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

[Twocorns]

Howdy, is there a way to monitor PH with the reef-pi? I already have a ph probe from my old cal reactor, but not sure what else I would need (hardware) to connect it to my pi/breadboard.

Thanks for the help and keep up the good work!

 

[Ranjib]

Howdy, is there a way to monitor PH with the reef-pi? I already have a ph probe from my old cal reactor, but not sure what else I would need (hardware) to connect it to my pi/breadboard.

Thanks for the help and keep up the good work!

Not right now. But I am working on pH support as we speak. It will be out for public consumption by early next month.

 

[Ranjib]

Just finished writing/testing atlas scientific ph probe driver, https://github.com/reef-pi/drivers/pull/2
its i2c based. Recently have written a raspberry pi based i2c driver in go that does not have any external dependency. Used that to write the atlas scientific ezo circuit driver. After some prototype testing, I think its ready for use in reef-pi.

Next step will be to integrate the ezo driver in main reef-pi software, add UI , charts etc.

Question: Do we expect people will need multiple ph probes?

 

[Twocorns]

Just finished writing/testing atlas scientific ph probe driver, https://github.com/reef-pi/drivers/pull/2
its i2c based. Recently have written a raspberry pi based i2c driver in go that does not have any external dependency. Used that to write the atlas scientific ezo circuit driver. After some prototype testing, I think its ready for use in reef-pi.

Next step will be to integrate the ezo driver in main reef-pi software, add UI , charts etc.

Question: Do we expect people will need multiple ph probes?

People running calcium reactor will need 2 probes: one for the tank and one for the reactor. So I'd say yes, to two.

 

[jcmental]

I wouldnt think so. If the LED was in backwards, it would function just like a regular diode and not let any power flow through (think about diodes like a one-way or check valve). If it was shorting out to the board it would likely pull so much power through that string that they would all let the smoke out.
Do you have any diagrams of how you are trying to wire it?

Just an update. First off you were right. It wasent the LED. I have 3 of these lights, it's sods law the one I chose first to fit sockets and wiring to has a faulty power unit. by the looks of it for some reason it was ignoring the switched side of the control. I'v set up another one of my lights and this one is working as you would expect.

 

[Ryan115]

@Ranjib I just realized that the dashboard is missing a quick glance summary of the current state of the system.
What are your thoughts about having a box or ribbon with tank parameters (time, temp, pH, light levels, calculated remaining doser/ATO levels, etc...)

 

[Gareth elliott]

Got annoyed with all the wires attempted a diy solution. Where nothing was near water and everything was at least a little neat. Still a work in progress as where the pi is going. Might loosen the wire ties and put the board on a roller so it pulls out? Its going in the cabinet!
Also managed to wipe the sd card while doing this... so reinstall it is lol.

 

[ReeferMadness88]

I’m attempting to hookup a second relay board (in my basement) to manage my water change equipment. Since I’m already grabbing 5v vcc pins for the 1st relay and 5v vcc for the PWM board is it even possible to hookup another 5v source? Possibly by using an external power supply for the relay board itself? If so, what amperage should I be looking at for the 5v to the relay board for the external supply. I have some voltage limiting boards so getting the right voltage won’t be a problem if this is the route to do it.

 

[Gareth elliott]

I’m attempting to hookup a second relay board (in my basement) to manage my water change equipment. Since I’m already grabbing 5v vcc pins for the 1st relay and 5v vcc for the PWM board is it even possible to hookup another 5v source? Possibly by using an external power supply for the relay board itself? If so, what amperage should I be looking at for the 5v to the relay board for the external supply. I have some voltage limiting boards so getting the right voltage won’t be a problem if this is the route to do it.

I use these offers both 5v or 3.3v and gets power from a usb cable or dc adapter. Also very inexpensive on amazon

 

[ReeferMadness88]

Beautiful, if that’s what will do the trick I have a couple of these already kicking around. Thanks!

 

[Ranjib]

I’m attempting to hookup a second relay board (in my basement) to manage my water change equipment. Since I’m already grabbing 5v vcc pins for the 1st relay and 5v vcc for the PWM board is it even possible to hookup another 5v source? Possibly by using an external power supply for the relay board itself? If so, what amperage should I be looking at for the 5v to the relay board for the external supply. I have some voltage limiting boards so getting the right voltage won’t be a problem if this is the route to do it.

You should be fine if you are using the 2.5A usb power supply. We can calculate the total current consumption by each board (pi 3 500ma, relays Nx20 ma, where N represents the number of channels.. etc ) . If this doesn not suffice, you can always hook up a 4amo or 10 amp connection to a 5v rail and power each of the component (including pi) through that. I am doing this for all my new builds (i.e. hook up a powr adapter to a rail and then connect all the ICs to that)

 

[Jean-Pierre Renaud]

Ok, so i went through all the info i could in 2 days,
now that Reef-PI is up and running, i have no more fun lol

so i want to make the lights controllable from pwm.

i have a simple nano and i aim for 4 channels

is my list ok ?

