kylemack87
[Cube]
Sweet pictures man.
My 110g mixed reef
- Thread starter noy
- Start date
chichimom79
reef junkie
Very lovely new pieces!
Big K
Reefing newb
Awesome!
Noy, you could take pictures of a booger and make it look great!
Noy, you could take pictures of a booger and make it look great!
noy
Reefing newb
Just thought I'd share how I set up a set of external switches for my APEX system
This is the project box that I configured the switches with:
IMG_0469
Its essentially a project box with different switches attached to it.
The red and black switches are plunge switches and I programmed these to be external feed buttons. The red one is for a 15 minute feed cycle and the black one is for a 30 minute water change/maintenance cycle. The advantage of an external button is that sometime I have people feed the fish and its a lot easier having them push a button.
The 3 toggle switches are programmed right now to turn on/off the power to the return pump, skimmer and powerheads. For example if you just want to turn off the skimmer to empty out the collection cup you can do that with a toggle switch. It allows for quick access in cases of emergencies too.
The box is a $8 project box from thesource and switches are a couple of bucks or so. You can get them from any active electronics place.
You will need a drill bit for drilling holes - 5/8" and a dremel to open up the holes a bit.
IMG_0474
IMG_0472
I used a I/O Breakout box to connect everything but in theory I could have just spliced a mini-DIN 8 pin cable and connected the switches to the APEX directly. Having the breakout box allows me to easily re-configure everything without having to de-solder.
IMG_0470
IMG_0471
Here is the switch box attached to the side of my tank.
IMG_0477
As for the coding in APEX
I set up virtual outlets for the different switches
The feed switches have the following code
<V_Feed1>
Set OFF
Defer 015:00 Then OFF
If Switch1 CLOSED Then ON
and in the outlets that need to be turned off if the feed button is on you need the following line
If Outlet V_Feed1 = ON Then OFF
For the toggle switches I have the following
<V_Tgl_1>
Set ON
If Switch3 CLOSED Then ON
If Switch3 OPEN Then OFF
and in the device that the toggle switch turns on/off you need the following line
If Outlet V_Tgl_1 = OFF Then OFF
Right now the toggle switches just turn on/off specific devices but I can think of all kinds things to do with them. Since the hardware is setup all I have to do is change the programming around.
This is the project box that I configured the switches with:
IMG_0469
Its essentially a project box with different switches attached to it.
The red and black switches are plunge switches and I programmed these to be external feed buttons. The red one is for a 15 minute feed cycle and the black one is for a 30 minute water change/maintenance cycle. The advantage of an external button is that sometime I have people feed the fish and its a lot easier having them push a button.
The 3 toggle switches are programmed right now to turn on/off the power to the return pump, skimmer and powerheads. For example if you just want to turn off the skimmer to empty out the collection cup you can do that with a toggle switch. It allows for quick access in cases of emergencies too.
The box is a $8 project box from thesource and switches are a couple of bucks or so. You can get them from any active electronics place.
You will need a drill bit for drilling holes - 5/8" and a dremel to open up the holes a bit.
IMG_0474
IMG_0472
I used a I/O Breakout box to connect everything but in theory I could have just spliced a mini-DIN 8 pin cable and connected the switches to the APEX directly. Having the breakout box allows me to easily re-configure everything without having to de-solder.
IMG_0470
IMG_0471
Here is the switch box attached to the side of my tank.
IMG_0477
As for the coding in APEX
I set up virtual outlets for the different switches
The feed switches have the following code
<V_Feed1>
Set OFF
Defer 015:00 Then OFF
If Switch1 CLOSED Then ON
and in the outlets that need to be turned off if the feed button is on you need the following line
If Outlet V_Feed1 = ON Then OFF
For the toggle switches I have the following
<V_Tgl_1>
Set ON
If Switch3 CLOSED Then ON
If Switch3 OPEN Then OFF
and in the device that the toggle switch turns on/off you need the following line
If Outlet V_Tgl_1 = OFF Then OFF
Right now the toggle switches just turn on/off specific devices but I can think of all kinds things to do with them. Since the hardware is setup all I have to do is change the programming around.
chichimom79
reef junkie
Those are beautiful!! Good luck with them. You are the first person I know of on here that has them. I can't wait to follow how they do!
noy
Reefing newb
Superman Monti
IMG_6301
Chili Coral (still alive)
IMG_6299
IMG_6307
Gorgonians
IMG_6256
IMG_6255 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Fat Head Dendros
IMG_6248 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
IMG_6247 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Tubastraea sp.
IMG_6249 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
IMG_6301
Chili Coral (still alive)
IMG_6299
IMG_6307
Gorgonians
IMG_6256
IMG_6255 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Fat Head Dendros
IMG_6248 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
IMG_6247 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Tubastraea sp.
IMG_6249 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
noy
Reefing newb
Purple Bonsai
IMG_6380 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Prostata
IMG_6369 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Metero Shower
IMG_6031 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Acropora sp.
IMG_6379 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
IMG_6357 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
IMG_6380 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Prostata
IMG_6369 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Metero Shower
IMG_6031 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
Acropora sp.
IMG_6379 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
IMG_6357 by fydordostoy, on Flickr
buddy08
SPS Addict
wheres the FTS?
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
^^^^^ That.
chichimom79
reef junkie
Gorgeous!
noy
Reefing newb
coming...
mariobrothersleeve
squirrel
My oh my noy! You do keep picking the high end corals aye!
noy
Reefing newb
Some (sort of) recent shots
Tubastrea closeup
IMG_6406
Dendro closeup
dendrocloseup
Bird's Nest (ORA)
Birdsnest Stacked
Pocillopora
IMG_6418_a
Pink Millepora
IMG_0821
Acropora sp.
neontipstacked
Purple Bonsai
- I love this coral but too bad its such a slow grower
IMG_6380
Carnation Coral
IMG_6431
IMG_6297
Frags
Coral Garden5
Coral Garden4
Coral Garden2
Coral Garden 1
Coral Garden6
Tubastrea closeup
IMG_6406
Dendro closeup
dendrocloseup
Bird's Nest (ORA)
Birdsnest Stacked
Pocillopora
IMG_6418_a
Pink Millepora
IMG_0821
Acropora sp.
neontipstacked
Purple Bonsai
- I love this coral but too bad its such a slow grower
IMG_6380
Carnation Coral
IMG_6431
IMG_6297
Frags
Coral Garden5
Coral Garden4
Coral Garden2
Coral Garden 1
Coral Garden6
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
What does a girl have to do to get an FTS?
noy
Reefing newb
Orange Shoulder Tang
- actually lets me pet him during feedings - will singularly eliminate any algae problems practically an algae vacuum
IMG_0895
IMG_0892
IMG_0890
Haven't bought a fish in over 6 months and its killing me. Both my display and nano are very stable so don't really want to add any livestock.
- actually lets me pet him during feedings - will singularly eliminate any algae problems practically an algae vacuum
IMG_0895
IMG_0892
IMG_0890
Haven't bought a fish in over 6 months and its killing me. Both my display and nano are very stable so don't really want to add any livestock.
mariobrothersleeve
squirrel
Awesome pictures. I think you have d2 beat?!
