Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Basic / Standard Reef Angel hardware
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randynixon74
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Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:57 pm

Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by randynixon74 »

WOW! I stumbled onto this group and feel like I hit the jackpot. It's a bit overwhelming, but looks to be exactly what I'm searching for. I'm an experienced reefer trying to replace a DA ReefKeeper setup that I'm growing increasingly frustrated with. Paying for APEX isn't going to happen either. I write SQL daily and use tools like VB, BIDS, SSRS, etc. so I feel good about coding open source. Just have no experience yet.

Can someone please point me to the 2 or 3 best sticky threads on here for a newcomer, so I'll know what hardware, relays, etc to buy and what (if any) hardware I can use from my existing setup (E.g. salinity probe, ORP probe, etc)

Here's my setup:

TANK: 120 gal acrylic mixed reef
LIGHTING: Three (3) Kessil A350w lights
PUMPS: Blue-Line 50PX closed loop external pump; Mag 9 return pump; 2 Koralia 240 powerheads
FILTRATION: Bubble Magus Curve 5 skimmer; All-Glass MegaFLow 4 Sump/Fuge
CONTROLLER: ReefKeeper Lite; PC4, MLC, SL1, temp, salinity, pH probes
Randy Nixon
120g Acrylic Mixed Reef Tank
From: Nashville, TN

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cosmith71
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by cosmith71 »

Welcome! Your story sounds familiar. I came from a ReefKeeper as well.

You shouldn't have much problem with coding. There are many here with far less experience who do just fine.

I don't think you can re-use any of the equipment, other than the ORP probe, pH probe and salinity probe as backups.

The RA+ comes with:

8 outlets
2 dimming ports (10v PWM or Analog)
2 float switch ports + 2 float switches
pH probe
3 temp probe ports and a temp probe (uses DS18B20)

For salinity and ORP, you'd need expansion modules for each. If you use more than one expansion module, you'll need an expansion hub (allows up to 10 expansions).

I'm not up on the moonlights, but I believe they can use the dimming ports or you can add a lunar hub for more of them.

Are the Kessil's controllable? You might need the Kessil cable. Plugs into the dimming ports (I believe).

Definitely get the WiFi attachment.

--Colin
randynixon74
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by randynixon74 »

Thanks for the helpful info, Colin. I'll get an order together and chronicle the journey for others. Looking forward to learning more about Reef Angel.
Randy Nixon
120g Acrylic Mixed Reef Tank
From: Nashville, TN

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Sacohen
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Location: Davie, FL

Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by Sacohen »

Welcome to the group and good luck.
Any questions about equipment just ask.
The moonlights can be used directly from either of the dimming ports on the relay, but they work better using the Lunar Hub.
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lnevo
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by lnevo »

My server is down that houses the API documents. Once that's back up you'll be able to browse through HTML the libraries to see a lot of the interfaces, etc. The code's pretty straightforward being C/C++ and you can read a lot to see how things are going, plus you've got the wizard to generate initial code. If you've got some programming skills this should be a breeze... we're not doing rocket science here... just AlanM :)
binder
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by binder »

lnevo wrote:My server is down that houses the API documents. Once that's back up you'll be able to browse through HTML the libraries to see a lot of the interfaces, etc. The code's pretty straightforward being C/C++ and you can read a lot to see how things are going, plus you've got the wizard to generate initial code. If you've got some programming skills this should be a breeze... we're not doing rocket science here... just AlanM :)
get that server back online...no excuses ;-)


Sent from my iPad mini
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lnevo
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by lnevo »

Ok, my machine is not fully repaired but at least the API is browsable again. If you have any issues, let me know.

I'm still waiting for this repair utility to hopefully fix my original boot drive, but at least I'm up and able to do things at this point.
randynixon74
Posts: 12
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2015 11:57 pm

Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by randynixon74 »

It's official, I'm a Reef Angel user!!! I had to go buy a new wireless router, but I'd been putting that off for years. I'm embarrassed to say it was one of the first Cisco Valet models (2006?) so it was WAY past time. Once I got the new router, the wireless module works like designed. Kudos on all the documentation and screenshots. Precisely why I switched to RA, because everything from the equip to the documentation to the website is built by people who build custom things would want it done! OK, so new questions...

