Setting up Auto Water Changes - Lots of help required - Totally confused :(

[mattrees]

it is not that complicated

matthias,

I think this is some of the problem
To you, someone that knows the software inside and out, its not that complicated
For new users to the system, it is
The system is not easy to navigate and understand

Thats why Detailed tutorials and video guides (in my opinion) are mandatory as there are different users here with different experience levels
You have to remember, a lot of people here dont even have a great understanding of computer systems, let alone PLC devices. They just want the system to work.
Most people battle with just setting up the serial / USB connection, let alone the programming.

I could never recommend this system to anyone. Not because of its capabilities, we know the system is very capable. Its because of the usability. Its just not easy to get the system to do what you want it to do without really in depth knowledge of the system and the programming side of things.

[d2mini]

I wish I could do that, but my sump is too small to keep everything running and be able to discard a decent amount of water.
My tank is a 60G cube, and the sump is as large as I can get in there.
The return pump compartment is pretty small and the pump would run dry within a minute.
Maybe I need to knock out some baffles, and just put the skimmer in the refugium part.
The sump is a cube, too, and currently divided through the middle, and then one half divided in half again.
Fuge is in the large half, and the skimmer and return pump each in a quarter.

What if you ran it several times per day, every day? On my old cube tank I used to have an AWC setup using a LiterMeter III from Spectrapure. It was awesome, as it ran 150x per day! So you can imagine how little water was changed out each time. I think the profilux AWC can run around 8x per day? I don't remember exactly. But maybe this would work out better for you since you have such a small return chamber.

[Matthias]

I could never recommend this system to anyone. Not because of its capabilities, we know the system is very capable. Its because of the usability. Its just not easy to get the system to do what you want it to do without really in depth knowledge of the system and the programming side of things.

I think it has too much capabilities.

If we would not have the AWC functions and if there was no "programmable logic" we would not have to discuss about it and why people get confused using this.
Just a few timers like others and that's it. Most people can program a timer.

I think it is not fair to say the usability is that bad - if we just removed the special functions in ProfiLux we had not to discuss these things and ProfiLux would still not have less functions than other controllers.
I think you agree that most of the functions we are discussing here are not available in the competitions's controllers, right?
But does this justify to say that they are easier to use? Just because they don't have these "confusing" functions?

It is really hard to make a very open system with a maximum of flexibility and options.

If this leads to the above quoted statement we should really consider to remove all special functions which "may" confuse the normal user.
Is that what we want?

I don't think we will ever have tutorials or videos for every possible setup, I think a certain situation needs a certain thinking.

[mattrees]

Look I agree, but no offence, where are even the simplest of tutorials by GHL?

All I have seen that covers anything in detail has been published by aqua_digital!
GHL havent done anything to bridge that gap and to make the users more aware of the programming side and understanding of the system
I cant find a simple step by step guide for Programming Logic anywhere

In my opinion, you guys should be writing guides and creating videos every single day to meet most if not all of the requirements of the users

This is a REALLY expensive system and to not even be able to get it to do a automatic water change easily, just doesnt cut it for me

[siskiou]

What if you ran it several times per day, every day?

That might be the way to go!

[mattrees]

Thankyou

I followed your advice and it worked
Details listed here:

http://forum.aquariumcomputer.com/sh...rees-AWC-setup

[reeferqq]

Just want to share my setup for AWC which is quiet similar to your case except with a second level sensor for low level control of AWC

Sorry for the forum are in chinese but I put some major remark in english for easy understanding. Hope it can help.
http://www.reef.hk/forum/topic/11787...40#entry214390

[aqua_digital]

Thanks

are you able to publish it here for easy reference?

[reeferqq]

Just share my AWC setting :

Steps of AWC
AWC control flowchart.jpg

G2 & G3 used for cut the power to chiller and heater during AWC
AWC_2.jpg

G4 for skimmer with 120 sec delay after AWC completed
AWC_3.jpg

G5 & G6 for drain pump turn on 60 sec later after AWC started to let main tank water overflow back to sump tank
AWC_4.jpg

AWC_5.jpg

[reeferqq]

Con't

Assign for the related socket
AWC_5a.jpg

Activate AWC by timer or manual through PLC or Touch
photo_a.jpg

sump water level rise after return pump and skimmer stop
AWC_10.jpg

AWC_11.jpg

60 sec later, drain pump start to pump out old tank water
AWC_12.jpg