Oxylebius
Well-Known Member
Now that it has been a couple of months, how's that APEX automatic fish feeder working out for you? Still using it regularly?
Tim's (lakelivin) RSM 500 build
- Thread starter LakeLivin
- Start date
Now that it has been a couple of months, how's that APEX automatic fish feeder working out for you? Still using it regularly?
LakeLivin
Active Member
APEX feeder is still working fine. I changed the programming to feed three times a day but other than that no change and it's been working as designed. I have my pumps and skimmer programmed to turn off when the feeder kicks on. I have the pumps setup to turn off for 5 minutes and the skimmer for 15 minutes.
Using the velcro provided I have it sitting on the top back right corner of the tank. As you may know I swapped out the hood and T-5's for Radion LED's so space to sit the feeder is no problem. However, I'm not sure it would have fit where I placed it if I still had the hood on the tank. If you still have the hood on your tank you might want to do some research on where you can mount the feeder with enough clearance for it to operate.
Using the velcro provided I have it sitting on the top back right corner of the tank. As you may know I swapped out the hood and T-5's for Radion LED's so space to sit the feeder is no problem. However, I'm not sure it would have fit where I placed it if I still had the hood on the tank. If you still have the hood on your tank you might want to do some research on where you can mount the feeder with enough clearance for it to operate.
where are they being hosted?
right click on them, copy the image url
then click on the little picture frame icon & add it there... it will work
if you get an error... leave it and i will help
right click on them, copy the image url
then click on the little picture frame icon & add it there... it will work
if you get an error... leave it and i will help
PS - if you click on the wrench icon... you will see the "code" the new software is "trying" to help with...
LakeLivin
Active Member
I'm using photobucket and have been doing it the same way for years on forums. I'm heading to the airport to pick-up some out of town guests but I will experiment when I get time and see if I can figure out why the links I'm copying from photobucket are not translating properly here anymore.
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LakeLivin
Active Member
OK, I'm lost... I use a Mac and post my pictures using photobucket. I single click in the img string box and it automatically copies the string. I come here and click on the portrait icon and paste the string just like I do on other forums and it does not work. Any advice?
Tim I use a macbook air too
when I go to a pic in your photobucket account and right click on it & select Copy image Url
I get this...
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp306/armyranger10/setup_2.jpg
if I add this syntax around it... [IMZ]http://xxxxxthe url here xxxxxxx[/IMZ]
in the above ^ I had to replace the letter G, with a Z so you could see it.... hope this helps
from your error above... looks like it's adding [U R L ] in front or or in place or [I M G] spaced so you can see ^ it shows up like this
when I go to a pic in your photobucket account and right click on it & select Copy image Url
I get this...
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp306/armyranger10/setup_2.jpg
if I add this syntax around it... [IMZ]http://xxxxxthe url here xxxxxxx[/IMZ]
in the above ^ I had to replace the letter G, with a Z so you could see it.... hope this helps
from your error above... looks like it's adding [U R L ] in front or or in place or [I M G] spaced so you can see ^ it shows up like this
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LakeLivin
Active Member
Thanks Glenn, I'll check out that link. When I click in the URL IMG box on photobucket to copy the image link it automatically "copies" the data with one click. It does not allow me to right click and copy.
I have a few hobbies so I participate in a number of car, boat and other reef forums and have no issues posting pics from photobucket on any of the other forums. It's only since this forum updated their software that I started having problems here. I may try another image hosting site one of these days and see if it makes a difference.
I have a few hobbies so I participate in a number of car, boat and other reef forums and have no issues posting pics from photobucket on any of the other forums. It's only since this forum updated their software that I started having problems here. I may try another image hosting site one of these days and see if it makes a difference.
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How do you insert it into a post ? Edit your post above & look at what I inserted, doing like you described ^
Very Pretty !
Very Pretty !
LakeLivin
Active Member
Good to hear from you Mike! My tank is doing great and my only real problem is some of my corals and polyp colonies are getting too big. I'm torn between deciding to just let them go and let the strongest survive or attempting to "trim" some of the bigger stuff. I'll probably opt for the latter option at some point.
I've been lucky and have not had any big algae problems since the first blooms in the first 6 months after the tank was first setup. I was running a couple reactors with GFO and other substrates to reduce the nitrates and phosphates to prevent algae problems. However, since I started the continuous AWC's (4 gallons per day) it has eliminated any need (so far) to run anything but my skimmer.
It's nice to have the tank more on autopilot especially now that summer is here and I'm spending more time on the lake and with my cars. About once a week I have to mix a barrel of salt to keep up with my AWC system but my water station setup makes it pretty easy. I also upgraded my RO/DI to a 175 gallon per day unit so I can make new water very fast.