1. I have 4 lunar pods from my Reefkeeper. I know the RK module isn't compatible, but how can I wire all 4 to use a single (actinic or daylight) port? Would that decrease the wattage? Trying to avoid buying the $149 lunar expansion if I can. Could the RK module RJ-11 plug be modified to use only the red/black wire pair?

2. If I buy the Salinity expansion will my RK salinity probe work? It looks identical.

3. What is the best way to program my 3 Kessils, note they are 350Ws so there is not interface cable. I'm really just trying to program an on/off cycle. Right now all three are plugged into a power strip which plugs into the controller. I'd love to have some sort of ramp on them, if its possible.

Thanks in advance for the responses!

I'm really excited to get this thing going.

Randy
Randy Nixon
120g Acrylic Mixed Reef Tank
From: Nashville, TN

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cosmith71
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by cosmith71 »

The lunar hub is $59. :D Roberto says the moonlights are pretty bright so you may be able to get away with the 2 included.

1) I doubt all 4 of your moonlights can run off one dimming port. I think it would draw too much current. If you can figure out what kind of voltage they are using, you might be able to just wire them to a power adapter and put them on one of the relays. You would loose dimming capability, but you'd have moonlights. Alternately, you could buy some blue LED strips from Ebay or Amazon and do the same thing.

2) I think so, maybe someone else can chime in. The salinity expansion also comes with a probe so you'd have a backup.

3) You could put them on different ports and turn them on/off at different times. If it were me, I'd do the middle one first and then turn the other two on later, and the opposite at the end of the light cycle. Maybe the middle one on one outlet and the other two on another.

I ended up just selling my my RKL as a package. It may be worth more to you that way instead of trying to make pieces work with your new setup.

--Colin
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lnevo
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by lnevo »

I believe you can only run one of the moonlights off a dimming port.
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Sacohen
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by Sacohen »

Welcome aboard. I was going to say pretty much what Colin said, but he beat me to it.

The lights I would do 1 at a time east to west, to simulate sunrise and then turn them of the same way to simulate sunset.

I believe the salinity probes are interchangeable, but like he said it does come with one so you would have a spare.
randynixon74
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by randynixon74 »

Thanks Steve, Colin and Inevo! I'm going to play around with the lunar lights today and let you know what I find. Next questions... how do I get the nifty dashbaord to display at the bottom of my posts like most everyone else? I like that.

Randy
Randy Nixon
120g Acrylic Mixed Reef Tank
From: Nashville, TN

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Sacohen
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by Sacohen »

Simple.

On the portal go to the 1st tab at the bottom that says "Web Banners".
Choose the layout you like and post the code into you signature as an image.

The signature can be found under User Control Panel and then Profile.
randynixon74
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by randynixon74 »

Awesome. I freaking love this product! How can I remove the components that are not in use from the dashboard and/or the mobile app? I have them zeroed out now, but I'd like to clean up the interface to show only what "works" for my system.
Randy Nixon
120g Acrylic Mixed Reef Tank
From: Nashville, TN

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Sacohen
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by Sacohen »

Does the dashboard mean the Portal or the Graphic image in your signature?
Either way unused items can't be removed from them.

I don't really know about the U-App, but the Andriod App you can go into the settings and choose what is visible and what isn't.

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randynixon74
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by randynixon74 »

It's official - I'm able to run all four (4) ReefKeeper lunar pods (8 LEDs total) off a single RA dimming port. I just connected/soldered all the + and all the - leads and then spliced into a single harness for the dimming port. I, too, was afraid that there wouldn't be sufficient juice to power them all, but apparently there's plenty. I run them at 50% and they're still plenty bright. I'll post a pic shortly.
Randy Nixon
120g Acrylic Mixed Reef Tank
From: Nashville, TN

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cosmith71
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by cosmith71 »

You might check with a meter to see how much current that's pulling.
randynixon74
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Re: Fed up with DA/APEX - Ready to DIY

Post by randynixon74 »

Pic showing 4 lunar pods merged into a single dimming port.
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DIY RK LEDs into single dimming port
DIY RK LEDs into single dimming port
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Randy Nixon
120g Acrylic Mixed Reef Tank
From: Nashville, TN

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