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Apex Manual - Commercial Algae Management

1. bs NEPTUNE on the PX1000 Probe Expansion as ORPA ORPB and so on and probes on Apex Probe Module 1 PM1 as ORPx3 ORPx4 and so on The ORP probe is connected to the port labeled pH ORP on the Apex Base Module and Probe Module 1 Push the BNC female connector on to the male connector and turn turn clockwise to lock the connector place To remove the probe turn turn counter clockwise and gently pull the connector straight off the base module All new probes should be rinsed in clean tap water before placing in the aquarium Place the ORP probe in an area with high flow that is continuously wet not an overflow that may drain dry for example Maintain a drip loop in the wire back to the Apex Base or Probe Module NOTE New 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 A WARNING We do not recommend fully submerging the ORP probe as this will cause the probe to fail prematurely To enable ORP probes Apex Display Setup ORP Setup ORP Enable If you have more than one ORP port on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the port you wish to configure press Select then use the up down arrow keys to select on off for that port press Save when done or Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interfac
2. x lt NEPTUNE ee PROBE MODULE 2 AquaController Apex Probe Module 2 PM2 adds a Temperature and Conductivity ports to the Apex system This module connects anywhere on the AquaBus and includes 2 AquaBus ports for flexible connection options PM2 also includes 6 digital inputs for connecting float switches sensors etc PM2 temperature and Conductivity probes are enabled disabled and calibrated using the same menus and procedures as the Apex Base Module probes see the section titled Probe Setup for more information PROBE MODULE 3 AquaController Apex Probe Module 3 PM3 adds a Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen ports to the Apex system This module connects anywhere on the AquaBus and includes 2 AquaBus ports for flexible connection options PM3 also includes 6 digital inputs for connecting float switches sensors etc PM3 temperature and Dissolved Oxygen probes are enabled disabled 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 Updating Firmware for instructions on updating AquaBus modules DELETE AN APEX MODULE To delete an Apex Module from the system Apex Display Setup Module Setup Delete Module use the up down arrows to highlight the Apex module to delete push Select to delete Web Interface Configuration Module Setup in the Module box in the Module Configure area select the A
3. Setup and Programming Guide WELCOME TO AQUACONTROLLER APEX eene nennen nnn unn 1 FEATURES comisaria rra n 1 TABLE OF ACRONYM So oca AA 3 TYPICAL AQUACONTROLLER SYSTEM COMPONENTS ene 3 SETUP OVERVIEW ui cacon Ra ERN CUN e ER UE EEREEEREE KEEN UES 4 PHYSICAL INSTALLATION 5 iskusxsnisRuUusEaEaUS EAMERAP DR ERE D REEERUEREASRRIS MEER KEENR 5 Base System Initial Connections ioi eoe eor OR A 5 NETWORK SETUP coco ci wi i ue au wk a c a vx xa x ra c i a 7 Automatic Network Configuration default ccccecceteeee ener sees eens tease enneneane nea 7 Manual Network Configuration Optional ccceceeesee eee esses eeeeeenaeneneteaneenaees 9 Configure the Apex Hostname Optional cccsccceseeeeeeeeeeeeeeee sees nmn 12 Configure the Apex Web Interface Port Number optional sssse 13 Configure the Apex Web Interface Administrator Credentials 13 Restart the Apex Optional i1 ds Dots cedat sets ui ente ai 14 EMAIESETUP occ REND WEE MEE 14 Enable disable Email Authentication ceeeeeeeeeee mme 16 Send a test alarm emall sa ii uni duse naide 17 Email Troubleshooting viii A ote dit peo ee oe AAA ERA 17 CONFIGURING THE APEX TO BE ACCESSIBLE FROM THE INTERNET 18 CLOCK SETUP iir eu eene dna ai da a iia es ee da a de cur E VA EVER 19 APEX MODULE SETUP issoceswasuw xa vasaszuaveza uva 22 sEvA aSsCsswa nnana 2
4. ADVANCED PROGRAMMING Page 47 AquaController Apex NEPTUNE The AquaController Apex include a very powerful programming environment that can be used to control outlets based on time measurements from probes inputs from switches the state of other outlets and more To enable the Advanced Programming mode simply set the Program or Control Type to Advanced in the Outlet Setup as described in the section titled Editing Outlet Programming Once an outlet is configured for Advanced Programming you edit add and delete commands from the Apex Web Interface NOTE When switching an outlet programmed with a Wizard pump temp etc to advanced programming mode the commands to perform the functions of the Wizard will be automatically entered into the Advanced Programming area This can be a time saver when setting up an outlet for the first time To modify the Advanced program for an outlet Apex Display Setup Outlet Setup Program Outlet From this screen you can Edit use the up down arrows to highlight and existing command you wish to edit push Select to enter Edit Mode Use the up down arrows to change the command push Select to move to the next parameter use the up down arrows to change the parameter repeat until all parameters are set push Save to save changes or Exit to discard changes Delete use the up down arrows to highlight and existing command you wish to delete push the left right arrows until the command displayed
5. Now save your Dashboard Then go back into edit mode You will now see another wrench on that blank Page 68 AquaController Apex NEPTUNE tile this one on the left side If you click on that wrench you will get an 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 Networking Essentially most home systems will have a different IP address for internal access and external access This is true for your controller and it will be true for your web cam DETERMINING YOUR STREAMING URL Unfortunately there s no standard naming convention for streaming video URL s Every camera manufacturer is different There are some sources on the web where you can search for your camera and determine what the naming convention is One such source is https ithub com ingenuitas SimpleCV wiki List of IP Camera Stream URLs Another is http www bluecherrydvr com 2012 01 technical information list of mjpeg and rtsp paths for network cameras When you think you have the proper syntax for your camera you can test it in your browser Just enter the full URL into an empty browser window You might get prompted for a user name and password for your camera If you get a video stream you re good to go Just go back to the Dashboard tile and enter that complete URL Don t forget to save ABOUT TILES You
6. PTUN LUN PROBE EXPANSION PX 1000 The PX 1000 adds Temperature pH and pH ORP ports to the AquaController system It connects to the port labeled I O on the Apex Base Module Connect Temperature pH and ORP probes to the PX 1000 as needed Power for the PX 1000 is supplied by the included AC adapter Only every 3 PX 1000 needs a power adapter Before the Probe Expansion will be recognized it needs to be enabled on the Apex system as follows To enable disable Probe Expansion Apex Display System Misc Setup Probe Exp Off push the Select button to toggle Probe Expansion on and off The AquaController Apex must be rebooted before this change takes effect Either power cycle the Apex Base Module disconnect the AquaBus cable for 10 second and reconnect or see the section titled Restart the Apex optional for instructions on how to restart the Apex Web Interface This option is not available 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 port Each PX 1000 provides 6 digital inputs for float switches sensors etc PX 1000 temperature pH and ORP probes are enabled disabled and calibrated using the same menus and procedures as the Apex Base Module probes see the section titled Probe Setup for more information PROBE SETUP The AquaController Apex system uses various probes to
7. Page 19 AquaController Apex NIE PT IN Pd N LI WJI N C l Enable disable Automatic Clock Set feature Apex Display System Clock Setup Auto Set push the Select button to toggle this feature on and off Web Interface Configuration Clock setup click the Enable or Disable radio button next to Auto Clock Set E Manually set the Tank Time Apex Display System Clock Setup Tank Time Set use the up down arrows to change the highlighted item use the left right arrows to select the item to highlight when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Clock setup click in the Time zone field and type the appropriate date and time NOTE When Auto Clock Set is enabled you are unable to manually change the date and time Time Zone in GMT offset Apex Display System Clock Setup Time zone use 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 time zone in GMT offset NOTE Please refer to www worldtimezone com for information on the correct time zone in GMT offset for your area Enable disable automatic Daylight Saving Time adjustments Apex Display System Clock Setup DST push the Select button to toggle this feature on and off Web Interface Configuration Clock setup click the Enable or Disable radio button next to Daylight S
8. a computer browser on the same network http apex NOTE Accessing your AquaController Apex using the host name will not work from Macintosh computers Access your Apex using the IP address When presented with the login screen type the default user name admin and password 1234 without the quote marks Authentication Required u A username and password are being requested by http apex The site says User Name admin Password e 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 later or you can use the Apex base module IP address to access the Web Interface The assigned IP address can be determined from the DHCP server status screen typically found on the home network router see home router documentation for more information or from the Apex Display From the Apex Display navigate to System Net Setup IP Address to display the assigned IP address Once you determine the IP address assigned to the Apex simply type the IP address into a compatible web browser For example 192 168 1 50 Or http 192 168 1 50 NOTE If the Apex Web Interface can be opened the currently enabled IP configuration can be viewed at the bottom of the Network Setup page at Configuration Network Setup Page 8 AquaController Apex XA NET PIL JN A WARNING Be aware that when
9. moonrise and moonset are approximately 50 minutes later each day So during a new moon the moonrise is in the morning and the moonset is in the evening Typically during a full moon the moonrise time is in the evening 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 simulation If Moon 000 000 Then ON This command will turn the outlet on at moonrise and off at moonset each day The If Moon command combined with the Neptune Lunar Simulator module and LEDs will vary the intensity of the LEDs based on the phase of the moon in addition to turning them on and off at moonrise and moonset PROGRAMMING FEED TIMERS The AquaController Apex has 4 feed timers Each timer can be programmed to enable or disable items in the tank for a period of time and return them to normal operation after the feed timer expires To control an outlet with a Feed Timer enter the following command in the Advanced Program for that outlet See Appendix 3 Programming Reference for more information on the If Feed command If FeedA 000 Then OFF In this example the outlet will be switched off when Feed timer A is activated Page 60 AquaController Apex NETA NOTE The Pump Wizard included a parameter to turn off the pump when a Feed Timer is activated See the section titled Programming with Wizards for information on how to p
10. pINEPTUNE IF POWER The If Power command allows for outlets to be controlled in response to whether or not power is present to the Apex base unit or any of the EnergyBars If Power Apex OFF 010 Then ON In this example if power to the Apex base module is off and for 10 minutes after power is restored the outlet will be turned on If Power EB8_3 ON 005 Then OFF In the this example if power to the EnergyBar with 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 minutes up to 999 to wait after trigger is true before setting the outlet state Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off If Power Monitoring is enabled the If Power Apex commands will trigger based on the state of the 12V auxiliary power connector on the Apex Base Module See the section titled Triggering alarms or events on Power Outages in the Programming Alarms and Warnings section for instructions on how to enable Power Monitoring Page 93 AquaController Apex bs NEPTUNE IF SUN The If Sun command allows for an outlet to be controlled based on the sunrise and sunset variations listed in the Seasonal Table The numeric fields are used to adjust when the outlet is switched either before or after the time in the Seasonal Table The first number is the number of minutes to add or subtrac
11. section choose the legacy module to add from the drop down list type the starting address in the Start Control Address box click the Add Module button to save X10 OUTLETS The AquaController Apex will work with X10 controlled outlets however Neptune Systems does not support it Users are strongly urged to use Direct Connect or Energy Bar outlets to control their system as the communication between the AquaController Apex Base Module and the outlet is much more reliable and is not prone to errors as X10 communications can be If X10 must be used the X10 Page 25 AquaController Apex Pd N E U NE Control Interface i e IM513 is plugged in to the Control port on the AquaController Apex Base Module or in to the last legacy device in the Control chain All X10 addresses must be manually added to the Apex system Blocks of X10 addresses i e B1 B8 can be added by adding a DC4 or DC8 at the appropriate starting X10 address and deleting any extra X10 outlets that are not to be used To add a DC4 or DC8 follow the instructions in the section titled Adding Legacy Modules to the Apex System To add a single X10 address follow the instructions in the next section titled Adding Legacy Outlets A WARNING X10 connected devices can be unreliable and prone to noise and environmental conditions Users are urged to use EnergyBar or legacy Direct Connect outlets with the AquaController Apex system to ensure the most reliable control ADDING LEGA
12. you could add a third to indicate when the sump is too low Build a mounting system with switch Sump Low right at the water level you would like to keep your sump and Sump High mounted 1 or 2 inches higher These should be normally open switches when the float is not raised by the water the switch is open i e does Page 98 AquaController Apex NEPTUNE not make a complete circuit Connect one end of each switch to the ground connection on the I O connector on the AquaController Apex Connect the other float switch lead from Sump_Low to input 1 and the other lead of Sump_High to input 2 Connections are made easier with the addition of the optional Neptune I O Breakout Box from your retailer Program Example using raw switch commands ATO Automatic Top Off this outlet is where the top off pump is connected Switch1 Sump Low float switch Switch2 Sump High float switch Outlet Programs ATO Real Outlet Fallback OFF If Switch1 CLOSED Then ON If Switchi 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 The program for outlet ATO sets the fallback state for the top off pump OFF for situations when contact with the Apex Base module is lost you would not want the pump to stay in the on state if this were to occur The 2 Switch1 commands turn the outlet on and off when the sump is
13. 5 6 seconds cillate Figure 7 Profiles Setup Screen Initial Off Time when a pump with this Profile is first activated it will be OFF initially for this time in seconds unless divide by 10 is enabled On Time once the Initial Off Time expires the pump will be ON for this amount of time in seconds unless divide by 10 is enabled Off Time once the On Time expires the pump will be OFF for this amount of time in seconds unless divide by 10 is enabled Minimum Intensity the port output in percent when the pump is off Maximum intensity the port output in percent when the pump is on A WARNING Tunze recommends an intensity of 30 or higher for Tunze Streams Pumps For best results and longevity of your pumps never set Page 62 AquaController Apex be NEPTUNE SYST MS the Minimum Intensity lower than 30 For example assume the following settings Synchronize off Divide by 10 off Initial off time 10 On time 15 Off time 20 Minimum Intensity 30 Maximum Intensity 70 Using this Profile the pump will run at 30 for 10 seconds 70 for 15 seconds 30 for 20 seconds 30 for 10 seconds 70 for 15 seconds 30 for 20 seconds etc RAMP PROFILE TYPE The Ramp Profile is used to ramp the port output voltage up or down from one intensity to another over a period of time It is typically used to ramp lights on of off but can also be used with pumps to simulate varying intensity of tidal cu
14. Alternate with Variable Speed Pumps eesssseeeee mmn 105 Growing Surge with Variable Speed Pumps 000cccccccocnnconncnnncnnannna rn nmn 107 APPENDIX 5 TROUBLESHOOTING AND HELP eer 108 APPENDIX 6 TELNET COMMANDS eene enne nnne nnn nnne 108 INDEX Qu H 109 WELCOME TO AQUACONTROLLER APEX Congratulations on your purchase of the AquaController Apex system The AquaController Apex System delivers an expandable professional quality aquarium controller at hobbyist prices The AquaController Apex is the most flexible expandable system on the market today FEATURES Very simple menu driven configuration Monitor and control pH ORP and temperature ORP probe port not included on Apex Lite Galvanic isolation on probe inputs Expansion through add on probe modules and Energy Bars Flexible control Wave maker Seasonal temperature and lighting adjustments Moon cycle 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 Support All ACIII accessories supported User updateable firmware State of the art electronics integration AquaController Apex Lite Base Unit Physical Features Multicolor LED to indicate status of the AquaController Apex Base Module Ethernet port for
15. Apex Base Module EnergyBar 8 and Apex display should be securely 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 The Apex Display can be mounted using the keyhole slots on the back of the display or with strong Velcro e Mount all modules above the water line of the aquarium e Be sure to utilize drip loops on all power cords AquaBus cables and probe cables e Plug the EnergyBar 8 into a circuit protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter GFCI A WARNING Water damage will void your warranty Mount all modules in locations safe from moisture exposure BASE SYSTEM INITIAL CONNECTIONS Refer to Figure 2 Apex Base Module Connections and Figure 3 Apex Lite Base Module Connections for the connection locations eL E LIDOXCOOOL LI PONET Ethernet Cntl ue V1NV2 V3NA E AquaBus pyys Rit emp o duc BN Figure 2 Apex Base Module Connections Ethernet 1 0 E AquaBus pj45 RJ11 TEMP ping Figure 3 Apex Lite Base Module Connections Page 5 AquaController Apex NETAS Plug one end of the included AquaBus cable into one of the AquaBus ports on the Apex Base Module and the other end into one of the EnergyBar 8 AquaBus ports Plug the Apex Display Module AquaBus cable into an available AquaBus port on the EnergyBar 8 or Apex Base Module the display can be connected to any
16. Apex system via AquaBus It does not matter into which AquaBus connector it is plugged into When the probe module has been successfully added to the system the status light will change from flashing yellow to solid green NOTE The Conductivity reading can be added to the Apex Display and Web Interface Status Screens See the section titled Display Setup for more information To enable the Conductivity probe Apex Display Setup Cond Setup Cond Enable If you have more than one Conductivity port on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the port you wish to configure press Select then use the up down arrow keys to select on off for that port press OK when done or Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface Page 37 AquaController Apex pd NEPTUNE CONDUCTIVITY RANGE The PM2 supports 4 conductivity ranges to support the conductivity measurement of various solutions The four ranges are described in Table 2 Conductivity Range Options Range Units Calibration Description Solution Low O to 850 447 S cm_ Typically used to S cm measure the purity of RO DI water Medium 0 00 to Typically used to 8 50 measure the mS cm conductivity of a fresh water tank High O to 85 0 53 0 Typically used to mS cm mS cm measure the conductivity of a salt water aquarium Salinity O to 45 0 53 0 Typically used to PPT mS cm measure the salinity of a saltwate
