Neptune Systems AquaController Apex Classic Setup And Programming Manual Download Page 66

 

                                  

Apex Classic Setup and Programming Guide v2.2 

 

 

 

 

 

Page

 61 

 

 

If Temp > RT+0.2 then OFF 

 
This will turn the heater outlet on when the Temp probe measures the Regional 
Temperature less .3 degrees. The heater outlet will turn off at Regional 
Temperature plus .2 degrees. 
 
The following command could be used to trigger an alarm: 
 
 

If Temp > RT+2 Then ON 

 
This will turn on the alarm when the aquarium temperature reaches 2 degrees 
above the Regional Temperature set point. 

SEASONAL LIGHTING ADJUSTMENT 
The AquaController Apex can simulate the varying lengths of daylight during the 
seasons of the year based upon a typical tropical reef at 15° north latitude. The If 
Sun command is used to turn outlets on and off that automatically adjust to 
these seasonal adjustments throughout the year. An offset from the standard 
time is provided so multiple lights can be cycled on and off in sequence. The 
following commands could be used to control a light on a system:   
 

Light1: 
If Sun 000/000 Then ON 
 

Summary of Contents for AquaController Apex Classic

Page 1: ...Apex Classic Setup and Programming Guide...

Page 2: ...Restart the Apex optional 15 EMAIL SETUP 15 Enable disable Email Authentication 18 Send a test alarm email 19 Email Troubleshooting 19 CONFIGURING THE APEX TO BE ACCESSIBLE FROM THE INTERNET 20 CLOCK...

Page 3: ...ed Oxygen Calibration 44 Dissolved Oxygen Probe Maintainence 45 PROGRAMMING OUTLETS 46 Default program 46 Programming with Wizards 46 Light 46 Pump 47 Heater 47 Chiller 47 pH Control 48 ORP Control 48...

Page 4: ...Tiles 72 SOUND SETUP 72 USING THE AQUACONTROLLER APEX 74 Viewing Status 74 Manual Control 74 Graphing 75 Feed Timer Operation 78 LOGGING 79 Log Interval 79 Data Log 79 Power Fail Log 80 INITIALIZE MEM...

Page 5: ...NDIX 4 ADVANCED PROGRAMMING EXAMPLES 99 Default Program 99 Automatic Top Off 100 Kalkwasser Control 102 Alternating Pumps 104 Sequenced Pumps 105 Resonant Waves 106 Alternate with Variable Speed Pumps...

Page 6: ...le simulation Email and audible alarming Connectivity Ethernet built in 4 Feed Timers 4 Variable speed ports on Apex not on Apex Lite Digital Inputs Modular expansion through AquaBus Legacy device Sup...

Page 7: ...can be re configured to monitor pH 4 Integrated Variable Speed Ports Apex Display Physical Features 7 Push buttons for speedy and flexible operation 128 x 64 Graphical backlight display Plays user se...

Page 8: ...d logging through the AquaController Apex If communication failure occurs between the AquaController Apex system and the EnergyBar 8 cable is unplugged for example each outlet can be configured to rev...

Page 9: ...Apex Classic Setup and Programming Guide v2 2 Page 4 Mounting screws Installation and Getting Started Guide...

Page 10: ...le Setup 7 Legacy Module Setup optional 8 Probe Setup 9 Programming Outlets 10 Display Setup 11 Sound Setup 12 Using the AquaController Apex Setup through the AquaController Display Module is performe...

Page 11: ...ecurely mounted in a location free from moisture Use wood screws through the mounting tabs of the EnergyBar 8 and Apex Base Module or if mounting on drywall use drywall anchors anchors not included Th...

Page 12: ...on the Apex Base Module and into an available port on your Ethernet hub switch or router WARNING Be sure to plug the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port and not into the variable speed ports or dam...

Page 13: ...enabled which allows the Apex base module to automatically configure the IP address of the Apex base module on networks with DHCP enabled common for home networks While simple the nature of DHCP mean...

Page 14: ...rd 1234 without the quote marks Figure 4 Logon Credential Entry Some systems may take some time for the host name apex to be recognized on the network If http apex does not work you can try again late...

