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Thread: Help with Salinity control

  1. #1
    Join Date
    30.01.2013
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    Gold Coast
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    108

    Idee Help with Salinity control

    Hey guys

    I just set up my ATO with a Ghl Optical Level Sensor and working great, now I want to control the salinity but I can't find anything on it. is there any one that knows how to and can help and send some pic to.
    I have profilux 3ex and i have the latest update Joel

  2. #2
    Join Date
    19.02.2009
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    MANOTICK
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    Hi Joel,

    This depends on how you wish to control it, however I do advice salinity is only used as reference never as a control option.

    Salinity can swing easily just by a microscopic amount of dirt getting onto the plate, then it can fall off and your salinity goes up, if you look at a graph of your salinity over a day it goes up and down, you need to read it as an average.

    Of course the controller can be programmed to make the salinity reading control anything, its just up to you if you really want to take that risk - i personally would not.


    GHL ProfiLux Canada/USA Distribution and support

  3. #3
    Join Date
    30.01.2013
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    Gold Coast
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    Hello

    Thanks for your point but its for a customer, I been through all of the risks that could happen and he doesn't care he just wants me to set it up..

  4. #4
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    30.01.2013
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    Gold Coast
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    So if there is any one thats tryed this plz let me know how you went with it
    Really keen to know


    Joel

  5. #5
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    19.02.2009
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    MANOTICK
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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANoO3fsX6Ec

    I personally do not advise this, the theory is great but it does not take into account natural salinity drifts and passing dirt on a probe, for example if a dirt particle got onto the electrode plate (which will happen) you will be dumping in salt water for the wrong reason - result an eventual tank crash. Once the probe is clean then of course the salinity level of your tank is too high so RO is dumped in, then the tank could overflow. OK so you add an overflow sensor which has to be not far above the normal sump water level. how far do you go with the see-saw effect?

    Remember salt does not evaporate so why would you ever need to address this fluctuation? Providing your salinity is right to start with then it will stay right, even with water changes you make sure you balance the system to the new water.

    Great in theory but in practice - IMO dangerous.
    Last edited by aqua_digital; 11.04.2013 at 12:32.


    GHL ProfiLux Canada/USA Distribution and support

  6. #6
    Join Date
    03.12.2009
    Posts
    188

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    I run both RO and s/w top up on my systems.

    All that I do is have a level sensor for each system as you would normally for Ro top up, plus a level sensor in each of the top up containers for a low level mark.

    Then by using some programmable logic I test if the water is at the target salinity, if it's low and the system water level is down, then I turn on the top up pump for salt water.
    Eg PL1 and cond 1 increase, digital input 1 inverse (low level sensor for s/w top up). PL2 and PL1, water 1 (low level sensor for tank). Assign socket for s/w top up pump to PL2.

    For the Ro top up I test if the water level is down and the salt water top up is not running (salinity is correct or high) and if so turn on the top up for Ro.
    Eg PL3 and cond 1 decrease, digital input 2 inverse (low level sensor for Ro top up). PL4 and PL2 invert, PL3. PL5 and PL4, water 1. Assign socket for Ro top up to PL5

    Note: I use digital inputs with third party float sensors, but levels could also be used. I may have the s/w top up and Ro top up backwards in the above example (I'm not at home so I'm unure which pump is in the Ro).

    This allows me to do weekly cleaning, removal of water and fish from my grow out system, manage evaporation and have the correct amount and type of water replaced. It also allows me to manage the salinity levels in the various systems at different levels (broodstock at 1.024, grow out fish at 1.018, quarantine can be managed to treat if required eg down to 1.010 and then step up to new target through evaporation replacement over a few weeks).

    I double check each system weekly and have not had issues with them, but it is a risk as pointed out by aqua digital.

    To minimize the risk, the water added is only ever small compared to the system volume and I manually refill the top up containers as they get low (150l r/o and 50l s/w for approx 6000l of tanks across 4 seperated systems).

    Some enhancements I want to add but have not got to as yet are
    1. I currently have is a single float switch to test if the water level is low in each system. Once the new level ports are supported in the expansion boxes I will be adding a secondary safety switch for each system.
    2. I want to enable a maximum run time for the top up pump, but haven't looked at how to do this as yet
    3. Disable the top up for a water change (currently I just turn over the float switch so it thinks the water level is fine).
    4. I would like to see if I can use less programmable logic to do the job, but have accepted 5 per system plus two sockets.

    Hope this helps.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    30.01.2013
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    Gold Coast
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    Hello
    Thankyou very much, I'm so happy now when you get a chance can u send as many pic as u can, like of the levels set up and some screen shots if you can that will help me so much as well thank you heaps Joel

  8. #8
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    17.07.2012
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    Houston
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    158

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    Trust what Michael says.
    The Salinity probe is only a guide. It fluctuates up and down all day long. I still test my water with a refractometer periodically due to the odd behavior of the probe.
    It may fluctuate enough both ways that in the end it all averages out but I personally wouldn't trust it.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    30.01.2013
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    Gold Coast
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    Hey guys just a update on my slainilty conrtol and it been running for 3 month now, and it's running great 100% I recommend doing it :-)

  10. #10
    Join Date
    30.01.2013
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    Gold Coast
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    joel family photos 008.jpgjoel family photos 008.jpgHey guys

    I have set up salilty control and its been working great, but the last week it's been playing up by not topping up with fresh or salt.
    I'm using a optical sensor but change it to the float to see if it was that sansor but its still doing it???

    Here are some pic
    Last edited by coops1234; 30.08.2013 at 10:36.

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