Controller Software
With the purchase of the Reef Angel Controller kit, you will receive a very robust and complete demo software that can be used as an out-of-the-box solution.
The software utilizes all the features which this kit has to offer and has been proven to be the only piece of equipment you will ever need to start automating the most common tasks of the reefing hobby.
Two options will be available.
Simple Version
Advanced Version
Advanced Verison
No longer under development, but this version will give you full control of the relays by using scheduling tasks.
A PC Software will be used to create the schedules. These tasks can be setup for one time only or reoccuring, by duration or set time and even by input status such as temperature paramenters. They will still be based on a 24hrs cycle though.
You will need the TTL level serial converter cable to upload you schedule
All source codes can be downloaded and modified
Simple Verison
In order to make the use of the controller as simple as possible, the power outlet sockets on the relay box have been pre-assigned to an specific peripheral.
Outlet Socket Assignment
Socket 1: Auto top-off pump
Socket 2: Moonlight lights
Socket 3: Actinic lights
Socket 4: Daylight lights
Socket 5: Wavemaker pump 2
Socket 6: Wavemaker pump 1
Socket 7: Skimmer / General use pump
Socket 8: Return pump
Summary of Functions
Feeding mode
Water Change Mode
View Log
Date and Time
Dawn and Dusk
Lights Overheat
LED PWM Control
ATO Timeout
Wavemaker
Temperature Sensors
Dump Log to PC
Dump Parameters to PC
Calibrate PH Probe
The feeding mode function is used when it is time to give some little perks to your corals and fishes. They love this time of the day!
The controller will stop all pumps for 15 minutes and will show a countdown on the screen. When the timer is up, everything goes back to normal mode again.
Similar to the feeding mode, this function will stop all pumps. Except that in this mode, there is no countdown. The controller will wait for you to resume normal mode.
This function will display the last 10 log entries that were logged by the controller with timestamp and code.
Log entries are hard coded into the software and cannot be changed. If you have any special need and would like a simple modification of the coding, please email me at info@reefangel.com so we can discuss the best way to accomplish what you need.
The following table shows all the log entries generated by the controller
| Code | Description | Type |
| 0 | System Start-up | Informational |
| 10 | Water temperature sensor defective | Alert |
| 11 | Lights temperature sensor defective | Alert |
| 12 | Room temperature sensor defective | Alert |
| 30 | Auto top-off start | Informational |
| 31 | Auto top-off stop | Informational |
| 32 | Auto top-off timeout | Alert |
| 40 | Daylight lights on | Informational |
| 41 | Daylight lights off | Informational |
| 42 | Actinic lights on | Informational |
| 43 | Actinic lights off | Informational |
| 44 | Moonlight lights on | Informational |
| 45 | Moonlight lights off | Informational |
| 50 | Water temperature too high | Alert |
| 51 | Water temperature too low | Alert |
| 52 | Lights temperature too high | Alert |
| 53 | PH too high | Alert |
| 54 | PH too low | Alert |
| 61 | Feeding mode start | Informational |
| 62 | Feeding mode stop | Informational |
| 71 | Water change mode start | Informational |
| 72 | Water change mode stop | Informational |
A log entry is informational when it is a routine function that started or stopped.
The alert type of log entry is an indicative that something is out of normal parameters and it requires user attention. Any event log that is considered an alert type will turn the status LED on to advise you that it requires your attention.
The status LED will turn off only when you use the function "View Log". This will also clear any flag that was raised by the controller.
Alert 10, 11 and 12
This flag is raised whenever the controller finds a missing or defective temperature sensor. It will then ignore future readings of that parameter until the issue has been resolved.
Alert 32
This flag is raised when the timeout parameter in seconds entered in function 8 has passed. When this flag is raised, the ATO pump is turned off and will remain off until the flag is cleared. This will prevent your ATO pump to keep running and flood your tank in the event there is a malfunction with any of the float valves.
Alert 50, 51, 53, 54
This flag is raised when the water parameters are not within the pre-determined range.
Water Temperature range: 78 to 85°F
PH range: 7.5 to 9.0PH
Alert 52
This flag is raised when the maximum temperature entered in function 6 has been reached. This is mainly used for those that have LED lighting system and want to monitor heatsink temperature. When this flag is raised, the daylight and actinic lights are turned off and will remain off until the flag is cleared. They will not automatically come back on.
Setup of calendar and clock settings. Once setup, these settings will remain in the memory in case of a power failure by a battery backup unit inside the controller.
Setup of dawn and dusk time.
Moonlight lights work in conjuction with this mode. They are programmed to turn on 1 hour prior to dusk and turn off 1 hour after dawn.
This function has 2 operating modes and they are determined by the function 7 settings.
Regular mode
This mode is used whenever the PWM settings entered in function 7 are 0% for both daylight and actinic.
This mode turn daylight lights on 30 minutes after dawn settings and turn them off 30 minutes prior to dusk settings.
Within the first 30 minutes and the last 30 minutes, only actinic lights will be on.
LED mode
This mode is used whenever any of PWM settings entered in function 7 is different than 0%. This will indicate the controller that you have LED lighting system.
In this mode, PWM is used to ramp up and down your LED lighting system.
Whitin 1 hour after dawn and 1 hour prior to dusk, the controller will slowly ramp up/down the PWM to/from the specific setting entered in function 7.
Range from 0 to 150°F
Setup of maximum temperature allowed to operate daylight and actinic lights. This is mainly used by people with LED lighting systems who wants to monitor heatsink temperature.
When this temperature is reached, the daylight and actinic lights are turned off, an alert is generated causing the status LED to turn on and a code #52 is entered in the log.
Daylight range from 0 to 100%
Actinic range from 0 to 100%
Setup of operating PWM settings for daylight and actinic LED lighting systems.
On LED lighting systems with dimming capability, one way of controlling the intensity of light generated by the system is by using PWM signal. A change on the duty cycle of the PWM signal will cause the LED lighting system to change its intensity.
This settings will determine which mode of dawn/dusk the controller will operate.
Reef Angel Controller is capable of changing PWM duty cycle from 0% to 100%, but not all LED drivers are capable of dimming on the same. Some of them have a cutoff and will not dim any lower than 15%. The Meanwell driver ELN-60-48P is a good example.
Range from 0 to 255s
Setup of the maximum number of seconds that the ATO pump can remain on.
If the ATO pump is on for this many seconds, Reef Angel Controller will turn the pump off and generate an alert causing the status LED to turn on and a code #32 is entered in the log.
Setup of the number of seconds and wave pattern that which each wavemaker relay has to wait before it switches on/off.
The number of seconds in this setting is for half the cycle. For example, if you setup this setting to 100s, the relay will wait 100s to switch on and another 100s to switch off.
Setup of the temperarure sensors.
Each temperature sensor has a unique identifier, which is displayed in the screen. You can assign the sensor to start measuring water, lights or room temperature.
With the use of a TTL serial converter cable, you can send the log written in the Reef Angel Controller memory to the PC software.
With the use of a TTL serial converter cable, you can send the last 24 hours of parameters writen in the Reef Angel Controller memory to the PC Software.
Calibration of PH Probe requires 2 standards (one PH7 and one PH10).
Place probe in the first standard and wait a few minutes or until it stabilizes, then place on the second standard and wait a few minutes or until it stabilizes. You can do either standard first.
If you don't use the correct standards, the controller will just ignore the calibration and use the default settings.
Note: The numbers shown in the screen are just for internal calculation and do not represent the actual PH.