Page 15: ...rom a PC browser and you should manually set the network configuration using the steps listed in the section titled Manual Network Configuration Optional IP Address 192 168 1 50 Subnet Mask netmask 25...

Page 16: ...Configuration Network Setup click the Disabled radio button press the Update Network Settings button to save changes To set the IP address Apex Display System Net Setup IP Address use the up down arro...

Page 17: ...x Classic Setup and Programming Guide v2 2 Page 12 Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in the Gateway box and type the default gateway press the Update Network Settings button to save chan...

Page 18: ...onfiguration may render the Web Interface inaccessible to your PC If this occurs make corrections to the IP configuration from the Apex Display Module CONFIGURE THE APEX HOSTNAME OPTIONAL The Apex Bas...

Page 19: ...s changed the new port number must be appended to the end of the URL in the browser window For example http apex 8080 where 8080 is the port number configured on the Apex CONFIGURE THE APEX WEB INTERF...

Page 20: ...s helpful to notify you of problems when you are away from your system Sending email requires a properly setup Network interface with internet access see the section titled Network Setup for more info...

Page 21: ...e Network Settings button to save changes SMTP Server name Apex Display System Email Setup SMTP server use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the hi...

Page 22: ...Apex Classic Setup and Programming Guide v2 2 Page 17...

Page 23: ...nsmit delay This is the period of time in minutes between re sending alarm emails when alarm conditions continue to be true Apex Display System Email Setup ReEmail delay use the up down arrows to chan...

Page 24: ...pdate Network Settings button to save changes NOTE Use a password of 14 characters or less or authentication errors will occur SEND A TEST ALARM EMAIL This function can be used to send a test email to...

Page 25: ...AquaController Apex from the Internet see the section titled Configure the Apex Web Interface Administrator Credentials for instruction Do not leave the default user name and password configured or yo...

Page 26: ...Choose any 4 or 5 digit number up to 65535 for example 4567 In this case you would configure your router to forward incoming TCP requests on port 4567 to port 80 of the AquaController IP address When...

Page 27: ...e the up down arrows to change the appropriate time zone in GMT offset for your area when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Clock setup click in the Time zone field and type the appropriate ti...

Page 28: ...d into the new Apex Module Power and communication signals are passed through the AquaBus to the new Apex Module The order modules are connected is not important and the AquaBus is plug and play meani...

Page 29: ...digital inputs for connecting float switches sensors etc PM1 temperature and pH or ORP probes are enabled disabled and calibrated using the same menus and procedures as the Apex Base Module probes se...

Page 30: ...sabled and calibrated using the same menus and procedures as the Apex Base Module probes see the section titled Probe Setup for more information UPDATING AQUABUS MODULES See the section titled Updatin...

Page 31: ...AC outlets Direct Connect 4 HD Provides control of four heavy duty 120V AC outlets Direct Connect 8 Provides control of eight 120V AC outlets Lunar Simulator provides lunar cycle control of LED light...

Page 32: ...tlet can be changed using the instructions found in the section titled Programming Outlets Before adding the legacy module to the Apex system make sure to configure the starting address and connect th...

Page 33: ...t outlets with the AquaController Apex system to ensure the most reliable control ADDING LEGACY OUTLETS Follow the instructions in this section to add a single Legacy Outlet for use with X10 modules o...

Page 34: ...etup Delete Outlet use the up down arrows to highlight the outlet to delete push Select push OK to confirm Web Interface Configuration Module Setup in the Delete Outlet box near the middle of the page...

Page 35: ...vailable from the Web Interface Once the Probe Expansion is enabled the PX 1000 should be automatically added to the system Up to 3 PX 1000 expansion modules can be daisy chained together off the I O...

Page 36: ...for example Maintain a drip loop in the wire back to the Apex module To enable a Temperature probe Apex Display Setup Temp Setup Temp Enable If you have more than one Temperature port on your system u...

