AI sol setup on Profilux help needed

Carpediem

New Member
Hi,

Looking for some assistance with settings for my AI Sol's being controlled by the profilux. I have setup the profilux to recognise the light units via the rs232 connector and I have all 3 channels setup on three different illumination schedules to control each of the 3 different coloured leds on the units. These are all fine and working as required but I am trying to setup on of the channels to also act as the moonlight. I have setup a separate timing schedule for moonlight but don't see how to have that channel setup for moonlight and also for the normal lighting schedule.
Also, since I have three AI's, is it possible to set up so the come on separately. For example having the left hand unit come on first, then middle then right hand side and then do the same going off so that it will mimic a sunrise and a sunset by the light rising on one side of the tank and setting on the other?
All help much appreciated.

Regards,

David
 

BLADEYAMAHA

Well-Known Member
agcwelcome29.gif
 

dmatt88

Has been struck by the ban stick
Have you been to the ghl profilux support site? Spoken to BigAl?

I'm Matt n I sometimes use sarcasm.
 

Carpediem

New Member
Looked through GHL support site but couldn't see anything answering my question. Registered with them but wont allow me to post for some strange reason. Might have to wait for account activation or something. Will try again later.
Not spoke to BigAl. As you may be able to see by my post count, I'm pretty new to your forum

Ps. Dont mind sarcasm, quite proficient at its use as well.
 

Carpediem

New Member
Just got email from GHL. Forum account activated but still requires "De-energinizing" before I can use it completely
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
I'm sure when BigAl07 logs on he'll see this thread and have some answers for you.

I don't have any experience with the GHL, other than what I've seen in other posts and a few questions I've asked (I'm thinking of switching to GHL from my Apex)

I asked about address each unit individually for the East - West sunrise/sunset, I'm pretty sure it can be done, but it would require a separate connection to each AI unit, don't remember how you'd do it on the GHL but I'm pretty sure it will require an extension of some kind.

On the moonlights, I'm pretty sure it's just a matter of the programming, although If I do go with the GHL I'm going to use 1 or 2 of there LED wands for the moonlights. If run the true moonlight program, it requires "moonlights" at times to be on during the day, so it might end up dimming the lighting to accomodate the lunar cycle. IMO it's just easier to use separate lighting for the lunar.
 

Carpediem

New Member
Thanks for the info Steve. I used to use the profilux weather stick for thunderstorms and moonlight but now with the AI sol I want them to control everything. I can easily set up to have the required channel for moonlight but I cant see how I can use that channel for moonlight and also for lighting the tank during the lighting cycle. It either seems to be one or the other. Im sure someone will be able to show me the error of my ways.
 

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
Hello :wave: and welcome to RS!

Sorry you're having troubles with your system but I "think" I have some answers for you. I've dropped a note to Michael over at the GHL support forum to "open/De-energize" your account even though I have no idea what that means LOL!

re: Moonlights vs System Lights - My understanding is that the MOONLIGHT over-rides the other modules because it needs to be active when the others are not. What this means is that you do not want you main lights to also be "checked" as MOONLIGHT or it will adversely effect the main light settings. I think that should answer your questions. Here's what I mean . . . when I set up my LED lights on my tank when I clicked MOONLIGHT on that particular Illumination Channel it worked fine so long as the moonlight feature wasn't currently active (say moon is at 25% and OUT during the day). If that was the case then my main lights were significantly dimmed because the MOON function was over-riding or at least influencing the over-all light schedule. I was told after that by one of the GuRu at GHL to NOT check "Moonlight" for your main lights because it would have a negative effect on them.

Re: Cascading lights - Yes I would imagine that's possible but it would greatly complicate your set-up and splitters etc would be required. In essence you'd have to program each channel of each light as it's own illumination channel and set them to rise/fall independently. This is all hypothetical because I've never done it. IMHO it would take a fairly large tank (width wise) to make this effect worth it because of the light spill from one fixture to the next. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done but I don't think it's worth the extra effort and complexity for anything but a really long tank with many light units.

I hope this helps. Don't forget to check back in over at the Support site for more information and support.

Again WELCOME to RS!! :)

Allen
 

Carpediem

New Member
Hello :wave: and welcome to RS!

