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

[Fish Fan]

Hello again! I am sorry to be posting so much, but I am getting seriously frustrated and I'm at one of the earliest steps - Grrrrrr lol!!!! I hope someone can please help me, I would be very grateful :-)

I am still trying to understand and setup notifications in Reef Pi. One of the most important things any controller could do for me would be the ability to get some kind of notification when parameters go out of line. At fist I was unsure, but it seems like I definitely need an Adafruit IO account, so I made one. As per this guide, I'm now putting my Adafruit IO username in the correct box under the Reef Pi Telemetry page. The guide and other sources then tell me to generate an AIO key by clicking a link that says, "View IO Key". I am signed in at https://accounts.adafruit.com/settings/ and https://io.adafruit.com/*MyUserName*/overview and I simply CANNOT find anyway to generate or view the key. Can someone please, please help me understand how to set up notifications on Reef Pi?

A million thanks!!!!

 

[iamdan]

Hey

Have you played around with the i2c baudrate? Those 0 values (or near zero after calibration) are from failure in i2c communication with the pH board ime. The change in 6.0 is that failed communication, instead of not showing up at all, shows up as a 0. From the graph, does a dosing pump kick on in those pH valleys? Maybe that's electrical interference from the pumps power line onto the i2c lines.

If you can't fix the communication, you can make the spikes smaller visually in the graph by putting a cutoff function in the transform function field that replaces those near zero values with a constant like 8 or whatever. That would clean up the graph, just shouldn't forget that you did that and that those aren't real readings.

Hi @Ranjib I know you are very busy just wondering when the next release with some bug fixes would be out

 

[Fish Fan]

I have been doing more research on the Reef Pi project, and I'm more sold than ever :-) I know I may sound like a dummy, but I know I can figure this out ;-) I really do have a decent background for this, I'm just rusty with electronics stuff, and would appreciate some help.

My research has led me to both Robotank and the Leviathan board. I know the owners both are members here (I don't want to tag them in on a Sunday evening). I also know there's a Goby board and possibly others exist, but at least the Goby board appears to be out of stock at this time.

Could someone give be a quick run down on going the Robotank route verses using the Leviathan board? At first glance the Leviathan looks cheaper, but from the start I've wanted a nice looking install, and the Robotank stuff with its 3D printed parts looks absolutely sweet to me

I am competent at soldering electronics, so I'm looking at the Robotank DIY kits. If I get the Robotank deluxe DIY kit, what else do I need to make it a functioning Reef Pi controller (my most pressing and important thing would be the ATO function, so any of the modules that are required for the ATO module)? Would there be 3D printed parts for the power bar and any other enclosures?

I am looking to get at least one Reef Pi controller going as soon as possible, again, largely for the ATO function at this time (with other modules down the road). Would the Robotank or Leviathan board do this for me?

Thank you for your help!

 

[Fish Fan]

Finally some success! I don't know what the heck I was doing wrong before, but I re-wiped the MicroSD card, reinstalled Raspian, and went through the Reef-Pi Module 1 Install guide. I realized I had been blindly copying/pasting code from the Reef-Pi git-hub guides and installing Reef-Pi version 4.3. I upgraded to 6.0 without an issue. I also got the email/text working without much trouble. I have no idea what I had been doing wrong, but that's one of the most important features for me, so :)

Knowing that, I have placed an order for all the electronic parts I need to build the power controller, temp controller, ATO, and Kessil Light controller. The pH monitor and dosing pumps I hope to add later, on my display tank.

Right now I am hoping to control two 10 gallon QT tanks, and I'm going to go the full DIY route, meaning using all the parts I just ordered from Adafruit and Amazon, and cobbling a home-brew build together.

In the future, I hope to control a 40 gallon display tank using either the Leviathan Board or a Robo-Tank build, as I'd like a very nice looking install on my DT.

That's all for now! I feel like I am making real progress on my project, but adding needlessly to this already long thread. Would it be best to start my own thread?

If anyone has any advice, tips, or suggestions, by all means please let me know, I would be very grateful :)

 

[Sral]

Finally some success! I don't know what the heck I was doing wrong before, but I re-wiped the MicroSD card, reinstalled Raspian, and went through the Reef-Pi Module 1 Install guide. I realized I had been blindly copying/pasting code from the Reef-Pi git-hub guides and installing Reef-Pi version 4.3. I upgraded to 6.0 without an issue. I also got the email/text working without much trouble. I have no idea what I had been doing wrong, but that's one of the most important features for me, so :)

Knowing that, I have placed an order for all the electronic parts I need to build the power controller, temp controller, ATO, and Kessil Light controller. The pH monitor and dosing pumps I hope to add later, on my display tank.

Right now I am hoping to control two 10 gallon QT tanks, and I'm going to go the full DIY route, meaning using all the parts I just ordered from Adafruit and Amazon, and cobbling a home-brew build together.

In the future, I hope to control a 40 gallon display tank using either the Leviathan Board or a Robo-Tank build, as I'd like a very nice looking install on my DT.

That's all for now! I feel like I am making real progress on my project, but adding needlessly to this already long thread. Would it be best to start my own thread?

If anyone has any advice, tips, or suggestions, by all means please let me know, I would be very grateful :)

Great news !

My personal opinion can be found in the following posts:
Robo -Tank vs Leviathan thread
ReefPi what do I need to get started ? Thread
Main ReefPi thread

Those can be found under Advanced search when you are searching for „ Robo-Tank Leviathan“ under all that has been posted by me or by anyone in general.

Sry for the short answer, but I‘m currently slightly off track right now, if you catch my meaning. That does put my words in a bad light, but as a somewhat insightful man once said:

I would not fall for someone I thought could not misbehave.

