reef-pi :: An opensource reef tank controller based on Raspberry Pi.

[TheHarold]

Welcome to r2r :) , as well

Is there already a STL file for a housing? Ive been following, on the line of ordering the hardware but it most definitely needs an enclosure. I have a 3D printer so it should be easy enough.

 

[Ranjib]

Is there already a STL file for a housing? Ive been following, on the line of ordering the hardware but it most definitely needs an enclosure. I have a 3D printer so it should be easy enough.

I don’t know if there’s any full stl for the entire housing needs since the whole setup can involve multiple hiusings. I have used wood or plastic enclosure (and fabricate then using dremel etc) .

There’s one reef-pi specific housing in thingiverese https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=Reef-pi&sa=&dwh=255a832526881c7

There’s at least another probe holder type stl mentioned in this thread .
Those are the two 3d printed parts as of now , both of the authors are active in this thread (sorry I have to churn through the thread to corrrelate who made which one :-( )
I would love to see a full blown aio or sub system specific 3d cad. I can get it printed from a fellow reefer :-),

 

[TheHarold]

I don’t know if there’s any full stl for the entire housing needs since the whole setup can involve multiple hiusings. I have used wood or plastic enclosure (and fabricate then using dremel etc) .

There’s one reef-pi specific housing in thingiverese https://www.thingiverse.com/search?q=Reef-pi&sa=&dwh=255a832526881c7

There’s at least another probe holder type stl mentioned in this thread .
Those are the two 3d printed parts as of now , both of the authors are active in this thread (sorry I have to churn through the thread to corrrelate who made which one :-( )
I would love to see a full blown aio or sub system specific 3d cad. I can get it printed from a fellow reefer :),

Yeah, it is just a few bucks to print. I don't mind doing it for people, but I don't have the hardware to design the case around.

 

[Jean-Pierre Renaud]

received my temp sensor today, super easy to add and setup,

it's been steady for 30 minutes, is it normal that the graphic is at the bottom of the scale ?, if the temp goes up or down it will adjust i guess ?

 

[Ranjib]

received my temp sensor today, super easy to add and setup,

it's been steady for 30 minutes, is it normal that the graphic is at the bottom of the scale ?, if the temp goes up or down it will adjust i guess ?

Yup. You can test it out by holding the probe with your bare hand, that should spike up the readings momentarily:-)

 

[Ranjib]

Atlas scientific kit has arrived :)
Probe

I still have not opened the packaging,

Ezo circuit, this is what converts the ph probe voltage difference data (which is minuscule ) into ph values and offers it through i2c. It allows calibration as well,
They have packaged it like a gemstone :-)
I love the thin glass like coating this chip has

Panelmount bnc female connector

There are three bottles of calibration solution as well .

I have to hook this all up and do a poc code next :-)

 

[lazybones51]

Sure,
The electronics is similar to Kessil controller[1] , except instead of PCA9685 board, Raspberry Pi's GPIO 18 & 19 is used as 5 v pwm source. Which is then converted to 10v pwm using a common npn transistor (check the guide for schematics). There is not other changes in hardware. On the software side, Raspberry Pi pwm module has to be enabled[2] and reef-pi needs to be informed about using RPi pwm instead of pca9685. I am still working on the last bit, i.e. providing reef-pi UI for declaring pwm outputs as either RPi backed or pca9685 backed,

Let me know where you are in your build process. Would love to see some build pics :)

[1] Kessil controller guide: https://reef-pi.github.io/build-guides/lighting/
[2] RPi hardwarw pwm: http://www.jumpnowtek.com/rpi/Using-the-Raspberry-Pi-Hardware-PWM-timers.html

Ah of course! I have read so many pages on this thread I had forgotten the original purpose of the build being a controller for your Kessil lamps.

I've got two projects on the go, one being a simple light unit for my nano tank and the other a controller for an Arcadia stretch lamp, both on freshwater planted tanks.

 

[Orbela]

Atlas scientific kit has arrived :)
Probe

I still have not opened the packaging,

Ezo circuit, this is what converts the ph probe voltage difference data (which is minuscule ) into ph values and offers it through i2c. It allows calibration as well,
They have packaged it like a gemstone :-)
I love the thin glass like coating this chip has

Panelmount bnc female connector

There are three bottles of calibration solution as well .

I have to hook this all up and do a poc code next :-)

So we will have a ph probe working soon?

 

[Ranjib]

So we will have a ph probe working soon?

Likely :-) .
It was targeted feature for maker faire release anyway (which is in May), but we are likely to get it earlier.

 

[Ryan115]

So I just got back from my first multi day trip away from my tank, while running on reef-pi.
The confidence level I have is so much higher than it used to be. My wife was home, but she did not have to do anything but feed, and all is running exactly as expected.
I did spend a little bit of time trying to get TOR running before I left so that I could monitor remotely, but never had any luck.
I settled on using remot3.it https://www.remot3.it/web/remot3-it-connect-for-raspberry-pi.html
It was very easy to set up and use.

 

[Ryan115]

It seems that most LED drivers that will accept PWM are all 10V (please correct my if I am way off on this).
The viparspectra control board is very different from the SB light that I worked on, but I bought the basic because I knew I was going to be moving control to reef-pi.
That being said, here are the parts that I used for the 10V PWM circuit that is currently running in my lights.

