5g FW Planted Desk Pico - Apex

[BadCrab]

"What kind of tank do you have at home?"

This was a question I would regularly get while installing and maintaining tanks. For the last decade, I've largely worked in homes and businesses on the East Coast inside other people's aquariums. If you know any mechanics, they probably drive a beater. Likewise, the sandwich artists at Subway reach for anything but a sandwich for their own lunch. The last thing I wanted to do after cleaning fish tanks for hours at work was to come home and clean another. And so, I didn't have a tank that was mine for a very long time.

Filling Alexandria Renew's 7,000g Native Freshwater Display
 

Last summer I moved back to Phoenix. This is the place I first took a step into the hobby, after watching a reef episode of Tanked back in 2012. I got my first industry job here at an LFS (now gone) named AquaTouch. I briefly grappled with starting an aquarium service company or joining one of the many existing teams in the valley. Instead, I accepted an opportunity at Neptune Systems to provide remote support for Apex controllers. While the work suits me well, it has left my hands dry for a while. Long enough that having an aquarium (or aquariums?) of my own became an exciting idea again. And I needed somewhere to put all this gear I was collecting.

 

5g FW Planted Desk Pico

Current Equipment List (Updated 4/16/23)

• 5g 10x10x12 Glass Aquarium
• Seiryu Stone, Spider Wood, & Aquasolum Black Humate
• Neptune A1 ApexJr w/ VDM, PM1, Temp & pH Probe
• Custom Probe Holder & Break-Out Box (SmartReefIntegration)
• Kessil H80 w/ Apex Link Cable
• EHEIM Skim350
• Clscea G700S CO2 Generator & Solenoid

 

Current Plant List (Updated 4/16/23)

• Salvinia minima
• Bucephalandra theia
• Bucephalandra catherinae
• Bucephalandra brownie
• Microsorum pteropus
• Cryptocoryne parva
• Anubias nana petite
• Crinum calamistratum

 

Thread Links:

Current FTS (Updated 4/16/23)



Current Apex Dashboard (Updated 4/16/23)

[growsomething]

Following and excited to see this happen.

[BadCrab]

I started the tank last month with some beginner plants and Eco-Complete substrate from Caribsea.
I didn't care for the substrate and the plants didn't fit the small scale of the tank.  The substrate felt too chunky and reminded me of a saltwater tank.

So, I visited a freshwater-exclusive LFS in town, Plants & Fins.  The enthusiastic employee managing the plant section seemed very comfortable with stocking nano tanks so I let him guide me to some Anubias nana, Crypt parva, Buce theia red, and some water spangles. 

After swapping the substrate and plants, and reconfiguring cords, the system was ready for an earnest attempt.
 

I will be using an A1 ApexJr system from Neptune with this pico, along with a few modules to give me increased functionality.
These are often mistakenly referred to as EB4s now, but they have an Apex Base Unit built into the body of the EnergyBar and are an ideal solution for nano and pico systems. They have some drawbacks compared to other Apex systems, though. For us, that's going to be the lack of onboard 1-10v variable speed ports and a pH port. We're going to want both (for controlling the Kessil and our CO2 system.)



Speaking of CO2 systems. I've never owned one. After some brief research, the solution that seemed to fit my situation was a "CO2 Generator" system utilizing Citric Acid and Baking Soda in a canister equipped with a solenoid (so we can control it through the Apex.) Amazon provided the CLSea G700S and 5lbs of each reagent for just under $200.

 

Thoroughly explaining how to utilize the Apex is a worthwhile contribution I can make through my build threads. I find that most people underutilize their Apex System, because they don't know what's possible.  A significant portion of these posts will be about Apex programming - but I'll also try to keep the thread grounded with regular photographs and progress updates.



Today, I received a package from SmartReefIntegration: a custom 3D-printed magnetic probe rack and an Apex break-out box.  The quality on both products is fantastic.
I attached a set of probes, calibrated, and routed cables.  





FTS 4/11/2023:


APEX DASHBOARD 4/11/2023:

[BadCrab]

Controlling the Kessil via Apex

Let's walk through how I programmed my Kessil H80.
The Kessil connects to the Apex using a cable in the 10v port of our VDM.
One channel in the cable controls the Intensity, while the other controls the Spectrum.
In Fusion, these channels in the 10v port are represented by two Dashboard Tiles:

 

 

Both Tiles have a Wizard that allows you to create a curve using specified times and % values.
Here is our Intensity channel (Kessil_INT) currently running an ambitious schedule:

 

 

And our Spectrum channel (Kessil_CLR)
On the H80, 0 Represents Blue while 100 Represents Red
 

 

I've also set up a set of Virtual Outlets for the spectrums identified by Kessil as a feature of the H80.
These are: Blue, Grow, Bloom, & Red.