17. ON Page 103 AquaController Apex OSC 10 00 05 00 00 00 Then ON Pump2 Real Outlet Fallback ON OSC 05 00 05 00 05 00 Then ON Pump3 Real Outlet Fallback On OSC 00 00 05 00 10 00 Then ON RESONANT WAVES Mer Using an accurately timed pump it is possible to create large waves in aquariums using a process known as constructive interference Waves generated by the pump reflect off the far wall of the tank and when timed correctly will add to the next wave generated 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 these large waves Setup a pump Profile with the following settings Resonate Real Pump Profile Synchronize OFF Divide by 10 ON Initial off time O On time XX Off time YY Minimum Intensity 30 Maximum Intensity 100 Use the following table for starting points for the On and Off times in the Profile Make sure you multiply the numbers in the table by 10 i e 0 8 seconds should be entered as 08 Tank Width On Time Off Time feet 3 0 5 0 6 seconds seconds 4 0 8 0 8 seconds seconds 6 1 2 1 2 seconds seconds Page 104 AquaController Apex a zd NE 8 1 8 1 7 seconds seconds Table 5 Pump Profile Timing to Resonate Pump R Real Pump Outlet Set Resonate You may have to adjust t
18. Profile3 Profile4 Synchronize Synchronize Synchronize Synchronize OFF ON ON ON Divide by 10 Divide by 10 Divide by 10 Divide by 10 OFF OFF OFF OFF Initial off Initial off Initial off Initial off time 5 time 10 time 15 time 20 On time 20 On time 15 On time 10 On time 5 Off time 00 Off time 00 Off time 00 Off time 00 Min Intensity Min Intensity Min Intensity Min Intensity 00 00 00 00 Max Intensity Max Intensity Max Intensity Max Intensity 100 100 100 100 Table 7 Growing Surge Profiles Assign each of the variable speed ports one of these Profiles For example VarSpd1 I1 Variable Speed Port 1 Set Profile1 VarSpd2 I2 Variable Speed Port 2 Set Profile2 VarSpd3 I3 Variable Speed Port 3 Set Profile3 VarSpd4 I4 Variable Speed Port 4 Set Profile4 Page 107 AquaController Apex bs NEPTUNE P c MS APPENDIX 5 TROUBLESHOOTING AND HELP Support is available from the following sources e Support section of our web site at www neptunesys com e Email support at support neptunesys com e Phone support at 408 578 3022 Monday Friday 9 5 Pacific e The Neptune Sponsor Forum on Reef Central www reefcentral com forums forumdisplay php f 368 This forum is primarily a user group but is occasionally monitored by Neptune Staff Do not use the forum for formal support the best way to reach us is
19. Temp 78 0 Then OFF CO2 Real Outlet 7 Fallback Off If pH 8 00 Then ON If pH 7 90 Then OFF Ozone Real Outlet 8 Fallback Off If ORP 375 Then ON If ORP 360 Then OFF AUTOMATIC TOP OFF The AquaController Apex can be used to automatically add top off water to your aquarium through controlling a top off pump based on the state of float switches in the aquarium sump A top off pump should be selected to pump 1 5 to 2 times the daily top off needs of your aquarium For example if your tank needs 5 gallons of top off water per day you should find a pump that can pump 7 5 to 10 gallons per day Consider peristaltic pumps diaphragm pumps or very small power heads with 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 the refill frequency It is strongly suggested that top off systems not be connected to an unlimited water supply to avoid adding too much water in the case of a float switch or system failure Inexpensive float switches are available from many local and on line sources Some are available with mounting hardware some come with just the raw switch For this project we will use 2 float switches one to indicate Sump Low which indicates top off water is needed and Sump High as an alarm to indicate that something has gone wrong and the sump is over full Optionally
20. Temperature Compensation 2253539532 24899535 225 07299227 99455 12F IARE A 39 Conductivity Probe Calibration ecrire erre rea a voe xa EX VEER E REYRRYERREEIR NX 39 Conductivity Probe Malena Coca 40 Dissolved Oxygen Setup OptiO0Nal occoccccccccocccconcnnnnnnannn narrar rr rr 40 Dissolved Oxygen RAI tr Ra 41 Dissolved Oxygen Calibration 10000000000 42 Dissolved Oxygen Probe Maintainence 0ococcccocccconcnnoncna ronca nennen 43 PROGRAMMING OUTLETS 5 enini ons uaunp a uuu sdaES s EEUMEFEEEEEERN RENI REESE VEUNE FEN EN EE 44 Default DOI 44 Programming with WIZSFEGS ores eeu ea 44 AE ER EIS HT ODE 44 PUMP os EERRERRRERRRRRSRANRRERERKRRERERREDRARERRARA RR MM RPNI RA RNERAR RM E PRAE R UR DRE RR RENMURE NER 45 o SAT 45 COM c A da 45 Sn COMIVON o RE 46 ORP CONTON asas osos ds 46 Editing Outlet Programming daa 47 Advanced Progratmitrmilibg zd e eua eoe ee td eate met e eedem tes elected 47 Virtual Outlets ES 49 Order OROPESA NEC ER ETE O ao 50 Repeat Intet val A A A 51 Programming with Hysteresis iiseeu usa eer saa eM esa eva as 52 Set POINTS aaa 52 MINIMUM TIME era EVER ERA i aAA AAE EAA EAA AA EA A EAE ARAA ETA 52 DP PR RARA 53 Programming Alarms and Warnings cars 53 Triggering alarms or events on Power Outages ssssssserrsssssssssnnnnrnnrrrrens 54 Sample Alarm Email oso rs O RRA RRA 55 Switch Inputs A AA 56 Identifying Ports and Switches on Expansion Modules seen 57 Seasonal POD AM
21. choose the port you wish to configure press Select then use the up down arrow keys to select on off for that port press Save when done or Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface In order for the Dissolved Oxygen probe to read correctly the altitude of the probe must be set To set the altitude of your system Apex Display Setup DO Setup Altitude use the up down arrow keys to set your system altitude to the nearest 100 feet press OK when done or Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface In order for the Dissolved Oxygen probe to read correctly the salinity of your system must be entered To set the salinity of your system Apex Display Setup DO Setup Salinity use the up down arrow keys to set your system salinity press OK when done or Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface DISSOLVED OXYGEN RANGE The PM3 supports 2 dissolved ranges as described in the table below Range Units Description Page 41 AquaController Apex MNEPTUNE SAT O to 200 Percent of dissolved oxygen in the water column 100 indicates a saturated DO level PPM 0 0 to The parts million of oxygen in the 20 0 ppm water column Table 3 Dissolved Oxygen Range Options NOTE If the dissolved oxygen range is changed don t forget to update outlet prog
22. default 25 field and type the appropriate port number press the Update Network Settings button to save changes From Address Apex Display System Email Setup From address use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the From Address field and type the appropriate email address press the Update Network Settings button to save changes Page 15 AquaController Apex D N L L N N PTUN E F JN E To Address Apex Display System Email Setup To address use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the To Address field and type the appropriate email address press the Update Network Settings button to save changes Alternate To Address Apex Display System Email Setup Alt to address use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the To Address field and type the appropriate email address press the Update Network Settings button to save changes Email retransmit delay This is the period of time in minutes between re sending alarm emails when alarm co
23. done PROGRAMMING WITH PROFILES The AquaController Apex has 4 variable 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 information on editing outlet programs in Advanced Mode Once the Profiles have been defined use the command below to assign the active Profile to a variable speed outlet Set PF1 Replace PF1 with the name of the Profile you wish to use on the outlet This will run the variable speed port with Profile PF1 Profiles can also be set with conditional commands like If Outlet Light1 ON Then PF2 If Time 2 00 to 2 10 Then PF4 If FeedA Then PF6 You can also turn off variable speed ports using standard OFF commands like IF Outlet Light1 OFF Then OFF If FeedB Then OFF NOTE When the variable stopped port is set off using a command like these the port will be completely off it will not use the Minimum speed setting of any Profile DISPLAY SETUP The Apex Display features an attractive backlit graphic display and buttons to program and operate the AquaController Apex system and to monitor the status Page 64 AquaController Apex ANETE of the aquarium The Apex Display can be configured with 4 different Status Screens each of which can be configured to display tank time tank parameters measured be probes pH1 pH2 ORP Temp etc as well as the status of
24. monitor your system The measurements from these probes can be displayed on the Apex Display Module and Web Interface The measurements from these probes can be used to control your system and alert you of problems through email alerts or audible alarms see the section titled Programming Alarms and Warnings in the Programming Outlets section for more information on setting up email alerts and audible alarms TEMPERATURE PROBE SETUP A port to connect a temperature probe is included on the Apex Base Module and on several of the Apex system expansion modules Setup and configuration of Page 28 AquaController Apex bj NEPTUNE these temperature probes is the same for all probes on the system The Base Module temperature probe will be identified as Temp the probe on the PX1000 Probe Expansion as TempA TempB and so on and probes on Apex Probe Modules PM1 PM2 etc as TmpX3 TmpX4 and so on The temperature probes are connected to the port labeled Temp on the base or expansion module Simply push the probe cable plug into the port until the plug clicks into place To remove the plug push down on the tab and gently pull the plug out of the port A WARNING Do not remove the rubber cap from the tip of the temperature probe or damage to the probe will occur All probes should be rinsed in clean tap water before placing in the aquarium Place the temperature probe in an area with high flow that is continuously w
25. 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 command is used to control outlets based on the time of day If Time 08 10 to 14 30 Then ON In this example the outlet will be on between 8 10 AM and 2 30 PM Syntax If Time FF FF to SS SS then Y FF FF the time in 24 hour format when the outlet should be true SS SS the time in 24 hour format when the outlet should be false Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off Page 95 AquaController Apex bs NEPTUNE MINIMUM TIME The Minimum Time command will keep an outlet in the on or off state for a minimum amount of time To use this command specify the amount of time you would like it to be in effect and whether you want it to keep the outlet off or on Both a Minimum on and a minimum off time can be specified on a given outlet Min Time 010 Then OFF In this example the outlet will be kept in the off state for a minimum of 10 minutes Syntax Min 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 off This is typically used to perform wave maker functions OSC 010 00 015 00 05 00 Then ON In this example the outlet will be off for 10 minutes on for 15 min
26. simulate the seasonal variations that occur in nature These require programming the outlet in advanced mode see the section titled Advanced Programming 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 adjustments features of the AquaController Apex To view the Seasonal Table Apex Display This option not available from the Apex Display Web Interface Season Table select the month you wish to view from the drop down box near the bottom of the page and click Refresh to update the table SEASONAL TEMPERATURE VARIATION The AquaController Apex and vary the temperature based on the typical temperatures from a reef at 15 north latitude called Regional Temperature or RT The temperature will get as low as 75 degrees in February and as high as 80 5 in August To enable this feature replace the insert the code RT 0 in temperature commands in Advanced Programming mode The 0 is used as the offset from the Regional Temperature and can be a positive or negative number 71 2 2 0 etc The Regional Temperature code can be used in all commands and situations where temperature is concerned For example the following commands could be used on the heater outlet If Temp lt RT 0 3 Then ON If Temp gt RT 0 2 then OFF Page 58 AquaController Apex MNEPTUNE This will turn the heater outlet on when the Temp pr
27. state AUTO Manual ON Manual OFF indefinitely until changed by you GRAPHING The AquaController Apex can display graphs of the various probe values over time These graphs are helpful in viewing trends and determining if conditions are normal or askew The Data Logs collected by the AquaController are used to generate the graphs Therefore increasing or decreasing the Logging interval see the section titled Log Interval for information on changing the Log interval Page 72 AquaController Apex P YS EM CS will have an impact on the resolution of the graphs The AquaController Apek can 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 73 AquaController Apex x lt NEP TUNE SYSTEMS To view Graphs Apex Display Data Log Graph will display the first graph for the current day Press the up down arrows to change the graph displayed Temp pH ORP AMP etc Push the left right arrows to change the day that is graphed NOTE When a day in the future is selected from the Apex Display a blank graph will be displayed Web Interface Graphs the Web Interface will open the last graph viewed as the page is loaded You can select a day to view by typing in the date in the Date field 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 t
28. tank above 80 before the heater will turn off The time it takes to heat the aquarium 3 degrees will significantly reduce the number of on off cycles MINIMUM TIME Page 52 AquaController Apex pd NEPTUNE The Minimum Time command will keep an outlet in the on or off state fora minimum amount of time For example in the Light Wizard when the light is turned off because the tank temperature rose above the Off Temp the Minimum Time command is used to keep the lights off for a minimum of 30 minutes to prevent the light outlet from being switched on and off rapidly when the temperature is hovering around the set point See Appendix 3 Programming Reference for more information on the Minimum Time command DEFER The Defer command will defer turning on or off an outlet for a period of time Take the float switch example above when the switch position to fill the tank is encountered the Defer command can delay turning on the automatic top off pump until the switch is continuously in the fill position for a certain amount of time to ensure the level has dropped sufficiently See Appendix 3 Programming Reference 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 programmed to switch outlets on in the case of an alarm condition Programming the alarm and warning set points is similar to using the A
29. timers time of day switch levels etc Each variable speed port can be programmed to use a different Profile or they all can use the same Profile it is up to you Be default variable port 1 uses Profile 1 variable speed port 2 uses Profile 2 etc The Apex system features 2 different types of Profiles pump and ramp Page 61 AquaController Apex NEP TUNE pel YS ITEMS PUMP PROFILE TYPE The Pump Profile is typically used to oscillate the speed of a pump from one speed to a higher speed and back Popular use of this feature is to create resonant or chaotic waves in larger tanks depending on if the waves are synchronized or not The Pump Profile uses the Minimum Intensity setting to specify the speed of the pump when set off by the Profile and the Maximum Intensity setting to specify the speed of the pump when set on by the Profile When the pump is turned off by a line of program code like If FeedA then OFF the pump will be totally off the Minimum Intensity setting is not used The pump Profile contains the following parameters Synchronize when enabled 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 waves through constructive interference with pumps on either side of the tank Divide by 10 when enabled all times in the Profile are divided by 10 i e 56 seconds becomes
30. toggle between ON and OFF Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface Page 70 AquaController Apex PEST mc z Z vf USING THE AQUACONTROLLER APEX VIEWING STATUS Status Screens can be viewed from both the Apex Display and the Web Interface The information shown on the Status Screens are edited according to the instructions in the section titled Edit Status Screens The 4 dots in the upper right corner of the Apex Display screen indicate which of the 4 Status Screens is currently displayed On the screen shown in Figure 8 Home Screen Display you can see the 4 dots in the upper right corner indicating this is Status Screen 4 O00 o 8 Figure 8 Home Screen Display To select the Status screen to view Apex Display Home the home screen on the Apex display 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 the Status Display you wish to view All Status displays the status of all probes and outlets on the Apex system The 4 Status Screens on the Web Interface display the same information as the 4 Status Screens that are viewed from the Apex Display MANUAL CONTROL The AquaController Apex provides an easy way to override the AquaController Apex program for outlets configured on the system You may wish to do this to turn an item off to perform main
31. type the default gateway press the Update Network Settings button to save changes To set the Secondary DNS optional Apex Display System Net Setup Alt DNS Server use the up down arrows to change the number of the highlighted character use the left right arrows to select the character to change when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in the Secondary DNS server box and type the default gateway press the Update Network Settings button to save changes A WARNING Incorrectly changing the IP configuration 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 Base Module hostname is the friendly name used to address the Apex Web Interface The default value is apex You can either keep the default or choose a hostname more fitting to your system To change the Apex hostname Apex Display System Net Setup Host Name use the up down arrows to select the appropriate letters and the left right arrows to select the digit to change when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in the Hostname box and type the hostname press the Update Network Settings button to save changes NOTE Hostnames are not case sensitive although you can configure the hostname with upper and lower case letters Hostnames are limited to 15 digits do not
32. 1 ENE Y Bab ara ad 21 Probe uie CU Sd Ia bic ceceeneed terete 21 Probe MOdUlS 2 osoesscuber spese treni ERE RRRIUPIIDPR SERIA Nes 23 Probe Module 3 sce Wee eA A ERN NERR es 23 Updating AquaBus Modules iii rs 23 Delete a Apex Mod le usais sia olaaa 23 Rename an Apex MOdule cccccccscecesceeeeeeeseeeeseeenaseeseeenseeeneetnaneteanensaennaes 23 Configure an Apex Module scacsescaacemedecad sino aaa aaads 24 LEGACY MODULE SETUP 55d ouinvsavEsusuxsouEssuuseduesuavsdavEuuxadPEEV a FRTEE VENERE Ee ERREUR 24 Addressing Legacy Modules eeessseeseseeee ene annee anm nnns 24 Connecting Legacy Modules ai 25 Adding Legacy Modules to the Apex SysteM occoccccccccncccnannnnnnannnn rra rn nn 25 A EE 25 Adding Legacy Outlets ori roo n 26 Deleting Legacy Outlets 0000 id es 26 Probe Expansion PX 1000 da eu E Pu Ico E qu ood quies a uS exe fedora 28 PROBE SETUP as 28 Temperature Probe SCIP anciano aio cda 28 Temperature Probe Calibration ooccooccccccoconccaccnnncnonann naar nnne n 29 Temperature Probe Maintenance seesssseeeseee nennen nnne anne nmn 30 DH PROBE Set p M Em 30 Ph Probe Calibration ics cewek eae ENa 31 pH Probe MaltendNCE iii ERSRYEUX EAR XUI YRIDYERNERVREENXAS 33 ORP Probe Set D rriei ed doo E 33 ORP Probe Calibration ardid 34 ORP Probe Maintenance acoisionioisioi iia ios os io e a acota pide bae 37 Conductivity Probe Setup Optional lo 37 Conductivity Range ii A A A 38
33. CY OUTLETS Follow the instructions in this section to add a single Legacy Outlet for use with X10 modules or to be used as a Virtual Outlet The X10 Outlet must be set to a unique address in the system it must not conflict with other legacy outlets on the system To Add an X10 Outlet to the system Apex Display Setup Outlet Setup Add Outlet use the up down arrows to highlight the item to change Name use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Icon use the up down arrows to select the icon to be displayed on the Status Screens when done press OK Addr use the up down arrows to select the X10 address configured for this module When done push Save to save changes and add the X10 Outlet Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface DELETING LEGACY OUTLETS Follow the instructions in this section to delete a single Legacy Outlet To Delete an X10 Outlet to the system Apex Display Setup Outlet Setup Delete Outlet use the up down arrows to highlight the outlet to delete push Select push OK to confirm Page 26 AquaController Apex x SYSTEMS Web Interface Configuration Module Setup in the Delete Outlet box near the middle of the page select the outlet to delete from the dropdown box click the Delete Outlet button Page 27 AquaController Apex D N N E N N
