FeedB 000 Then ON

    Fill
    Set OFF
    If FeedB 015 Then ON
    If Outlet Drain = ON Then OFF
    If Switchname CLOSED Then OFF
    Min Time 015:00 Then OFF

    ReturnOFF (virtual outlet)
    Set OFF
    If FeedB 015 Then ON
    If Switchname CLOSED Then OFF
    Defer 000:50 Then ON
    Min Time 015:00 Then OFF

    Return
    (Existing code)
    If Outlet ReturnOFF = ON Then OFF

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

  5. #5
    New User
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    US, Texas
    Posts
    12
    Zombie, thank you I really appreciate it.
    The tank takes quite a while to fill, its a slow water feed. Would I just change the "min time 15:00 then off" to 60 minutes? (or whatever actual time is)
    I'll have to time how long it takes to fill too get an accurate time.

    I've never used the min time command before, so not sure exactly how it works.

  6. #6
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    Both the min time and the 015 in the feed statements. The min time is used to make sure the return and fill stop the cycle once the optical sensor gets reached.

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

  7. #7
    New User
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    US, Texas
    Posts
    12
    Ok, so I used the code you provided, just changed it to FeedD, and changed the 15 minute statements to 60.

    The drain works as expected, the return pump shuts off as and when expected, but it never refills.

    Not sure what I'm doing wrong, here's the exact code I have for Fill

    Set OFF
    If FeedD 060 Then ON
    If Output Drain_Tank = ON Then OFF
    If SUMP_F CLOSED Then OFF
    Min Time 060:00 Then OFF

    Do you see anything I might have done wrong, or suggestions on things to check?

  8. #8
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    Was the outlet in AUTO for 60 minutes or more before you tried it?

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

  9. #9
    New User
    Join Date
    Aug 2016
    Location
    US, Texas
    Posts
    12
    No, I put it in auto maybe 10 minutes before trying it.

  10. #10
    Frequent Contributor zombie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2013
    Location
    Denver, CO
    Posts
    13,176
    Try it again in an hour. Should work perfect.

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

Similar Threads

  1. Automated RODI programming
    By victoly in forum Misc Apex Usage & Programming
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 07-28-2020, 20:16
  2. Automated RODI
    By victoly in forum DIY
    Replies: 12
    Last Post: 09-03-2019, 11:19
  3. Automated Water Change
    By Titanic in forum Apex Programming for Dosing, ATO, and AWC
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 11-16-2015, 09:18
  4. Automated Water Change plus
    By AOS in forum Misc Aquarium Automation Discussions
    Replies: 1
    Last Post: 02-14-2015, 12:01
  5. Finally Automated Dosing!
    By Long Island Camper in forum Apex Programming for Dosing, ATO, and AWC
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 12-17-2014, 18:44

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •