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

[Des Westcott]

Here's my original post from 19 Feb 2020

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...ler-based-on-raspberry-pi.289256/post-7104116

 

[DetroitReefer]

This is amazing and fantastic! Thanks so much for this!

 

[ZoixDark]

I looked (and i could be blind) to see if this would be a good project for me. I didn't see if there was a heart beat alert like the Apex. Is there a way to set up the reef-pi to get an alert if it loses internet connection to your phone/email/app?

 

[Mikeneedsahobby]

I looked (and i could be blind) to see if this would be a good project for me. I didn't see if there was a heart beat alert like the Apex. Is there a way to set up the reef-pi to get an alert if it loses internet connection to your phone/email/app?

Yes. Through adafruit. If you send data there, you can have adafruit send you an email or alert if it doesn’t get an update on time.

 

[ZoixDark]

Yes. Through adafruit. If you send data there, you can have adafruit send you an email or alert if it doesn’t get an update on time.

nice. is there a guide/documents for setting that up?

 

[Mikeneedsahobby]

Telemetry | reef-pi - An opensource reef tank controller based on Raspberry Pi

Telemetry features in reef-pi allow users to capture, visualize and alert on sensor or controller health data. Telemetry functionality help in avoiding tank accidents due to equipment failure (such as a bad heater cooking up a reef tank) or to understand long-term trends in tank parameters. This...

reef-pi.github.io

It’s pretty easy to setup to send data. The heart beat alert is a bit burried in adafruit. I describe it in this post.

So the cats are doing good. The one that was starving when rescued is putting weight on well. So far they haven’t run off the trolls.... Reef-pi working perfect still.

Wood floor done. It looks good.
.
I keep reading about people having reef-pi failures. If others can have failures I probably could too. I think I want to be alerted if something is not right. Reef-pi has a built in email alert function but what if I have a high level failure; Like power goes out at my house. I think I want something watching the reef-pi and will let me know if it isn't there. Luckily there is an adafruit.io telemetry function in reef-pi that does just that. Tonight I am going to try to get it to work.

First I am heading over to adafruit.io to see if I can sign up for an account. ....

so that was painless. I have an account, now what... I think I'll search on ranjib's tutorials. .. yep he has a tutorial. ! : )

So on the adafruit site. click on the "IO" thing on top. then view aio key. put this stuff in the reef-pi config/telemetry area. Press update and reload.

check for feeds on the adafruit site. It works!

so now create a dashboard on adafruit. There is no tutorial here. I just clicked stuff until I got stuff. You can do it too! I ended using a line chart for every feed.

I didn't easily see how to send and email from adafruit if it doesn't see the reef-pi. I will keep looking.

okay, so it appears triggers in adafruit.io can send email if something is outside a limit. I could use this for too hot or too cold. but I still don't know how to get an email if adafruit isn't given new data. i'll keep looking.

okay finally found it. I clicked on feeds and then the CPU usage feed. On the right is something called notifications. I clicked this and it was easy to setup an email if no update is received after 10 minutes. ... now I'm going to shut reef-pi off and see if I get
an email... wish me luck.

It worked!!!

 

[ZoixDark]

Telemetry | reef-pi - An opensource reef tank controller based on Raspberry Pi

Telemetry features in reef-pi allow users to capture, visualize and alert on sensor or controller health data. Telemetry functionality help in avoiding tank accidents due to equipment failure (such as a bad heater cooking up a reef tank) or to understand long-term trends in tank parameters. This...

reef-pi.github.io

It’s pretty easy to setup to send data. The heart beat alert is a bit burried in adafruit. I describe it in this post.

Awesome. Bookmarked.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

@Ranjib looking to update to 4.1 from 4.0, how does the update work from the UI?

Is the process documented somewhere?

 

[Ranjib]

@Ranjib looking to update to 4.1 from 4.0, how does the update work from the UI?

Is the process documented somewhere?

type 4.1 in the text box and hit update (under admin section). Refresh after 10-15s. If version does not change, do a reboot/reload.

 

[Boostable]

Morning... Can someone please point me in the right direction. Two questions, where can I find out what "telemetry feeds" are being sent out of the system and is it logged in the system somewhere? /var/log or something? Thanks, Boost...

 

[Boostable]

Kinda found some of what I am looking for.. in /var/log/syslog all the activity is logged. but would like to know how I can determine all the available feeds from pi.

Also, noticed this in the log..
ph sub-system: ERROR: Failed to read probe: pH Tank . Error: strconv.ParseFloat: parsing "7.816\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x00\x80": invalid syntax

Anything to be worried about?

 

[stefanm]

type 4.1 in the text box and hit update (under admin section). Refresh after 10-15s. If version does not change, do a reboot/reload.

Superb work there! That's so easy now

 

[drbogger]

I'm having an issue using Inlets / ATO / Float Switches.

