**Neptune AquaController**

[althea2you]

Sarah, have you got it all programmed and working now?

Thanks for the command spreadsheet Mark

i did get everything programmed.. thanks to Mark! i just have to recalibrate my pH probe... about how long did it take you all to calibrate? i thought the numbers were done changing, but i think its off.. so im going to re do it just in case. im thinking of getting the DC4 also...

 

[thelastmucci]

Just to let you guys know I finally came to a much debated conclusion. I'm going with the reefkeeper jr. While I know most of you are neptune fans and they both have allot of features, (most of which I don't understand) I like the diversity of the reefkeeper. Don't think I'm going to get the PH probe with it though...I don't understnad the differences in calibration liquids (ie ph 4.0 to ph 7.0) I can always do that test manually for now. Thanks for all your help everyone.

 

[Woodstock]

Sarah - I usually leave the probe in each calibration fluid for just a few minutes. I also dip the probe in ro/di water then shake it off between the two fluids to help keep cross contamination to a minimum.
After you calibrate it, put it in each calibration fluid to see how close it comes.

Thelastmucci - calibrating the ph probe is very easy. You'll really like having the probe.

 

[thelastmucci]

just to let you know...I messed up in my previous post...I am getting a neptune..I thought the ACJR was another brand. I also put the ph probe with the two solutions in my shopping cart.

Also if someone could clairify..the ph 4.0 is for getting the probe to read the low end of the ph spectrum while the 7.0 is for getting it to read the high end. Is this correct???

 

[Octoman]

You want to buy 7.0 and 10.0, you don't need the 4.0.

4 and 7 would be more suitable for freshwater, but since you will be around 8.3 pH, you want to calibrate above and below that at 7 and 10.

 

[Woodstock]

Ditto to Octoman. Use the 7.0 and 10.0 calibration fluids. Purchase several of each for future recalibrations (once a month or so).
Your controller should come with directions how to calibrate the PH probe.

 

[CMG]

Hello everyone, I just received my aqua jr controller in the mail today and have a question.

The temp probe says my tank is 81.4 F but my other digital thermometer I have always used says 78 F. Thats a pretty big difference. My glass old school therm also says below 80 F. I am not sure which one to trust. The manual says the probe comes pre-calibrated for life....seems to be incorrect to me. Perhaps this is why the system allows you to calibrate it to match your other thermometer?

If he aqua jr. is correct then my tank has been super hot!

Thanks

 

[CMG]

Advice anyone? For the question above ^ :nopity:

 

[Octoman]

First off, make sure there is no electrical interference. Either a pump near the probe or the probe line crossing an electrical cord. If it is still reading too high, then calibrate it down if you are confident that your other therm readings are correct.

 

[CMG]

OK, thank you. The only thing it is touching is the line from the other thermometer. I am going to use about 3-4 other thermometers at the same time and calibrate from there.

 

[fishnu]

Hello everyone, I just received my aqua jr controller in the mail today and have a question.

The temp probe says my tank is 81.4 F but my other digital thermometer I have always used says 78 F. Thats a pretty big difference. My glass old school therm also says below 80 F. I am not sure which one to trust. The manual says the probe comes pre-calibrated for life....seems to be incorrect to me. Perhaps this is why the system allows you to calibrate it to match your other thermometer?

If he aqua jr. is correct then my tank has been super hot!

Thanks

stick them all into boiling distilled water and see which says 212?

:explode:

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Good point Fishnu!

 

[fishnu]

Good point Fishnu!

May void manufacturer warranty or explode your thermometer. Void where prohibited by law.

 

[BarbMazz]

I set up the ACjr today on the DT. I've set up the main lights to follow the natural sun rhythm, and the powerheads for a random flow with the oscillate/random program. Both those things seem to be working fine, although I'll see for sure in the morning re; the lights.

I have a lunar sim module, and I set that up, too, but it's not working.
I want to follow the natural lunar cycle, and used the moon program that was shown in the ACjr manual:

If Mon 000/000 then Mon ON

I think I'm not understanding the lunar module hookup very well! Do I need to add numbers for the 000/000 values in the program?

Should the AC jack for the lunar sim be plugged into the DC8 or into a regular socket? Right now I have it plugged into the DC8.

I have the Control (phone cord) coming out of the ACjr, and going into the CONTROL IN jack on the lunar sim module, and the CONTROL OUT cord going into the CONTROL IN on the DC8.

The little toggle switches on my ACjr are all in the UP position. The lunar sim module toggles are the same. I don't understand the toggles and what they represent at all. I thought I did, but I have completely confused myself.

The LED light is lit on the lunar module, and it was briefly flashing but the lights did not come on.

HELP! verhere:

 

[Octoman]

Good morning Barb! Hope you had a good night's rest and didn't worry about the AC too much.

First off, the power jack for the LunarSim should be plugged in separately, not into the DC8.

When you look at the ACjr's programming, each timer has a letter and number associated with it. For example, LT1-A01. The letter tells it which DC to use and the number tells it which outlet on the DC.

The toggle switches on each DC determines what timer letter (A, B, C, or D) and range of numbers (0-8 or 9-16) is assigned to that unit . For the lunarsim, the toggle switches choose a letter (A, B, C, or D) and a single number for the unit (1, 2, 3, or 4).

To make the DC8 use timers A01 - A08, you would flip the first 3 toggle switches off and the fourth one doesn't matter (on mine it is off too) (chart in the DC8 manual).

The lunarsim then has to use something other than A, so to set it for B01, you would set the toggle switches to 1-on 2,3,4-off (there's a chart in the LunarSim manual). If you set it to B01, then your MON timer in the Timer Names section of the ACjr needs to be MON-B01.

You don't need to add any values to the 000/000. 000/000 tells it to turn it on right at moonrise, off at moonset. If you add any numbers, it tells it to wait that many minutes before or after moonrise/set to turn it on/off.

 

[BarbMazz]

Thank you Mark! Yes, I slept well. I figured the AC couldn't do TOO much so I wasn't going to worry about it.

Thank you, your explanation is MUCH better than the directions given with the unit. I think so, anyway!

As soon as I finish my steel cut oatmeal, with apples, cinammon, nutmeg, and a little butter I'll fiddle with it and report back. It smells so good I had to report what I was having. Well, I may wait until after my nice cup of french-pressed coffee and toast.

Btw, I just loce your signature quote. Been meaning to tell you and never got around to it.

 

[Octoman]

Btw, I just loce your signature quote. Been meaning to tell you and never got around to it.

Thanks! Those are the immortal words of Stanley Spadowski in UHF.

Enjoy your breakfast and coffee!!!

 

[BarbMazz]

Okay, I checked all my programming and I feel it's correct. I re-plugged the lunar sim into its own outlet, and changed the toggles so that it is B01.

I don't change toggles on the DC8, do I? they are all UP in the OFF position, which I take to mean that the DC8 is programmed for A 01-08. How is the B01 for the lunar sim taken into account.... Maybe I'm missing something here again.

Duh. duh. duh...

 

[rmlevasseur]

I've been looking at these systems and following this thread. I can't believe they charge another $80 for the software. That just ain't right.

In any event, my question is this: Can ya plug a bluetooth dongle in the AC3 and get it to talk wirelessly to a wireless router?

 

[Octoman]

Barb, you've got to change the Timer Name in the ACjr for the moonlight to MON-B01. The toggle switches on the DC8 are right.