34. E Temperature probes do not need maintenance other than cleaning on an infrequent basis To clean the probe gently brush the probe with a soft brush to remove any debris Rinse the probe in tap water Soaking the probe in acids vinegar solution is not typically needed but can be used to dissolve calcium build up PH PROBE SETUP A port to connect a pH probe is included on the Apex Base Module Apex Lite Base Module and on Probe Module 1 The ORP port on the Apex Base Module can be configured as a second pH port if needed Setup and configuration of these pH ports and calibration of the connected probes is the same for all 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 on and probes on Apex Probe Module 1 PM1 as pHx3 pHx4 and so on The pH probe is connected to the port labeled pH on the base module If using the ORP port on the Apex Base Module for pH or the port on Probe Module 1 the probe will be connected to the port labeled pH ORP Push the BNC female connector on to the male connector and turn turn clockwise to lock the connector place To remove the probe turn Y turn counter clockwise and gently pull the connector straight off the base module Remove the cap from the pH probe and discard the solution in the cap All new probes should be rinsed in clean tap wat
35. M irr e menaa E seca PPM I RAE EREADER 58 Seasonal Temperature Variation eesssseeessssee eene nnns 58 Seasonal Lighting AUSt Mesina 59 Moon Light tl E 60 Programming Feed TIMES citas dd 60 Variable Speed Port Programming isa 61 PUMp Profile Type is ii A A 62 Ramp Profile Type canina a 63 Editing Profiles A A AA 63 Programming with drei AAA AA 64 DISPLAY SETUP socio a A AA AS VR c RR RR a 64 Edit Status SCreens ae ii a 65 e the Display a a sen coecall ac 65 Daytime and Nighttime Display Brightness eesseeen nmn 66 Display Eomtrastanian eres ciega elisa eun cesi eU a SEMEN RSS E EDU e Suen tun Leu ce C 67 SOUND SETUP e M ini 70 USING THE AQUACONTROLLER APEX esee nennen nnnm nan nne 71 VIEWING StatUS iocis ans ro ya O 71 Manual Controls A Equus DS Id IS D oa cede due 71 Graphing mE 72 Feed Timer Operation op EE ERR WwW 75 LOGGING iii dd A da SERERE 75 Log Interval 120 EAR XRERXROKRRADER A steed ee 76 Data LOG M wets e eben ewes tedaensaekeeen saan eieusnee Sh E E E seek E Ea EAN a 76 POWER Fall Eo eM P ER EU E 10 UT TU TIU 76 INITIALIZE MEMORY ui ess exuk erase zu s puae UEM EUER EUENEEREEEKMREREERER ERE ana 77 SELF TEST e M 78 LOAD SAVE CONFIGURATION oe ennne nennen annu annua annua nanus 78 MME l ree 79 UPDATING FIRMWARE isis cccisicind cade dicsctcndieneidadnsccived
36. OFF SndAlm lt System Outlet gt If Outlet Sump_High ON Then ON If pH gt 8 60 Then ON other alarm commands EmailAlm System Outlet Page 101 AquaController Apex by NEPTUNE If Outlet Sump_High ON Then ON If pH gt 8 60 Then ON other alarm commands The 3 additions to the basic ATO example are in bold The command inserted at the end of the ATO Outlet Program will override the status of the ATO outlet and turn it off when pH has risen above 8 50 The other 2 additions will send an email and sound an audible alarm when the pH rises above 8 60 ALTERNATING PUMPS The AquaController Apex can be used to simulate the tide in an aquarium This can be accomplished by having two power heads at opposite ends of the aquarium which are alternately 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 Pump1 Outlet is where Pump 1 is connected Pump2 Outlet is where Pump 2 is connected Outlet Programs Pump1 Real Outlet Fallback On If Time 00 00 to 06 00 Then ON If Time 06 00 to 12 00 Then OFF If Time 12 00 to 18 00 Then ON If Time 18 00 to 00 00 Then OFF Pump2 Real Outlet Fallback On If Time 00 00 to 06 00 Then OFF If Time 06 00 to 12 00 Then ON If Time 12 00 to 18 00 Then OFF If Time 18 00 to 00 00 Then ON This program will alternately power Pump 1 and Pump 2
37. Programming Order of Operation ORP Calibration 31 Probe Maintainence 33 Probe Setup 30 Programming Reference 80 Programming Wizard 41 OSC 85 Oscillate 85 Outlet 81 pH Page 110 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE Calibration 28 Probe Maintainence 30 Probe Setup 27 Programming Reference 81 Programming Wizard 41 PM2 33 Calibration 35 PM3 36 Calibration 38 Port Web Interface 12 Power 82 Power Fail Log 67 Probe Expansion 1000 See PX 1000 Probe Module 1 20 Probe Module 2 21 Probe Module 3 21 Profiles 56 57 58 Programming Advanced 42 Alarms and Warnings 48 Command Referance 78 Default Program 39 86 Editing Outlet 42 Feed Timers 54 79 Hysteresis 47 Order of Operation 45 Outlets 39 Profiles 56 57 58 Seasonal 52 Triggering on power events 49 Variable Speed Ports 55 Virtual Outlets 44 Wizard 39 Programming Examples Alternating Pumps 91 Automatic Top Off 87 Kalk Top Off 89 Resonant Waves 93 Sequenced Pumps 92 Variable Speed Pumps 94 96 Pump Wizard 40 PX 1000 25 Reboot See Restart Repeat Interval 46 Restart 13 Restore Configuration 69 Save Configuration 69 Seasonal See Also Programming Seasonal Moon 54 80 Sun 53 83 Temperature 53 Self Test 69 Set Command 86 Setup Administrator Credentials 12 Apex Module Setup 20 Base System Initial Connections 5 Clock Setup 18 Conductivity 33 Conductivity Calibration 35 Configuring the Apex to be Ac
38. This option is not available from the Web Interface NOTE Do not set the Repeat Interval too frequent as the excess communication on the Control bus legacy devices can interfere with normal operation especially on larger systems PROGRAMMING WITH HYSTERESIS Consider a heater outlet that is programmed to turn on the heater when below 80 degrees and turn it off at temperatures above 80 degrees When the temperature is hovering around the set point of 80 degrees the heater could potentially 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 surface raise the float switch up and down when the water level is right at the float s set point the switch can rapidly open and close causing the automatic top off pump to rapidly turn on and off The AquaController provides several programming methods to avoid the unnecessary stress on controlled equipment by programming with hysteresis SET POINTS The simplest method to add hysteresis to your programming is to use set points that avoid the possibility of rapid on off outputs Take the temperature example simply programming the heater to come on at temperatures over 80 0 and turn off at temperatures below 79 7 will require that the aquarium temperature to drop below 79 7 before turning the heater on The heater will then have to raise the temperature of the
39. aController Apex RECTE 4 Place the Conductivity probe into the calibration solution Wait for the numbers on the bottom of the LCD screen to stop changing When the display stops changing press the select button 5 The conductivity probe should now be properly calibrated NOTE Many conductivity calibration solutions do not have the same ionic composition as salt water so using a refractometer to measure the salinity of the calibration solution is not valid For example the Neptune 53 0 mS cm conductivity calibration standard will not have a salinity of 35 PPT or a specific gravity of 1 0259 Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface CONDUCTIVITY PROBE 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 gently brush the sides and tip of the probe with a soft brush to remove any debris Rinse the probe in tap water Soaking the probe in acid vinegar or alkali borax solution to remove mineral deposits is not typically needed but can be used to try and bring back an old probe that has stopped working DISSOLVED OXYGEN SETUP OPTIONAL A port to connect a Dissolved Oxygen probe is included on the optional expansion Probe Module 3 PM3 The Dissolved Oxygen probe will be identified as DOx3 DOx4 etc The number in the probe identifier corresponds to the AquaBus numbe
40. address can and will change from time to time which can cause problems with accessing the Apex from outside the home network Therefore if you plan on accessing the AquaController Apex from outside the home network it is best to assign the AquaController Base Module a fixed or static IP address You can either configure your home router DHCP server to assign the Apex the same IP address all the time see your router documentation for a feature called IP reservations or continue with manual network configuration in the section titled Manual Network Configuration Optional otherwise continue with the section titled Automatic Network Configuration default The yellow LED indicator on the Apex Base module Ethernet port indicates there is power to the network module The green LED indicates the presence of Ethernet Link layer connection AUTOMATIC NETWORK CONFIGURATION DEFAULT The AquaController Apex ships with Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DHCP enabled This allows the Apex base module to automatically acquire a network IP Page 7 AquaController Apex ANS address from the network to which it is connected if DHCP is enabled on the network which is common for home networks Soon after system startup the Apex base module will request IP configuration from the DCHP server and configure itself with that information Once configured the Apex Web Interface can be accessed by typing the following URL into a compatible web browser from
41. ains any tile you control don t want displayed You can t delete tiles but you 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 When you do the Unused Tiles tile will appear along with an option to save Simply drag tiles around until you are satisfied with the look Then save Note that with your probe tiles there will be a small wrench in the right corner This gives you additional options If you click the wrench it will toggle between expanded and compressed mode In expanded mode you get the current probe reading and a graph of recent probe data In the compressed mode you simply get the current probe reading Probe tiles can consume a fair amount of space and this gives you flexibility in what you want to see EMBEDDING STREAMING VIDEO Unused Tiles The Dashboard has a special tile that is blank in the Unused Y Tiles This tile can be configured with a URL of any web cam B Set Video URL E that can stream video in a MJPEG format with Local http 192 168 1 42 img video mjpeg Remote http myhomecamera_Dyndns com img video mjpeg a URL USB web cams typically can t stream Sav video out to the internet You ll need to get an IP enabled web cam To configure an IP Camera simply drag the blank tile to the position on your palette that you want the video to appear
42. at the top of the screen indicates Delete Statement push Select to Delete the command push Save to save changes or Exit to discard changes Insert New Command Before the highlighted command use the up down arrows to highlight and existing command near where you would like to insert the new command push the left right arrows until the command displayed at the top of the screen indicates Insert Before push Select to insert a new command before the highlighted command use the up down arrows to select the command you wish to add push Select to move to the next parameter use the up down arrows to change the parameter repeat until all parameters are set push Save to save changes or Exit to discard changes Insert New Command After the highlighted command use the up down arrows to highlight and existing command near where you would like to insert the new command push the left right arrows until the command displayed at the top of the screen indicates Insert After push Select to insert a new command after the highlighted command use the up down arrows to select the command you wish to add push Select to move to the next parameter use the up down arrows to change the parameter Page 48 AquaController Apex pe NEPTUNE repeat until all parameters are set push Save to save changes or Exit to discard changes Web Interface Configuration Outlet Setup in the Outlet box near the top of the page select the outlet to edit from the dropd
43. available AquaBus port on the entire AquaBus system The order modules are connected is not important and the AquaBus is plug and play meaning you do not need to power down the system to connect a new module The entire length of the AquaBus should be kept to a maximum of 200 feet A WARNING NEVER plug standard USB devices into any AquaBus connector or AquaBus accessories into computer USB ports Damage to the AquaBus accessory and or USB device may result Plug the included Ethernet cable into the port labeled Ethernet on the Apex Base Module and into an available port on your Ethernet hub switch or router A WARNING Be sure to plug the Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port and not into the variable speed ports or damage to the AquaController Base Module may occur Plug the Temperature Probe in to the port labeled Temp on the Apex Base Module and place the other end of the Temperature Probe in the aquarium water in an area of medium to high flow to ensure an accurate reading Connect the pH probe optional accessory to the port labeled pH on the Apex Base Module Push the BNC female connector on to the male connector and turn 4 turn clockwise to lock the connector in place Connect the ORP probe optional accessory to the port labeled pH ORP on the Apex Base Module Push the BNC female connector on to the male connector and turn turn clockwise to lock the connector in place ORP Probe not available on Apex Lite Plug the EnergyBa
44. avings Time Select to view the time in 12 or 24 hour format Apex Display System Clock Setup 12 24 Hr push the Select button to toggle between 12 and 24 hour formats Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface The Leap Seconds allows you to fine tune the accuracy of the AquaController Apex clock The number programmed into the AquaController Apex indicates how Page 20 AquaController Apex ADEPTY many seconds to adjust the internal clock per day For example if the clock is gaining 1 5 seconds per day a value of 1 5 would be entered to offset this inaccuracy The AquaController Apex uses this value to slow its time down by 1 5 seconds each day To set the Leap Second adjustment Apex Display System Clock Setup Leap Second use the up down arrows to set the Leap Seconds per day either positive or negative leap seconds when done press OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface APEX MODULE SETUP All Apex modules connect to the system through the AquaBus Once connected they are automatically detected and added to the system configuration All Apex modules are upgraded using the steps and directions found in the section titled Updating Firmware To connect a new Apex Module to the system plug one end of the AquaBus cable into an available AquaBus port on the system and the other end into the new Apex Module Power and communication signals are passed through the Aq
45. be changed to something you can remember to protect your system from unauthorized access To update the Administrator Login name Apex Display System Net Setup Admin Login use the up down arrows to change the character of the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the digit to change when done press OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface To update the Administrator Password Apex Display System Net Setup Admin Password use the up down arrows to change the character of the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the digit to change when done press OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface Page 13 AquaController Apex NEPTUNE NOTE Web Interface Credentials are only editable from the Apex Display Module A WARNING The Web Interface Credentials can be viewed and changed from the Apex Display Module If the Apex Display Module is in a non secure area the Apex Display should be secured with a Display Password see the section titled Locking the Display for more information RESTART THE APEX OPTIONAL In some cases resetting the AquaController Apex is needed for settings to take effect The Restart function can be use as opposed to power cycling the Apex System This option is only available from the Apex Display Module To Restart the Apex system Apex Display System Net Setup Restart push the Select Bu
46. cessible from the Internet 17 Display 58 Dissolved Oxygen 36 Dissolved Oxygen Calibration 38 Email Setup 13 Hostname 11 Network Automatic 7 Manual 9 Network Setup 7 ORP 30 ORP Calibration 31 pH Calibration 28 pH Probe 27 Physical Installation 5 Page 111 AquaController Apex pd NEPTUNE Probe Setup 25 Setup Overview 4 Sound 61 Switch Inputs 50 Temperature 25 Temperature Calibration 26 Variable Speed Ports 55 Web Interface Port 12 Sound 61 Status 62 Status Screen 59 62 Sun See If Sun Support 97 Switch Input Identifying 52 Pinouts 50 Programming Example 87 Programming Reference 83 Telnet 97 Temperature Calibration 26 Probe Maintainence 27 Probe Setup 25 Programming Reference 84 Time 84 Programming Reference 85 Troubleshooting Email Troubleshooting 16 Firmware Updates 74 General Information 97 Self Test 69 Update Firmware 70 User Name 12 Variable Speed Ports 55 Virtual Outlets See Programming Virtual Outlets Warning See Programming Alarms and Warnings Web Interface Port 12 X10 23 24 Wizard 39 NEPTUNE SYSTEMS LIMITED WARRANTY Neptune Systems warrants this product to be free from defects in material and workmanship for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase Probes carry a 90 day warranty If repair or adjustment is necessary and has not been the result of abuse misuse or accidental damage within the 1 year period please return the pr
47. ch name corresponds to the AquaBus address assigned to the probe module The second number corresponds to the switch input number 1 6 A WARNING Do not apply voltage to the switch inputs or damage to the AquaController Apex may occur Figure 6 Switch Input Connector Pin Description Number 1 Input 1 2 Input 2 3 Input 3 4 Input 4 5 Input 5 6 Input 6 7 Reserved Page 56 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE 8 Ground Table 4 Switch Input Connector Pin out The pin out of the connector is shown in Figure 6 Switch Input Connector Connect switches to the AquaController Apex by connecting one wire from the mechanical switch to the ground pin pin 8 and the other wire from the switch to one of the six digital inputs pin 1 6 Connections can be easily made using a Neptune I O Breakout box available at your local Neptune Retailer The breakout box features spring loaded connectors to make connections easy without tools or soldering The Apex and accessory inputs are TTL level 5V inputs with internal pull up resistors With nothing connected the switch inputs will indicate OPEN Logic 1 5V When connected to Ground Pin 8 the switch will indicate CLOSED Logic O OV NOTE If a Legacy Port Expansion PX1000 is connected to the Apex Base Module inputs 3 4 5 and 6 are not available However the PX 1000 includes 6 additional inputs Switch Inputs are programm
48. changes in tank temperature To enable disable this feature Apex Display Setup pH Setup Temp Comp Off Press Select to toggle temperature compensation on and off Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface NOTE If temperature compensation is to be used on Probe Expansion or Probe Modules a temperature probe must be connected and enabled on that module PH PROBE CALIBRATION pH probes need to be calibrated to perform properly The following procedure should be repeated periodically to keep your pH reading accurate as pH probes tend to drift out of calibration over time As the pH probe ages it will drift out of calibration very quickly or may not be capable of being calibrated at all If this occurs it will be necessary to replace the pH probe NOTE If you wish to use the automatic temperature compensation feature you should enable it before calibrating your pH probes In this case it is important for the calibration solution to be at the same temperature as the temperature probe at calibration time Page 31 AquaController Apex pe NEPTUNE The Apex system uses a 2 point calibration system which results in very accurate readings between the 2 points and less accurate readings outside the points Choose the calibration solutions based on the range of pH the probe is expected to read See the table below for recommended calibration solutions Expected Low High Range Solution Solution Fre
49. connecting to standard networks for web configuration control and monitoring Probe port for monitoring pH with a pH probe Temperature port Two AquaBus connectors for easy expansion and flexible cabling options I O Port for connecting PX 1000 or the Breakout box for 6 digital inputs Control Port for connecting DC8 DC4 DC4HD AquaSurf or Lunar Simulator Alternate power port can provide backup power in case the EnergyBar s lose power so email alarms can be sent status and logs can be viewed on the Apex Display Page 1 AquaController Apex bd NEPTUNE Clock program and calibration settings are backed up in the case of a power outage AquaController Apex Base Unit Physical Features All AquaController Apex Lite features Probe port for monitoring ORP or it 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 selectable tones for warning and alarm User adjustable contrast and brightness settings Backlight can be dimmed at night Long integrated AquaBus cable for flexible mounting Power and signal provided through AquaBus cable Mounting key holes for easy attachment to wall or stand Compact size 3 40 x 4 05 x 0 65 Graphic Display Contextual Buttons Navigation Arrows UN Figure 1 Apex Display Module functions EnergyBar 8 Physical Features 8 Independent
