THE Tank Build By Aqua Digital

[Aqua-Digital]

room to remove the skimmer cup = Enough and only just about enough, but its all that is needed

[Aqua-Digital]

Dosing/balling set up continued -

Ok here we go the rest of the guide

So before we can even start talking about setting up dose rates and anything else we need to program the doser.

For slave dosers with the profiLux

This is where the profiLux shines above all other controllers, as you know GHL make a slave doser that works in unison with the controller, this gives the unique feature that you can dose in controlled ML as well as timed, this is quite unique to ProfiLux and why all in one solutions really are far better.

I am assuming everyone knows how to program the initial state of the doser? Ok here is a basic overview

Plug doser with power applied into S1S4 directly (remove digital power bar)

Go to socket function outlet

Click on program digital power bar/ Doser

Set numbering from the last number of your power bar, for example if you have one power bar set as #7, the software will do the rest, follow onscreen prompts and exit.

Plug digital power bar back into S1S4 and doser data cable into the second western port on the power bar.

Stand Alone dosers

You have it more simple Just decide if you want timed or manual mode, then just sit back and wait for me to write up the balling dosing guide part. The slavers read on -

Now the fun stuff.

I have set my doser to work from S7 to S10 being a 4 pump doser, I am using pumps as follows

S7 = DKH set up on timer 2
S8 = Mg set up on timer 3
S9 = Ca set up on timer 4

So once you have programmed the initial state of your doser stay in socket function outlet and decide what timers you wish to use (once not already utilsed obviously). Then edit the sockets accordingly i.e socket 7 = timer 2

as shown here



Repeat the above for all dosers assigning different timers per dosing pump

Once done go to one of the assigned timers and decide how you wish the doser to operate.

My choice has been manual dosing, the reason for this is I like to have control as to when the dosing events take place (Sa doser users select manual dosing for this also). In the screen shot below you will see for Timer 2 which is pump 1 DKH I have selected manual mode and programmed 6 seperate timed events of 10ml over a 24 hour period, this gives me 60ml over 24 hours.



If you look closely the dosing rate I have edited to 50ml/min, the reason for this is to calibrate the doser to actually dose 10ml per timed cycle. The doser factory settings is 60ml/min so why change? Well its all down to what your dosing, what pipe you use etc etc, so the rate will change.

How to work out 10ml in one dosing cycle?

get yourself a 10ml syringe marked at 10ml and remove the plunger and block the small exit hole.

Set the doser up for one event a couple of minutes ahead of your current time.

place the tube in the upside down syringe and wait for the timed dosing event to start.

Remove the tube and note how much was dosed in this event.

Mine dosed 8ml instead on 10ml so i decreased the flow rate to 50ml/min then repeated above, it now doses 10ml in every event.

I repeated this for each pump.

This completes the equipment set up stage, next step balling salt mixing and setting up initial dosing -

[kat]

That looks like a Christian overflow too!

[Aqua-Digital]

Are we talking religion or the guy

The overflow and the tank is all the work of Miracles aquariums in Toronto

[shrimpchips]

Actually when you adjust the dosing it's much better to run the calibration - it's actually quite simple.

Set up your dosing pump system and all the tubing as it will be when it's running. The run the ml/min calibration. The trick to get it fairly accurate easily is to use a kitchen scale that is accurate to +/- a few grams. This is what I did:

1. Set up whole dosing system including the full length of tubing you're going to use - this is important as the flow rate can vary depending on the length of tubing you're using, and the height of the doser from the containers can also affect the rate at which they pump.
2. Put a container that will hold about 100 ml (empty) on the scale, and tare/zero it.
3. Put the suction side of the pump being calibrated into RO/DI water, and run it untill water comes out the outlet side.
4. Run the calibration menu - pump for 1 minute into the container while the scale weighs how much water is pumped out. Since the density of water at room temperature is about 1 g/ml, the amount pumped onto the scale in grams is the amount in ml the pump pumps in one minute.

Easy, and farily accurate. If you're anal (ie, myself) run it three times and get an average value - I found single pumps to not differ run to run by more than 0.7 ml each trial and only by about =/-3 ml across 4 pumps.

[Aqua-Digital]

For the stand alone you are 100% right and great advise, for the slave it does not have a calibration option though, you have to do it manually.

Great input and advise thanks

[Aqua-Digital]

I would like to now conclude for everyone the balling set up guide, and I think this is the most important part for everyone.

" have all the equipment now what?'

Ok so you have downloaded the manual and have added your salts and trace elements, of course if using the 2.5L containers you just halve all quantities.

Note - it is imperitive if you are following the ballign method to use the Ultra trace B elements as well.

The biggest missconception here is accuracy of the amount of salt to use, the simplest way to explain this worry away is this

Question -I added too much salt OOPS!

