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

[Bigtrout]

Apparently it does in my situation after changing to linear I have had no issues running 3 on my old setup for a year or so it worked fine its the 4th and 5th after a few hours they would drop out so yeah playing around on the bench 5 in a star pattern worked fine for me when I tested everything but after installing it and letting it run in place after a couple hours one or two would drop out.

Glad it worked! Thats where capacitance and interference can cause every tank and sensor setup to be different.

 

[Bigtrout]

It does have the pass through connectors so I am good there. Thank you for the help

No problem...as for the ph probe, i am having good luck with a milwaukee MA911/2.

 

[Michael Lane]

Thanks, yeah I tend to overthink things but still haven't come up with a solution that I like for ATO, pretty sure I am overthinking it as usual. :)

I do have one question about feeding your hat and the dosing module 12v, would a 2.5a power supply be enough for those 2 functions? I believe it should be and that was my direction that I am heading but wanted to verify, I think it should be plenty but wanted to ask.

Here are a couple pictures of my current build, see my build thread for more details:

:)

2.5 amps should be fine. Each pump used at mos t 150 mA when I measured my doser, but you usually don't dose multiple elements at the same time.

 

[Urtoo]

2.5 amps should be fine. Each pump used at mos t 150 mA when I measured my doser, but you usually don't dose multiple elements at the same time.

Have you made an AWC for your system yet?
I am starting to seriously look into creating one. I guess carrying up buckets from the basement is wearing on me.
I have 2 ports open on the Jebao, but question the reliability of a basically full time pump of that quality.
Anyone have any suggestion?

 

[b4tn]

My next step in my reefpi adventure is first set up auto top off direct from my RODI. I’m thinking to use a mechanical float valve just like you would with a float in your storage container but put a solenoid in-line controlled by reefpi as a backup if the mechanical float fails. Opinions?

Second is push button macro water changes. This is the part I’m having a hard time figuring out and could use some advice on. I’m trying to avoid using 2 pumps but cant think of away around it. I would like to have a pump that moves around 5 gallons per minute and can use 1/4 rodi push fittings. I can tee into my RODI drain line that’s 10 feet from my tank tapped into the bathroom sink. But I would need a second pump to to pump water from my 30 gallon reservoir 15 feet from my tank on the opposite wall. Any suggestions on pumps?

I used to use these for alcohol injection in my race car but they are expensive so not sure if there are better options.

Amazon product

 

[Urtoo]

Is there a way to collapse the table of the PH to display between 7.5-8.5 only?
The 0-12 seems excessive

 

[Des Westcott]

Is there a way to collapse the table of the PH to display between 7.5-8.5 only?
The 0-12 seems excessive

Not at the moment. No.

 

[Des Westcott]

My next step in my reefpi adventure is first set up auto top off direct from my RODI. I’m thinking to use a mechanical float valve just like you would with a float in your storage container but put a solenoid in-line controlled by reefpi as a backup if the mechanical float fails. Opinions?

Second is push button macro water changes. This is the part I’m having a hard time figuring out and could use some advice on. I’m trying to avoid using 2 pumps but cant think of away around it. I would like to have a pump that moves around 5 gallons per minute and can use 1/4 rodi push fittings. I can tee into my RODI drain line that’s 10 feet from my tank tapped into the bathroom sink. But I would need a second pump to to pump water from my 30 gallon reservoir 15 feet from my tank on the opposite wall. Any suggestions on pumps?

I used to use these for alcohol injection in my race car but they are expensive so not sure if there are better options.

Amazon product

I've had the RODI connected to the ATO for a while. I used a 12V DC actuated normally closed solenoid valve on the inlet to the RODI unit.

I have AWC done and working. Manually triggered macro and with timer triggering in reef-pi. Theres been a few posts about it.

Over the next few days I plan to have a test of a Physical Button that I can assign to trigger macros etc. I'll post details here when I have it done.

 

[Des Westcott]

I think that the support of some sort of easy GPIO expansion card is fast approaching for some of the more complex builds. I know that I'm at the point where I would like more GPIO's.

I know that the PCA 9685 can be used to turn equipment on and off by setting channels to 0 or 100%, but that doesn't seem like a very elegant solution. Will equipment controlled that way show up in the equipment tab?

 

[BenB]

Is there a way to collapse the table of the PH to display between 7.5-8.5 only?
The 0-12 seems excessive

5 - 9 is beter, including freshwater users

 

[b4tn]

I've had the RODI connected to the ATO for a while. I used a 12V DC actuated normally closed solenoid valve on the inlet to the RODI unit.

