Apex Controller Setup!

[budsreef]

I started putting my Apex together laying it out on the floor of my office. Figuring out the connections was fairly straight forward and everything powered up ok. I connected it to my Linksys router and was able to access it from my PC immediately.

The configuration of the display and the modules took a while but with the help of one of the experts on RC I was able to get the basic stuff running. The biggest problem I had was even though I had only two EB8s there were three modules listed. Turned out a Module 3 was bogus and I needed to delete all the modules, power it down and restart it. Then it found and correctly listed the two modules I have.

The next step is to decide where to install the controller, display and expansion module. I'll have one of the EB8s at the tank and the other in the basement.

 

[jonathan]

Hey Bud!

Keep us posted on the progress. I have been seriously eyeballing the Apex for my basement setup. I like the thought of having a second display.

Jonathan

 

[mojo]

I had the same issue- only one EB8, but it was showing two - a bit confusing when I first started.

Glad to see you around - you've been MIA!

 

[budsreef]

I thought I was limited by the length of the cable on the display and was regretting not getting an additional one, but I just figured out the display can be plugged into either of the EB8s and not just the controller. This will let me move it between the tank and the sump anytime I want to. That gives me time to figure out the best spot for it. Plus I can control everything from any PC in the house since the controller is ethernet connected to my router.

Now the limiting factor is the expansion module which only has about a six foot cable and has to be plugged into the I/O port of the controller. I'm guessing that they will probably come out with an expansion that plugs into the aquabus that I should have waited on.

Jonathan;398398 wrote: Hey Bud!

Keep us posted on the progress. I have been seriously eyeballing the Apex for my basement setup. I like the thought of having a second display.

Jonathan

 

[budsreef]

They must leave one configured at the factory for testing purposes. It would probabaly have been wise to do a complete reset of the system before trying to configure for my specific system.

Thanks, I've been on almost every day but it's frustrating only having my left hand to type with so I've limited my activity. Plus I can only sit up for short time periods but that is getting better every day now.

mojo;398412 wrote: I had the same issue- only one EB8, but it was showing two - a bit confusing when I first started.

Glad to see you around - you've been MIA!

 

[budsreef]

Does anyone know the maximum distance you can run an ethernet cat 5 cable from a PC to a Linksys Router?

 

[mojo]

100meters is the designed limit, but you could push it if you needed to. Stay clear of power lines (2' radius is recommended, and avoid parallel lines), and you'll do better.

 

[budsreef]

Great thanks! I probably only need about 75' so I should be ok. I have a small travel wireless router that I no longer use that I'm going to try to make work first but I'm not sure that is doable.

mojo;398458 wrote: 100meters is the designed limit, but you could push it if you needed to. Stay clear of power lines (2' radius is recommended, and avoid parallel lines), and you'll do better.

 

[tuckdaway]

Hey bud...good to see you are recovering...I set my Apex up using a cheap gaming wireless connector ~$35. Its great...no wires to run.

If interested let me know and I can help you out with it...clowns are doing great growing nicely in fuge.

 

[budsreef]

Thanks, Mike. Glad to hear the clowns are doing well.

I installed the Apex on my 120G today and connected the ethernet with a 50' cable through the rafters in the basement. Right now I have just one of the EB8s under the tank with two lights and one heater connected. I need to mount the other EB8 in the basement to run the sump but I did connect the Expansion Module so I can monitor PH and Temp in the display upstairs and the sump downstairs.

Tuckdaway;398855 wrote: Hey bud...good to see you are recovering...I set my Apex up using a cheap gaming wireless connector ~$35. Its great...no wires to run.

If interested let me know and I can help you out with it...clowns are doing great growing nicely in fuge.

 

[tuckdaway]

Just curious as to why you would want to monitor temp and pH in the display and sump. As I recall the amount of turns you are getting on your system it would be homogenous.

Are you thinking that a disaster in sump might give you a little extra notice before it reaches tank? Even then if somethign ran off it would be a matter of minutes before the system reached steady state.

You might consider the second pH probe for your Ca reactor? Oops, maybe I recall that you dose and aren't using one???

 

[schwaggs]

Budsreef;400836 wrote: I did connect the Expansion Module so I can monitor PH and Temp in the display upstairs and the sump downstairs.

Did you add an extension cable between the PX-1000 and the Apex Base? How long did you go?

 

[budsreef]

Mike

It is just redundancy and overkill. I'll move the probes to the QT when I disconnect it from the main system and have new fish in it.

Tuckdaway;400874 wrote: Just curious as to why you would want to monitor temp and pH in the display and sump. As I recall the amount of turns you are getting on your system it would be homogenous.

Are you thinking that a disaster in sump might give you a little extra notice before it reaches tank? Even then if somethign ran off it would be a matter of minutes before the system reached steady state.

You might consider the second pH probe for your Ca reactor? Oops, maybe I recall that you dose and aren't using one???

 

[budsreef]

No, I just used the cable that came with it and only have it a few feet away from the controller. Unfortunately, I should have waited since I think Neptune announced at MACNA that they were coming out with a module specific to the Apex that will let you add a temp and ph probe and I think it will be connected via the Aquabus.

Schwaggs;400978 wrote: Did you add an extension cable between the PX-1000 and the Apex Base? How long did you go?