50. d only required if Email Authentication is enabled Apex Display System Email Setup User password use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the User password field and type the appropriate user password press the Update 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 verify end to end operation of all components needed to send email alarms Apex Display System Email Setup Email test push the Select button to send a test message Web Interface Configuration Network setup click the checkbox next to Email test press the Update Network Settings button to send a test message EMAIL TROUBLESHOOTING If emails are not working follow these steps to debug Telnet into the AquaController In the start gt run box of your PC type telnet 192 168 1 50 replace 192 168 1 50 with the host name or IP address of your Apex Base Module Login to the AquaController using the controller s login and password default login is admin and the password is 1234 Once logged in via telnet you should see the AquaController gt prompt each time you press the enter key At the AquaController prompt type cons 1 maild Page 17 Aq
51. directly through email or phone APPENDIX 6 TELNET COMMANDS The telnet interface allows for the user to access the controller data through a text based user interface Telnet Commands 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 on XXX off XXX The list command will display all the defined outlet names and program statements This command is useful in debugging the program used by the AquaController Apex The current status command will display the current conditions in the aquarium It will also list the state of all the control modules The data log command will print to the telnet port the latest data logs in the Apex flash memory This command puts device XXX in manual mode and turns it on XXX is the outlet name Example on LT1 This command puts device XXX in manual mode and turns it off XXX is the outlet name Example off LT1 auto XXX This command puts device XXX into automatic module XXX is Page 108 the outlet name Example auto LT1 AquaController Apex INDEX Acronyms Table of Acronyms 3 Advanced Programming See Programming Advanced Alarm See Programming Alarms and Warnings Apex Module Setup 20 AquaBus Connections 6 Backup See Save Configuration Calibration Conductivity Probe 35 Dissolved Oxygen Probe 38 ORP Probe 31 pH Probe 28 Temperature 26 Chi
52. dvanced Programming mode for an outlet At the very beginning of the outlet program the following statement must be placed Set OFF This command initializes the alarm or warning outlet in the off state and will reset the alarm or warning outlet when the alarm condition subsides The Apex alarm outlets are as follows SndAlm I6 when this outlet is triggered the Apex Display will sound the Alarm tone as configured in the section titled Sound Setup SndWrn I7 when this outlet is triggered the Apex Display will sound the Warning tone as configured in the section titled Sound Setup EmailAlm I5 when this outlet is triggered the Apex system will send an alarm email to the email address s as configured in the section titled Email Setup Any Outlet when this outlet is triggered the outlet will power any item plugged in beeper lamp etc By default the following alarm trigger points have been programmed into the Email Alarm outlet Page 53 AquaController Apex RISE Set Off If Temp 82 0 Then ON If Temp 75 0 Then ON Theses statements will trigger an email to be sent when the temperature measured by probe Temp is greater than 82 or less than 75 Any statement can be added to the Email Alm I5 outlet Some common examples are listed below If pH 8 50 Then ON If pH 7 50 Then ON If ORP 410 Then ON If ORP 300 Then ON Defer 000 10 Then On You can use a Defer statement on the alarm to prevent sending or
53. e NOTE To configure the pH ORP port on an Apex Base Module to be used for ORP simply set ORP ON in the ORP Enable menu Similarly to configure the pH ORP port on a Port Module 1 to be used for an ORP probe simply set ORPx3 ORPx4 etc to the ON setting in the ORP Enable menu ORP PROBE CALIBRATION ORP probes do not need to be calibrated to operate properly they should operate normally for the life of the probe without calibration However the AquaController Apex includes the ability to perform a 2 point calibration if desired Page 34 AquaController Apex NETAS Special calibration solution must be made from standard pH 4 0 and 7 0 calibration solution by dissolving Quinhydrone powder in the solutions Simply dissolve Quinhydrone powder into the 4 0 and 7 0 solutions until the powder no longer dissolves Adding too much powder does not harm anything it just wastes the powder To calibrate an ORP probe 1 2 ES Create the ORP 4 0 and 7 0 solutions as described above From the Apex Display open the ORP calibration menu Setup ORP Setup ORP Calibrate If you have more than one ORP probe enabled on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the probe you wish to calibrate press Select or OK Remove the ORP probe to be calibrated from the tank rinse it in tap water gently shake the excess water off the probe and place the probe in the 7 0 Quinhydrone Calibration Solution Periodically swirl the probe
54. e satisfied with your selections click the Update Display button at the bottom of the screen to save your changes Repeat this process for the other Status Screens NOTE The outlets and probes that appear in the lists are automatically updated when you add or remove outlets or probes Therefore you may need to edit the Status Screens when system changes are made LOCKING THE DISPLAY The AquaController Apex Display can be protected by the Display Lock When enabled users will have to unlock the display to access programming options The Apex Display will still show the status of the system and the feed timers can Page 65 AquaController Apex NEPTUNE be used when Display Lock is enabled When the Apex Display is locked and the Select button pressed you will be asked to enter the Display Password The default Display Lock password is xyz NOTE If the Display Lock Password is lost or forgotten the Apex system must be power cycled or re booted to gain access so the password can be reset To set the Display Lock Password Apex Display System Display Setup Display Password use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press 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 of
55. e Module as well Using commands from the Web Interface of the Apex Display you can easily update the Apex Module firmware through the AquaBus This means you don t have to tear your system apart to perform an update The Apex Flash Utility is used to update the firmware on the Base Module and must be run from a typical Microsoft Windows computer Follow the directions in the following section to prepare your computer to run the Apex Flash Utility NOTE Other computer platforms including Apple Macintosh OS 10 can be used to run the Apex Flash Utility See the Readme txt file included with the firmware download for more information PREPARING THE UPDATE 1 Install Microsoft Net framework version 3 5 a Downloaded the NET framework from Microsoft s site http www microsoft com downloads details aspx displaylang en amp F amilyID ab99342f 5d1a 413d 8319 81da479ab0d7 b Follow the directions from Microsoft to install the NET framework 2 Download the Apex firmware package a Go to http www neptunesys com b Open the Support tab c Click Downloads 3 Unzip the Apex firmware package to a folder on your PC a Make note of the folder you unzip the Apex firmware package b The Apex Flash Utility and the firmware package will be unzipped NOTE Newer versions of Microsoft Windows come with unzip utilities If you are running an older version of Microsoft Windows you may have to download and Page 80 AquaController Apex x SYSTEMS install a
56. e internal state of the outlet is different than the actual outlet state a control command is sent to the outlet and the actual outlet state is switched 3 Steps 1 amp 2 are continuously executed as fast as possible for all outlets configured on the AquaController Apex system Depending on the number of outlets and program complexity all outlet programs are usually executed 1 to 2 times per second REPEAT INTERVAL As described in the previous section titled Order of Operation the internal state of the outlet is not sent to switch the actual outlet each and every time the outlet program is executed it only sends the outlet update commands when the state of the outlet has changed In the remote possibility that an outlet misses a command for some reason the outlet may get out of sync with the state the Apex Base Module To remedy this condition the AquaController Apex is programmed to repeat the state of all outlets on a periodic basis The period between these updates is called the Repeat Interval Page 51 AquaController Apex ETE NOTE The repeat interval is only used for legacy control bus devices like the DC8 DC4HD etc AquaBus devices always have the correct outlet state once communication is restored To modify the Repeat Interval default is 5 minutes Apex Display Setup Outlet Setup Repeat Interval use the up down arrow keys to select the repeat interval press OK to save or Exit to discard changes Web Interface
57. e off before proceeding to the On Time minutes seconds On Time after the Initial Off Time expires this is the amount of time the pump should be On before proceeding to the 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 should turn off this pump A B C or D Feed timer delay the time after the Feed Timer expires before starting the pump back up HEATER The Heater Wizard is used to program heater outlets See the section titled Set Points in the Programming with Hysteresis section for help in choosing on and off set points The settings for this Wizard are Fallback the state the outlet should switch to if contact between the EnergyBar and base module is lost on or off Probe name the name of the temperature probe that should be used to control this outlet Temp TempA Tmpx3 etc On temperature the temperature at which the heater should turn On Off temperature the temperature at which the heater should turn Off CHILLER Page 45 AquaController Apex ANETE The Chiller Wizard is used to program chiller outlets See the section titled Set Points in the Programming with Hysteresis section for help in choosing on and off set points The settings for this Wizard are Fallback the state the outlet should switch to if contact between the EnergyBar and base module is
58. ed Timer will start and the display will count down the feed timer The Exit button can be pressed to continue the feed timer in the background and resume the display to normal operation Web Interface Status near the bottom of all the status pages select the Feed Timer to be activated from the Feed drop down box click the Feed button The Feed Timer will be executed in the background the Apex Display nor the Web Interface will provide a count down timer To Cancel the Feed Timers Apex Display Control Status Feed Cancel or from the Feed Timer display push the Cancel button The Feed Timer will be canceled and all outlets returned to their normal function as if the Feed Timer was never invoked Web Interface Status near the bottom of all the status pages click the Feed Cancel button The Feed Timer will be canceled and all outlets returned to their normal function as if the Feed Timer was never invoked LOGGING The AquaController Apex periodically saves status information for each activated probes on the system This information is used to create graphs and to track the history of your system The AquaController Apex will continue to save log entries until the log memory is full at which time the oldest log entry will be Page 75 AquaController Apex ONE 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 d
59. ed Control on the Apex Base Module If more than one legacy module is used it is daisy chained one to the next just as they were with previous AquaController systems Cables between devices should be less than 10 feet and neatly coiled and routed away from power cables ballasts and motors Maintain a drip loop in all cables ADDING LEGACY MODULES TO THE APEX SYSTEM All legacy modules except PX 1000 must be manually added to the Apex system Once added the appropriate number of outlets will be added to the system with default names and programming You can identify legacy module outlets by looking for the address listed at the end of the default outlet name Light1 A1 Light A2 etc The name and program for each outlet 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 the module to the Apex system as described in previous sections To add a Legacy Module to the system Apex Display Setup Module Setup Add Module use the up down arrows to highlight Type push Select use the up down arrows to choose the legacy module to add push Select press up down arrows to highlight Start Addr push select use the up down arrows to choose the starting address for the legacy module push Save to add the module or Exit to quit without saving Web Interface Configuration Module Setup in the Add Module
60. ed using the If Switch command For example if you wanted to turn a pump on when a float switch closes you would add this command to the pump outlet program If Switchi CLOSED Then ON See the section titled Appendix 3 Programming Reference and Appendix 4 Advanced Programming Examples for more information IDENTIFYING PORTS AND SWITCHES ON EXPANSION MODULES Probes and switches on AquaController Apex Base Modules are identified as pH ORP Temp Switch1 Switch2 etc Probes and switches on Apex Probe Modules PM1 PM2 etc are identified with and X and the AquaBus number assigned to the Probe Module For example pHx3 ORPx3 Tmpx3 and Switchx3 1 Switchx3 2 are probes and switches on the Probe Expansion assigned AquaBus number 3 pHx4 ORPx4 Tmpx4 and Switchx4 1 and SwitchX4 2 are probes and switches on the Probe Expansion assigned AquaBus number 4 Page 57 AquaController Apex bd NEPTUNE Probes and switches on legacy probe expansion PX 1000 are identified with ascending letters Probes and switches on the first legacy port expansion module are identified with an A the second expansion module with a B and so on For example pHA1 ORPA TempA and SwitchA1 are probes and switches on the first expansion module pHB1 ORPB TempB and SwitchB1 are probes and switches on the second expansion module and so on SEASONAL PROGRAMMING The AquaController Apex includes several advanced programming features that can help you closely
61. edsendedadnctiadedseidadienwades 80 Preparing the UPA avec esi ya dora seea y ate SY AREE SERRE eee 80 Updating the Apex Base Module Firmware csesessesen nnn 81 Updating the Apex Base Module Web Interface ooccccccccccccocnnnncnnnnnnna cn nnn 82 Upgrading Apex Modules custos oat e a eua nep MERE aaa a SEPA UNI Lon EDEN E Hoe 83 Troubleshooting when updating using the Apex Flash Utility Lss 84 APPENDIX 1 APEX DISPLAY MENU STRUCTURE nnn 86 APPENDIX 2 DISPLAY ICONS ee eseenn nennen annua nna n nean nna nn 88 APPENDIX 3 PROGRAMMING REFERENCE eene nnnm nnns 89 nte rM 89 Peer DAG o o CERES 89 br EEUU EE 90 TEM DON 91 IP ORP pie ewe RENE REESE EHE ERE EE SEO SEE EROR ECE NER SEE EUER RERO ME 91 E O A E EN 92 do E T E A A 92 O 93 Ig e a sta 94 IF SWIECI GS di ee wR AA 94 Ajo rus O MD UR 95 MIT RTT ILLNM 95 MINIMUM DIRITTO 96 scq ooo ic inde leks ihe oi tai io oia coher 96 Se ic i ep EUN ERE RAR eRe eas 97 APPENDIX 4 ADVANCED PROGRAMMING EXAMPLES 97 Default Prod Mission 97 Automatic TOP Offe cd REB NNUS 98 Kalkwasser Control a sro ree poteras Ee ae pee EE dae 100 Alternating PUMPS ooo QE NERIS Ta IAE I ERE ra M A AcRa a RE FA MU ER REA NM DICE 102 Sediehncecd PLUEmDS Sadei o ol pa dett aded 103 Resonant WaVe Siorr eiere A AA Mob I t psu ais 104
62. er before placing in the aquarium Place the pH probe in an area with high flow that is continuously wet not an overflow that may drain dry for example Maintain a drip loop in the wire back to the Apex Base or Probe Module A WARNING We do not recommend fully submerging the pH probe as this will cause the probe to fail prematurely Page 30 AquaController Apex EET NOTE Do not let the tip of the pH probe dry out as damage to the probe will result If you are not using your pH probe for an extended period of time make sure the tip is submerged in Probe Storage solution at all times If storage solution is not available tap water can be used RODI water should not be used To enable pH probes Apex Display Setup pH Setup pH Enable If you have more than one pH port on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the port you wish to configure press Select then use the up down arrow keys to select on off for that port press Save when done or Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface NOTE To configure the pH ORP port on an Apex Base Module to be used for pH simply set pH2 ON in the pH Enable menu Similarly to configure the pH ORP port on a Probe Expansion or Probe Module to be used for a pH probe simply set pHA pHB pHx3 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
63. et not an overflow that may drain dry 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 use the up down arrow keys to choose the port you wish to configure press Select then use the up down arrow keys to select on off for that port press Save when done or Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface To display Temperature in Fahrenheit or Celsius Apex Display Setup Temp Setup Temp Scale Fahrenheit Press Select to toggle between Fahrenheit and Celsius Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface TEMPERATURE PROBE CALIBRATION The AquaController Apex temperature probes have been calibrated at the factory and should not need to be calibrated However the AquaController Apex includes the ability to perform a calibration if desired To calibrate a Temperature probe Apex Display Setup Temp Setup Temp Calibrate If you have more than one Temperature probe enabled on your system use the up down Page 29 AquaController Apex RhEPTUNE arrow keys to choose the probe you wish to calibrate press Select then use the up down arrow keys to select the correct probe temperature press Select when done Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface TEMPERATURE PROBE MAINTENANC
64. etermines how frequently log entries are saved Setting the log interval too long can miss important events in the log like temperature or pH spikes Setting the interval too short will fill the Apex memory prematurely preventing the ability to see trends over time The default log interval is 10 minutes Acceptable settings are from 1 to 250 minutes To change the Log Interval Apex Display Data Log Log Interval use the up down arrows to change the log interval push OK to save changes Exit to cancel changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface DATA LOG The Data Log displays the raw data collected from each probe with the time stamp of the measurement This data can be viewed in 3 ways Apex Display Data Log Display Log Displays the data log on the Apex Display Web Interface XML XML Datalog lists the day s data log in XML format Web Interface Data Log select the day and length of log you wish to view from the selection boxes near the top of the page and click the Update Button to view the log Season table Apex Data Log Figure 11 Data Log POWER FAIL LOG Page 76 AquaController Apex All power failures to individual EnergyBars and Apex Base Modules are logged by the AquaController Apex The list of these failures can be found in the power fail log EP TUNE M To view the Power Fail Log Apex Display Data Log Power Fail Log Power L
65. f Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME DISPLAY BRIGHTNESS The AquaController Apex Display can automatically adjust the brightness of the display backlight according to the time of day This is helpful when the display backlight may be distracting at night To set the start and end of day Apex Display System Display Setup Set Daytime use the up down arrows to place the gt next to the Day Start or Day End and push the Select button Use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface To set the Day Brightness Apex Display System Display Setup Day Brightness use the up down arrows to choose a comfortable brightness to use during the day when done press OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface To set the Night Brightness Page 66 AquaController Apex x NEP TUNE SYSTEMS Apex Display System Display Setup Night Brightness use the up down arrows to choose a comfortable brightness to use during the day when done press OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface NOTE Both the Day and Night brightness is adjustable between 20 brightest and O backlight off All Apex Displays on the system share the same Day and Night brightness settings however