I have AWC done and working. Manually triggered macro and with timer triggering in reef-pi. Theres been a few posts about it.

Over the next few days I plan to have a test of a Physical Button that I can assign to trigger macros etc. I'll post details here when I have it done.

I like the idea of a solenoid on the inlet keeping pressure off the unit. I would probably put a float valve on the line entering the tank as an extra measure of redundancy in case the solenoid fails though. How do you have it plumbed so that you can also fill a reservoir for making saltwater?

I will search for your auto water change details. Thanks.

 

[Des Westcott]

I like the idea of a solenoid on the inlet keeping pressure off the unit. I would probably put a float valve on the line entering the tank as an extra measure of redundancy in case the solenoid fails though. How do you have it plumbed so that you can also fill a reservoir for making saltwater?

I will search for your auto water change details. Thanks.

I have a tee in the outlet of the RODI unit with 2 x valves. One going to the kalk reactor and to the tank and the other to a container with a float valve. I have the valves on the tee biased to fill the container first. When the container is full the float valve shuts and water only goes to the tank. So the container only fills when the tank is topping up, but when it needs to be filled, it gets priority.

Make sense?

 

[bishoptf]

2.5 amps should be fine. Each pump used at mos t 150 mA when I measured my doser, but you usually don't dose multiple elements at the same time.

@Michael Lane or anyone that knows, am getting close to finish up my layout, on the dosing module, I'm sure I am missing something but the module has a 5 pin connector on it and the goby hat only has 4 pins. Do I take that 5 pin to ground or what is the proper way to connect from the hat to the dosing module? Will try to chase down the cut sheets but just not sure what to do with that fifth connector.

:)

 

[EL_HARVEY]

Hi, I’m new to this thread.

I am hoping to get some help setting up a PH probe with Micheal Lane’s PH board. Everything seems to be connected correctly and I can see the board at address 45 using i2cdetect -y 1, but when I try to set up the driver for using PH board I get an I/O error indicating - Error: write /dev/i2c-1: remote I/O error both on the Reef-pi UI in a red box on the top right of the driver setup screen and in the Reef-pi Service journal.

Running Reef-Pi 3.1.1 on a RPI 3+ rev1.1

Unfortunately, I am not a python or C programmer and while I have an EE/CS degree from the 80s I never practiced so I am a bit dangerous when it comes to all this. worse, my kids are laughing at me but can't help either.

Once I get this working the next question is whether I am able to use the i2c bus to communicate with an Adafruit ADS to get and display data from a pressure transducer and if it's at all possible to communicate with a Pt100 temperature probe using the MAX31865 board and SCI bus. Crazily as It sounds for my first Rpi project I am trying to use reef pi to control an aeroponic system, hopefully someday to be extended into an aquaponics system as it has 90% of the functionality I need.

Thanks in advance

 

[Twocorns]

Hey guys,

How do I use tiners to turn on/off lights? Set a test timer to turn on at 6PM and turn off at 615pm. They turn on and off, but then turn back on like 2 mins after 615pm and stay on.

Also, what pins on the pi do I use for float switches and temp probes?

 

[Twocorns]

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Question about lighting. As I do my levithian build I have debated upgrading my Fluval Evo from the stock light to something a little better. From what I see the levithian board is based on only kessil lights but I was wondering if any other light could use the same setup without modifiying the board. If I do go with Kessil, would you go with the A80 or A160 if I wanted to branch into SPS? Tank is roughly 18"X11.5"X11

 

[GaryE]

I think that the support of some sort of easy GPIO expansion card is fast approaching for some of the more complex builds. I know that I'm at the point where I would like more GPIO's.

I know that the PCA 9685 can be used to turn equipment on and off by setting channels to 0 or 100%, but that doesn't seem like a very elegant solution. Will equipment controlled that way show up in the equipment tab?

I setup an "outlet" to use pca9684 channel 0, then setup an outlet to use that outlet channel. I have a fan for cooling my reefpi box on that channel. Seems I can control it now with my internal temp sensor...

 

[thaistalyn]

Hey guys,

How do I use tiners to turn on/off lights? Set a test timer to turn on at 6PM and turn off at 615pm. They turn on and off, but then turn back on like 2 mins after 615pm and stay on.

Also, what pins on the pi do I use for float switches and temp probes?

Change it to a timer that "turns on" then "Turns back off" after 900 seconds (15 min).

 

[Twocorns]

Change it to a timer that "turns on" then "Turns back off" after 900 seconds (15 min).

Thanks for the help! I had a feeling that's what I had to do, but figured I'd ask to make sure.

Anyone know what PINS to use on the PI to hook up my temp probe and float switch?