 

 

 

The first step in utilizing these Virtual Outlets is to create Profiles for the Kessil H80.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Once we've created all 4 Profiles, we can go back into the Configuration Page of the Kessil_CLR 10v Output, Choose the Advanced Tab under Configuration View, and add our Virtual Outlet lines.

 

 

 

You can see here an additional way to utilize a Virtual Output (named Maintenance) by directly setting the value of Kessil_CLR Output to 45%. There is a paired command in Kessil_INT for 90% - setting the H80 to a bright neutral color for better algae spotting.
 

 

 

 

To wrap up, we've programmed our Kessil H80 to follow a daily schedule and set up a set of 5 Virtual Outlets - One for each predefined Spectrum Profile and one for Maintenance - and then tied those Virtual Outlets to our Kessil Outputs.

Next time, we will add more Profiles and Virtual Outlets to allow the Apex to run a separate lighting schedule on Weekends vs Weekdays.

[BadCrab]

Adding Weekend Lighting Schedule

I'm in my office less in the mornings and more in the evenings on weekends, and I'd like the tank's lighting schedule to reflect that.
I've noted my desired schedule for weekdays and weekends and used the Apex Scheduler to visualize the lighting curves.
 

Weekday Lighting Schedule
Visualized through the Scheduler: 

Intensity
08:00 0%
10:30 30%
12:00 65%
14:00 80%
16:00 65%
17:30 30%
20:00 0%

Color
10:30 60%
12:00 30%
16:00 30%
17:30 60%

 

 

Weekend Lighting Schedule
Visualized through the Scheduler: 

Intensity
10:00 0%
12:30 30%
14:00 65%
16:00 80%
18:00 65%
19:30 30%
22:00 0%

Color
12:30 60%
14:00 30%
18:00 30%
19:30 60%


To accomplish this, we'll need to use a set of Profiles and Virtual Outputs.

Profile 1: Wknd_Dawn 150m 0-30%
Profile 2: Wknd_RmpUp 90m 30-65%
Profile 3: Wknd_DayUp 120m 65-80%
Profile 4: Wknd_DayDwn 120m 80-65%
Profile 5: Wknd_RmpDwn 90m 65-30%
Profile 6: Wknd_Dusk 150m 30-0%
Profile 7: Wknd_ClrUp 90m 60-30%
Profile 8: Wknd_ClrDwn 90m 30-60%

Virtual Outlet 1: Wknd_1000
Virtual Outlet 2: Wknd_1230
Virtual Outlet 3: Wknd_1400
Virtual Outlet 4: Wknd_1600
Virtual Outlet 5: Wknd_1800
Virtual Outlet 6: Wknd_1930


First, define all 8 Profiles:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We also need to break our Weekend into sections of time to associate with the ramp profiles. These are the 6 Virtual Outlets I've created:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, we can go back into the Configuration Page of both Kessil_INT & Kessil_CLR Outputs, Choose the Advanced Tab under Configuration View, and add our Virtual Outlet lines. We need to make clever use of how the Apex will evaluate the code (from top to bottom, with the final line that's true being the state the outlet is set to.)

 

To wrap up, we've programmed our Kessil H80 to follow a different daily schedule on weekends than it does on weekdays.  We created 8 new Profiles and 6 new Virtual Outlets and tied them together into our Kessil Outputs.

[ml86743]

Dang thats pretty cool!

[BadCrab]

This weekend I went over to my LFS (Plants & Fins) for additional plants. I bought too many. 5g is small and after struggling and getting frustrated with hardscape, my struggles doubled trying to fit everything in. I'm pretty unhappy with how it turned out, but that's part of the process. I know what techniques (eventually) worked well, what didn't, what the pain points are, and what I might like to try out in the future.

So what does the future look like for my office and this tank? Long term, I was planning on replacing this tank with a small UNS (still a nano/pico but with a larger footprint for easier scaping and planting.) I have a third Apex system not doing anything - so I don't necessarily need to break down this tank, either.

My tentative plans for this tank:
5g moved to rolling cart, with H80, A1 ApexJr, & VDM. Hardscape swapped out for something more appropriate to the scale, with hearty stem plants and java ferns. Eventually a betta or shrimp. This becomes the "cart pico" and sits on the 28"x18" cart top with equipment stashed inside.



What will we lose from this tank?
CO2. That's going to make the most dramatic difference between the two, I think. I will also lose the PM1, leaving a single in-tank temperature probe from the Base Unit, and keep the VDM to control the Kessil.


It will take some time to make this transition and bring the UNS online and I plan to take it relatively slow.