66. f the highlighted character use the left right arrows to select the character to change when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in the AquaController IP Address box and type the IP address press the Update Network Settings button to save changes To set the Subnet Mask Apex Display System Net Setup Netmask use the up down arrows to change the number of the highlighted character use the left right arrows to select the character to change when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in the Netmask box and type the Subnet Mask press the Update Network Settings button to save changes To set the Default Gateway Apex Display System Net Setup Gateway use the up down arrows to change the number of the highlighted character use the left right arrows to select the character to change when done press OK Page 10 AquaController Apex QE Yo TM S Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in ihe CERN box and type the default gateway press the Update Network Settings button to save changes Page 11 AquaController Apex py NEPTUNE SYSTEMS To set the Primary DNS Apex Display System Net Setup DNS Server use the up down arrows to change the number of the highlighted character use the left right arrows to select the character to change when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in the Primary DNS server box and
67. he dropdown box Select the probe for which you would like to view the graph from the final drop down list When you have made your selections click the Update button to display the graph As you hover the mouse pointer over a graph a marker will appear to assist in determining the value of the probe at that time Additionally you can zoom in on a window of time on the graph by clicking and dragging over the period you would like to zoom You can move the zoom in window by clicking and dragging the slider at the top of the graph Click the Full Graph button to restore the full graph Apex Graphs Full Graph Amps 4 0499 40A 0695 q 0895 44 099 47 05 Figure 10 Web Interface Graph Page 74 AquaController Apex bs NEPTUNE P c M S NOTE Since the graphs are generated from the Data Logs graphs in the past may display more or fewer probes based on the Apex system configuration on the day of the graph FEED TIMER OPERATION The AquaController Apex has 4 user defined feed timers See the section titled Programming Feed Timers in the Programming Outlets section for information on how to program feed timers To activate Feed Timers Apex Display Control Status 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 indicates the Feed Timer desired A second later the Fe
68. he times in the Profile for your specific aquarium but these settings should be good starting point A ALTERNATE WITH VARIABLE SPEED PUMPS One possible use for Profiles and variable speed Tunze Streams Pumps is to create waves 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 to 30 at night and shut down the pumps when Feed Timer A is activated Let s start with the Profiles needed Separate Left and Right Profiles are created so the maximum and minimum flows can be adjusted separately WARNING This type of program with a sufficiently sized pump can create LARGE waves that could overflow the sides of your aquarium R_Streams L Streams Night Synchronize Synchronize Synchronize OFF OFF OFF Divide by 10 Divide by 10 Divide by 10 OFF OFF OFF Initial off time Initial off time Initial off time 3 3 3 On time 3 On time 3 On time 3 Off time 5 Off time 5 Off time 5 Min Intensity Min Intensity Min Intensity 30 30 30 Max Intensity Max Intensity Max Intensity 100 100 30 Table 6 Pump Profiles for Alternating The following outlet programs are needed AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE Streams_Timer lt Virtual Outlet gt OSC 010 00 010 00 000 00 Then ON Lights lt real outlet with lights gt Program to run lig
69. hts not important to this example Streams_L lt Real variable speed port where the Left Streams pump is connected gt Set L_Streams If Outlet Lights OFF Then Night If Outlet Streams_Timer ON Then OFF If FeedA 000 Then OFF Streams_R lt Real variable speed port where the Right Streams pump is connected gt Set R_Streams If Outlet Lights OFF Then Night 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 pump should alternate between the left and right pump The Lights outlet is shown for illustrative purposes only its program is not important to this example The program on each Streams pump starts by setting the left or right Profile This Profile is overridden by the Night Profile when outlet Lights is OFF night The next statement turns either the left or the right streams OFF based on the state of the Streams_Timer the different program statements allow only the left or right pump to remain on at one time The final command turns both pumps off when Feed Timer A is active Page 106 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE GROWING SURGE WITH VARIABLE SPEED PUMPS Several pumps synchronized together can be used to create a growing surge in the aquarium if each pump is slowly powered up one after the other Create 4 Profiles with the following settings Profile1 Profile2
70. in the solution to ensure an accurate reading Ensure the probe is submerged in calibration solution at all times 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 The value of the reading while calibrating may not match the value of the solution being used this is normal Once the reading has stabilized press Select or OK Remove the pH probe from the 7 0 Quinhydrone Calibration Solution rinse it in tap water gently shake the excess water off the probe and place the probe in the 4 0 Quinhydrone Calibration Solution Periodically swirl the probe in the solution to ensure an accurate reading Ensure the probe is submerged in calibration solution at all times Wait for the high 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 The value of the reading while calibrating may not match the value of the solution being used this is normal Once the reading has stabilized press Select or OK The Apex system will use the calibration measurements to calibrate the ORP probe The calibration fluid can be used to calibrate more than one probe however the ORP calibration should be discarded after use as they will degrade over time after opening If the calibration measurements were not accurate or were out of range the calibra
71. ller Wizard 40 Clock See Setup Clock Setup Command Reference See Programming Command Reference Conductivity Calibration 35 Probe Maintainence 36 Probe Setup 33 Data Log 67 Day of Week 79 Default Program 86 Defer 78 Display 58 Brightness daytime and nighttime 60 Contrast 61 Locking 59 Status Screen 59 Dissolved Oxygen Page 109 AquaController Apex ANETO Calibration 38 Probe Maintainence 38 Probe Setup 36 DOW See Day of Week Email Setup See Setup Email Setup EnergyBar 8 Features 2 Setup 20 Ethernet See Setup Network Setup Fallback 78 Features 1 Apex Display 2 AquaController Apex 2 AquaController Apex Lite 1 EnergyBar 8 2 Feed Timers Operation 66 Programming 54 79 Firmware Update 70 Graph 63 Graphics 77 Heater Wizard 40 Help 97 Hostname 11 Hysteresis 47 Icons 77 If DOW 79 If Moon 80 If ORP 80 IF Outlet 81 If pH 81 If Power 82 If Sun 83 If Switch 83 If Temp 84 If Time 84 Initialize Memory 68 Internet See Setup Network Setup Configuring the Apex to be accessible from the Internet 17 Light Wizard 39 Lock the Display 59 Log Interval 67 Login Credentials 12 Maintainence Conductivity Probe 36 Disolved Oxygen Probe 38 ORP Probe 33 Ph Probe 30 Temperature Probe 27 Manual Control 62 Memory Initialize 68 Menu Tree 76 Min Time 85 Modules Configure 22 Delete 21 Legacy Setup 22 Rename 21 Moon 80 Order of Operation See
72. lost on or off Probe name the name of the temperature probe that should be used to control this outlet Temp TempA Tmpx3 etc On temperature the temperature at which the chiller should turn On Off temperature the temperature at which the chiller should turn Off PH CONTROL The pH Control Wizard is used to program the administration of additives that alter the pH of your system These can include CO2 in planted aquariums control of the pH inside calcium reactors limiting Kalkwasser introduction or the automated introduction of buffer solution See the section titled Set Points in the Programming with Hysteresis section for help in choosing high and low set points The settings for this Wizard are Fallback the state the outlet should switch to if contact between the EnergyBar and base module is lost on or off Probe name the name 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 the low value at which the outlet is turned on or off based on the setting of On When On when when set to High the outlet is On when the pH value is above the High Value setting When set to Low the outlet is On when the pH value is below the Low Value Low or High ORP CONTROL The ORP Control Wizard is used to program the administration of additives that alter the ORP level of you
73. low The Switch2 command overrides the Switchi commands see the section titled Order of Operation for more information when the sump is too full Finally the Email Alarm and SndAlm are triggered when the sump is too high Program Example using virtual outlets for switches Using Virtual Outlets to track the state of the switches makes the outlet programs easier to understand and allows the status of the switches to be viewed on Status Screens from the AquaController Apex Display and Web Interface see the section Page 99 AquaController Apex NEPTUNE titled Virtual Outlets for more information The same ATO program is listed below with the use of Virtual Outlets for the 2 switch inputs Assign and create the following outlets 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 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 Switchi CLOSED Then ON If Switchi OPEN Then OFF Sump High Virtual Outlet If Switch2 CLOSED Then ON If Switch2 OPEN Then OFF ATO Real Outlet Fallback OFF If Outlet Sump Low ON Then ON If Outlet Sump High ON Then OFF SndAlm System Outlet If Outlet Sump High ON Then ON other alarm commands EmailAlm System Outlet If Ou
74. lt the documentation that came with your home network router to learn how to determine a valid IP address to use Nc or com net a er Local Are cti Intel R PRO 188 UE Network Connect il BC F1 99 91 2F ry 21 2010 4 38 47 PM Monday February 22 2010 4 38 47 PMI Figure 5 Typical ipconfig Command Output Page 9 AquaController Apex NTE In addition to the IP address you need the Subnet Mask and the IP address of the Default Gateway and DNS Server These can also be determined by referring to the documentation that came with your home network router Alternately you can determine this information from another PC on the same network to which the Apex Base Module will be connected Simply open a command prompt Start Run type cmd click OK then type ipconfig all and press enter You should see a screen similar to the one shown in Figure 5 Typical ipconfig Command Output which contains the 4 required elements of a typical IP network configuration To manually set the network configuration you must first disable automatic configuration DHCP To Enable disable DHCP Apex Display System Net Setup DHCP On push the Select button to toggle DHCP off Web Interface 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 arrows to change the number o
75. ly controlled 120V outlets Completely silent operation on the 6 solid state switched outlets 5 amps max per outlet Solid State outlets feature a soft start mechanism for reduced pump wear 2 Relay controlled outlets for higher power switching each 10 amps max 15 amp circuit breaker for overload protection Page 2 AquaController Apex N gt T U N E Pd AS Built in powered 6 port AquaBus hub to easily add accessory modules High reliability direct wired connection to the AquaController Apex system through the AquaBus Powers the AquaController Apex Display Apex Base Module and accessories through the AquaBus Active electrical current monitoring power failure detection and 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 revert to a user defined default setting or maintain the last setting Up to 240 EnergyBar 8 devices can be connected together for up to 1920 switched outlets on a single AquaBus Compact custom aluminum enclosure with 4 mounting holes 10 0 x 3 75 x 1 8 TABLE OF ACRONYMS DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DNS Domain Name Service IP Internet Protocol ISP Internet Service Provider ORP Oxygen Reduction Potential RSS Really Simple Syndication SMTP Simple Mail Transfer Protocol URL Uniform Resource Locat
76. nditions continue to be true Apex Display System Email Setup ReEmail delay use the up down arrows to change the delay time when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the Re email delay minutes field and type the appropriate number of minutes press the Update Network Settings button to save changes ENABLE DISABLE EMAIL AUTHENTICATION Some email providers especially non ISP providers require authentication before access to the SMTP server is granted If Email Authentication is enabled the credentials from the User Name and User Password fields are used to authenticate with the SMTP server Apex Display System Email Setup Email Auth push the Select button to toggle authentication on and off Web Interface Configuration Network setup click the Enabled or Disabled radio button next to Email Authentication press the Update Network Settings button to save changes Page 16 AquaController Apex D N N L L y E N N Pd PI U N User Name only required if Email Authentication is enabled Apex Display System Email Setup User name use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the User name field and type the appropriate user name press the Update Network Settings button to save changes User Passwor
77. negative or after positive moonset 360 or 360 max Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off IF ORP The If ORP command allows for an outlet to be controlled in response to the ORP measurement If ORP gt 450 Then ON In this example whenever probe ORP measures more than 450 the outlet is on Syntax If ORPX C T Then Y ORPX the name of the ORP probe ORP ORPA ORPB ORPx3 ORPx4 etc C the conditional either gt lt or T target ORP in number 000 to 999 Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off Page 91 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE IF OUTLET The If Outlet command is used to control an outlet based on the state of another outlet If Outlet Light1 ON Then OFF In this example whenever outlet Light1 is on the outlet containing this command will be off Syntax If Outlet O X Then Y 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 measurement If pH gt 8 35 Then ON In this example whenever probe pH measures more than 8 35 the outlet is on Syntax If pHx C T Then Y pHx the name of the pH probe pH ph2 pHA pHB pHx3 pHx4 etc C the conditional either gt lt or T target pH in number 4 00 to 11 99 Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off Page 92 AquaController Apex
78. ntextual and select keys to navigate menus and scroll through selections Setup through this method does not require a functioning network interface or networked computer with a browser and is a great option when having network problems or trying to setup the network interface for the first time All setup and maintenance functions can be performed through the Display Module Setup through AquaController Apex Web Interface is very convenient The information is presented on the much larger computer web browser screen so more information can be viewed at once Programming changes and settings are typed through the keyboard and selected with mouse clicks as opposed to scrolling through screens There are a few settings and much of the maintenance functions that cannot be performed through the web interface and must be performed through the Apex Display Page 4 AquaController Apex pd NEPTUNE Whichever interface you use for setup you can be up and running with a basic AquaController Apex configuration in as little as 15 minutes However to take full advantage of the advanced programming features may take additional time and you may find yourself adding functions and enabling features every few days until you get it customized just the way you like it Don t be afraid to ask for help from the very active user community in Neptune System s sponsor forum on ReefCentral com it is a great source for programming examples PHYSICAL INSTALLATION The
79. ntials used to log in and send mail typically the same credentials are used to check mail These credentials Page 14 AquaController Apex MEER are only required if your mail provider requires you to log in to access the SMTP server usually not required for ISP mailboxes while on the ISP s network NOTE Setting these parameters up correctly is the first step in email alarm setup See the section titled Programming Alarms and Warnings in the Programming Outlets section for information on programming the conditions that trigger the alarm email to be sent Enable disable the Email feature Apex Display System Email Setup Email push the Select button to toggle this feature on and off Web Interface Configuration Network setup click the Enabled or Disabled radio button next to Email Enable press the Update 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 highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the SMTP Server field and type the appropriate server name press the Update Network Settings button to save changes SMTP Port number Apex Display System Email Setup SMTP port use the up down arrows to change the port number when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network setup click in the SMTP port
80. obe being calibrated The value of the reading while calibrating may not match the value of the solution being used this is normal Once the reading has stabilized press Select or OK Use the up down arrow keys to select the High Calibration Solution used push Select Page 32 AquaController Apex ANETE 9 Dry the High Calibration Solution packet off and carefully open the corner of the low solution just enough to get the pH probe inserted in the packet 10 Remove the pH probe from the Low Calibration Solution rinse it in probe storage solution or tap water gently shake the excess solution off the probe and place the probe in the High Calibration Solution Periodically swirl the probe in the solution to ensure an accurate reading Ensure the probe is submerged in calibration solution at all times 11 Wait for the high reading to stop changing This may take a few minutes up to 5 minutes depending on the type and condition of pH probe being calibrated The value of the reading while calibrating may not match the value of the solution being used this is normal Once the reading has stabilized press Select or OK 12 The Apex system will use the calibration measurements to calibrate the pH probe 13 The calibration fluid can be used to calibrate more than one probe however the pH calibration should be discarded after use as they will degrade over time after opening If the calibration measurements were not accurate or we
81. obe 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 gt 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 Page 59 AquaController Apex NETAS Light2 If Sun 060 045 Then ON The first statement turns Light1 on at sunrise of the particular day based on the settings in the Seasonal Table and off at sunset Light2 turns on 60 minutes after sunrise and turns off 45 minutes before sunset MOON LIGHTING The AquaController Apex can be used to simulate the moonrise and moonset as well as varying the intensity of the light source The AquaController Apex moonrise and moonset times match the true lunar cycle An optional offset from the standard moonrise and moonset is provided Just like in the real world the
82. oduct with proof of purchase and correction of the defect will be made without charge For your protection items being returned must be carefully packed to prevent damage in shipment and insured against possible damage or loss Neptune Systems will not be responsible for damage resulting from careless or insufficient packaging Before returning please obtain a return authorization RMA number from Neptune Systems at 408 578 3022 Returned merchandise will not be accepted without a RMA number Except for the warranty set forth above Neptune Systems is not responsible for any damages including but not limited to consequential damage occurring out of or in connection with the delivery use or performance of Neptune Systems products Buyer s remedies for breach of warranty shall be limited to repair or replacement and full or partial adjustment to purchase price Neptune Systems Inc 6288 San Ignacio Ave Unit B San Jose CA 95119 http neptunesys com Phone 408 578 3022 Fax 408 578 9383 2010 Neptune Systems All Rights Reserved Apex Manual V2 Page 112 AquaController Apex CE DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY Manufacturer Neptune Systems LLC 6280 San Ignacio Ave Suite E San Jose CA 95119 USA 408 578 3022 Product Apex Base Unit Model No APEXBASE The undersigned hereby declares on behalf of the Neptune Systems LLC of San Jose California that the above referenced product to which this declaration relates is in conformi
