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

[bishoptf]

Theres my million dollar invention...a quality aquarium heater!!!

Yeah im not sure why it can't be done but it must not be easy to do since no one has really has been able to do it. The cobalts used to be popular but they appear to have issues, all of them appear to have issues. Bulk Reef just recommends replacing them every couple of years, hate doing that but there just doesnt seem to be any that are across the board reliable.

 

[Ranjib]

Thank you reef-pi... alerts and weird temp graph let me catch a failed heater in 30 mins!!!

Aquarium heaters all stink. Ive bought crap ones, "good" ones and have had them all fail. Except for one...my trusty old(20 years old) renniesance brand 200w made in Italy. Its been a dependable backup when (more brands than I can count) other supposedly "good" heaters fail.

Can anyone recommend a good, NON glass 300 watt heater??

Whoa .. I’m glad it worked as expected. I use fluval pro and eheim jaeger,

 

[robsworld78]

I am running reef-pi 3.4 on raspberry pi 4 since last night . So far so good. I know some of you have encountered issue, if any of you who have encountered pi 4 or raspberry pi os (new version and name of raspbian ) , please let me know the details. My initial guess was kernel version change is causing gpio detection bug, leading to outlet/inlet not working. So far this has not happened , with pi 4 , raspberry pi os and reef-pi 3.4

Now you have it running update the OS with this.

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y

When finished power down the Pi and then after it starts go to connectors and it should say something went wrong. The error won't show until the Pi has been power cycled. Just now I ran the update on a working Pi 4 with 3.4 and now it's broke.

 

[stefanm]

You should be able to go back to earlier version. I am assuming you mean just the software version and not data / state of the system (how the controller was at a given point in time In past ). For that you need to take a backup or copy of the reef-pi.db file

I want to remove all data, so everything is fresh, without having to remove the sdcard. Many things are acting strange...

 

[Michael Lane]

I want to remove all data, so everything is fresh, without having to remove the sdcard. Many things are acting strange...

You can remove the data by resetting reef-pi's database.

sudo systemctl stop reef-pi.service 
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/reef-pi/reef-pi.db 
sudo systemctl start reef-pi.service

 

[Ranjib]

Now you have it running update the OS with this.

sudo apt update
sudo apt full-upgrade -y

When finished power down the Pi and then after it starts go to connectors and it should say something went wrong. The error won't show until the Pi has been power cycled. Just now I ran the update on a working Pi 4 with 3.4 and now it's broke.

Just tried , still no issue. Any chance you can share the kernel version where it’s not working?

 

[stefanm]

You can remove the data by resetting reef-pi's database.

sudo systemctl stop reef-pi.service
sudo rm -rf /var/lib/reef-pi/reef-pi.db
sudo systemctl start reef-pi.service

Thanks, I found the details earlier my lights just dimmed down to zero as normal! All other issues are sorted also except one, which is my feed macro I'll post that in a little while..

 

[robsworld78]

Just tried , still no issue. Any chance you can share the kernel version where it’s not working?

Wow, that's crazy. How are you loading Raspberry OS? I'm using the Raspberry Imager program.

Linux raspberrypi 5.4.51-v7l+ #1333 SMP Mon Aug 10 16:51:40 BST 2020 armv7l GNU/Linux

 

[Bigtrout]

These are supposed to be really good - https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/titanium-heater-element-bulk-reef-supply.html , they do need a controller since they do not have one internally. I think they are rebranded Schego heaters and are supposed to be about the best you can do, from what I read. I am running aqueon pro heaters and even some of the cheap aqueon pre-set heaters, I do tend to run undersized and run multiple vs one large one.

Although I tend to agree that all heaters are a crap shoot, they all seem to have issues.

:)

On the aqueon pro heater note, maybe some helpful info for everyone. The aqueon pro that failed is a new one made in china. Seems from reviews that quality dropped considerably since Aqueon changed these to being made in China.

Aqueon Pro with the BLUE temp knob= Made in Italy, and a good solid accurate heater.

Aqueon Pro with CLEAR temp knob= Made in China, numerous reports of malfunctioning heaters, cracked temp knobs and cases splitting.

I did find a new old stock BLUE knob 250w on evilbay. Small time aquarium shops may still carry these as well.

Ps: these heaters have a lifetime warranty IF you remember to keep the reciept. The heater that failed on me is only a year and a half old. Of course I cant find the receipt.

 

[jsweir]

For those of you using the pi 4 which model/memory size are you using?

 

[Ranjib]

Wow, that's crazy. How are you loading Raspberry OS? I'm using the Raspberry Imager program.

Linux raspberrypi 5.4.51-v7l+ #1333 SMP Mon Aug 10 16:51:40 BST 2020 armv7l GNU/Linux

same, the official new pi imager, running on my macbook. im using the lite version, no gui,lite version

 

[Ranjib]

For those of you using the pi 4 which model/memory size are you using?

Just a test setup right now, with only one equipment/outlet

 

[jsweir]

I meant the pi hardware itself - 4mb, 8mb?

 

[Smin]

Just a test setup right now, with only one equipment/outlet

8 GB pi4 linux 5.4.51-v7l+ #1333 SMP Mon Aug 10 16:51:40 BST 2020 armv7l
how odd it has to be set-up related? I have the pi 4 8gb connected to a pca9685 as a driver with 6 jacks (connected to 8 meanwell drivers) and then 6 light channels set up.

The system still changes the pwm setting, but no lights come on. No error messages are thrown except those listed earlier in the thread..

 

[Ranjib]

I meant the pi hardware itself - 4mb, 8mb?