I've already made some exciting purchases that I'll share in their own thread, once the time is right.
Until it's ready, this tank will continue its current trajectory. Here are some photos from this morning:

[BadCrab]

The first new components for the upgrade/tank split have started arriving with a lighting box from Bulk Reef Supply.

The new UNS will have a proper freshwater LED.  The current H80 was intended for horticulture or refugium lighting and leaves a lot to be desired when viewing or photographing the tank.


 

For now, I'll keep the H80 on this tank controlled by the A1 ApexJr's VDM.  The UNS will have an A1 ApexLite which has onboard 0-10v variable speed ports and won't need an additional VDM to accomplish the same control over this Kessil.

 

[Lebowski_]

A 5g with Co2, a Kessil, and an Apex Controller. Well now I gotta follow lol. That is some serious gear.

[BadCrab]

I've just been letting everything settle in the FW Pico.  A few photos tomorrow once lights are up.
I experienced a bit of melt, mostly on the buces - manually removed what I could and let 2 amano shrimp and 3 nerites handle the rest.  
Despite my inadequacies as an aquascaper the tank looks pretty clean.  The salvinia minima have multiplied and covered the surface quickly.
I'm doing weekly 50% water changes w/ AF Remineralizer.  I have fertilizers but I'm not currently dosing them.  I'm considering adding two DOS as the low amounts needed seem like a chore to do and keep track of by hand.
 

Water Parameters:
pH 6.2 - 6.7
5ppm Nitrate

0ppm Phosphate
8dKH 11dGH

I am planning a tank split (Two replacement tanks and a mashup of old and new hardware)
Without giving much away, here's where that project stands:

New Desk Tank (Shallow UNS) - Acquired
New Desk LED - Acquired
Desk Canister - Owned
Desk CO2 - Owned
2Probe Holder - Owned
Desk Lilly Pipes, Controller Cabinet - unbought

New Cart Tank (UNS) - Ordered
H80 Cart LED - Owned
New Cart CO2, 1Probe Holder - unbought

Along with two older Apex systems, I'm also considering heaters for all three of the tanks now to keep temps more stable.
A major hurdle I'm still wrapping my head around is moving my computer case to the floor beside the desk to free up the necessary desktop space for the larger tank.  I'll need to extend a number of cables and I haven't quite been up to working that out yet.


 

[BadCrab]

Scooped up a gently used Gen4 XR30 this morning.  Local reefer was selling it (giving it away at this price) for $175, and knowing they can be used with a WXM, I couldn't pass it up.
I had purchased a new A80 Tuna Sun to use with the new shallow desk tank (about 2'x1',) but if I have this I might as well use it.  The alternative, I guess, would be sticking the Radion between the Sol Blues on the reef tank.


 

[BadCrab]

I forgot to update this thread with photos last week, so I'm doing it now!

 

 

 

[BadCrab]

Cabinet and Faceplates from Adaptive Reef were ordered for this upgrade.
Still a ways off from installing the controller in it, but I figured grabbing them now while they were in stock was prudent.

 

State of the Upgrade: What's Left?

Desk Tank (Shallow UNS):

Canister & Lily Pipes
I had planned on using a Fluval 106 on the new desk tank, alongside a pair of lily pipes.  I am strongly considering upgrading that to an Oase.  I'm nearly sold on one for the reef tank until it's sumped, so I'll probably test its functionality there first. Simultaneously, I'll test some glass pipes from JARDLI.
 

Controller Upgrades
I want to keep this mostly a surprise for now, but I believe when it's revealed the controller installation is going to turn heads. This tank is going to have rizz.
 

PC & Desk Upgrades
This one is boring and is holding up the project. The new tank footprint is significantly larger than the current one; it's big enough that moving at least the PC case and the UPS to the floor will be necessary.  I run 3 monitors and a laptop on my desktop. That means extending or buying longer cables.  A lot of them. And then routing all of those cables into cable management boxes. Ugh.
I also plan on switching out the alex ikea cabinets for some proper desk legs to make room for aquarium cabinetry.  I had considered a standing frame again (they're so cheap now,) but with the PC case and aquarium cabinet on the floor, I'm just uninterested in accidentally yanking cables.
Maybe I'll make a goal to measure and order a cable or two a day 
 

Substrate and Hardscape
Several local shops carry aquasoil I'm interested in exploring like ADA and UNS.  For hardscape, I want something minimal and dramatic.  This can really wait until the tank is on the desk, though.

 

Cart Tank (Nano UNS):

The Tank
Still waiting on the actual tank from LFS, although I'm anticipating it arriving far before I'm ready.

 

CO2 System
I debated between having CO2 or not on this cart.  I've picked one out but haven't made the purchase and am keeping it a surprise for now.

