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

[bishoptf]

Reef-pi has been up for over a month. How much RAM should it cap out at? I've been holding out on rebooting, just to see if it would ever level off, and it hasn't.

@DirtDiggler2823 which version of software are you currently running, and if running 2.2 what are your logging settings. Once I upgraded to 2.2 I have not seen the memory issue, I even increased from the default recommendations that @Ranjib had stated and my memory is pretty flat. Although you may have more components etc that you are controlling.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

@DirtDiggler2823 which version of software are you currently running, and if running 2.2 what are your logging settings. Once I upgraded to 2.2 I have not seen the memory issue, I even increased from the default recommendations that @Ranjib had stated and my memory is pretty flat. Although you may have more components etc that you are controlling.

I'm not controlling all that much. Only 1 timer running for the fuge light. I am running 2.2, and I left the logging at the default settings.

 

[Ranjib]

Wow what an awesome project, have you thought about selling them? Might be interested if the price is right to get one for my nano. I currently have an apex classic on my 150 gallon tank and would love to compare.

I (author of reef-pi) don’t sell anything (other than the idea that we can build an open source controller together ). But blueacro does sell an premade board (you have to still attach a pi and install reef-pi in it) , and couple of other folks (Michael lane and Wykat ) have pi hats that reduces the amount of soldering work required , check out this page :https://reef-pi.github.io/additional-documentation/resources/

 

[bishoptf]

I'm not controlling all that much. Only 1 timer running for the fuge light. I am running 2.2, and I left the logging at the default settings.

That's interesting since I am running 2.2and my memory is pretty flat, I'm remote but can do a screenshot when I get home this evening. The other thing that I can think about is which raspbian version are you running on, I'm running on raspbian lite headless with no additional packages. If you are running the desktop version there may be additional proccesses that are consuming memory, just trying to think what else may be different. I'm running 3 temp probes, lighting via rpi pwm, and a 6 equipment outlets.

 

[DirtDiggler2823]

That's interesting since I am running 2.2and my memory is pretty flat, I'm remote but can do a screenshot when I get home this evening. The other thing that I can think about is which raspbian version are you running on, I'm running on raspbian lite headless with no additional packages. If you are running the desktop version there may be additional proccesses that are consuming memory, just trying to think what else may be different. I'm running 3 temp probes, lighting via rpi pwm, and a 6 equipment outlets.

Single temp probe. ATO pump and float senor. I remember updating raspbian within the last 6 months, but I don't believe I'm running the full version. I'll have to check.

 

[trackerit]

ML reef-pi hat v2,
I could not buy it, unfortunately the store does not send to freight forwardes, Unfortunately we are not able to ship to Freight Forwarders and needed to cancel and refund your recent order. To clarify, we are not able to ship to Freight Forwarders, P.O. Boxes, hotels, or Package Lockers. The shipping address does need to be a residential or business address. If you have an alternate residential or business address you can use, feel free to place another order.

 

[stefanm]

ML reef-pi hat v2,
I could not buy it, unfortunately the store does not send to freight forwardes, Unfortunately we are not able to ship to Freight Forwarders and needed to cancel and refund your recent order. To clarify, we are not able to ship to Freight Forwarders, P.O. Boxes, hotels, or Package Lockers. The shipping address does need to be a residential or business address. If you have an alternate residential or business address you can use, feel free to place another order.

So ship to your own address...

 

[trackerit]

the problem that I had with the native pwm of rpi was already in the bugs of the 2.3 according to
https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/issues/760

 

[bishoptf]

Reef-pi has been up for over a month. How much RAM should it cap out at? I've been holding out on rebooting, just to see if it would ever level off, and it hasn't.

@DirtDiggler2823 here is my screenshot, it's only been 4 days since I had to rebuild due to the last upgrade, but mine stays pretty level...

Here are my telemetry settings:

 

[Bzar]

I am curious if something like a schmitt trigger will work in this type of scenarios.

I believe it could. There's some other potential hardware solutions to get rid bouncing. I didn't have any of that hardware to try, and the Pi does it anyway, so figured it was worth a try

 

[phasezero]

A prototype circuit was build , to convert pi gpio (3.3v) output to relays required input (12v) using a uln2803a (because I had it, else I would use uln2003)

Everything worked as expected . I’ll be changing my circuit to use uln2003 and adafruit perma proto board . But I am delighted to get this working. I can finally stop thinking about this topic . I wanted you I get this sorted before maker faire , so this can be part of then exhibit

I have the exact same concerns as you when it comes to safety. I don’t currently have a raspberry setup at all but I’m pretty much convinced I want to set one up using that adj 8ch relay. Can you explain with a little more detail your prototype circuit for converting the 3.3v to 12v. Is that accomplished with a transistor?.