Answer - You mix will be stronger so you will find you will require to dose less per dosing cycle.

The opposite of course goes for if you mixed too weak a mixture. So you see no big issue you just adjust your dosing to suit. of course it is advised to try and keep some level of accuracy otherwise everytime you have to make up a fresh batch you would be adjusting your dosing rate to suit.

Initial dosing

Before you dose one single drop make sure you know your levels of Ca,MG,and DKH. Next step is to dose one element and see how that measured amount effects your systems level after 2 hours.

Example - dose 50ml of Ca and then measure who much your calcium rose in two hours from dosing the 50ml amount. if it rose by 50 points you know then 50ml has xx effect on your system.

Repeat this for the DKH and Mg. Once you have reached your target values then it will take about a week for you to dial in exactly what your system draws from the elements. You will find you use 4x the amount of DKH than any othr element this is normal, and also due to the fast take up of FM sodium bicarbonate by your corals do not be surprised if you use even more than this, it is a normal and positive outcome.

Your target values should be

Ca 380-420
Mg 1200-1350
ALK 6.5-8Dkh
Salinity 33-35PPT

A thorough explanation of initial set up is covered in the guide.

Good luck with the system, and you will soon see how great the FM system is and also how amazingly easy the GHL dosers make running such a system

[Aqua-Digital]

Update

Photos to follow this weekend.

Things are going great, I finally got the ProfiLux wireless, much to do about nothing in regards to my failed attempt at using a D-Link wireless bridge, after spending about 7 hours fighting with the thing to get it connected to itself (nothing to do with profiLux, had not even got that far) I finally got it connected and working, GREAT! so my next step was to get it connected to the profiLux Ha no! I did not even get that far, I found the D-Link had a loop back issue that locked up my access point. Lots of phone calls to D-Link Bombay R us support service resulted in a confirmed faulty D-Link bridge

So long story short, booted it back to when'st it came and moved my access point to the basement and ran through the duct work a Cat5 cable directly from the ProfiLux to the router, wahey!! For free I am now ProfiLux wireless!

So how is everything? Well the profiLux as would be expected is bullet proof it is easy to forget the huge features the controller is munching on every day, I do not even consider the complexities of the control it just - well - runs really. This is what profiLux is all about, fit set up forget not worry what might fail or bug out on you, and this is what all of us pay for, rock solid worry free reliability. How many return to base warranty cases do you see here on this forum?? ERM - None! case closed

The doser - well again it has taken over my system, I do not have to worry about my balling dosing, I check the params once a week after a water change and thats about it really, the doser does its thing and I sit back and enjoy the tank. The only annoying thing is the ProfiLux does not clean the glass, clean out the filter sock or pour me a fine malt whisky when my glass runs out while chilling out watching the tank, I really must speak to matthias (GHL) about built in servant control!!

Other dosing, well i am still playing around, all i will say at this point is that I am using ProdiBio for nutrent reduction control, and the rest is Fauna based. I love Prodis dump in the tank and forget for two weeks concept, none of this once a day dosing, the need of some reactor.

I will be changing my carbon over to FM Ultra Carb L this weekend from ESV, I have used Carb-L before and think it is far superior in my view.

My Ai's are now set to 60% white and 80% blue this is on a ramp up and down, of course ProfiLux has full control of this and I love the cloud effect it really does add an element to the tank and also I believe take the heat off the lamp intensity in a good way.

The Bubble magus BM150Pro does what it says on the can really, pulls crud daily even in a Low nutrient enviroment, if you are looking to get a new skimmer seriously get one of these babies, German pumps and highly quality engineering at an affordable price. (contact me if you want one)

The corals are doing well, I do want to push the envelope in colour a bit more, getting very impatient! growth is good, I just want to get the colour going, my blue stag colony has amazing vibrant blue tips, I just need to get the body to lighten up, but the tank is new and this will come in time.

Will be off to Ottawa inverts for some more sticks and critters this weekend so pics most likely Sunday evening (oh great here goes two hours of frustration mounting the new arrivals)

[mseepman]

We need a new FTS on this baby!

[Aqua-Digital]

Well I finally got time last night to take some pictures, noting of course I am as good at photgraphy as my wife is at driving a car (and no she does not have a DL)

So lets start with eye candy shot


General tank view


Obscene Stag horn - No I have not cut of Shreks bits!


Birdsnest colouring up and in front a rather hairy Acro


This pic really does no justice to the vibrant blue tips on the Stag horn colony, and the polyp extension at night is insane, but this was before lights out










The purple edges on this Monti are really awesome under the Ai's sadly my camera lets me down again here




This used to be boring brown, but have a look at the colour coming out!