Settings For Simulations

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02.06.2017, 01:31
Dumaurier7

Settings For Simulations

Hi all, I have recently set up a couple LX7s over my tank and have been experimenting with the various simulations and their many settings. I am trying to have ALL the events occur as naturally as possible and still maintain enough "bright time" for the corals. Thus far I have not been able to get sunrise / sunset going the whole tank just gradually brightens or dims according to the illumination runs, my passing clouds are too frequent and I don't (think ) I get lighting with the rainy days....my random thunder storms are also too infrequent. The programming manual provides a discription of the various settings but not " typical" values used to obtain specific results, did anyone out ther suceede at setting this up well and are willing to share? also can the guys at GHL provide a bit more guidance to get the various simulations happening in a specific ways? or is this done strictly by trial and error?

D.
02.06.2017, 03:45
ReefClownMIA

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumaurier7

I am trying to have ALL the events occur as naturally as possible and still maintain enough "bright time" for the corals.

This is the idea - same here :)
I'm a huge fan of varying the lighting, to not be static.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumaurier7

Thus far I have not been able to get sunrise / sunset going the whole tank just gradually brightens or dims according to the illumination runs

Define Sunrise/Sunset? What is it that you're expecting, vs what you're getting now?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumaurier7

my passing clouds are too frequent and I don't (think ) I get lighting with the rainy days

lighting, or lightening?
Rainy days are dimmed by the % you specify, it's just a dimmed day, it's not a thunderstorm, no lightening.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumaurier7

my random thunder storms are also too infrequent.

This should be simple.
Illumination -> Thunderstorm -> Random thunderstorm:
Waiting time min. XX / max. XX HOURS
This specifies how much time minimum and maximum time between the thunderstorms. I have mine set for Min: 48 Max 120
Details: it will wait a minimum of 48 hours, and up to 120 hours, after completion of the past thunderstorm, before starting a new one. Sometime between 48-120 hours.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dumaurier7

The programming manual provides a discription of the various settings but not " typical" values used to obtain specific results, did anyone out ther suceede at setting this up well and are willing to share? also can the guys at GHL provide a bit more guidance to get the various simulations happening in a specific ways? or is this done strictly by trial and error?

D.

As we have a wide variety of customer applications, in addition to Reef Tanks, we have freshwater tanks, tropical and planted tanks, etc - there really is nothing short of an encyclopedia sized book required to go over all of the possible combinations.
I'd be happy to share what I use, and I'm sure others would share as well. may get more traction on R2R or the FB group though.

My personal opinion? It's mostly trial and error, what works for some, others will strongly dislike.
For instance I don't do the thunderstorms anymore, however I do use cloudy days, seasonal lighting, and moon phase.
03.06.2017, 01:33
Dumaurier7

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReefClownMIA

Define Sunrise/Sunset? What is it that you're expecting, vs what you're getting now?

.

Hi Marco! For sun rise and set I am thinking that I can set the lights to increase or decrease intensity and brightness from one side to the other (along the tanks length) mimicking the movement of the sun from east to west instead of having the entire tank change all at once.
03.06.2017, 01:42
Dumaurier7

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReefClownMIA

This should be simple.
Illumination -> Thunderstorm -> Random thunderstorm:
Waiting time min. XX / max. XX HOURS
This specifies how much time minimum and maximum time between the thunderstorms. I have mine set for Min: 48 Max 120
Details: it will wait a minimum of 48 hours, and up to 120 hours, after completion of the past thunderstorm, before starting a new one. Sometime between 48-120 hours.

I'll give your settings a try !

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReefClownMIA

As we have a wide variety of customer applications, in addition to Reef Tanks, we have freshwater tanks, tropical and planted tanks, etc - there really is nothing short of an encyclopedia sized book required to go over all of the possible combinations.
I'd be happy to share what I use, and I'm sure others would share as well. may get more traction on R2R or the FB group though.

Yep, I expected as much but I'm thinking that it would be great if we had a place where people can go to to share and try new simulation configurations like the Light Composer projects, as I am soo impressed by the lights I feel they are capable of producing amazing,natural and lifelike aquarium environments and the only way to unlock their true potential is through a group effort.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReefClownMIA

My personal opinion? It's mostly trial and error, what works for some, others will strongly dislike.
For instance I don't do the thunderstorms anymore, however I do use cloudy days, seasonal lighting, and moon phase.