2gb

 

[Bzar]

Hi All. Been a long time since I've check out the boards...sorry :( Anyway long time ago I shared some scripting and stuff to make the DS18B20 temp sensor usable without having to solder a resistor, and just use pullup on the RaspberryPi. Over the last few months I've noticed my temp sensors didn't always read after a power failure; and I'd have to go in a start the sensor script manually even though I had the script in the rc.local startup file on the RaspberryPi. What seems to have been happening is that Reef-Pi started before rc.local could get the script running...so I've fixed that by putting a launcher in the crontab. Here's the instructions to do this all from beginning to end. Temp sensor...no hardwired resistor.


NO RESISTOR PULLUP SCRIPT CONFIG INSTRUCTIONS...
To make a script that runs the pull up code for temp sensor pin (in this case Pin 4) and have it run at startup follow these instructions (note. this is for scripts in the home/pi director,y change as you see fit)...

Step 1a: Make python script that tells the Pi which pin to pullup...
sudo nano Temp1.py

Step 1b: Add this info to the script, and save...
#Temp1.py
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time

time.sleep(30) # Checks Pin Every 30 seconds.

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(4, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)
#Script End

Step 2: Make this python scripts executable...
chmod 755 Temp1.py

Step 3a: Make a Launcher Script...
sudo nano launcher.sh

Step 3b: add python scripts and locations to launcher, and save…
cd /
cd home/pi/
sudo python Temp1.py
cd /

Step 4: Make this launcher executable...
sudo chmod 755 launcher.sh

Step 5: make a directory for the any errors in crontab to go...
sudo mkdir logs

Step 6a: Add launcher to Your Crontab...
sudo crontab -e

Step 6b: Add this line to the bottom of Crontab...
@reboot sh /home/pi/launcher.sh >/home/pi/logs/cronlog 2>&1

Step 7: Reboot
sudo Reboot

Step 8: Test after reboot that the sensor is functional, the sensors start with a number 28…
cd /sys/bus/w1/devices
ls

If there’s trouble make sure 1 wire is on for gpio...
sudo modprobe w1-gpio
sudo modprobe w1-therm


Hope this helps.

 

[Ranjib]

Hi All. Been a long time since I've check out the boards...sorry :( Anyway long time ago I shared some scripting and stuff to make the DS18B20 temp sensor usable without having to solder a resistor, and just use pullup on the RaspberryPi. Over the last few months I've noticed my temp sensors didn't always read after a power failure; and I'd have to go in a start the sensor script manually even though I had the script in the rc.local startup file on the RaspberryPi. What seems to have been happening is that Reef-Pi started before rc.local could get the script running...so I've fixed that by putting a launcher in the crontab. Here's the instructions to do this all from beginning to end. Temp sensor...no hardwired resistor.


NO RESISTOR PULLUP SCRIPT CONFIG INSTRUCTIONS...
To make a script that runs the pull up code for temp sensor pin (in this case Pin 4) and have it run at startup follow these instructions (note. this is for scripts in the home/pi director,y change as you see fit)...

Step 1a: Make python script that tells the Pi which pin to pullup...
sudo nano Temp1.py

Step 1b: Add this info to the script, and save...
#Temp1.py
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import time

time.sleep(30) # Checks Pin Every 30 seconds.

GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(4, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)
#Script End

Step 2: Make this python scripts executable...
chmod 755 Temp1.py

Step 3a: Make a Launcher Script...
sudo nano launcher.sh

Step 3b: add python scripts and locations to launcher, and save…
cd /
cd home/pi/
sudo python Temp1.py
cd /

Step 4: Make this launcher executable...
sudo chmod 755 launcher.sh

Step 5: make a directory for the any errors in crontab to go...
sudo mkdir logs

Step 6a: Add launcher to Your Crontab...
sudo crontab -e

Step 6b: Add this line to the bottom of Crontab...
@reboot sh /home/pi/launcher.sh >/home/pi/logs/cronlog 2>&1

Step 7: Reboot
sudo Reboot

Step 8: Test after reboot that the sensor is functional, the sensors start with a number 28…
cd /sys/bus/w1/devices
ls

If there’s trouble make sure 1 wire is on for gpio...
sudo modprobe w1-gpio
sudo modprobe w1-therm


Hope this helps.

pretty neat.
You can also just create a systemd oneshot service that calls the python script (which in turn sets the gpio pullup), and add it as dependency in reef-pi service. That way systemd will always ensure it executed that script before starting reef-pi. We use the same trick to ensure reef-pi starts after networking

 

[Ranjib]

I found this as well: https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/config-txt/gpio.md
looks like we can edit the boot config file to set the pull up/down configuration

 

[robsworld78]

same, the official new pi imager, running on my macbook. im using the lite version, no gui,lite version

Same here but on Windows. I'm shocked you aren't experiencing it, tomorrow I'll posted a quick video showing what happens, trust me it's real lol. You must be thinking I get this Pi and nothing wrong. I've been able to get it to happen like clockwork.

I see @Smin has the same kernel version, I'm guessing that's what you have?

 

[Ranjib]

Same here but on Windows. I'm shocked you aren't experiencing it, tomorrow I'll posted a quick video showing what happens, trust me it's real lol. You must be thinking I get this Pi and nothing wrong. I've been able to get it to happen like clockwork.

I see @Smin has the same kernel version, I'm guessing that's what you have?

pi@raspberrypi:~ $ uname  -a
Linux raspberrypi 5.4.51-v7l+ #1333 SMP Mon Aug 10 16:51:40 BST 2020 armv7l GNU/Linux
pi@raspberrypi:~ $ lsb_release -a
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID:    Raspbian
Description:    Raspbian GNU/Linux 10 (buster)
Release:    10
Codename:    buster