My 500 gallon reef tank. 650 gallon overall volume.

[slief]

End to end Apex installation & setup videos.. Hope this can help new Apex users.

I recently setup an Apex controller on LA Fish Guy Jim's new upgraded reef tank. The installation was recorded for an LA Fish Guys Tech Talk episode. This episode (9 parts in total) covers the end to end installation of an Apex controller from the connections, firmware update, Fusion, ATO setup, Virtual outlets, Using variable speed/VDM ports for LED lighting and MUCH MORE.. This documented the complete installation on his system. Hopefully this can be of use to new Apex users. It was a long day installing the system while being video recorded... Hopefully I covered most everything and hopefully it's pretty educational. I didn't edit this (Jim did) nor have I sat down to watch the episodes yet but I figured I would share it here.

Part 1 Unboxing





Part 2 Wiring/Connections




Part 3 Firmware Update





Part 4 Fusion





Part 5 pH probe and calibration

 

[slief]

Part 6 ATO setup





Part 7. EB8 connections





Part 8 Virtual Outlets





Part 9 Lighting

 

[revhtree]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[300bowler]

Here is also a video of my DOS power custom thawed/chilled frozen food feeder.

Just curious if you could share what you did to program this into apex. I was just considering picking up an apex Dos and i would love to implement this into my tank.

Thanks,
Alex

 

[slief]

Just curious if you could share what you did to program this into apex. I was just considering picking up an apex Dos and i would love to implement this into my tank.

Thanks,
Alex

Sure.. Here is my programming. The profiles are what each step doses and includes the pump speed, pump direction and dose amount. I have several feet of tubing between the jar of food and the tank which in part was included in my thought process when I decided how much each step transfers. DosMix is the first step in the process and really isn't needed but my logic was that it would help stir the food on the bottom of the jar. Again, not really need but that was my thought process at the time and since it's worked fine, I never found a good reason to justify changing it.

This is the DOS Pump Head outlet programming. Not the EB8 outlet but the outlet for Pump head one:
Fallback OFF
Set OFF
If Time 13:00 to 13:01 Then DosMix
If Time 13:01 to 13:03 Then DosFeed
If Time 13:03 to 13:04 Then DosFlush
If FeedD 003 Then DosFlush
If FeedD 001 Then DosFeed
If FeedD 000 Then DosMix


These are the profiles:

DosFlush:

DosFeed: (Note that I have the feed going forward at 250 ml/minute which is fast to create maximum suction to draw as much food as possible. A slower speed wouldn't draw as much food.)

DosMix:

 

[slief]

Time for some SPS frag growth shots of a few of the SPS corals in the tank.. Again, I only run Kessil 360WE's. No supplmental lighting.

This was taken Jan 16th.

These were taken March 5th. It's grown about an inch in that time with several new tips.

Taken yesterday (4/11)

Taken Jan 16th

March 5th
The birdsnest in the background has grown like crazy and the coral in the foreground has grown well too.

Taken yesterday (4/11) What started out as a small few inch piece with several branches just 4 months ago is now larger than a softball with more branches than I can count. It's actually become a sizable colony in that time. The green SPS in front of it has grown quite a bit over the last few months as well but certainly isn't growing as fast as the birdsnest.

 

[slief]

This was taken Jan 6th. I had to move this coral last week because it's grown so much and was growing into the other birds nest.

March 5th

Taken Yesterday (4/11) in it's new location. Not a great shot because I have to take the picture from an angle due to where it is.

Jan 6th.

March 5th

Yesterday (4/11). I accidentally fragged a bit off this one a couple weeks back. That piece that was broken off was located some place else in the tank. You can see where the piece is missing from the middle of it.

This one is a bit slower growing due to it's location and living in the shadow of a giant hammer coral.
Jan 6th.

March 5th

Yesterday (4/11). The lighting here makes it tough to get a good shot showing the green color.

 

[revhtree]

Great job buddy!

 

[slief]

A new addition arrived on Friday..