I dont mind the trial and error but sometimes I just dont have the time.
03.06.2017, 17:58
Dumaurier7

Question!? I will soon be running a pair of light bars together with my Mitras, .....what do the LB2s do during a simulation, can they be integrated? Reason is I have not seen anywhere where an address for the LB is required .
26.06.2017, 01:59
Dumaurier7

Anyone?
27.06.2017, 10:59
Marc

If i get you right you want to have the Mitras LX7 as Master of your LB2s? It's not possible.
The Lightbar can be operated undimmed (all LEDs at 100%) and dimmed (with the aquarium computer ProfiLux from version 3).
27.06.2017, 11:29
Dumaurier7

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marc

If i get you right you want to have the Mitras LX7 as Master of your LB2s? It's not possible.
The Lightbar can be operated undimmed (all LEDs at 100%) and dimmed (with the aquarium computer ProfiLux from version 3).

No, all my Mitras are slaves to the PWC card installed in my P4 so I'm wondering how the wired RJ45 connection for the LB2s would work along with this .
27.06.2017, 16:35
Vinny

Once you have the Mitras cable connected to the P4, you would go to the MITRAS LIGHTBAR option to the left and set the communication interface by clicking on the blue button and checking the MITRAS LIGHTBAR PRESENT option. In this same window, you can set which illumination channel you want to assign to each channel on the LB2.

Once that is done, you will go to each illumination channel and check the desired simulation boxes.
27.06.2017, 20:57
Dumaurier7

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny

Once you have the Mitras cable connected to the P4, you would go to the MITRAS LIGHTBAR option to the left and set the communication interface by clicking on the blue button and checking the MITRAS LIGHTBAR PRESENT option. In this same window, you can set which illumination channel you want to assign to each channel on the LB2.

Once that is done, you will go to each illumination channel and check the desired simulation boxes.

Hi Vinny, the above is understood but it does not state anything about addressing the lights. Remember the pWC and each MITRAS light is assigned an address for use when coordinating simulations? I'm as king how the LBs intigrate and participate without being also assigned.
27.06.2017, 21:46
Vinny

The P4 transmits the simulation functions to each LX7 via the PWC card. The light addressing only has to do with the LX7.

In the case of the LB2, this is done through the Mitras Lightbar cable that connects to the RJ45 port. When a simulation is enabled, the data is transmitted to the LB2 through the LB2-cable.
28.06.2017, 14:15
Dumaurier7

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny

The P4 transmits the simulation functions to each LX7 via the PWC card. The light addressing only has to do with the LX7.

In the case of the LB2, this is done through the Mitras Lightbar cable that connects to the RJ45 port. When a simulation is enabled, the data is transmitted to the LB2 through the LB2-cable.

I get that but I guess I'm asking if the P4 cordinates the actions of the LX7 and LB2s individually? So I would like to know how if an address/position isn't defined for the LB2s. For instance, during the cloud simulations when the LX7s are dimmed and relit sequentially what would be the action of the LB2s? How does the P4 know how and when to dim and relight the units?
28.06.2017, 14:50
Vinny

Any Illumination channel that has the simulation box checked will react in-sync with other illumination channels that have the same box checked. This is regardless of what LED you have assigned to it. If your LX7s are using a simulation mode and you set the LB2 to also react with the same simulation, when the event happens, both LX7s and LB2 will react together. You can set a delay between each LX7 fixture, but not on a LB2 as this feature was made for LX7s.

In terms of how the LB2 will react during a simulation like cloud cover, the LB2 will be dimmed immediately. A delay for the LB2 cannot be set like on the LX7. When the cloud cover simulation occurs, the LB2 LEDs will begin dimming randomly to create the cloud simulation. This will be throughout the length of the LB2.

Hopefully I understood your question this time. :)
28.06.2017, 15:07
Dumaurier7

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vinny

Any Illumination channel that has the simulation box checked will react in-sync with other illumination channels that have the same box checked. This is regardless of what LED you have assigned to it. If your LX7s are using a simulation mode and you set the LB2 to also react with the same simulation, when the event happens, both LX7s and LB2 will react together. You can set a delay between each LX7 fixture, but not on a LB2 as this feature was made for LX7s.

In terms of how the LB2 will react during a simulation like cloud cover, the LB2 will be dimmed immediately. A delay for the LB2 cannot be set like on the LX7. When the cloud cover simulation occurs, the LB2 LEDs will begin dimming randomly to create the cloud simulation. This will be throughout the length of the LB2.

Hopefully I understood your question this time. :)

Great, this is the information I was after as I didn't want to purchase the LB2s then find out there are problems with compatibility, thanks for your help and attention!