Lost Creek 270

[tehfeer]

How do you like the apex? I was thinking about picking up one up.

[lostcreekreefer]

How do you like the apex? I was thinking about picking up one up.

It was easy to set up, I have the EB8 installed (8 plug strip, all controlled by the Apex), but nothing on it yet, that is this weekend (lights go on it). Temp & pH are fine, ORP has been interesting to watch as it can take over a week for the ORP probe to 'break in'. My ORP was 141, I FREAKED!, then did a bit of research. My ORP is still climbing daily, now at a slower rate, and is 286 this morning. The display is cool looking (so what) & I can read it from across the room which I really like.
I will have a more cogent reply after I try programming the thing. I am a vet, not a computer programmer and it is all logic & if:then statements.
Ken Argo is a programmer in Renton, WA:
Ken's Reef - Homepage
He has an apex AND it is programmed AND he has posted all of his programs:
Ken's Reef - AquaController Program
I think this will help me immensely! I'll let you know!

[tehfeer]

I believe the apex has a web based interface which should make setting it and monitoring it from your computer alot easier. This is the main reason I want to pick one up. I work in IT so I like that kinda crap lol.


This page has some pretty good info on ORP ORP and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

[lostcreekreefer]

I believe the apex has a web based interface which should make setting it and monitoring it from your computer alot easier. This is the main reason I want to pick one up. I work in IT so I like that kinda crap lol.


This page has some pretty good info on ORP ORP and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Then I need to talk to YOU about programming!

[tehfeer]

If I remember correctly about the APEX you don't actually have to program anymore. You should just plug the device into your network, configure the IP settings and then bring up the web interface. People were really excited about this because its supposed to give you graphs and stuff directly from the unit. Before people had to write programs to gather the information from a serial port. I dont know how advanced it is but you might even be able to set it up to email you alerts and stuff!

[charlie]

Is this you called me about when I was in Spokane last Saturday?

[DevonM]

Let me know how that APEX works. I would like to also monitor my reading from work. I mean I already have a pet cam hooked up to watch them from work, lol . ORP of a steady 360 on this end.

[lostcreekreefer]

Is this you called me about when I was in Spokane last Saturday?

yes...the 141 was not what I was expecting for an ORP reading. It is still going up daily, the rate of increase has slowed though.

[charlie]

I wouldn't have known anyways, I have no idea what my ORP is and don't really want to know. Up until someone can prove to me that is exceedingly relevant anyways.

[tehfeer]

Looks like you can setup email or txt message alerts!! Man I am going to have to save up some money and buy one lol!

Built-in Ethernet

Integrated Ethernet port
Most advanced web server available
Interactive flash graphing application in the web server
Interfaces with AquaNotes iPhone application
Compatible with all Major web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari)
Only aquarium controller with web server monitoring, control, and configuration
Compatible with wireless bridges or game adapters (802.11x) so that wireless network communication is possible
Email or text message alarms
Email alarms or audible alarms when Energy Bar power fails
Interactive flash graphing application in the web server
Interfaces with AquaNotes iPhone application
RSS and XML Support

[lostcreekreefer]

More pictures, 1.21.09
1) Close up of Brown SPS, it is growing
2) Close up of Orange SPS, it is growing, more slowly
3) OS Tang is a camera hog
4) Male Jewel Lyretail Anthias with exophthalmus, 'pop eye', note the bubble above the eye
5) ditto. I was all ready to do fish anesthesia & lance, drain, treat it. I even consulted with Dr Brian Palmerio in PA, a noted fish specialist. My conclusion was to treat with tincture of time, as he was eating, swimming & behaving normally and in a 270 gallon volume of water & rock that I would have to totally disassemble to get at him. It resolved with my very scientific treatment and he's fine, still.

[DevonM]

I wouldn't have known anyways, I have no idea what my ORP is and don't really want to know. Up until someone can prove to me that is exceedingly relevant anyways.

Well when something dies or something is wrong in my tank I can tell via the ORP reading. It could could be the difference between knowing now and waiting to see what's going to happen 3 days later after everyone is stressed out. A pretty cheap indicator in my opinion.

[charlie]

Well when something dies or something is wrong in my tank I can tell via the ORP reading. It could could be the difference between knowing now and waiting to see what's going to happen 3 days later after everyone is stressed out. A pretty cheap indicator in my opinion.

Thank God this is America, and we can all have our own opinions.

[lostcreekreefer]

I wouldn't have known anyways, I have no idea what my ORP is and don't really want to know. Up until someone can prove to me that is exceedingly relevant anyways.