• 1k and 10k resistor
• Voltage regulator - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/on-semiconductor/LM7810CT/LM7810CT-ND/1954730
• Connectors - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/dfrobot/FIT0255/1738-1304-ND/7398880
• Circuit Board - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/sparkfun-electronics/PRT-08808/1568-1652-ND/7387401
• Cables - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/adafruit-industries-llc/2880/1528-1596-ND/5875804
• Transistor - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/on-semiconductor/KSP2222ATA/KSP2222ATACT-ND/3025280

 

[Ranjib]

It seems that most LED drivers that will accept PWM are all 10V (please correct my if I am way off on this).
The viparspectra control board is very different from the SB light that I worked on, but I bought the basic because I knew I was going to be moving control to reef-pi.
That being said, here are the parts that I used for the 10V PWM circuit that is currently running in my lights.

• 1k and 10k resistor
• Voltage regulator - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/on-semiconductor/LM7810CT/LM7810CT-ND/1954730
• Connectors - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/dfrobot/FIT0255/1738-1304-ND/7398880
• Circuit Board - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/sparkfun-electronics/PRT-08808/1568-1652-ND/7387401
• Cables - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/adafruit-industries-llc/2880/1528-1596-ND/5875804
• Transistor - https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/on-semiconductor/KSP2222ATA/KSP2222ATACT-ND/3025280

Very nice :) .
I love that you are using a linear regulator . I am planning to include some sort of voltage regulator in all recommended build guides. I’m still torn on whether to use a linear regulator or switching regulator along side dedicated psu . There are way too many possible combinations, each with specific advantages/disadvantages. Still experimenting with 78xx series, some traco psu, some lm2596 morphs (adjustable). I ll have a much better signal once the wave maker has run for few weeks

 

[ThorEp]

I read somewhere that the model 3 b cannot support 8 relay? Anyone tried this?

 

[ThorEp]

Are there any guides on how to add other probes to the reef pi? Like salinity?

 

[Ryan115]

I read somewhere that the model 3 b cannot support 8 relay? Anyone tried this?

Many of us have 8 relays running off of a 3B, a few have even stepped it up and are running 16 or more.
It all comes down to how many GPIO pins you are using.

 

[Ryan115]

Very nice :) .
I love that you are using a linear regulator . I am planning to include some sort of voltage regulator in all recommended build guides. I’m still torn on whether to use a linear regulator or switching regulator along side dedicated psu . There are way too many possible combinations, each with specific advantages/disadvantages. Still experimenting with 78xx series, some traco psu, some lm2596 morphs (adjustable). I ll have a much better signal once the wave maker has run for few weeks

For the LED controller I went with a linear regulator, instead of something like the 2596, simply due to the physical size and how minimal the power usage is. Since the entire circuit is living inside the LED housing, I wanted to keep it reasonably small.
If I was running something that needed more power, I would have gone a different route.
Here is the circuit installed (there is one on each side, one for each color).

 

[ThorEp]

Thanks for response!:) Are there other buildsguides for reef-pi other than the ones listed on github? Are there more cool stuff you can do?

 

[Ryan115]

Thanks for response!:) Are there other buildsguides for reef-pi other than the ones listed on github? Are there more cool stuff you can do?

@Ranjib let me know if I missed anything
The current feature list is:

• Power control (with manual control or schedule based)
• Light control (each with 4095 steps of dimming, and more strings than you would ever need)
• Temperature sensor with Heater/Cooler control
• Auto Top Off - can enable "on time" limit and frequency while still based on a level sensor
• Dosing pumps - can control more than you would ever need (upto 992 shared between dosing and lights)
• Camera control
• Connected LCD for at tank control
• Remote telemetry for automated alerts
• Remote connections for control and monitoring away from the house
• Maintenance and service reminders

The are a few more planned releases for this year

• Additional sensors (pH and possibly others)
• Multiple Temperature Sensors
• Multiple Water level sensors
• Leak Detectors

Basically you can pick any or all of the features and design your system and BOM to match.
If there are other features that you are interested in, please bring them forward.

 

[ThorEp]

I cant see from the drawings where to connect the temperature sensor? https://reef-pi.github.io/build-guides/temperature/

 

[ThorEp]

@Ranjib let me know if I missed anything
The current feature list is:

• Power control (with manual control or schedule based)
• Light control (each with 4095 steps of dimming, and more strings than you would ever need)
• Temperature sensor with Heater/Cooler control
• Auto Top Off - can enable "on time" limit and frequency while still based on a level sensor
• Dosing pumps - can control more than you would ever need (upto 992 shared between dosing and lights)
• Camera control
• Connected LCD for at tank control
• Remote telemetry for automated alerts
• Remote connections for control and monitoring away from the house
• Maintenance and service reminders

The are a few more planned releases for this year

• Additional sensors (pH and possibly others)
• Multiple Temperature Sensors
• Multiple Water level sensors
• Leak Detectors

Basically you can pick any or all of the features and design your system and BOM to match.
If there are other features that you are interested in, please bring them forward.

I would love salinity monitoring:D