83. og 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 Screen To clear the Power Fail Log Apex Display Data Log Power Fail Log Reset Log the log is immediately reset Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface INITIALIZE MEMORY The AquaController Apex includes a utility to clear the device programming and reset certain items back to the factory default settings This can be used to clear the device when being used on a new system or to clear error conditions Four Initialize Memory functions are available A WARNING Initializing memory will result in resetting the AquaController Apex programming information back to the factory default sate YOUR PROGRAMMING WILL BE ERASED Make sure you save your configuration information by following the instructions in the section titled Load Save Configuration and you are sure you know what you are doing before using these utilities Initialize All resets all configuration settings back to the factory default values including the AquaBus device table outlet configuration and Profile configuration Apex Display System Init Memory Init All confirm that you wish to initialize all memory back to default factory values by pressing the Yes button Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface Initialize AquaBus
84. ome routers have built in support for dyndns accounts so no client PC software is required Some ISPs block incoming port 80 requests so you will have to use a different external port number 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 accessing the AquaController from the internet you will need to add the port number to the end of your address like http 11 22 33 44 4567 or http www myaquarium dyndns org 4567 CLOCK SETUP By default the AquaController Apex Automatic Clock Set feature will automatically set the date and time to Greenwich Mean Time GMT as long as the Apex has a properly setup Network connection with access to the internet see the section titled Network Setup for more information on setting up Network access If the Apex does not have access to the Internet or if the Automatic Clock Set feature is disabled the date and time needs to be set manually You will need to specify what time zone you are in and whether the Apex should automatically adjust for Day Light Saving Time You can also select to view the time in 12 or 24 hour formats and chose to make automatic daily micro adjustments to the internal clock with the Leap Second feature NOTE The AquaController Apex clock is powered by an internal backup battery and will keep time in the case of power failure
85. ommand in this program are not important If Temp 80 Then OFF If Temp 78 Then ON The order of these 2 commands is not important as the conditions that make each of these commands true will never compete with each They will never compete with each other for control of the outlet However consider these commands If pH 8 50 Then OFF If Outlet Light1 ON Then OFF If Switchi CLOSED Then ON Page 50 AquaController Apex NETAS In this example the state of the pH command is overruled by the state of Light1 and they all are overruled by Switchi commands Whenever Switch1 is closed the outlet is on and whenever it is open the outlet is off the first 2 commands are essentially ignored However simply reordering the commands yields a totally different program If Switchi OPEN Then OFF If Switchi CLOSED Then ON If Switch1 OPEN Then OFF If Outlet Light1 ON Then OFF If pH 8 50 Then OFF The same commands in this order allow the state of Light1 and pH to override the state of the Switch1 When considering order of operation keep the following in mind 1 Program commands are executed processed in the order they are listed in the Advanced Program list As commands are executed the AquaController Apex keeps track of the internal state of the outlet but does not actually switch the outlet The last true program statement is used to set the outlet state 2 Once all the commands for an outlet are executed if th
86. ompensation Apex Display Setup Cond Setup Temp Comp use the up down arrow keys to select the temperature compensation in C press OK when done or Exit to discard 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 temperature probe attached to the PM2 Other temperature probes on the system cannot be used for temperature compensation of the conductivity probe CONDUCTIVITY PROBE CALIBRATION NOTE Set the Conductivity Range and Temperature Compensation settings before calibrating the Conductivity Probe See the previous section for instructions on setting these parameters To calibrate a Conductivity probe Apex Display Setup Cond Setup Cond Calibrate 1 If you have more than one Conductivity probe enabled on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the probe you wish to calibrate press Select 2 Remove the conductivity probe from any solution and dry it off Wait for the numbers on the bottom of the LCD screen to stop changing It does not matter what value is displayed only that it is not changing When the display stops changing press the select button 3 Use the Up and Down buttons to select the calibration solution Press the select button when the correct value is displayed See Table 2 Conductivity Range Options for the recommend calibration solution Page 39 Aqu
87. or XML eXtensible Markup Language TYPICAL AQUACONTROLLER SYSTEM COMPONENTS e Apex Base Module e Apex Display Module e Apex EnergyBar 8 e Apex Temperature Probe e pH Probe optional e ORP Probe not supported on Apex Lite optional on Apex e AquaBus Cable e Ethernet cable e Mounting screws e Installation and Getting Started Guide Page 3 AquaController Apex SETUP OVERVIEW The AquaController Apex can be setup using either the Apex Display Module or the Apex Web Interface or a combination of both methods This manual provides you with instructions to perform setup functions from both the display and Web Interface The manual will point out the few setup and maintenance functions that can only be performed from the Display Module If network connectivity features are to be used web based monitoring web based control email alerts etc it is recommended to spend the time setting up the network interface right away to allow the flexibility to program from the Web Interface Basic steps to a successful installation Physical Installation Network Setup optional Email Setup optional Configuring the Apex to be Accessible from the Internet optional Clock Setup Apex Module Setup Legacy Module Setup optional Probe Setup Programming Outlets 10 Display Setup 11 Sound Setup 12 Using the AquaController Apex Setup through the AquaController Display Module is performed using the arrow co
88. outlets and alarms that are most important to you Each of the Status Screens can be uniquely configured with a few parameters displayed in large characters or many parameters in smaller characters the AquaController Apex system will automatically adjust the character size to best utilize the display space The location and order of the status information on the Status Screen is completely customizable Pressing the left right arrow keys on the Apex Display while on the Status Screen will scroll through the 4 configured Status Screens EDIT STATUS SCREENS Use these instructions to edit the 4 Status Screens to suit your needs Apex Display System Display Setup Home Display place the gt on the Status Screen you wish to edit and push the Select button to open the Status Page X Edit screen Use the up down arrow keys to highlight the item to edit press the Select button to edit that item Press the up down arrows to cycle through the selections for that item After changing a selection press OK to save changes or Exit to cancel changes Repeat this process for the other Status Screens Web Interface Configuration Display setup from the Display drop down box choose the Status Screen you wish to edit Click the Enabled or Disabled radio button next to each item which will display or not display the items for that section Choose the item to display in each enabled section by clicking the drop down box and selecting the item When you ar
89. own box When the Control Type for this outlet is set to Advanced an Advanced Setup box will appear on the lower half of this page with the existing Advanced program displayed Simply edit add delete the commands one per line in the Advanced Program area When finished click the Update Outlet button to verify the commands and save the program NOTE If you enter a command incorrectly an error message will appear above the Outlet box indicating which line contains the error when you attempt to save the Advanced program Remedy the error and click Update Outlet to save See the section titled Appendix 3 Programming Reference to learn the proper usage and syntax for AquaController Apex commands See the section titled Appendix 4 Advanced 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 outlet program Unused EnergyBar or Direct Connect outlets can be used for Virtual Outlets but a no cost way to add Virtual Outlets is to add a virtual DC8 to the configuration that does not actually exist see the section titled Adding Legacy Outlets for instructions Just make sure to use an address space that does not conflict with any physical outlets you have Virtual outlets are an advanced programming tool that can solve programming issues The status of switches cannot be displayed on the Display Screen
90. pex module to delete from the dropdown list click the Delete Module radio button click the Submit Module Update button RENAME AN APEX MODULE To rename an Apex Module from the system Apex Display Setup Module Setup Modify Name use the up down arrows to highlight the Apex module to rename push Select use the up down arrows to change the highlighted digit use the left right arrows to select the highlighted digit when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Module Setup in the Module Configure area in the Module box select the Apex module to rename from the Page 23 AquaController Apex IN Y N JE N N EPTU N X Li VAS P dropdown list click the Rename radio button click the Submit Module Update button CONFIGURE AN APEX MODULE Some AquaBus modules have configuration settings that can be updated through the Config Modules menu found from the Apex Display at Setup Module Setup Config Module The Apex Wireless Expansion Module WXM is the first of these modules If you have a WXM please see the instructions that came with the WXM for setup instructions If you do not have a WXM this menu item will do nothing this is normal LEGACY MODULE SETUP All legacy modules except the PX 1000 must be manually added to the Apex system configuration Once added to the system they are configured programmed just like any other port or outlet on the Apex system The following legacy module
91. ptune Systems Apex 12V power supply to a non backed up power source be able to trigger events when the power fails See Appendix 3 Programming Reference for proper usage of the If Power command as well as other commands that can be used to trigger events SAMPLE ALARM EMAIL Listed below is the information that is sent in a typical email alarm message Alarm Statement If Temp 82 0 Then ON Mar 08 2106 19 20 10 Temp pH ORP 100 8 07 400 VarSpdi1 I1 is PF1 Auto VarSpd2 I2 is PF2 Auto VarSpd3 I3 is PF3 Auto VarSpd4 I4 is PF4 Auto SndAlm I6 is OFF Auto SndWrn I7 is OFF Auto EmailAlm_I5 is ON Auto Light 3 1 is OFF Auto Light2 3 2 is OFF Auto Pump1 3 3 is ON Auto Pump2 3 4 is OFF Manual Heater 3 5 is OFF Auto Chiller 3 6 is ON Auto CO2 3 7 is OFF Auto Ozone 3 8 is ON Manual Page 55 AquaController Apex PROC ICE Power Failed Mar 01 2010 18 50 42 Power Restored Mar 01 2010 18 51 11 Power OK EB8_3 28 Minutes 01 6 Amps SWITCH INPUTS The AquaController Apex has a Mini DIN8 connector for switch inputs labeled I O These inputs can be used for switches float switches water sensors flow sensors etc Switch inputs on the Base 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 probe modules are identified as Switchx3 2 Switchx5 3 etc The first number in the swit
92. r aquarium Table 2 Conductivity Range Options NOTE When the conductivity range is in salinity mode the probe is still actually reading the conductivity of the water Since the ratio of ions in salt water is very well defined there is a direct correlation between the conductivity of the water and the salinity of the tank NOTE If the conductivity range is changed don t forget to update outlet programs that are based on the conductivity reading as the values will change with the change in range To select the Conductivity range Apex Display Setup Cond Setup Cond Range If you have more than one Conductivity port on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the port you wish to configure press Select then use the up down arrow keys to select the range for that port press OK when done or Exit to discard changes Page 38 AquaController Apex NEPTUNE Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface TEMPERATURE COMPENSATION Conductivity measurements are temperature dependent The degree to which temperature affects conductivity varies from solution to solution Seawater typically has a temperature correction factor of 2 1 to 2 3 C In order for the PM2 to automatically compensate for changes in conductivity as the temperature of the water changes you must connect a temperature probe to the PM2 and set the temperature compensation as described below To set the Temperature C
93. r 010 15 Then OFF In this example the off state will be deferred for 10 minutes 15 seconds 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 state the outlet should switch to if the EnergyBar were to lose contact with the Apex Base Module for an extended period of time Once contact with the Apex Base module is resumed the outlet will resume the programmed state as dictated by the Apex Base Module The Fallback function is only available on EnergyBar outlets not legacy devices such as Direct Connect 8 Fallback ON In this example if the EnergyBar loses contact with the Apex Base Module for an extended period of time the EnergyBar will switch this outlet on Syntax Fallback Y Y ON to set the Fallback state to on or OFF to set the fallback state to off Page 89 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE IF DOW The If DoW command is used to control outlets based on the Day of the Week If DoW S T TFS Then ON In this example the outlet will be on all days of the week except Monday and Wednesday Syntax If DoW XXXXXXX Then Y XXXXXXX place a the capital initial for the days when the statement should be true and to mark the days the command should be false Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off IF FEED To control an outlet with a Feed Timer en
94. r 8 power cord into an outlet protected by a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter GFCI and that can provide ample power for all the items plugged into the EnergyBar 8 Page 6 AquaController Apex bs NEPTUNE P M The LED Status indicators on the EnergyBar and Apex Base Modules will flash yellow while they are initializing and in a few minutes they should light solid green and the Apex Display Module will display the default Status Screen If there are no EnergyBars on the system if you are using all legacy DC8 or DC4 modules for example it will be necessary to purchase a 12V adapter to power the Apex Base Module This AC adapter is available through your authorized dealer or from Neptune Systems and should be connected to a quality surge suppressor to protect your system NETWORK SETUP The AquaController Apex network interface and integrated Web Interface allow you to setup monitor and control the Apex system from standard web browsers around the home network and if properly enabled around the world Network setup is not required to setup and use the AquaController Apex but it is required to enable the Web Interface and the ability to send email text alarms The AquaController Apex ships with DHCP 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 means the assigned IP
95. r assigned to the PM3 If a temperature probe is connected to the PM3 it is identified as Tmpx3 Tmpx4 etc with the same AquaBus number as the conductivity probe NOTE The AquaController Apex firmware version must be at least version 4 03 to support the Probe Module 3 The following precautions should be observed when installing the dissolved oxygen probe e The DO probe should not be located above air diffusers or in area with air bubbles in the water column Air bubbles will cause erroneous readings e The DO probe should mounted with the membranes pointing up so that bubbles do not collect on the membrane surface A cable tie can be use to Page 40 AquaController Apex NETA secure the DO probe to its cable so that it hangs in membrane up orientation e The DO probe should be mounted in a location that has at least 3cm sec of water movement The PM3 connects to the Apex system via AquaBus It does not matter into which AquaBus connector it is plugged into When the Probe Module has been successfully added to the system the PM3 status light will change from flashing yellow to solid green NOTE The Dissolved Oxygen reading can be added to the Apex Display and Web Interface Status Screens See the section titled Display Setup for more information 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
96. r details on setting up this access NOTE On some routers Linksys you must enable UPnP or port forwarding at the global level before port forwarding will work A good resource to use to setup your router s port forwarding is www portforward com This website has instructions on setting up port forwarding for many different types of routers To access the AquaController Apex from the internet you need to know your WAN IP address the WAN IP address can be found by going to www whatismyip com from a computer on your home network Your WAN IP address is the address you Page 18 AquaController Apex bs NEPTUNE NI will use when trying to access the controller from outside your home network a cell phone browser or other computers on the internet If your internet connection has a dynamic IP address assignment most do your WAN IP address may change from time to time When the WAN IP address changes you will need to determine and use the new IP address which can be a hassle To avoid this situation you can sign up for a free dynamic DNS service like www dyndns org These services allow you to create an internet host name myaquarium dyndns org for example that will resolve to your WAN IP address The site will have software you can install on one of the PCs on your network to automatically update the WAN IP when it changes Follow the setup instructions at the site to create a host name install and configure software S
97. r system most commonly ozone See the section titled Set Points in the Programming with Hysteresis section for help in choosing high and low set points The settings for this Wizard are Fallback the state the outlet should switch to if contact between the EnergyBar and base module is lost on or off Probe name the name of the ORP probe that should be used to control this outlet ORP ORPA ORPB ORPx3 ORPx4 etc High value the high value at which the outlet is turned on or off based on the setting of On When Page 46 AquaController Apex NEPTU N E BdNEPTUN Low value the low value at which the outlet is turned on or off based on the setting of On When On when when set to High the outlet is On when the ORP value is above the High Value setting When set to Low the outlet is On when the ORP value is below the Low Value Low or High EDITING OUTLET PROGRAMMING The program for an outlet can be edited from either the AquaController Apex Display or the Web Interface To edit an outlet from the Apex Display Modify the Outlet properties Setup Outlet Setup Modify Outlet use the up down arrows to highlight the outlet you wish to modify push Select From this screen you can edit Name the name of the outlet that appears on the Status Screen and is referred to in programs Prog Type choose to use a Wizard Light Pump Heater etc or choose Advanced to custom program the outlet Icon choose
98. r tiles are far more than just a graphical representation of whether your outlet is ON AUTO or OFF By clicking on a tile name when in normal mode you will go directly to the Outlet Configuration for that outlet This is a quick and easy way to verify or change your outlet program In edit mode if a tile has a wrench displayed there are other things you can do with that tile Probe tiles can expand or compress Your video tile will let you Page 69 AquaController Apex ANETE enter a URL And clicking in a tile under the ON AUTO or OFF words will change the state of that outlet accordingly SOUND SETUP The AquaController Apex Display can play sounds when alarms or warning conditions are met according to the Apex programming The sounds that are played are selected as follows To select the Alarm Sound Apex Display System Sound Setup Alarm Sound use the up down arrows to select the sound to be played Press Select to save settings Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface To select the Warning Sound Apex Display System Sound Setup Warning Sound use the up down arrows to select the sound to be played Press Select to save settings Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface The Apex Display can play a tone whenever keys are pressed to provide key press feedback To enable disable Key press beep Apex Display System Sound Setup Key Press Beep Press Select to