Have a nice day and read you tomorrow after the first liter of coffee or so :rolling-on-the-floor-laughing:

 

[Fish Fan]

Hey guys! I've made progress, but I find myself stuck again. I have built my power controller circuit and began trying to test it. In Reef-Pi I setup some outlets and test equipment as described in the power controller build guide. The problem I'm having is I can turn equipment on and off in Reef-Pi, and I'm getting expected 3.3v coming out of the RPi's GPIO pins and going right into the legs of the ULN2803 Darlington, but I'm getting no output on the other side of the ULN2803.

For example, when my "Test Equipment 1" is off in Reef-Pi, I get no voltage on pin 1 of the ULN2803 as expected. Turn this equipment on in Reef-Pi, and I get an expected 3.3v at pin 1 on the ULN2803, but no voltage on pin 18 of the ULN2803. Shouldn't I be getting 12v at pin 18 when "Equipment 1" is on?

I am getting 12v at pin 10 (com) on the ULN2803 as expected, as well as 12v at pin 5 on the DB8 connector as expected.

Is there something I'm missing? Is it possible my ULN2803 is faulty?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[Sral]

Hey guys! I've made progress, but I find myself stuck again. I have built my power controller circuit and began trying to test it. In Reef-Pi I setup some outlets and test equipment as described in the power controller build guide. The problem I'm having is I can turn equipment on and off in Reef-Pi, and I'm getting expected 3.3v coming out of the RPi's GPIO pins and going right into the legs of the ULN2803 Darlington, but I'm getting no output on the other side of the ULN2803.

For example, when my "Test Equipment 1" is off in Reef-Pi, I get no voltage on pin 1 of the ULN2803 as expected. Turn this equipment on in Reef-Pi, and I get an expected 3.3v at pin 1 on the ULN2803, but no voltage on pin 18 of the ULN2803. Shouldn't I be getting 12v at pin 18 when "Equipment 1" is on?

I am getting 12v at pin 10 (com) on the ULN2803 as expected, as well as 12v at pin 5 on the DB8 connector as expected.

Is there something I'm missing? Is it possible my ULN2803 is faulty?

Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!

I don’t think it’s broken. The ULN2803 is basically a switch, it doesn’t provide current itself.

Internally one channel looks about like this:

As soon as you apply a signal on the input, current can flow from the “Output“ to GND.
Internally this is done by taking the input, amplifying it with the first transistor and the resistors, and activating the second transistor with this amplified signal.
So if you connect a load to the „output“ and 12V, the OUT should be at 12V when there is no signal.
If you apply a signal the channel becomes conductive, the load activates and OUT goes to a voltage somewhere between 0 and 1V.

The protection pin is simply a diode that protects the circuit from overvoltage spikes that inductive loads like coils in a motor can create when you switch them off.

 

[Dave's Reef]

Has anyone had luck getting an ESP32 inlet working? I have tried two different Pi a 3+ and a 4 with two different esp32 chips on the serial monitor I see the inlet change from 0 to 1 but I can't get it to control anything. I can get outlets to work fine and temperature to work as well. But can't get an ATO with an inlet to control an outlet. I can get an ATO (inlet) hooked directly to the Pi to control a outlet on the ESP32 but can't get a inlet on the ESP32 to control a out let on either the Pi or the ESP32. Even though in serial monitor it shows the inlet changing. I have tried all pin outlet/inlet combinations possible. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

 

[Dave's Reef]

 

[reefsentinel85]

@Ranjib Hi, when does the next version will be released ? Thanks

 

[iamdan]

@Ranjib Hi, when does the next version will be released ? Thanks

Probably in the year 2287 :p :p :p

 

[Projects with Sam]

Probably in the year 2287 :p :p :p

finding time todo these volunteer projects can sometimes be difficult. Especially if its the beginning of school and one has a family. Cut the people that sacrifice their time for free some slack please!

 

[iamdan]

finding time todo these volunteer projects can sometimes be difficult. Especially if its the beginning of school and one has a family. Cut the people that sacrifice their time for free some slack please!

Just my humour lol

 

[Sral]

Just my humour lol

I know from first hand experience, that people who do volunteer work do probably not appreciate this kind of humor.
I think it mostly shoots yourself in the foot.

 

[reefsentinel85]

I would help if only I was a go dev...

 

[reefsentinel85]

Sorry for the question

 

[Ranjib]

Sorry for the question

Don't be. Its ok. I m lagging due to some personal hurdles , I'll be occupied sorting things out this year, but I don't believe the project will be impacted in long term. I am more focused on keeping the tanks going (thanks to the reef-pi controllers) during the crunch time. I'll keep you all informed, but expect that to be monthly or quarterly process and not daily or weekly. That said, I believe things will be back to previous times sooner . And my time availability is trending in positive direction :)

thank you for tagging along, reef-pi is bit busy offroading

 

[iamdan]

I would help if only I was a go dev...

Same here as I am an IT guy myself but sadly programming goes over my head. Apologies to all with my crap humour wasn’t my intention to offend anyone

 

[MikeSpike]

Hi. I am using robo tanks reef pi controller. Works flawlessly with one exception. Every 6 weeks or so I am not able to connect to reef pi. I just get a loading page and have to unplug the controller and restart. I don’t believe this is to do with the controller as I had a simmilar issue with my own reef pi controller. Does this happen to others? Not an issue as it happened at the end of my holiday but could have happened earlier!

 

[ColoredRock]

Hi. I am using robo tanks reef pi controller. Works flawlessly with one exception. Every 6 weeks or so I am not able to connect to reef pi. I just get a loading page and have to unplug the controller and restart. I don’t believe this is to do with the controller as I had a simmilar issue with my own reef pi controller. Does this happen to others? Not an issue as it happened at the end of my holiday but could have happened earlier!

I had that happen once... not sure what happened..did what you did as well.