 

Substrate and Hardscape
I am likely reusing the Aquavitro Aquasolum substrate and the seiryu stones, but it's far enough out still that I would consider something else, too.

 

[BadCrab]

Ordered a grip of cables after work this evening, hoping it's enough to get everything moved over on the desk and make room for the new UNS Shallow.

Ordered
3x 10' USB 3.0 Extensions
2x 10' USB 2.0 Extensions
2x 10' HDMI Cables
1x 10' DisplayPort Cable
3x 10' Power Cables
2x 6' 3.5mm Extensions

[BadCrab]

I spent the evening after work moving my desktop to the ground to make room for the new tank.
Everything is running again, but I'm short a cable (my fault, not Amazon's.)  There's a grip of cable management still left to do, but there's earnest progress on that project now.

 

[sapling]

slightly off topic, but is that an ikea hack type of desk? I remember considering one of those haha

I like OASE, especially the models that can have a heater, so you dont have to do one inline or intank. but Fluval's self primer and built in quick disconnects canisters are serious QOL. I replaced my OASE filtosmart 100 from 2019 personally for a 407 a year ago and never looked back. Better flow as well going from bottom of stand to tank. unsure of the features of a smaller Fluval canister but that's my experience with them. 

 

I've only had good experiences with ADA's Amazonia aqua soil thru the years. Don't have experience with UNS to compare. 
 

[BadCrab]

I appreciate you sharing your experiences here, @sapling!

Yes! The desk is an IKEA countertop + ALEX drawer combo that was very popular on social media some years ago.  Great price, lots of storage, and (as you can see) an enormous desktop surface.  I've really been grappling with replacing the drawer combo with a more traditional set of legs.  I got the Adaptive Reef Controller Cabinet to mount it's Apex, so I just need to play with it in the space and noodle it out.

As a maintenance technician, I had a similar experience with Fluval canisters - they were just a dream to access and maintain compared to other lines.  Can I ask about your methodology for using ADA Amazonia?  I'm considering placing it in mesh bags under a decorative layer.

[sapling]

So I'm not a SME or pro youd see on ukaps or anything, but generally my scapes I intend to cover all the ground with plants, so I use it everywhere haha. but for a section of the scape I wouldn't plant in, like a sandy foreground area, I would forgo the soil in that area entirely, just use sand. I also use ada's power sand as a base when I set up an aquarium with aquasoil. 

but to give a detailed answer; I'm not familiar with the mesh bag idea, but it sounds essentially like capping. I don't like the idea of capping much and haven't done it myself to give my experience with it, because if its a planting area, you aren't really going to see much of the soil when the plants are thickly grown in, so it just feels a bit unnecessary. For areas I want to be open, like a sandy foreground, I don't use aquasoil at all and opt to fill the area with sand instead. You can cordon those sections off with a fine mesh or good use of hardscape layout if you don't want them to mix. Truthfully, When I replaced a large section of my dwarf hairgrass foreground for sand to lower trimming maintenance, I did not bother with using mesh, it's mixed a little over time, but its not atrocious I think, theres still a clear definition between the two a year later.

 

Probably more information and opinion than you intended ahaha but just my thoughts on it, hopefully that helps! 

 

 

[BadCrab]

With the new module release, I have been and will continue to be a busy-bee at work.  This leaves me with significantly less time than I'd like for tinkering with the tanks and talking about it here.

The current FW tank is really overgrown. 
The shipment with the new UNS tank has been delayed for over a month now.
The cart is fully prepared for it, though.  I drilled some holes for cabling and added grommets - it looks good, in an industrial way.

This thread will eventually split into two - we'll keep this thread, following this system through the tank upgrade and move to the cart, and a new thread for the tank that'll take this one's place on my desk.  I'm going to shoot some video over the next few weeks and try to put something short together documenting that installation.  There's a lot of nice equipment I've hoarded for that setup and I'm excited to be able to share it.



 

[BadCrab]

It's no longer accurate to call this a Desk Tank, as it's been moved onto a vintage shop cart I converted into an aquarium cabinet.
I was able to drill and add grommets so I could neatly run cables.  I've also attached all of the modules inside and brought online the new Soda-Stream CO2 system. 

I used velcro strips for the attachment but on reflection maybe I should have used some 3d-printed holders with embedded magnets.  Good excuse for another upgrade in the future, I guess.  I took some video after moving it and will cut together some clips (this weekend?) so we can call this a proper thread update. 

[BadCrab]

As promised (for once,) I've delivered a video showing off the new tank location...
Both of these tanks are works in progress, but if I wait until they're "ready" to document them it would never happen.
 

and debuting the new Desk Tank!