99. rams that are based on the dissolved oxygen reading as the values will change with the change in range To set the Dissolved Oxygen range Apex Display Setup DO Setup DO Range use the up down arrow keys to choose the range press OK when done or Exit to discard 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 Oxygen probe See the previous section for instructions on setting these parameters To calibrate a Dissolved Oxygen probe Apex Display Setup DO Setup DO Calibrate 1 If you have more than one Dissolved Oxygen probe enabled on your system use the up down arrow keys to choose the probe you wish to calibrate press Select 2 Plug the Dissolved Oxygen Zero adapter into the DO port on the PM3 Wait for the numbers on the bottom of the LCD screen to stop changing It does not matter what value is displayed only that it is not changing When the display stops changing press the select button 3 Unplug the DO Zero Adapter and plug in the DO probe into the DO port on the PM3 Take the DO probe out of water and dry the membrane Allow 10 minutes for the probe to reach temperature equilibrium Do not place probe in direct sunlight 4 Wait for the numbers on the bottom of the LCD screen to stop changing When the display stops changing press the select button 5 The dis
100. re 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 again however this usually indicates that the pH probe is too far out of range and should be replaced PH PROBE MAINTENANCE pH probes should be periodically cleaned and recalibrated for best performance It is not recommended to clean the probes unless calibration is to be performed The period between cleanings is up to the user but typically every 1 3 months is normal To clean the probe gently brush the sides and tip of the probe with a soft brush to remove any debris Rinse the probe in tap water Soaking the probe in acid vinegar or alkali borax solution to remove mineral deposits is not typically needed but can be used to try and bring back an old probe that cannot be calibrated Typical lifespan for a pH probe in aquarium use is 12 24 months ORP PROBE SETUP The Apex Base Module has a port that can use used to measure ORP the Apex Lite Base Module does not include an ORP port The port on Probe Module 1 can be configured to read ORP or pH The ORP port on the Apex Base Module can be reconfigured as a second pH port if needed Setup and configuration of the ORP ports and calibration of the connected probes is the same for all probes on the system The Base Module ORP probe will be identified as ORP the ORP probe Page 33 AquaController Apex
101. rent user name can be viewed from the Apex Display at System Net Setup Admin Login current password can be viewed from the Apex Display at System Net Setup Admin Password NOTE You can click the Show Password checkbox to 7 Click the Update Firmware button to update the firmware a You should see several update steps occur and when compete you should see Operation Complete in the log at the bottom of the screen b Depending on network speeds the process should take less than a minute 8 After 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 by updating the Web Interface using the directions in the next section E UPDATING THE APEX BASE MODULE WEB INTERFACE Once the Apex Base Module Firmware is updated the next step is to update the Web Interface firmware Page 82 AquaController Apex NE Apex Flash Utility Eile Help Cancel Upload Progress T Uploading file datalog sht Success Uploading file date is Uploading web page updates Figure 14 Apex Flash Utility Updating Web Pages NOTE Please allow the Apex Base module a few minutes to restart before proceeding with updating the Web Interface firmware 1 From the Apex Flash Utility with the parameters filled out as in the previous section click the Upda
102. resets the AquaBus Device Table back to the factory default values Page 77 AquaController Apex 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 button Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface Initialize Outlets resets the Outlet configuration back to the factory default values Apex Display System Init Memory Init Outlets confirm that you wish to initialize selected memory back to default factory values by pressing the Yes button Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface Initialize Profiles resets the Profile settings back to the factory default values Apex Display System Init Memory Init Outlets confirm that you wish to initialize selected memory back to default factory values by pressing the Yes button Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface SELF TEST The self test function is used to check basic functionality of the Apex Base Module If the base module passes the diagnostic the word Passed will be displayed If your base module fails the Self test please contact Neptune Support through one of the methods listed in Appendix 5 Troubleshooting and Help The Self Test screen is also an easy way to check the firmware version and date installed as well as the Base Module serial number To perform the Self Tes
103. rogram the Feed Timer using the Pump Wizard To configure the duration of the Feed Timer Apex Display Setup Outlet Setup Feed Interval use the up down arrows to select the Feed Timer Interval to change push Select use the up down arrows to set the interval minutes push Select or OK to save changes push Exit to discard changes Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface See the section titled Feed Timer Operation in the Using the AquaController Apex section for instructions on using Feed Timers VARIABLE SPEED PORT PROGRAMMING The AquaController Apex includes 4 variable speed ports that can be used to control Tunze Streams Pumps or lighting 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 AquaSurf does not support the Ramp Profile type and therefore is not appropriate for controlling lighting ballasts Variable speed ports can be turned on and off with normal programming commands however this does not provide a way to vary the output voltage which in turn varies the speed of the pump or brightness of the lighting To take full advantage of variable speed ports we use Profiles You can define up to 16 Profiles each of which can define a unique set of operating conditions The Profile in use for a port can be switched based on programming events such as feed
104. rogramming language and process The Apex includes 6 Wizards as described below To program an outlet using one of these Wizards see the section titled Editing Outlet Programming for instructions NOTE See the section titled Programming with Hysteresis for information on selecting proper set points to prevent outlets from cycling on and off too frequently LIGHT This Wizard is used to program lights and includes a safety feature that will turn off lighting if the temperature of the tank gets too high Fallback the state the outlet should switch to if contact between the EnergyBar and base module is lost on or off Page 44 AquaController Apex ONE On time the time the light should turn on in 24 hour format hours minutes Off time the time the light should turn off in 24 hour format hours minutes Shutdown probe the name of the temperature probe that should be monitored to shutdown the outlet in an overheating situation Temp TempA Tmpx3 etc Device shutdown value the temperature that must be reached to turn off the outlet Hysteresis amount of time to leave the lights off to prevent rapid cycling of the outlet PUMP This Wizard is used to program pumps or power heads to oscillate on and off Fallback the state the outlet should switch to if contact between the EnergyBar and base module is lost on or off Initial Off Time when this outlet first starts this is the amount of time the pump should b
105. rrents for example Ramp Time period in minutes over which the ramp should occur Start Intensity the starting intensity in percent End Intensity the ending intensity in percent EDITING PROFILES Editing Profiles from the Apex Display Edit the Profile name and Type Setup Profile Setup Edit Type use the up down arrows to highlight the Profile you wish to edit press Select To edit the Profile Name highlight Name and push Select use the up down arrow keys to change the character use the left right arrows to select the digit to edit press Select when done To Edit the Profile Type highlight Type and push Select use the up down arrow keys to toggle between Ramp and Pump press Select when done Push Save to save or Exit to discard changes Edit Profile Settings Setup Profile Setup Edit Settings use the up down arrows to highlight the Profile you wish to edit press Select Highlight the parameter you wish to change and push Select use the up down arrow keys to change the value press Select when done Page 63 AquaController Apex y NEPTUNE S Y MS Push Save to save or Exit to discard changes Editing Profiles from the Web Interface Configuration Profile Setup in the Profile box select the Profile you wish to edit from the drop down box type the Profile name in the Name box select the Profile type from the Control Type drop down box enter the parameters for the Profile click the Update Profile when
106. s only outlets and probes are allowed To solve this setup a Virtual Outlet that turns on and off in response to the switch Take for example you have a float switch in the sump to measure sump level that you would like to display on a Status Screen You could create a Virtual Outlet called Sump Low and program it as follows Virtual Outlet Sump Low Page 49 AquaController Apex NETAS If Switchi CLOSED Then OFF If Switchi OPEN Then ON This will make Sump Low turn on and off in response to the float switch which can be included on a Status Screen or referred to in other outlet programming In addition creating Virtual Outlets for switch inputs that have meaningful names makes programming and reading your program much easier as you do not have to remember that Switch1 is your sump low switch Another possible use for Virtual Outlets is to create timing signals to trigger events on other outlets Take for example you would like to oscillate an outlet between 2 pump Profiles Create a Virtual Outlet 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 PF1 and PF2 every 30 minutes ORDER OF OPERATION The order commands are listed in most outlet programs is not important however there are some cases in which order is important For example the order of the c
107. s are supported Direct Connect 4 Provides control of four 120V 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 lights AquaSurf provides variable voltage control ports for variable speed Tunze Streams pumps You need to assign all legacy modules except the PX 1000 a unique address before adding to the Apex system See the section titled Connecting Legacy Modules for instructions on connecting the Legacy Modules to the Apex system Finally the Legacy Modules must be manually added to the Apex system configuration by following the directions in the section titled Adding Legacy Modules to the Apex System After the legacy modules have been added to the system they are configured and programmed like all other Apex ports and outlets ADDRESSING LEGACY MODULES The address needs to be unique to all other legacy modules on the system You do not need to worry about Apex module addresses as they are automatically assigned on the AquaBus and will not conflict with legacy addresses Once the Page 24 AquaController Apex NL x unique address is assigned set the switches on the Direct Connect module using the instructions found in user manual for the legacy module m N CONNECTING LEGACY MODULES All legacy modules except PX 1000 are connected to the port label
108. sh Water 6 0 7 5 4 0 7 0 Aquarium Salt Water 7 8 8 5 7 0 10 0 Aquarium Calcium 6 5 7 0 4 0 7 0 Reactor Table 1 Calibration Solutions NOTE For best results use pH calibration solutions in packets as the solution in bottles tend to shift pH after they have been opened To calibrate a pH probe 1 2 3 Acquire the proper pH calibration solution packets and place in aquarium water unopened to acclimate them to the system temperature From the Apex Display open the pH calibration menu Setup pH Setup pH Calibrate 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 Use the up down arrow keys to select the value of the Low Calibration Solution used push Select Dry the Low Calibration Solution packet off and carefully open the corner of the low solution just enough to get the pH probe inserted in the packet Remove the pH probe to be calibrated from the tank rinse it in probe storage solution or tap water gently shake the excess solution off the probe and place the probe in the Low Calibration Solution Periodically swirl the probe in the solution to ensure an accurate reading Ensure the probe is submerged in calibration solution at all times Wait for the low reading to stop changing This may take a few minutes up to 5 minutes depending on the type and condition of pH pr
109. software package to unzip the Apex firmware package To unzip a file typically you can right click the downloaded file and select extract or unzip from the right click menu UPDATING THE APEX BASE MODULE FIRMWARE A WARNING Backup your AquaController Apex configuration before updating firmware See the directions in the section titled Load Save Configuration The Apex Flash Utility will not delete your settings but you should have a backup on hand just in case NOTE The firmware update will not work if the Apex Base module is connected to your network through a wireless bridge You should have the Apex base module hardwired to the network when performing firmware updates NOTE The AquaController Apex will only allow update from computers on its home network subnet This is to prevent unauthorized access from outside your home network 1 Browse to the folder where the Apex firmware package was unzipped in the previous section 2 Double click Apex Flash Utility exe the Apex Flash Utility should open as shown in Figure 13 The Apex Flash Utility Apex Flash Utility Ele Help Flash Programming File name aquad hex Update Firmware Network address apex Update Web Pages Http Port 80 User name admin Password esee C Show password Progress Figure 13 The Apex Flash Utility 3 The File name field contains the name of the firmware file you are about to flash to the Apex Base Mod
110. solved probe should now be properly calibrated Page 42 AquaController Apex xX SYST BEMS Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface DISSOLVED OXYGEN PROBE MAINTAINENCE Dissolved Oxygen probes should be kept clear of any organic matter Gently wipe the probe with a soft cloth to keep clean Page 43 AquaController Apex PROGRAMMING OUTLETS DEFAULT PROGRAM To make getting started with the AquaController Apex easy outlets on installed outlet modules are setup with default assignments and programs that can be used as is modified to suit your specific needs or erased and reprogrammed to whatever you need The default assignment and program for the 8 outlets on an EnergyBar 8 is listed below Outlet 1 Light1 suitable for actinic lighting Outlet 2 Light2 suitable for daytime lighting Outlet 3 Pump1 oscillate on and off with Pump 2 Outlet 4 Pump2 oscillate on and off with Pump 1 Outlet 5 Heater on at 77 and off at 78 degrees Outlet 6 Chiller on at 79 and off at 78 degrees Outlet 7 CO2 CO2 on at 8 00 and off at 7 90 Outlet 8 Ozone Ozone on at 360 and off at 375 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 Wizards to program common outlet functions These allow you to easily program an outlet without learning the Apex p
111. 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 commands as well as other commands that can be used to trigger Alarms and Warnings TRIGGERING ALARMS OR EVENTS ON POWER OUTAGES The If Power statement can be used in alarm or outlet programs to perform tasks when power is lost to the Apex system The Apex system can trigger events when power has been lost to an EnergyBar or to that Apex Base Module itself If Power Apex OFF 005 Then On This command will trigger when power has been lost to the Apex Base Module through the AquaBus It will remain true for 5 minutes after the power is ON again If Power EB8_3 OFF 000 Then ON This command will trigger when power to EnergyBar at AquaBus Address 3 has lost power Page 54 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE You can trigger events based on the power state of the 12V connector on the AquaController Base Module as well You need to enable this feature it is off by default to allow monitoring of power at a system level To enable power monitoring of the 12V power jack Apex Display System Misc Setup Power Monitor OFF up push the Select button to toggle Power Monitor on and off Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface Power Monitor allows you to connect your EnergyBar 8 to an uninterruptible power source and by connecting an Ne
112. t Apex Display Self Test Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface LOAD SAVE CONFIGURATION The AquaController Apex Load Save Configuration function is used 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 computer You should save your configuration before making drastic configuration changes upgrading firmware adding or removing modules etc just in case you need to restore your AquaController to a previously known good state Page 78 AquaController Apex Pd NEP TUNE 5 cy 2 Tq EN PS To Save the AquaController Apex configuration Apex Display This option not available from the Apex Display Web Interface Configuration Load Save in the Save Apex Configuration box near the bottom of the page click the Save Configuration button follow the prompts to save the configuration file Data log Season table Configuration Apex Load Save Configuration Load Apex Configuration Figure 12 Load Save screen NOTE The Save function creates a file titled Apexcfg bin in the location you specify You can rename the file but leave the file extension as bin for easy identification All configuration information Outlet Profile Display Network and Miscellaneous is stored in this single file To Load the AquaController Apex configuration Apex Display This op
113. t from the sunrise time and the second number is the number of minutes to add or subtract from the sunset time If Sun 000 020 Then ON In this example the outlet is on at sunrise and off 20 minutes after 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 max SSS minutes before negative or after positive sunset 360 or 360 max Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off IF SWITCH The If Switch command allows for an outlet to be controlled in response to an open or closed switch If Switch2 Closed Then ON In this example whenever Switch2 is closed the outlet is on Syntax If SwitchX X Then Y SwitchX the name of the switch Switch1 SwitchA1 SwitchC4 Switchx3 1 Switchx4 5 etc X OPEN trigger when the switch is open CLOSED trigger when the switch is closed Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off Page 94 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE IF TEMP The If Temp command allows for an outlet to be controlled in response to the temperature measurement If Temp gt 80 Then ON In this example whenever probe Temp measures more than 80 degrees the outlet is on Syntax If TempX C T Then Y TempX the name of the temperature probe Temp TempA TempB Tmpx3 Tmpx4 etc C the conditional either gt lt
114. te Web Pages button 2 You should see several update steps occur and when compete you should see Operation Complete in the log at the bottom of the screen a The update process should take less than 3 minutes depending on network speeds UPGRADING APEX MODULES The firmware version of software installed on the Apex Base Module can be flashed to each Apex Module through the AquaBus using the directions in this section The version of firmware installed on all Apex modules is listed in the table at the bottom of the Configuration Module Configuration page on the Web Interface To upgrade an Apex Module Firmware Apex Display Setup Module Setup Update Module use the up down arrows to highlight the Apex module to update push Select to update Web Interface Configuration Module Setup in the Module Configure area in the Module box select the Apex module to update from the dropdown list click the Update Firmware radio button click the Submit Module Update button a new browser window will open to display the update status Page 83 AquaController Apex p NEPTUNE TROUBLESHOOTING WHEN UPDATING USING THE APEX FLASH UTILITY Do NOT update over a wireless network It is impossible for the firmware to load correctly over a wireless connection Please use wired connections only For best results use the IP address of the AquaController Apex in the Apex Flash utility not the host name This is especially important if yo
115. tenance to test operation or simply to turn the lights on in the middle of the night Page 71 AquaController Apex ONE NOTE For items or groups of items you frequently need to turn off or on for maintenance or other events consider setting up a Feed Timer which will temporarily override the outlet but automatically return it to normal operation after a period of time See the section titled Programming Feed Timers for more information on setting up Feed Timers Outlets can set to the following 3 states AUTO The outlet will turn on and off based on the AquaController program ON or MANUAL ON The outlet is locked on OFF or MANUAL OFF The outlet is locked off When an outlet is set to Manual ON or Manual OFF the Apex Display will display ON or OFF as illustrated in Figure 9 Manual ON and OFF Indicators instead of the Icon you have configured for the outlet Figure 9 Manual ON and OFF Indicators To manually turn an outlet on or off Apex Display Control Status Manual Control use 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 any of the Status pages select the outlet state from the drop down list next to the outlet you wish to override click the Update button to save changes A WARNING When manually setting the state of and outlet it will remain in the
