Please help with Reef Pi build

[lost66]

Hi
I am at the point in this hobby to think about controller. Newer Apex is expensive and quite limited. I was thinking about EL version but for $500 it would be nice to have salinity probe. I can get older Classic second hand but I would like to have a monitor of my ATO container. So I think the best choice is to build my own controller since I already have spare Raspberry Pi 3.

There is huge thread here which is awesome but it is impossible to read through. There are so many separate problems on that thread and it is hard for me to get all the information. Moreover we have 2020 now and I bet there are more ready plug and play solutions. All of us have different needs in terms of controller.

What I would like to have:
1) power bar
2) PH probe
3) salinity probe
4) temperature probe
5) water level sensor to send notification when water level is too low in ATO container
6) some kind of sensor which detects when I open a cabinet so I can turn on one of the sockets with led strip to have light in the cabinet
7) I use Jebao wave makers and I notice they have issues with syncing when I turn off and turn on all of them by the power switch. So I wonder if there is a way to operate these wave makers from reef pi, bypassing their controllers

There are 2 layers - software and hardware. Software part is easy since its mostly configuration and many hours figure out why it doesn't work but for this part I am used to but hardware part is completely different thing. I am software engineer, not familiar with hardware. I reviewed @Ranjib tutorials at adafruit but I believe he wrote some time ago and these days we have less complex constructions and more ready to go. More over Ranjib listed components that are very expensive and I think Apex is just cheaper.

So, I wonder what do I need to achieve what I am trying to build. Can someone please help me with the shopping list like from Amazon or Ebay? I don't even know what I need beside things like these :

https://www.tindie.com/products/ranthalion/isolated-ph-probe-interface-for-reef-pi/
some sort of "hat" like https://www.adafruit.com/product/2711 or https://www.adafruit.com/product/2310
soldering iron kit
bunch of cables, connectors , sockets

Please advise, I don't know if I can go this path not paying more than let's say $200 in total.

 

[theatrus]

Salinity is probably your biggest issue - no direct support, and most of the probes are actually pretty tempermental.

The sensor for the cabinet would be a magnetic reed switch - it would work just like an ATO sensor, but ReefPi integration may be a bit weird.

 

[lost66]

Ok, I can remove salinity probe from my list. Can anyone help with shopping list?

 

[Ranjib]

Ok, I can remove salinity probe from my list. Can anyone help with shopping list?

pi zero
ds18b20 sensor (drok or canakit)
float switches
power bar : choose one: kasa hs300, dli web switch pro , adj SRP8
decide if you want to build the circuit/electronics or use some off the shelf boards (check reef-pi's website additional resource section)

 

[lost66]

Thanks Ranjib.

 

[johnt_tally]

Where did you land with this? I'm working with Rob's Robo-Tank which runs Reef-Pi and I'm loving it.

 

[sfgabe]

If the reef pi is in the cabinet you could just add a pir or light sensor, and it would work the same as an ATO to activate the cabinet light.

 

[attiland]

If the reef pi is in the cabinet you could just add a pir or light sensor, and it would work the same as an ATO to activate the cabinet light.

Or could run a cheap optional proximity sensors or magnetic door sensors. These are less than £0.5 for 2

 

[lost66]

I had a bad experience with raspberry pi. I was building a home security and automation based on a openhab, now running octoprint (for 3d printer). Each time I had weird exceptions, something didn't boot up after power failure, some modules failed because of this and that and each time I needed to spend hours looking for the reason.

When you put a lot of money in the tank, there is a time when you realize some things can't be the cheapest. And gradually I am upgrading the weakest points in the live support.
I ended up with Apex. Purchased second hand older model, now adding second power bar. I trust this solution as i is an industry standard let's say.

 

[attiland]

I had a bad experience with raspberry pi. I was building a home security and automation based on a openhab, now running octoprint (for 3d printer). Each time I had weird exceptions, something didn't boot up after power failure, some modules failed because of this and that and each time I needed to spend hours looking for the reason.

When you put a lot of money in the tank, there is a time when you realize some things can't be the cheapest. And gradually I am upgrading the weakest points in the live support.
I ended up with Apex. Purchased second hand older model, now adding second power bar. I trust this solution as i is an industry standard let's say.

The beauty of open source programs that they are cheap but often unreliable.
We do it because like to mess with it but it is not for everyone.
As an it I would recommend Apex for my clients but do the Pi for myself

 

[lost66]

The key here is "often unreliable".

 

[sfgabe]

If you're not comfortable with wiring, programming, or iterative open source solutions that's fine and it's good to know your comfort zone. Personally I've had the same Pi 3B+ running my tank for about 3 years now with no issues so I have to disagree about the reliability factor. It's not for everyone, so I'm glad we have lots of options these days. Enjoy the Apex.

 

[attiland]

The key here is "often unreliable".

don't let this part put you of from doing it. Based on your post earlier you have enough experience to do this right
Reef-PI has some brilliant solutions in place.
I am still testing mine if it will do what exactly I want from it, but I haven't found major issues that I can't overcome. The biggest flow so fare is the lack of documentation. Some cases the only info you find that there is a feature can be used for xyz but the how is up to you to find out. This is the reason I am planning to publish my build with step-by-step documentation once I am ready so at least that will be available for others.

 

[attiland]

Question; how do you fix your probes in your tank? I could just let them hanging in the tank but I am looking for a bit more neat solution

 

[Ranjib]

Question; how do you fix your probes in your tank? I could just let them hanging in the tank but I am looking for a bit more neat solution

Probe holders. 3D print them or buy the ones available in Amazon or brs