Page 37: ...probes on the system The Base Module pH probe will be identified as pH if the ORP port is configured for pH it will be identified as pH2 the pH probe s on the PX1000 Probe Expansion as pHA pHB and so...

Page 38: ...pHx4 etc to the ON setting in the pH Enable menu The Apex system pH probes can be configured to automatically adjust the pH to compensate for changes in tank temperature To enable disable this feature...

Page 39: ...Setup pH Setup pH Calibrate 3 If you have more than one pH probe enabled on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the probe you wish to calibrate press Select or OK 4 Use the up down arrow...

Page 40: ...se as they will degrade over time after opening If the calibration measurements were not accurate or were out of range the calibration may fail which will be indicated on the Apex Display In this case...

Page 41: ...ORP probes typically read low and require a break in period It may take as long as a week to break in the ORP probe During this break in period control functions based upon ORP are not recommended WAR...

Page 42: ...libration solution at all times 5 Wait for the 7 0 Quinhydrone reading to stop changing This may take a few minutes up to 5 minutes depending on the type and condition of ORP probe being calibrated Th...

Page 43: ...rate or were out of range the calibration may fail which will be indicated on the Apex Display In this case the default calibration settings will be used You can attempt the calibration procedure agai...

Page 44: ...he PM2 If a temperature probe is connected to the PM2 it is identified as Tmpx3 Tmpx4 etc with the same AquaBus number as the conductivity probe NOTE The AquaController Apex firmware version must be a...

Page 45: ...cm Typically used to measure the salinity of a saltwater aquarium Table 2 Conductivity Range Options NOTE When the conductivity range is in salinity mode the probe is still actually reading the condu...

Page 46: ...card changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface NOTE Leave the Temperature Compensation set to 0 0 if you are not using temperature compensation or do not have a tempera...

Page 47: ...OBE MAINTENANCE Conductivity probes should be periodically cleaned for best performance The period between cleanings is up to the user but typically every 1 3 months is normal To clean the probe gentl...

Page 48: ...rmation To enable the Dissolved Oxygen probe Apex Display Setup DO Setup DO Enable If you have more than one Dissolved Oxygen port on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the port you wish...

Page 49: ...changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface DISSOLVED OXYGEN CALIBRATION NOTE Set the Dissolved Oxygen Range system Altitude and Salinity before calibrating the Dissolved...

Page 50: ...s on the bottom of the LCD screen to stop changing When the display stops changing press the select button 5 The dissolved probe should now be properly calibrated Web Interface This option is not avai...

Page 51: ...5 To edit the default program see the instructions in the section titled Editing Outlet Programming for instructions PROGRAMMING WITH WIZARDS The AquaController Apex includes several programming Wizar...

Page 52: ...Off Time minutes seconds Off Time after the On Time expires this is the amount of time the pump should be Off before proceeding to Initial Off Time minutes seconds Feed timer the Feed Timer that shou...

Page 53: ...ame of the pH probe that should be used to control this outlet pH pH1 pHA pHB pHx3 pHx4 etc High value the high value at which the outlet is turned on or off based on the setting of On When Low value...

Page 54: ...program push Select From this screen you can edit the various parameter of the Wizard you have selected for this outlet see the section titled Programming with Wizards for more information or if Advan...

Page 55: ...and existing command you wish to delete push the left right arrows until the command displayed at the top of the screen indicates Delete Statement push Select to Delete the command push Save to save...

Page 56: ...vanced Programming Examples for examples of Apex Program code VIRTUAL OUTLETS Virtual outlets are outlets that are programmed to perform a function may not have a physical outlet associated with the o...

Page 57: ...tlet to create the timing signal when to switch Profiles Virtual Outlet Timer OSC 0 00 30 00 30 00 Then ON Outlet Pump If Timer ON Then PF1 If Timer OFF Then PF2 This will cause Pump to switch between...

Page 58: ...gram statement is used to set the outlet state 2 Once all the commands for an outlet are executed if the internal state of the outlet is different than the actual outlet state a control command is sen...

Page 59: ...ally come on and off very rapidly as the temperature fluctuates between 79 9 and 80 1 Also consider the float switch in the sump that controls an automatic top off system As the ripples in the water s...