116. ter 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 period of time after the Feed Timer expires This delay is not performed if the Feed Timer is canceled Multiple If Feed commands can be used on a single outlet program If FeedA 025 Then OFF In this example the outlet will be off whenever Feed A is activated and will remain off for 25 minutes after Feed A timer has expired Syntax If FeedX MMM Then Y X the feed timer to use A B C or D MMM time in minutes up to 999 minutes max Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off Page 90 AquaController Apex pINEPTUNE IF MOON The If Moon command allows for an outlet to be controlled based on the moonrise and moonset of the lunar cycle The numeric fields are used to adjust when the outlet is switched either before or after the lunar cycle time The first number is the number of minutes to add or subtract from the moonrise time and the second number is the number of minutes to add or subtract from the moonset time If Moon 000 000 Then ON In this example the outlet is on at moonrise and off at moonset 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 moonrise 360 or 360 max SSS minutes before
117. the icon that will represent this outlet on the Status Screens Addr the address of the outlet this can only be changed for Legacy outlets it is automatically configured for EnergyBar outlets Modify the Outlet Program Setup Outlet Setup Program Outlet use the up down arrows to highlight the outlet you wish to 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 Advanced is selected you can edit the program for the outlet see the section titled Advanced Programming for more information To edit an outlet from the Web Interface Configuration Outlet Setup Status from the Outlet drop down box near the top of the screen choose the outlet to edit Outlet Name the name of the outlet that appears on the Status Screen and is referred to in the program Control Type choose to use a Wizard Light Pump Heater etc or choose Advanced to custom program the outlet Icon choose the icon that will represent this outlet on the Status Screens The bottom half of this page will either allow you to edit the various parameter of the Wizard you have selected for this outlet in the Control Type field see the section titled Programming with Wizards for more information or if Advanced is selected you can edit the program for the outlet see the section titled Advanced Programming for more information
118. the 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 contrast of the Apex Display Apex Display System Display Setup Display Contrast use the up down arrows to change the contrast of the LCD display from O to 20 default is 5 when done press OK Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface CONFIGURING THE DASHBOARD The new Apex Dashboard released in the 4 20 version of the firmware brings a new dimension to tank control and automation The Dashboard provides a graphical representation of your outlets probes and switches It even enables you to embed streaming video from a web cam Pd Because it s all about control Dashboard Graphs Data log Season table Configuration Temp Page 67 AquaController Apex x SYSTEMS The Dashboard is comprised of a palette and tiles Your palette is like a blank canvas Tiles contain the status of outlets probes and embedded URL s You can Dashboard Graphs Data log Season table Configuration XML have up to 4 Dashboards on a controller You access and configure them via your web pages on the Dashboard menu Initially every outlet and probe will have a tile on the pallet You then can configure your individual Dashboards by simply dragging tiles around There s a virtual drawer called Unused Tiles that cont
119. tion 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 Page 35 AquaController Apex psa NEP TU S procedure again however this usually indicates that the ORP probe is too far out of range and should be replaced Page 36 AquaController Apex Pd NEPTUNE ORP PROBE MAINTENANCE ORP 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 gently brush the sides and tip of the probe with a soft brush to remove any debris Rinse the probe in tap water Soaking the probe in acid vinegar or alkali borax solution to remove mineral deposits is not typically needed but can be used to try and bring back an old probe that has stopped working CONDUCTIVITY PROBE SETUP OPTIONAL A port to connect a Conductivity probe is included on the optional expansion Probe Module 2 PM2 The Conductivity probe will be identified as Condx3 Condx4 etc on the Apex system The number in the probe identifier corresponds to the AquaBus number assigned to the 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 at least version 4 02 to support the Probe Module 2 The PM2 connects to the
120. tion not available from the Apex Display Web Interface Configuration Load Save in the Load Apex Configuration box near the top of the page click the Browse button to select the Save file you wish to load click the check boxes next to the elements you wish to load click the Restore Configuration button The Apex will restart automatically XML MENU The XML menu from the Web Interface provides a RSS feed function for status reporting several XML outputs to retrieve the current status of the AquaController Apex probes and outlets as well as the history of the measured Page 79 AquaController Apex JE N E N probe values These functions have been made available for advanced users and programmers EPT IN L I V UPDATING FIRMWARE The AquaController Apex system includes the ability to update the software that runs the controller and modules otherwise known as firmware The process of updating the firmware is also known as flashing which is a term derived from the fact that the firmware is stored in flash memory on the modules The ability to update the firmware allows problems that were discovered after shipment to be fixed as well as add new features for years to come The firmware is updated on the Apex Base module through the same network connection you use to access the Web Interface When the Apex Base Module is updated new versions of the firmware for supported Apex Modules is copied to the Bas
121. tlet Sump High ON Then ON Other alarm commands You can see that assigning Virtual Outlets to the Switches makes reading and understanding what is going on in the outlet programs much easier KALKWASSER CONTROL Page 100 AquaController Apex pd NEPTUNE Many reef aquariums which are heavily stocked with stony corals require large additions of calcium One popular method to add calcium to these systems is mixing calcium hydroxide powder with fresh top off water However this mixture is highly alkaline high pH which if added in large amounts can raise the pH of the system to unhealthy levels This program example builds on the Automatic Top Off program from the previous example section titled Automatic Top Off Assign and create the following outlets 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 Sump High float switch Sump_Lowcreate as a Virtual Outlet to indicate the state of the Sump_High float switch pH pH probe used to measure the pH of the main display Outlet Programs Sump_Low lt Virtual Outlet gt If Switchi CLOSED Then ON If Switchi OPEN Then OFF Sump_High lt Virtual Outlet gt If Switch2 CLOSED Then ON If Switch2 OPEN Then OFF ATO lt Real Outlet gt Fallback OFF If Outlet Sump_Low ON Then ON If Outlet Sump_High ON Then OFF If pH gt 8 30 Then
122. to create a tidal back and forth flow The same effect can be achieved with If Time and If Outlet statements to simplify the program a bit Outlet Programs Page 102 AquaController Apex NETA Pumpi Real Outlet Fallback On If Time 00 00 to 06 00 Then ON If Time 06 00 to 12 00 Then OFF If Time 12 00 to 18 00 Then ON If Time 18 00 to 00 00 Then OFF Pump2 Real Outlet Fallback On Set On If Outlet Pump1 ON Then OFF Finally the program can be simplified even further with the OSC Oscillate command Outlet Programs Pumpi Real Outlet Fallback On OSC 360 00 360 00 360 00 Then ON Pump2 Real Outlet Fallback On Set On If Outlet Pumpi ON Then OFF NOTE Pump1 could be configured 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 parameter is the initial off time in minutes seconds The second parameter is the on time in minutes seconds and the third parameter is the final off time Each pump outlet will initially start in the initial off state then go to the on state and then to the final off state This cycle will repeat over and over again Suppose that it is desired to have three power heads turn on one at a time for 5 minutes each The following AquaController Apex outlet program will produce this effect Outlet Programs Pumpi Real Outlet Fallback
123. tton The Apex system will immediately restart Web Interface This option is not available from the Web Interface EMAIL SETUP The AquaController Apex can be configured to send email alerts when certain conditions are encountered This is 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 information Correct settings for the default gateway and DNS these are not required to get the Web Interface operational are required for email operation You will need to acquire the following information from your email hosting company to setup email alarms on the Apex SMTP server address The host name of your email provider s SMTP server SMTP port The port number your email provider uses for the SMTP protocol 25 is the industry standard for SMTP but some ISPs block port 25 for security reasons and therefore some email providers use different port numbers to avoid this problem From Address The email address you are sending the email messages from Typically needs to be a valid address to the operator of the SMTP server To Address The email address you wish to send the alarm messages to Any valid email address can be used Alternate To Address An optional additional email address to send the alarm messages to Any valid email address can be used Mailbox Username and Password The crede
124. ty with the provisions of e EN 60950 1 A1 2009 e EN 60335 1 2010 The Technical Construction File required by this Directive is maintained at the corporate headquarters of Neptune Systems LLC 6280 San Ignacio Ave Suite E San Jose California The symbol to the right means that according to Curt Pansegrau local laws and regulations your product should be disposed of separately from household waste When this product reaches its end of life take it to a collection point designated by local authorities President C Some collection points accept products for free The separate collection and recycling of your product at the time of disposal will help conserve natural resources and ensure that it is recycled in a manner that protects human health and the environment
125. u are using automatic IP address assignment DHCP as the IP address for the device can change when the AquaController Apex re boots after updating the firmware If the firmware update fails for some reason and the Apex base module does not boot up correctly it can still be recovered An Apex base module with corrupt firmware is indicated by a flashing yellow status LED To recover the system 1 Remove power to the Apex Base Module 2 Restart the Apex flash utility Make sure that a valid IP address is in the Network Address box not a hostname 3 Start the firmware update by pressing the firmware update button 4 Wait for the firmware update to timeout 5 Re apply power to the Apex base module The status LED will flash yellow and connect to the flash utility Error Object reference not set to an instance of an object 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 Check the password and enter the correct value Error Unable to connect to the remote server Typical Cause Wrong HTTP Port Number check the setting and enter the correct port number Page 84 AquaController Apex p YS IEMS If you continue to have trouble updating the firmware please email the log from the bottom of the Apex Flash Utility window to support neptunesys com Page 85 Aq
126. uaBus to the new Apex Module The order modules are connected is not important and the AquaBus is plug and play meaning you do not need to power down the system to connect a new module The entire length of the AquaBus should be kept to a maximum of 200 feet WARNING NEVER plug standard USB devices into any AquaBus connector or AquaBus accessories into computer USB ports Damage to the AquaBus accessory and or USB device may result ENERGYBAR 8 AquaController Apex Energy Bar 8 EB8 provides 6 solid state and 2 relay controlled outlets to control typical 120V AC items such as lights heaters chillers etc In addition EB8 provides power to the other modules in the system through the AquaBus It includes a 6 port AquaBus hub for flexible configuration options EB8 outlets are programmed using the steps outlined in the section titled Programming Outlets PROBE MODULE 1 AquaController Apex Probe Module 1 PM1 adds a Temperature and pH ORP ports to the Apex system This module connects anywhere on the AquaBus and includes 2 AquaBus ports for flexible connection options PM1 also includes 6 Page 21 AquaController Apex VI pd NEPTUNE e MA 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 see the section titled Probe Setup for more information Page 22 AquaController Apex
127. uaController Apex N N I NEPTUN NY n zl If you don t understand the debug messages please email the log to supportOneptunesys com and we ll help you determine what is wrong mail This function can be used to send a test email to verify end to end operation of all components needed to send email alarms Apex Display System Email Setup Email test push the Select button to send a test message Web Interface Configuration Network setup click the checkbox next to Email test press the Update Network Settings button to send a test message CONFIGURING THE APEX TO BE ACCESSIBLE FROM THE INTERNET After configuring and verify the operation of the network interface you can configure your home network router so that the AquaController can be accessed from the internet A WARNING Change the administrator user name and password of the AquaController before enabling access to the 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 you are exposing your system to unauthorized access Configure your router so that incoming port 80 TCP requests are forwarded to the AquaController IP address on port 80 This configuration is usually done in the router s virtual server setup menu port forwarding or the UPnP section Consult your router s setup manual fo
128. uaController Apex Pd NEPTUNE SY gt TEILS APPENDIX 1 APEX DISPLAY MENU STRUCTURE Page 86 AquaController Apex Power Log Reset Log Graph Power Fail Log Log Interval 3 AquaController Apex Page 87 Pd NEPTUNE o Wy o TEM S APPENDIX 2 DISPLAY ICONS The table below contains the graphical icons that will be displayed on the AquaController 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 Icon On and Off Off Up Down m Sound A Arrows i JL Left Right p E Sound B r Eli Arrows Thermometer Bt H Thumbs Light A Lm Hourglass Light B Note HL dh Moon DT Arrows Clock Ts Bell Email T3 Fan Calendar Spigot RH Bars m Sun Manual On Off y OF Page 88 AquaController Apex NE APPENDIX 3 PROGRAMMING REFERENCE DEFER The Defer command requires that the internal program state of the outlet be in the specified state for a specified period of time before actually switching the state of the outlet The internal program state is determined by executing all the commands in the outlet program listed before and after the defer command The Defer command is executed after all other commands on the outlet no mater where it is placed in the program Defe
129. ule It defaults to the file that came with the downloaded package If you would like to change the file to flash type the file name in the box or click the Browse button to select the file Page 81 AquaController Apex RNEPTUS 4 Enter the Network Address to the Apex controller you wish to update a Accept the default of Apex if you have not renamed the AquaController Apex b If you have changed the host name enter the 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 NOTE For best results use the IP address of the AquaController Apex in the Apex Flash utility not the host name This is especially important if you are using automatic IP address assignment DHCP as the IP address for the device can change when the AquaController Apex re boots after updating the firmware 5 Enter HTTP Port that your AquaController is configured to use for the Web Interface a Accept the default of 80 if you have not changed it b If you have changed the HTTP Port on the Apex enter the current HTTP Port current HTTP Port can be viewed from the Apex Display at System Net Setup HTTP Port 6 Enter the Apex Administrator User name and Password a Defaults are admin and 1234 b If you have changed the Administrator User Name and Password enter the current credentials cur
130. use spaces or special characters in your hostname A WARNING Changing the hostname may render the Web Interface inaccessible when using the new hostname in a web browser until the Apex Page 12 AquaController Apex N m U N E E A is restarted This is not a limitation of the Apex rather the DNS service running on your home network CONFIGURE THE APEX WEB INTERFACE PORT NUMBER OPTIONAL The Apex Base Module Web Interface uses an industry standard port number of 80 In most cases there is no need to change this port number If the need arises use the following instructions to change the port number The AquaController Apex can be configured to use any port number up to port 9999 To update the Port Number Apex Display System Net Setup Http Port use the up down arrows to select the appropriate number when done press OK Web Interface Configuration Network Setup click in the HTTP port default 80 box and type the desired port number press the Update Network Settings button to save changes A WARNING If the Port number is 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 INTERFACE ADMINISTRATOR CREDENTIALS The Apex Base Module Web Interface uses the default user credentials of admin and 1234 It is strongly suggested that these credentials
131. using DHCP the IP addressed s to the Apex base module can and will change from time to time This can cause problems for browsers in finding the Apex Web Interface on your network In addition if the Apex is to be accessed outside its home network manually configuring a fixed IP address is recommended to avoid firewall problems See the section titled Manual Network Configuration Optional for instructions on configuring a fixed IP address If the Apex cannot contact a DHCP server it will configure itself with the following network settings If your network uses a different network configuration than what is listed below the Apex will be unreachable from 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 255 255 255 0 Gateway Address 192 168 1 1 Primary DNS 192 168 1 1 Alternate DNS 192 168 1 1 MANUAL NETWORK CONFIGURATION OPTIONAL If the network where the Apex Base Module is connected does not have DHCP services or if the Apex is to be accessed from outside the home network from a cell phone or remote PC for example manually configuring the network interface on the AquaController Apex is strongly recommended You need to determine an IP address to use that is compatible with your home network This IP address must be unique on the network If you are unsure what IP address to use consu
132. utes off for 5 minutes repeats with on of 15 minutes Syntax OSC FFF FF SSS SS TTT TT Then Y FFF FF the initial off time in minutes seconds up to 999 59 max SSS SS the first on time in minutes seconds up to 999 59 max TTT TT the second Off time in minutes seconds up to 999 59 max Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off Page 96 AquaController Apex SET The Set command is used to set an outlet on or off Set ON In this example if the outlet will be set on Syntax Set Y Y ON to turn the outlet on or OFF to turn the outlet off NOTE Commands later in the outlet program may override this command See the section titled Order of Operation for more information 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 Fallback Off Set Off If Time 08 00 to 20 00 Then ON Light 2 Real Outlet 2 Fallback Off Set Off If Time 08 30 to 19 30 Then ON Pump 1 Real Outlet 3 Fallback On OSC 000 00 005 00 005 00 Then ON If FeedA 000 Then OFF Pump 2 Real Outlet 4 Fallback On OSC 005 00 005 00 000 00 Then ON If FeedA 000 Then OFF Heater Real Outlet 5 Fallback Off If Temp 77 0 Then ON If Temp 78 0 Then OFF Page 97 AquaController Apex Chiller Real Outlet 6 Fallback Off If Temp 79 0 Then ON If

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