 

[Mikeneedsahobby]

- Not sure why the millivolt reading is in negative, wrong byte read or something else..
- Also the trend is opposite. That time of the day , pH tend to go down.. I am not sure this is calibration will fix. We'll see. Can be bad probe . I am using american marine pin point probes ..bought from Amazon

Is there anything we can do to help? I could buy a probe, plug it into my pico board and watch what the millivolts do. I could manually confirm ph and match it to points of time from the probe.

 

[Ranjib]

Is there anything we can do to help? I could buy a probe, plug it into my pico board and watch what the millivolts do. I could manually confirm ph and match it to points of time from the probe.

That will be awesome , I’m seeing i2c error on the board , you could double check if you are experiencing same . I’m waiting on @theatrus to get back to me on this, as I suspect this has something to do with firmware. While I continue with the ph board

 

[Ranjib]

I have the exact same concerns as you when it comes to safety. I don’t currently have a raspberry setup at all but I’m pretty much convinced I want to set one up using that adj 8ch relay. Can you explain with a little more detail your prototype circuit for converting the 3.3v to 12v. Is that accomplished with a transistor?.

Follow the adafruit guide on power controller (second guide ), it has all the details

 

[Mikeneedsahobby]

That will be awesome , I’m seeing i2c error on the board , you could double check if you are experiencing same . I’m waiting on @theatrus to get back to me on this, as I suspect this has something to do with firmware. While I continue with the ph board

Okay. As all the probes with BNC connectors should work the same. I will buy a similar but different brand probe to see if it acts different.

I also read that the probes should output 0 mV at a ph of 7. Maybe negative equals greater than 7 ph and positive is less than 7.

Milwaukee Instruments MA913B/3 Is on the way.

 

[Bigtrout]

updates on the pico board ph test setup. There are three big observations:
- I am hitting some i2c issues, where the ADC ic is getting lost from i2c bus. persistently, after running several hours of monitoring at 1 min interval. I have manually verify this with i2cdetect -y 1
- Not sure why the millivolt reading is in negative, wrong byte read or something else..
- Also the trend is opposite. That time of the day , pH tend to go down.. I am not sure this is calibration will fix. We'll see. Can be bad probe . I am using american marine pin point probes ..bought from Amazon

Here is the four hour run for the sensor, before the i2c address was lost:

Around the breakage point:

I have rebooted pi and the i2c address for ADC reappeared., so sensor is sending data again. I'll see how it goes now. Meanwhile I'll start to put the ph board build in action some time this week. Stay tuned..

On the DO probe side, after reading through atlasscientific ezo circuit docs, I think reef-pi can read the DO probe as it is with ph driver code. So, if one does the do probe UART to I2c setup and calibration using the atlas scientific python code and then add the DO sensor as pH sensor in reef-pi, that should work. I'll see if I can get a sensor and ezo circuit , I have an extra voltage isolator and bnc probe (tentacle shield actually) ... but still its another 200-250$ :-O .

@Ranjib
pH above 7 is negative voltage, the more negative the voltage the higher the ph

pH at 7 is zero volts

pH below 7 is positive voltage, the more positive the number is, the lower the ph

 

[PaulJ2303]

you guys are great i'm so chuffed to be able to follow on and build the fruits of your labours ... fruits lol you see what i did there

 

[Zekth]

@DirtDiggler2823 here is my screenshot, it's only been 4 days since I had to rebuild due to the last upgrade, but mine stays pretty level...

Here are my telemetry settings:

Tom, are those peaks corresponding to your timer? Looks like loading something and GC cleaning it.

 

[bishoptf]

Tom, are those peaks corresponding to your timer? Looks like loading something and GC cleaning it.

Good question I've never really paid much attention to it since the CPU and memory stay pretty low. I am driving lights via rpi pwm, and have timers for one additional light. Also one of my heaters is being controlled by reef-pi but it has warmed up here and it shouldn't be coming on. I can do a top and see what processes are most active, but it's pretty much just dedicated to reef-pi. I'm running raspbian lite and no additional packages.

 

[Kremins]

Just thought I would throw this out there as an example. I bought a bundle of the temp sensors on Amazon which was 5 for about the same price as the 2 pack of Drok sensors. I had these hooked up to my reef-pi through a Y adapter and pico board, even though they were advertised as stainless steel you can see it is not high quality from the picture. As soon as I noticed I ordered the Drok sensors and replaced them. Right one was on my IM14 in the tank since January and the left one was in my IM40 that I just started cycling at the beginning of March.