Good luck with getting your DT back in shape and I look forward to seeing some pictures.
I've been lucky and have not had any big algae problems since the first blooms in the first 6 months after the tank was first setup. I was running a couple reactors with GFO and other substrates to reduce the nitrates and phosphates to prevent algae problems. However, since I started the continuous AWC's (4 gallons per day) it has eliminated any need (so far) to run anything but my skimmer.
It's nice to have the tank more on autopilot especially now that summer is here and I'm spending more time on the lake and with my cars. About once a week I have to mix a barrel of salt to keep up with my AWC system but my water station setup makes it pretty easy. I also upgraded my RO/DI to a 175 gallon per day unit so I can make new water very fast.
Good luck with getting your DT back in shape and I look forward to seeing some pictures.
LakeLivin
Active Member
Hello all, it's been awhile since updating my thread so I thought I would provide an overview of my build and it's progress for those interested. Questions and comments welcomed.
It's been over 5 months now since I started doing automatic continuous water changes (3 gallons per day) and the tank appears to love it. I was planning to do a more traditional manual water change every few months or so along with the daily changes but so far I see no need for it.
Still going hoodless and using Radion Pros with good results. It took a few weeks to find the sweet spot with all of the control you have with the different intensities and color spectrums but I found a pretty good schedule/setup using my APEX to control them and all is going great.
I upgraded my MP40's to the new QD's a while back and they are literally silent and do a good job. As some of you may remember who have followed my progress I stopped using the rear stock pumps a long time ago. They were generating too much heat and flow for my setup. Two MP40's along with the flow from the return works perfectly for me.
Between the LED's and not using the rear pumps my temp stays consistently between 78.9 to 79.1 so I still have not needed to add a chiller to my setup.
My APEX controller continues to work great. There is a bit of a learning curb with APEX in the beginning but there are plenty of resources to get help while you are learning how to use it so I highly recommend it.
As far as stock goes not much has changed. Still have the large sail-fin tang, multi colored angel, pair of orange anthias and a onyx clown. Fairly low fish load for this size tank but they are happy and healthy so I hesitate to add anything new to upset their world. I have a lot of rock in my tank that takes up a fair amount of swimming room for the fish so it's best to limit the number anyway IMO.
The APEX automatic feeder still works perfectly and sits perfectly on the lid in the back right corner of my tank. I programed it to feed twice a day. I was having it feed 3 times a day but decided I was overfeeding so I cut it back to twice a day. It's nice being able to feed the fish on a consistent schedule and not having to worry about missing a feeding with my schedule. I still supplement frozen foods a few times a week but their main diet is a mixture of different dry food I fill my feeder with.
All and all the tank is doing very well and with all the automation I've cut the time it used to take to do maintenance way down. I mostly just have to clean the glass and manage my water station adding salt from time to time and turning valves moving water around.
It's been over 5 months now since I started doing automatic continuous water changes (3 gallons per day) and the tank appears to love it. I was planning to do a more traditional manual water change every few months or so along with the daily changes but so far I see no need for it.
Still going hoodless and using Radion Pros with good results. It took a few weeks to find the sweet spot with all of the control you have with the different intensities and color spectrums but I found a pretty good schedule/setup using my APEX to control them and all is going great.
I upgraded my MP40's to the new QD's a while back and they are literally silent and do a good job. As some of you may remember who have followed my progress I stopped using the rear stock pumps a long time ago. They were generating too much heat and flow for my setup. Two MP40's along with the flow from the return works perfectly for me.
Between the LED's and not using the rear pumps my temp stays consistently between 78.9 to 79.1 so I still have not needed to add a chiller to my setup.
My APEX controller continues to work great. There is a bit of a learning curb with APEX in the beginning but there are plenty of resources to get help while you are learning how to use it so I highly recommend it.
As far as stock goes not much has changed. Still have the large sail-fin tang, multi colored angel, pair of orange anthias and a onyx clown. Fairly low fish load for this size tank but they are happy and healthy so I hesitate to add anything new to upset their world. I have a lot of rock in my tank that takes up a fair amount of swimming room for the fish so it's best to limit the number anyway IMO.
The APEX automatic feeder still works perfectly and sits perfectly on the lid in the back right corner of my tank. I programed it to feed twice a day. I was having it feed 3 times a day but decided I was overfeeding so I cut it back to twice a day. It's nice being able to feed the fish on a consistent schedule and not having to worry about missing a feeding with my schedule. I still supplement frozen foods a few times a week but their main diet is a mixture of different dry food I fill my feeder with.
All and all the tank is doing very well and with all the automation I've cut the time it used to take to do maintenance way down. I mostly just have to clean the glass and manage my water station adding salt from time to time and turning valves moving water around.