AquaControllers for Dummies

[blange3]

So the order is placed and paid for and soon I'll have an AC Jr!

So what do I do next!

It's going on the 75 to manage lights, temp and topoff. Maybe moonlights and logging to the PC later.

I know from the buy list DFlint is getting an AC JR and Ed and jimbirm are getting AC3's. So I know we will all appreciate advice from the pro's.

 

[kabal2]

i have a acjr, and is the bomb ;D , the only bad thing is that i cant keep the time, but after that is good, keeps good the tempture "i have mine controlling the fans if the temp go over 79.0, turning the lights off if the temp goes over 82.8, and the heater comes on if the temp is under 78.5, ligths come one at the time that is good, like i said you have a lot of choices, my next step is to set up my calcium reactor and control it with the ac jr

Gabriel

 

[Edwardw771]

I have no Idea how it works either. I saw ethernet and email. So I plan on busting out the CAT 5 wire box from home depot and running more wires. From the tank to the Linksys router.
Hopefully that is how it works.

 

[blange3]

Yeah Ed,

You've got ethernet and a webserver so you can keep in touch while away from home. For now I use the wife for that kind of connectivity! ;D

 

[dflint]

I'm a Macintosh person, does the Jr. interface with a mac, or is there a work around?
I plan on using it mainly for monitoring my calcium reactor, tempature, and maybe my lights.

Kabal, what do you meanit doesn't keep the time?

 

[blange3]

Hey Dan,

All the AC Jr has is a serial port so it depends on whether the AquaNotes software comes in a MAC version. AC Lite is what I'll be looking at for the basics.

 

[kabal2]

the timer in the controller or go fast or slow, just one in each controller tho, but it have a leap second feature, so you can take time away every day or give time, so it keep up the right time, is not a biggy, but it took me time to fix it i dont know why

 

[cmsurfr22]

the aquacontrollers are realllllllly easy to program. the instruction booklet explains things very well. the controller comes with a default program that you can modify to your specific neads.

 

[ebqwert]

Dan:

the controller has a web interface so you can run a browser you can connect to it and program it remotely. It dosen't matter if its a Mac or PC.

AquaNotes is a PC app. but you don't need that to program it.

Eric

 

[dflint]

well that's good news... my mac doesn't have a serial port.

 

[blange3]

So I've installed mine on the main tank last night and I love it! I ran it on the nano for a few days to learn and tweak the program.

Nothing fancy going on yet although I tweaked the feed cycle to go to actinic only lighting and staggered turning the pumps back on so that the closed loop comes back on 10 minutes before the return pump. This way the fish get to polish off the leftovers before the sump gets them!

Next addition will be topoff control. I want to turn the top off pump on for short cycles and install a normally closed float switch for upper level control. This way when the timer turns on, if the level is OK, the pump won't run.

 

[dflint]

I'll let you work the kinks out and then pick your brains if I have any trouble! ;D
I skimmed the booklet and think I will hook it up after I move my sump to the basement.

 

[blange3]

Well Jr passed the first big test. We were gone for 4 days and things were running fine and the tank was properly topped off when we returned!

 

[Edwardw771]

I plugged mine in and my 250 w mhs keep shutting off. I can only plug one in at a time. If I plug in both then the GFI pops. I have an Electrician coming in tonight to give me a quote to upgrade my panel from 100 to 200 amps.

 

[Brian]

Let's revive this thread!

Santa brought me an AC JR. I'm pretty sure it will do everything I need it to.

How is everyone's working for them so far? I have programmed it, but haven't plugged anything into it yet.

I do have a question though.. .I'm getting conflicting information...

Can you daisy chain DC8's together with the Jr? or can I add a DC4HD daisy chained to the DC8? It looks like I can, I'm not sure if I need to....yet.

I'm having it control:

2 - 300w Heaters, 3 - 250w MH, 2 - 160w VHO - 2 Moonlights, Fans and my Calcium Reactor.

It can handle 15 amps, or 6 amps per outlet.. or somewhere thereabout..

My MH Ballasts are 2.3 amps so I "think" I can get away with running 2 MH's on one outlet and 1 on another..

Does all this seem to make sense? Also... How do you guys calibrate the temperature probe? Are you using a glass thermometer to get the temp and then using that as a guide?

Whew! That was a mouthfull... I kind of jumped all over the place in my excitement...lol

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

[mikem]

Did you get the PC cable also? If so ,you'll need an isolator. Works great especially the feed cycle. It turns off the power heads. You can daisy chain either up via phone wire and change the pin settings. I'm running 3 250watt MH, VHO's 2 heaters, 1/3 hp chiller,vortec pump, seio 2500 pump, and a calc. reactor with no problems. I checked my temp with a glass thermometer and a baby thermometer and found there was only .5 degree different, so I added that value to my program. Enjoy.

 

[Brian]

Do you mean the serial port connector? I have it, but I can't hook it up to my laptop.. It's a female port on the laptop and a female connection on the cable.. So I guess I need some sort of adapter?

 

[blange3]

Brian,

The Jr. Can address 12 ports max. You can use a DC8 and a DC4. Or 2 DC8's but you will not be able to address 4 of the ports.

 

[mikem]

Thanks Bill. I forgot to add that the 4 outlets won't be switched. You can pick up the adaptor for the serial cable to convert it over to male at a PC store.

 

[Brian]

Thanks guys... Hopefully I won't need to buy anything else...But knowing that I can expand it helps..

The serial cable for the Jr. is only for data logging correct? You can't program the Jr. with the computer right?