A nice little Garf Bonsai frag..It's a couple inches tall and has a good dozen or more tips. It's in a decent spot acclimating to the lighting since that frag came from a colony grown under T5's. It will be interesting to see how this does. Now the trouble will be fining it a good permanent home which I think I have a good spot for. Will need to remove it from the frag plug when I place it in it's final position.


This was taken today. Not a great picture due to where I have it temporarily place for acclimation.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Just read the whole thread..what an amazing tank!

 

[slief]

Just read the whole thread..what an amazing tank!

Thanks! I'd do an update but there isn't much to update on. The corals are growing like weeds which is a great thing. The only thing I have to do is mix water and clean the glass. I did add some new SPS frags last weekend and a copperband butterfly this last week along with several anthias. The copperband has been out and about but the Anthias have been hiding.

I guess I will add some new pictures in a little bit along with some growth shots of some of the SPS.

 

[slief]

Some updated pictures. First some tank shots. This is the office side.

My big BTA..

A look down the length of the tank from the short side.

The living room side. dang I need some filters for the picture color.

 

[slief]

Time for some growth shots..

This was taken Jan 16th.

These were taken March 5th.

Taken 4/11

Taken 5/11.

Taken Today.

Taken Jan 16th

March 5th
The birdsnest in the background has grown like crazy and the coral in the foreground has grown well too.

Taken 4/11

Taken 5/11.

Taken today. Note that I fragged a 6" chunk off the birdsnest as it was growing into nearby corals.

 

[slief]

This was taken Jan 6th. I had to move this coral because it has grown so much and was growing into the other birds nest.

March 5th

Taken 4/11) in it's new location. Not a great shot because I have to take the picture from an angle due to where it is.

5/11.

Taken Today.

Jan 6th.

March 5th

4/11. I accidentally fragged a bit off this one

Taken 5/11.

Same coral different angle.

Taken today.

 

[rebekwl]

Amazing! I love how you used the DOS to feed. Did you decide not to move it to behind the tunze?

 

[slief]

Garf Bonsai taken 4/17

Taken today. It was removed from the frag plug and glue to a rock in the tank. It's fully encrusted and spreading on the rock and is growing well.

 

[slief]

Amazing! I love how you used the DOS to feed. Did you decide not to move it to behind the tunze?

Yea, I never bothered moving it. I probably should because the big tangs end up breaking corals and or hurting themselves on the corals when they feed from it. It just kind of a pain to route the line down that pipe and into the tank behind the Tunze. It's definitely something I should do but I've also been contemplating finding a new home for my big Vlamingi, my unicorn and my Atlantic Blue. Those 3 wish could be replaced with 50 smaller ones and still reduce the load in the tank, More importantly, I wouldn't have corals getting knocked all over the place. Problem is my attachment to them. I'd just much prefer to have some large schools of smaller colorful fish.

 

[slief]

Some other random shots.

 

[rebekwl]

Yea, I never bothered moving it. I probably should because the big tangs end up breaking corals and or hurting themselves on the corals when they feed from it. It just kind of a pain to route the line down that pipe and into the tank behind the Tunze. It's definitely something I should do but I've also been contemplating finding a new home for my big Vlamingi, my unicorn and my Atlantic Blue. Those 3 wish could be replaced with 50 smaller ones and still reduce the load in the tank, More importantly, I wouldn't have corals getting knocked all over the place. Problem is my attachment to them. I'd just much prefer to have some large schools of smaller colorful fish.

They're definitely some beauties, I can see how you would have trouble letting them go!!! I'm sure it'll be a pain to move it, but it would make it less crowded at feeding time for sure!

 

[slief]

They're definitely some beauties, I can see how you would have trouble letting them go!!! I'm sure it'll be a pain to move it, but it would make it less crowded at feeding time for sure!

My "Bulls" in my china cabinet.. Unfortunately not too many people have a tank large enough for them. My LFS does and that may be one of my only options unless I put them out in the local club section of the forums. The Vlamingi and that Unicorn each measure over 8 inches and both are stupid fat..