Sorry you're having troubles with your system but I "think" I have some answers for you. I've dropped a note to Michael over at the GHL support forum to "open/De-energize" your account even though I have no idea what that means LOL!

re: Moonlights vs System Lights - My understanding is that the MOONLIGHT over-rides the other modules because it needs to be active when the others are not. What this means is that you do not want you main lights to also be "checked" as MOONLIGHT or it will adversely effect the main light settings. I think that should answer your questions. Here's what I mean . . . when I set up my LED lights on my tank when I clicked MOONLIGHT on that particular Illumination Channel it worked fine so long as the moonlight feature wasn't currently active (say moon is at 25% and OUT during the day). If that was the case then my main lights were significantly dimmed because the MOON function was over-riding or at least influencing the over-all light schedule. I was told after that by one of the GuRu at GHL to NOT check "Moonlight" for your main lights because it would have a negative effect on them.

Re: Cascading lights - Yes I would imagine that's possible but it would greatly complicate your set-up and splitters etc would be required. In essence you'd have to program each channel of each light as it's own illumination channel and set them to rise/fall independently. This is all hypothetical because I've never done it. IMHO it would take a fairly large tank (width wise) to make this effect worth it because of the light spill from one fixture to the next. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done but I don't think it's worth the extra effort and complexity for anything but a really long tank with many light units.

I hope this helps. Don't forget to check back in over at the Support site for more information and support.

Again WELCOME to RS!! :)

Allen

Hi Allen,

Thank you for the reply. I have set up a separate illumination cycle for through the day and one for moonlight (this one I have checked moonlight). What I am looking to do is have the same channel operate on both cycles. With the AI sol having 3 different light spectrum leds I want to fully utilise them so I want to be able to use all three for daylight illumination of the tank but also use one of the channels again for my moonlight. Is there is a way that I can select this channel to operate on two different illumination cycles?

Yeah, I kind of thought that might be the answer regarding having each individual unit come on at different times to mimic sunrise/sunset. Looks like the effort might not be worth it for the effect.

Thanks,

David
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
Does the programming allow for an "If Time" statement? If you don't know what I mean by that the answer is probably no.
 

Carpediem

New Member
Does the programming allow for an "If Time" statement? If you don't know what I mean by that the answer is probably no.

There isn't an "if time" but in programmable logic there are "and" "or" commands. I tried setting up for each illumination with these commands thinking this would link them but doesn't seem to work.

You can select to have one of the channels to act as lightening in thunderstorms so surely you should be able to select a channel to act as moonlight and configure it separately.
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
There isn't an "if time" but in programmable logic there are "and" "or" commands. I tried setting up for each illumination with these commands thinking this would link them but doesn't seem to work.

You can select to have one of the channels to act as lightening in thunderstorms so surely you should be able to select a channel to act as moonlight and configure it separately.

I don't really follow all of that, I think I said I don't have the GHL, I have an Apex, sometimes the info crosses over sometimes it doesn't.

That said I don't know if this will work, but just in case:

If you program the lights something like this:

If Time 09:20 to 10:20 Then DawnWh
If Time 10:20 to 11:20 Then 20%-30%
If Time 11:20 to 12:20 Then 30%-40%
If Time 12:20 to 14:50 Then 40%-50%
If Time 14:50 to 18:00 Then 50%-70%
If Time 18:00 to 19:30 Then 70%-50%
If Time 19:30 to 20:00 Then 50%-40%
If Time 20:00 to 20:30 Then 40%-30%
If Time 20:30 to 21:00 Then 30%-20%
If Time 21:00 to 22:00 Then DuskWh
If Time 22:00 to 09:20 Then OFF

You should be able to change the last line to something like "If Time 22:00 to 09:20 Then lunar", at that point it should only pick up the "Lunar" cycle during that time period and ignore it the rest of the time.

I have 3 different programs like that for the 3 different colors, with different intensities and different times.

Like I said the GHL might be totally different, but I thought I'd throw it out in case it might help.
 

steved13

Well-Known Member
PREMIUM
Oops I just re-read your post I thought the "isn't" was "is" so the above probably does you no good.

That would be the problem, and also explains what Allen said. You'd have to pick the channel and make it "Lunar" only. Without the "time" statement I don't see how you'd do it. Although I think I'm not understanding, as you must be able to change intensities throughout the day with "time" somehow?

FWIW, I can do it on the Apex as stated above, and I still run separate moonlights. I like them separate, because sometimes the Lunar cycle will have the moonlights on during the day and off at night, which is fine, but I like to have a little light on at all times, so I have the blues at 1% over night and then the moonlights run their cycle.

The difference on the lightning is you want the lightning to override the normal lights, with the moonlights you don't want it to override.
 

Carpediem

New Member
That's ok Steve. Yeah, just seems strange that you can select one channel to run on an illumation schedule for through the day and also use it for thunderstorms but you cant do the same with moonlight. There must be a way round it.
 
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