hooking up the plank feeder to apex

[smitten with ocean life]

anyone know of a simple way to explain to me how to hook up my plank feeder to my apex? it would be much appreciated. i am currently using the afs and really dont care for it. but now i gotta figure out this new thing

 

[monkiboy]

Can someone check my program for Plank feeder.

I just want to check my apex program for plank feeder. I want fist feeding at 9:00am have a feeding every 2.5 hours with last feeding being at 4:30. I had programming set to if time 16:30 to 08:59 Then off and wasn't getting the last feeding so I set it to 18:00. I want the mixing pump to...

www.reef2reef.com

Plank Programming

GHL Profilux 4 programming This thread is a great reference and we are subscribed to it and happy to answer any questions there as well. You are going to set up two timers, one cyclical (a) and one normal (b) Then create a programmable logic (c) that that uses Timer a AND Timer b. Finally, on...

www.avastmarine.com

“Neptune Apex programming for seconds-level resolution

Use the OSC command to create a recurring on/off cycle. If the total number of minutes:seconds is divisible by 1440 (the number of minutes in a day), the cycle will automatically repeat at midnight, and the feeder will activate at the same times each day. For example:

Fallback OFF

OSC 000:00/00:30/119:30 Then ON

If Time 20:01 to 07:59 Then OFF


This code causes the feeder outlet to activate for 30 seconds every 120 minutes (30 seconds on, 119:30 off) between the hours of 8am and 8pm. You will get (7) 30 second feeding periods at 8am, 10am, … 8pm.


This could be modified to:


OSC 000:00/00:20/119:40 Then ON


For a 20 second feed time. The key is that the minutes:seconds adds up to a round number (120 min in this case) that evenly divides into 1440.”

 

[karsa]

I just did this myself. Hooked the plank and the pump up to an energy bar. The code for the plank is below. This has it run for 30 seconds every 2 hours between 10am and 2pm. For the pump I did the same thing but have it run longer. There’s examples on avasts website under user manuals.

 

[SpyC]

Feeder is sent to run for 15 seconds every 2 hours from 4pm to 8pm:

Fallback OFF OSC 000:00/000:15/119:45 Then ON
If Time 00:00 to 13:59 Then OFF
If Time 20:03 to 00:00 Then OFF
If Output Return_Pump = OFF Then OFF

Mixer is set to run for an hour after feeding. I found a morning mix helped with any remaining larger bits:
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 10:00 to 12:00 Then ON
If Time 15:59 to 17:00 Then ON
If Time 17:59 to 19:00 Then ON
If Time 19:59 to 22:00 Then ON
If Output Return_Pump = OFF Then OFF

 

[dangles]

I opted for the simpler “IF TIME” programming.

Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 10:00 to 10:01 Then ON
If Time 14:00 to 14:01 Then ON
If Time 18:00 to 18:01 Then ON
If Time 21:00 to 21:01 Then ON

This runs the auger for 2 minutes four times each day. It works for my situation, it may not work for you. If you want less than 2 minute run time you would need to either use the OSC programming, or add “Defer 001:00 Then On” at the end to reduce the time to 1 minute.

See this super helpful thread for more details on each of those commands: https://www.reef2reef.com/ams/neptune-apex-programming-tutorials-part-2-timers.689/


Btw for the pump, Avast recommends you keep the pump on 24/7. Turning it on and off is harder on the pump than just leaving it on. I also have found it keeps the feed chute cleaner longer.

 

[smitten with ocean life]

thanks guys. ill give it a go and see if i can figure it out!

 

[smitten with ocean life]

can you just plug it in to the power bar? or do you need to somehow use a usb to the brain?

 

[SPSReeferMI]

I use the plank and I have two suggestions to add to this conversation.

First, I feed 3x per day, spaced 4 hours. When I can feed frozen, I want to skip a feeding. I click Feed A to turn off the pumps and here is the code to skip the auger from turning (skip a feeding):
If FeedA 240 Then OFF

Also, I turn off the mixing pump whenever I turn on FeedD for maintenance. I found that during maintenance I would unplug this pump so it would not run dry. Then half the time I’d forget to plug it back in. Apex coding for that output:
Fallback ON
Set ON
If FeedD 000 Then OFF

 

[smitten with ocean life]

great. thanks! so is it just plugged into the apex powerbar? or do you have to figure out a way to plug it into the brain?

 

[BrettE]

There is no USB on the Plank. It is controlled by turning it on and off. I turn on the mixing pump, and the auguer at the same time. After M seconds (chosen for the amount of food I want to feed) I turn off the auger. After 10 minutes I turn off the mixing pump.

 

[BrettE]

Btw for the pump, Avast recommends you keep the pump on 24/7. Turning it on and off is harder on the pump than just leaving it on. I also have found it keeps the feed chute cleaner longer.

Oh really? Oops. I've been running mine for 10 minutes at a feeding for like 9 months. Guess I should RTFM.

 

[dangles]

Oh really? Oops. I've been running mine for 10 minutes at a feeding for like 9 months. Guess I should RTFM.

I’m not sure how big a deal it actually makes. Unless somebody did a side-by-side comparison, there’s no real way to know other than to take their word for it