I have a float switch wired to GPIO 5, which is configured correctly.
1 wire on the float switch is wired to 3.3v, the other end is wired to the GPIO Pins, through a 220 ohm resistor.

I can't get the ATO to trigger for anything!
I even tried applying 3.3v and GND directly to GPIO Pin 5, while monitoring the output, which will not turn on.

Just because I know your gonna ask, the frequency on the ATO page is set to 2 seconds.
I tried reversing the inlet as well, and in that case, the output will turn on immediately, but will not turn off.

Any ideas what could be going on?

 

[zab34]

@Michael Lane

Hi.

Just looking for a little guidance here. Recently installed the marsaqua led board in my fixture. When hooked up to the reefpi, I am able to dim the fixture with no issues. But when I get down to zero, neither circuit turns off it still looks the same as about 5-10%. Any thoughts?

 

[drbogger]

@Michael Lane

Hi.

Just looking for a little guidance here. Recently installed the marsaqua led board in my fixture. When hooked up to the reefpi, I am able to dim the fixture with no issues. But when I get down to zero, neither circuit turns off it still looks the same as about 5-10%. Any thoughts?

I had the same issue. Never did figure out what the problem was. I just ended up ditching that setup.

 

[drbogger]

I got my issue above resolved. I needed to add pulldown resistors.

---------------------
-- New Issue --
---------------------

Okay, I am trying to automatically refill my ATO Reservoir using 2 float switches.
Lets call them "Float-Low" and "Float-High", for low level and high level sensors.

- In ATO Menu, Float-High is set to OneShot, controls a Solenoid Valve, and is disabled by default.
- Float-Low is set to Enable, and is set to trigger a macro called "Refill Reservoir".
- The Macro called "Refill Reservoir" has only 1 action in it, which is "ATO > Float-High > Turn On"

The idea is when "Float-Low" is triggered, it will turn on a Solenoid Valve to refill the Reservoir until it reaches the "Float-High" sensor.

However, when I try to do this, it does not work, and it causes the entire system to hang.

What am I doing wrong?

 

[zab34]

I had the same issue. Never did figure out what the problem was. I just ended up ditching that setup.

My thought is just to pair the pwm controls with an on/off timer at the beginning and end.
But there has to be another way.

 

[Ranjib]

I got my issue above resolved. I needed to add pulldown resistors.

---------------------
-- New Issue --
---------------------

Okay, I am trying to automatically refill my ATO Reservoir using 2 float switches.
Lets call them "Float-Low" and "Float-High", for low level and high level sensors.

- In ATO Menu, Float-High is set to OneShot, controls a Solenoid Valve, and is disabled by default.
- Float-Low is set to Enable, and is set to trigger a macro called "Refill Reservoir".
- The Macro called "Refill Reservoir" has only 1 action in it, which is "ATO > Float-High > Turn On"

The idea is when "Float-Low" is triggered, it will turn on a Solenoid Valve to refill the Reservoir until it reaches the "Float-High" sensor.

However, when I try to do this, it does not work, and it causes the entire system to hang.

What am I doing wrong?

Hmm,, the full system hang is little weird. Can you share some details. Logs will be very useful
When water level crosses the low float , it will run the macro in reverse mode. Something to remember.
What is the check frequency of float low and how long generally it takes to fill up water ?

 

[drbogger]

Hmm,, the full system hang is little weird. Can you share some details. Logs will be very useful
When water level crosses the low float , it will run the macro in reverse mode. Something to remember.
What is the check frequency of float low and how long generally it takes to fill up water ?

- The check frequency is 120 seconds.

- I tried the macro in reverse, and forward mode.

- it takes about an hour to fill, but it won't start filling unless the macro turns on the other ATO sensor (which it never does).

- how do I get the logs?

- the macro works fine if I run it manually or by using a timer. Seems to be just the ATO controller causing the issue.

- It's not a full system hang, the UI will still load, but it won't let me edit the ATO settings until I delete the Macro & ATO entirely, then I have to reload reef-pi twice (yes, twice).

The macro just never runs. It just hangs until I delete it.

 

[Des Westcott]

I got my issue above resolved. I needed to add pulldown resistors.

---------------------
-- New Issue --
---------------------

Okay, I am trying to automatically refill my ATO Reservoir using 2 float switches.
Lets call them "Float-Low" and "Float-High", for low level and high level sensors.

- In ATO Menu, Float-High is set to OneShot, controls a Solenoid Valve, and is disabled by default.
- Float-Low is set to Enable, and is set to trigger a macro called "Refill Reservoir".
- The Macro called "Refill Reservoir" has only 1 action in it, which is "ATO > Float-High > Turn On"

The idea is when "Float-Low" is triggered, it will turn on a Solenoid Valve to refill the Reservoir until it reaches the "Float-High" sensor.

However, when I try to do this, it does not work, and it causes the entire system to hang.

What am I doing wrong?

I have not been able to get an ATO to trigger a Macro. I think this is what you are seeing and thinking the system is hanging