Water change?

[Manminder]

hello i have a profilux II ex. i am trying to achieve a water change without using the ato feature as my R/O unit is taking care of this. now i have read the sticky at the top of 'Measuring and controlling" and don't really understand it.

All i want to do is have a pump come on for an x amount of time to drain water from my sump and another pump which is in my saltwater reservoir to pump water back in for an x amount of time!! (if i don't have to use the float switches respectively) now i do have two float sensors which i was told i needed for the water change but after messing around a little i'm beginning to think i now don't need them. can anyone help with the programming of this situation?

[Manminder]

i take it their is no help on this topic?

[Blahenazo]

so do you have 2 pumps that pump EXACTLY the same amount of water in and out of your aquarium, every time ?

And even if you should find it , what happens if 1 pump malfunctions , or it pumps slower by a bit of dirt in the pump=> so pumping slower. Even moving the output tube can already enormously affect pump volume of pumps. Even more of the relatively small aquarium pumps you would be using for something like this.
and to compensated the pumps difference you will need to adjust the timers ever so ofthen.


So yes you can do it with timers without floater but will it be reliable ? => No,

[BigAl07]

Blahenazo is 100% correct. It "can" be done but it "Shouldn't" be done. All it would take is one small snail or piece of algae to ever so slightly clog/restrict the first pump and the second pump would overflow the system. What is the first pump failed completely? You'd have a major flood on your hands. Level sensors are designed to work hard so you don't have to.

With your suggested set-up it's not a matter of IF you're going to flood but WHEN and HOW MUCH. There are better more reliable ways to do a water change. :)

[Manminder]

okay i understand but then how do i write the programme for a water change without using the ATO function. I do have two level sensors which i can use to be honest i overlooked the pumping issue!! so i have to be using the sensors has anyone written a programme for this and what was the initial state of the sensors??

[shardyl]

okay i understand but then how do i write the programme for a water change without using the ATO function. I do have two level sensors which i can use to be honest i overlooked the pumping issue!! so i have to be using the sensors has anyone written a programme for this and what was the initial state of the sensors??

I dont have my profilux system yet and am planning a pretty complex water change system with 3 level sensors doing large water changes out of the tank! (hoping the system will work for what i have planned but support on this forum seems limited)

I am pretty sure they have a default program for running this with 2 level sensors though. Are you using the PC software ?

This quote is from the programming manual

Water change
For adjustable times the water is drained off (switchable socket with function Water 2 is then switched on) until
sensor 2 signals theminimum water level. After this, Water 2 is switched off and the socket Water 1 is switched on
until the water reaches sensor 1.
-> Sensor 1 signals, that the tank is full again, sensor 2 indicates when enough water has drained off. Switchable
socket Water 1 switches fresh water supply, Water 2 switches the outflow.
After selection of this operational mode, the timer has to be selected which shall define the time of the water change.
Please don’t forget to program the selected timer accordingly afterwards (set here switching period to Event
start, see 4.3 Timer). The water change is then started at the here pre-set times.

When it refers to freshwater I am pretty sure it means fresh saltwater as opposed to "freshwater"

Obviously because I dont have my system yet (arrives this monday) This is all the help I can offer but it seems from this that they have some sort of default water change that would probably work perfectly for you and your system with your 2 float switches. I think the fact that you plan on doing relativly small water changes from your sump makes this even simpler!

Hope this helps out a bit and would like to know if you find the default saltwater change program easily

[Manminder]

i am certainly going to try this mate will let you know how i get on!! yes i am running version 4.00 to 4.08

[Manminder]

okay the bit i don't get is the programmable logic. this is very annoying to say the least

[Antipodes]

okay the bit i don't get is the programmable logic. this is very annoying to say the least
OK I guess you have read the first post in this thread??
9-Measuring-and-controlling- auto top up how to (http://forum.aquariumcomputer.com/forumdisplay.php?9-Measuring-and-controlling).
If you have could, please detail what you have done and where you are up to in the process explained.

Then what you don't actually understand from the statements on how to do the programmable logic from the post above.

Save me having to duplicate the full post here!

I am running the ATO system as per the post and then went and slightly modified it so as to put in sea water when the salinity drops and put in fresh water when the salinity is too high. Only catch with this is I check the calibration of my salinity probe weekly against a know sample which I measured directly after calibration. If it is out I then clean and recalibrate if I have to. (Although not at the moment as I am in China)

[Manminder]

well benutzer all i want to do is drain water via pump from my sump until the bottom level sensor is activated this would then stop draining. THEN Refill with fresh saltwater from my reservoir also via pump till the top level sensor is activated stopping the refilling process

[Antipodes]

well benutzer all i want to do is drain water via pump from my sump until the bottom level sensor is activated this would then stop draining. THEN Refill with fresh saltwater from my reservoir also via pump till the top level sensor is activated stopping the refilling process
OK my user name is Antipodes and if you note my signature says Paul.
However you did not answer the actual question.
The thread in question does EXACTLY what you have requested!

Again, Have you followed the above thread word for word, and if so what particular item is it you are having problems with??

Please also note, I am just a user and have been through the same problems you have and it was all solved with the thread highlighted in my previous post.

[Manminder]

Iv,e got it working now exactly as in the link you have given alhough i would like to not use the auto top up feature do i just leave the socket for the auto top off logic programming as always OFF?

[Manminder]

as i am water changing from my sump i need my main system pump to turn off along with protein skimmer if this is a good idea how do i tie this in with the programmed logic|??

[Antipodes]

Iv,e got it working now exactly as in the link you have given alhough i would like to not use the auto top up feature do i just leave the socket for the auto top off logic programming as always OFF?
I can't reply 100 % as I miles away from my system. Yes I think you can do that, but you also want to turn off the alarm for the auto topup as it will go off if not full.

For your Skimmerand return pump. I turn them off at a feed pause and the auto water change allows a feed pause to be initiated when you start the auto water change.

But if you just want them to stop during the water change, then use water change inverted (I think, pay to experiment) and assign your socket to the programmable logic you just created.
Only problem with this is they will start straight away as soon as the water change is complete.
By using the feed pause I find it is a few minutes more until it restarts.

Sorry not super sure on this as I said I am away from my system for a couple of weeks.

Good luck

[Manminder]

its okay you've been a great help. iv been thinking about it and might just drain the watter from my main display tank that way i dont need to turn of the skimmer which i think could cause further problems. however my return pump will need to be turned off as it will otherwise run sump dry!! for know im going to re route my drain pump to the display tank along with the float switches. my auto top off is controlled via a spectrapure solenoid so no need to relyon profilux for that atm.

[Antipodes]

No problem at all.
I know we have all been there at the start.
I have to say most of my initial knowledge is from Forums and I try my best to return the knowledge best of my restricted ability.
If you have you or any one else have other queries, I do recommend that you search the forum.
A lot of subjects are repeated and regurgitated, but having said that some changes are always happening and need a different response.
One of the things this controller is capable of is being able to do the same thing different ways.
I think you are getting the measure of this thing and will be soon passing your knowledge to others.
Catch you later.