4x Driver : https://www.rapidled.com/mean-well-ldd-700h-dimmable-driver/

Driver board : https://www.rapidled.com/ldd-h-4-driver-board/

i2c iterface board : https://www.adafruit.com/product/815

i already have the leds and power supply.

any input from you guys ?

 

[Ranjib]

Ok, so i went through all the info i could in 2 days,
now that Reef-PI is up and running, i have no more fun lol

so i want to make the lights controllable from pwm.

i have a simple nano and i aim for 4 channels

is my list ok ?

4x Driver : https://www.rapidled.com/mean-well-ldd-700h-dimmable-driver/

Driver board : https://www.rapidled.com/ldd-h-4-driver-board/

i2c iterface board : https://www.adafruit.com/product/815

i already have the leds and power supply.

any input from you guys ?

Looks ok to me. There will be 2 volt power drop, so choose your power supply accordingly.

Note: we can now generate two pwm signal just using Pi, no need for the pca9685 board

 

[jcmental]

Ok, so i went through all the info i could in 2 days,
now that Reef-PI is up and running, i have no more fun lol

so i want to make the lights controllable from pwm.

i have a simple nano and i aim for 4 channels

is my list ok ?

4x Driver : https://www.rapidled.com/mean-well-ldd-700h-dimmable-driver/

Driver board : https://www.rapidled.com/ldd-h-4-driver-board/

i2c iterface board : https://www.adafruit.com/product/815

i already have the leds and power supply.

any input from you guys ?

I'm Glad you posted this @Jean-Pierre Renaud, I've been looking for a replacement LED driver for my Viparspectra light but cant work out what I need. Maybe you can help me.
This is the spec off the faulty LED driver I need to replace
Model : 2G-3865W-ZN
Out put voltage 55-100 V
output current 510-550mA
If that makes sense,
Its to run one bank of 27x 3w LED's with PWM 0=10v control

Thanks in advance if you or any one can point me in the right direction.

 

[Jean-Pierre Renaud]

Looks ok to me. There will be 2 volt power drop, so choose your power supply accordingly.

Note: we can now generate two pwm signal just using Pi, no need for the pca9685 board

Oh for real ?
Where can i find this info ?


Thanks !

 

[Ryan115]

I'm Glad you posted this @Jean-Pierre Renaud, I've been looking for a replacement LED driver for my Viparspectra light but cant work out what I need. Maybe you can help me.
This is the spec off the faulty LED driver I need to replace
Model : 2G-3865W-ZN
Out put voltage 55-100 V
output current 510-550mA
If that makes sense,
Its to run one bank of 27x 3w LED's with PWM 0=10v control

Thanks in advance if you or any one can point me in the right direction.

Basically you are looking for a constant current driver around the 50-60W range (3v * 0.55A = 1.65W ea * 27 = ~45W). Better to have some headroom above that level.
For the most part, look for a 60W 100V 500-600ma Dimmable LED Driver (make sure to check dimming specs). You may be able to get in-touch with SBreeflights and see if they have replacement drivers that you can buy from them. They are one of the only state-side vendors that I can think of that would have black box drivers. Otherwise, it will likely be ebay.

 

[Ranjib]

Oh for real ?
Where can i find this info ?


Thanks !

I am testing it out with my staging builds currently. I have to update the reef-pi codebase to make it configurable with individual jacks (i.e. they can be either pca9685 backed or rpi backed) for you to be used with lights. Currently its only available for doser.
https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/blob/rpi_pwm_doser/controller/doser/controller.go#L24

 

[jcmental]

Basically you are looking for a constant current driver around the 50-60W range (3v * 0.55A = 1.65W ea * 27 = ~45W). Better to have some headroom above that level.
For the most part, look for a 60W 100V 500-600ma Dimmable LED Driver (make sure to check dimming specs). You may be able to get in-touch with SBreeflights and see if they have replacement drivers that you can buy from them. They are one of the only state-side vendors that I can think of that would have black box drivers. Otherwise, it will likely be ebay.

Thanks @Ryan115 , I'm in the UK, State Side lol love it.

 

[Gareth elliott]

This might be a dumb question. About telemetry, instead of using adafruit would i be able to use sftp? I have a few web addresses and planning a rather long vaca. Even if it was just a a number like temp = x sent every y minutes saved to a webfile? Adafruits 10 limit is rather small and id rather not make a hole in my home network to allow remote log on to pi.

 

[Ranjib]

This might be a dumb question. About telemetry, instead of using adafruit would i be able to use sftp? I have a few web addresses and planning a rather long vaca. Even if it was just a a number like temp = x sent every y minutes saved to a webfile? Adafruits 10 limit is rather small and id rather not make a hole in my home network to allow remote log on to pi.

Directly integrating reef-pi with sftp might not be very feasible. As it is a very very specific use case, and reef-pi should not have code for those, though it should provide a way of achieving this.

One of the thing Ryan mentioned, is the ability to get summary information from reef-pi, which covers current temperature , ph , image etc. Once we have that API and a decent python SDK, we can write commonly used scripts in python that does the sftp upload, you can run it in you reef-pi, periodically everytime you go to vacation.