Page 60: ...ce for more information on the Defer command PROGRAMMING ALARMS AND WARNINGS The AquaController Apex can sound audible alarms and warning from the Apex Display modules send email alarms and be program...

Page 61: ...vent sending or sounding alarms for conditions that are short lived The above Defer statement will defer the alarm for 10 seconds See Appendix 3 Programming Reference for proper usage of these command...

Page 62: ...ect your EnergyBar 8 to an uninterruptible power source and by connecting an Neptune Systems Apex 12V power supply to a non backed up power source be able to trigger events when the power fails See Ap...

Page 63: ...Module are identified as Switch1 Switch3 etc Switch inputs on a PX 1000 are identified as SwitchA1 SwitchB4 etc The letter is the PX 1000 address assigned to the PX 1000 Switch inputs connected to pro...

Page 64: ...the switch inputs will indicate OPEN Logic 1 5V When connected to Ground Pin 8 the switch will indicate CLOSED Logic 0 0V NOTE If a Legacy Port Expansion PX1000 is connected to the Apex Base Module i...

Page 65: ...rogramming for more information The Seasonal Table menu from the Web Interface is used to view the daily settings for Sunrise Sunset Temperature and phase of the moon for the various seasonal adjustme...

Page 66: ...erature reaches 2 degrees above the Regional Temperature set point SEASONAL LIGHTING ADJUSTMENT The AquaController Apex can simulate the varying lengths of daylight during the seasons of the year base...

Page 67: ...vening and the moonset time is in the morning It is possible for the moon light to be on during day time hours The following Advanced Programming command can be used to control an outlet for moon simu...

Page 68: ...ing ballasts with 0 10V variable intensity features The AquaController Lite does not have any variable speed ports however variable speed ports can be added to the Apex Lite using an AquaSurf NOTE The...

Page 69: ...nabled a port using this Profile will synchronize its Initial Off time with the previous pump Profile i e if enabled on Profile 2 it will sync with Profile 1 Synchronize is useful for creating large w...

Page 70: ...is typically used to ramp lights on of off but can also be used with pumps to simulate varying intensity of tidal currents for example Ramp Time period in minutes over which the ramp should occur Star...

Page 71: ...e speed ports By default they are named VarSpd1_I1 through VarSpd4_I4 Variable speed ports are programmed using the Advanced Programming mode see the section titled Advanced Programming for more infor...

Page 72: ...s to edit the 4 Status Screens to suit your needs Apex Display System Display Setup Home Display place the on the Status Screen you wish to edit and push the Select button to open the Status Page X Ed...

Page 73: ...ss OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface To Enable or Disable the Display Lock Apex Display Control Status Display Lock push the Select button to toggle the lock on or o...

Page 74: ...intensity and contrast can be independently set for each Apex Display on the system DISPLAY CONTRAST The AquaController Apex Display contrast can be adjusted with the following procedure To adjust the...

Page 75: ...ou can store them in this drawer of Unused Tiles Later if you want one of those tiles simply drag it back to your palette To begin configuring your Dashboard click edit on the far right of the pallet...

Page 76: ...input screen where you can enter an internal and a external URL This will be the streaming URL for your camera For a detailed discussion of internal and external addresses see the Chapter on Networki...

Page 77: ...u can do with that tile Probe tiles can expand or compress Your video tile will let you enter a URL And clicking in a tile under the ON AUTO or OFF words will change the state of that outlet according...

Page 78: ...Classic Setup and Programming Guide v2 2 Page 73 Apex Display System Sound Setup Key Press Beep Press Select to toggle between ON and OFF Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Inter...

Page 79: ...isplay shows one of the Status Screens Simply pressing the left and right arrow keys will cycle through each of the 4 Status Screens Web Interface Status as you hover over the Status Menu item choose...

Page 80: ...the up down arrows to select the outlet to override push Select use the up down arrows to select the outlet state see below for outlet state definitions push Select to save Web Interface Status from a...