I think the relevance is like anything else that we measure it is an indicator of water quality and we want our corals & fish to be happy. I also bet you that the Sp Gr, pH, Alk and Ca of the water are way more important and also can be 'controlled' more easily, AND that by doing those things regularly, the ORP will be just fine. But, too much pollution & the number goes down is what I get out of it....which is way way too simple. Sudden drops are indicative of a problem & a person needs to go figure out what it is...something is dead, skimmer is screwed up or need a bath, pH or Alk is messed up, somebody dropped a hot dog in the sump, poor oxygenation. It is actually just a reading in millivolts and is a summation of all the chemistry going on in the salt water...only a couple of billion things to consider there! But you know that already.... I think its going to be a help, not the number I must achieve or my aquarium will explode. If I don't like it I can always take the probe out!

[DevonM]

Thank God this is America, and we can all have our own opinions.

Well you better live it up while it lasts.

[DevonM]

I think the relevance is like anything else that we measure it is an indicator of water quality and we want our corals & fish to be happy. I also bet you that the Sp Gr, pH, Alk and Ca of the water are way more important and also can be 'controlled' more easily, AND that by doing those things regularly, the ORP will be just fine. But, too much pollution & the number goes down is what I get out of it....which is way way too simple. Sudden drops are indicative of a problem & a person needs to go figure out what it is...something is dead, skimmer is screwed up or need a bath, pH or Alk is messed up, somebody dropped a hot dog in the sump, poor oxygenation. It is actually just a reading in millivolts and is a summation of all the chemistry going on in the salt water...only a couple of billion things to consider there! But you know that already.... I think its going to be a help, not the number I must achieve or my aquarium will explode. If I don't like it I can always take the probe out!

[lostcreekreefer]

Something else that I think is funny here on a personal level is the Aptasia thing in my tank. They were horrid! Now I have a fish that I really like (a beautiful Hawaiian fish, perfect) that likes/needs them for food. He's done me a real favor and the tank looks great. So now I'm getting other foods in, hoping he'll keep on doing well eating some of that too, while he roots out more challenging Aptasia in the nooks & crannies. I even changed the way I fed the tank before I got the Raccoon, to using a turkey baster & slowly dribbling the food in so the fish would get 99% of the food, and not so much for the Aptasia. Not so bad, actually, I do a visual inspection of everybody & see who shows up for dinner. But no I don't care if some of the food gets away now, cuz the aptasia will get it & the Raccoon Butterfly will get them....is is funny (to me.... ). Now I realize the concept of target feeding my LPS corals is not so bad, for the exact same reason. I did that for the first time ever today and the one I chose (because it's tendrils were out 3-4cm) got 90% of a cube of the angel/butterfly food...what a greedy sucker! again, too funny! I will also now watch pollution levels & ORP with my increased feeding.... For me this tank is an ever evolving system. My FW tank upstairs is so static in comparison. Feed em', do water changes. Light on, Light off. Salt water husbandry is like an ORP reading in comparison.

[lostcreekreefer]

Coral update 2.21.09. The central frag of the Brown SPS (3rd pic) is really taking off. I would come home from the clinic & run downstairs to see how much it had grown that day (simple things...). I also enjoy watching grass grow & paint dry on the wall.

[charlie]

Here is an interesting article you ORP guys can munch on. If Randy holmes Farley doesn't measure his........................
I do agree that it can alert you to something going on, but it seems to me to be a bit ambiguous, as in what is causing what???? Don't get me wrong, if you want to give it a go, have at it, I just don't think I need the additional headache. If you keep up your regular maintenance activities, this should control itself. Why doesn't someone bring their ORP monitor up here sometime and we can give mine a test??

ORP and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Well you better live it up while it lasts.

So should you my friend, I am not the only one who is in this mess.

[lostcreekreefer]

Here is an interesting article you ORP guys can munch on. If Randy holmes Farley doesn't measure his........................
I do agree that it can alert you to something going on, but it seems to me to be a bit ambiguous, as in what is causing what???? Don't get me wrong, if you want to give it a go, have at it, I just don't think I need the additional headache. If you keep up your regular maintenance activities, this should control itself. Why doesn't someone bring their ORP monitor up here sometime and we can give mine a test??
ORP and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
So should you my friend, I am not the only one who is in this mess.

That is quite the article ....Holy Chemistry, Batman!
Interestingly Randy points out: "Nearly all acids and bases in an aquarium will rapidly reach equilibrium, and that equilibrium is very well represented by a single value, the pH." So pH is also the result of many things going on in the water. The ORP is not quite that straight forward, some reactions are rapid like the vast majority of acid/base reactions, others are a slow almost give & take. Looks like fun to watch, so I will!

btw we are all in this mess (pick one...free speech, keeping our fishes happy or ?)! as friends!