Page 81: ...Apex Classic Setup and Programming Guide v2 2 Page 76 display graphs of all probes enabled on the system as well as the electrical current draw through each EnergyBar 8 connected to the system...

Page 82: ...ield or you can click the calendar icon next to the date field and choose the day from the calendar You can choose the time period for the graph from the dropdown box Select the probe for which you wo...

Page 83: ...tatus Feed or from the Home screen simply press the down arrow Quickly press the up down arrow repeatedly to cycle through feed timer A B C and D stop pressing the up down arrow when the display indic...

Page 84: ...automatically over written The AquaController Apex contains enough log memory to store over a year of log entries for a typical system LOG INTERVAL The log interval determines how frequently log entri...

Page 85: ...er Fail Log Power Log lists the time stamps when the power failed and when it was restored Web Interface Status the last power failure and power restore event is listed at the bottom of the Status Scr...

Page 86: ...ice Table back to the factory default values Apex Display System Init Memory Init AquaBus Dev confirm that you wish to initialize selected memory back to default factory values by pressing the Yes but...

Page 87: ...sed to backup and restore your AquaController programming and configuration information The Save Configuration function is used to backup all information into a single file to be stored on your comput...

Page 88: ...e been made available for advanced users and programmers UPDATING FIRMWARE The AquaController Apex system includes the ability to update the software that runs the controller and modules otherwise kno...

Page 89: ...oft Windows come with unzip utilities If you are running an older version of Microsoft Windows you may have to download and install a software package to unzip the Apex firmware package To unzip a fil...

Page 90: ...new host name c Alternately you can simply enter the IP address that is assigned to the Apex Base Module current IP address assigned can be viewed from the Apex Display at System Net Setup IP Address...

Page 91: ...the firmware has been updated the AquaController Apex will restart You can confirm the correct firmware has been installed by running a self test from the Apex Display 9 Continue updating your system...

Page 92: ...are radio button click the Submit Module Update button a new browser window will open to display the update status TROUBLESHOOTING WHEN UPDATING USING THE APEX FLASH UTILITY Do NOT update over a wirel...

Page 93: ...t Typical Cause Incorrect Host Name check the spelling of the host name or enter the IP address of the Apex Base Module Error Waiting for input from Apex timed out Typical Cause Incorrect password Che...

Page 94: ...Apex Classic Setup and Programming Guide v2 2 Page 89 APPENDIX 1 APEX DISPLAY MENU STRUCTURE...

Page 95: ...ntroller Apex Display when configured on an outlet See the section titled Editing Outlet Programming for instructions on how to change the icon for an outlet Icon On and Off Icon On and Off Up Down Ar...

Page 96: ...s Syntax Defer MMM SS then Y MMM time in minutes seconds up to 999 59 max Y ON to defer the outlet on state or OFF to defer the outlet off state FALLBACK The Fallback command is used to specify the st...

Page 97: ...rol an outlet with a Feed Timer enter the If Feed command in the program for that outlet A delay time can also be specified that will delay returning the outlet to its normal program state for a perio...

Page 98: ...If Moon 20 010 Then ON In this example the outlet is on 20 minutes before moonrise and off 10 minutes after moonset Syntax If Moon RRR SSS Then Y RRR minutes before negative or after positive moonris...

Page 99: ...O the name of the Outlet to be followed X ON or OFF Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off IF PH The If pH command allows for an outlet to be controlled in response to a pH measureme...

Page 100: ...module address 3 is on and for 5 minutes after power is ON the outlet will be off Syntax If Power ITEM X MMM Then Y ITEM the item to monitor Apex EB8_3 EB8_6 etc X the power state to trigger on MMM m...

Page 101: ...sunset If Sun 60 000 Then ON In this example the outlet is on 60 minutes before sunrise and off at sunset Syntax If Sun RRR SSS Then Y RRR minutes before negative or after positive sunrise 360 or 360...

Page 102: ...ditional either or T target temperature in either numerical 80 72 3 etc or Regional Temp reference RT RT 1 0 RT 2 etc Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off IF TIME The If Time comma...

Page 103: ...Time MMM SS then Y MMM time in minutes seconds up to 999 59 max Y ON to keep the outlet on or OFF to keep the outlet off OSC The OSC command is used to program an outlet to periodically turn on and of...

Page 104: ...tion APPENDIX 4 ADVANCED PROGRAMMING EXAMPLES DEFAULT PROGRAM When an EnergyBar 8 or Direct Connect 8 is added to the system the following default program is added to each outlet Light 1 Real Outlet 1...

Page 105: ...ball valves limiting their output Don t forget to take into account head loss when selecting a pump The size of the top off water reservoir should be selected to contain 5 10 days of water to minimize...

Page 106: ...D Then ON If Switch1 OPEN Then OFF If Switch2 CLOSED Then OFF SndAlm System Outlet If Switch2 CLOSED Then ON other alarm commands EmailAlm System Outlet If Switch2 CLOSED Then ON other alarm commands...

Page 107: ...he state of the Sump_High float switch Sump_Lowcreate as a Virtual Outlet to indicate the state of the Sump_Low float switch Outlet Programs Sump_Low Virtual Outlet If Switch1 CLOSED Then ON If Switch...

Page 108: ...using the instructions in earlier sections of this manual ATO Automatic Top Off this outlet is where the top off pump is connected Sump_High create as a Virtual Outlet to indicate the state of the Su...

Page 109: ...y turned on and off The following outlet programs will produce this effect using If Time commands Assign and create the following outlets using the instructions in earlier sections of this manual Pump...

Page 110: ...ed using the Pump Wizard as opposed to the OSC command they perform the same function SEQUENCED PUMPS The OSC short for oscillate command makes programming repetitive commands very easy The first time...

Page 111: ...nerated by the pump A single Tunze Streams 6000 pump has generated 2 waves in a standard 55 gallon tank Using the sub second adjustment feature of the Pump Profile you can tune the waves to create the...

Page 112: ...s from one side of the tank then switch to the other side and create waves of flow from that side of the tank With the AquaController Apex this is quite simple This program also will reduce the flow t...

Page 113: ...ht If Outlet Streams_Timer OFF Then OFF If FeedA 000 Then OFF The Streams_Timer virtual outlet is used to create the timing for switching pumps Modify the OSC command to set how frequently the active...

Page 114: ...ty 100 Synchronize ON Divide by 10 OFF Initial off time 10 On time 15 Off time 00 Min Intensity 00 Max Intensity 100 Synchronize ON Divide by 10 OFF Initial off time 15 On time 10 Off time 00 Min Inte...

Page 115: ...mmands The following commands are available from the Ethernet telnet interface They are all single letter commands which are executed by typing the letter followed by a carriage return l The list comm...

Page 116: ...on 41 Probe Maintainence 42 Probe Setup 39 Data Log 79 Day of Week 92 Default Program 99 Defer 91 Display 67 Brightness daytime and nighttime 68 Contrast 69 Locking 68 Status Screen 67 Dissolved Oxyge...

Page 117: ...ee Programming Order of Operation ORP Calibration 36 Probe Maintainence 39 Probe Setup 35 Programming Reference 93 Programming Wizard 48 OSC 98 Oscillate 98 Outlet 94 pH Calibration 33 Probe Maintaine...

Page 118: ...be Accessible from the Internet 20 Display 67 Dissolved Oxygen 42 Dissolved Oxygen Calibration 44 Email Setup 15 Hostname 13 Network Automatic 8 Manual 10 Network Setup 8 ORP 35 ORP Calibration 36 pH...

Page 119: ...Setup and Programming Guide v2 2 Page 114 User Name 14 Variable Speed Ports 63 Virtual Outlets See Programming Virtual Outlets Warning See Programming Alarms and Warnings Web Interface Port 14 Wizard...

Page 120: ...will not be responsible for damage resulting from careless or insufficient packaging Before returning please obtain a return authorization RMA number from Neptune Systems Returned merchandise will not...

Page 121: ...tely from household waste When this product reaches its end of life take it to a collection point designated by local authorities Some collection points accept products for free The separate collectio...

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