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

[b1llvance]

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if @robsworld78 is still available to help with Robo-Tank questions? I noticed he has not logged in here at R2R since April. Does anyone know if he can be reach through his website or another way?

Rob answers questions on the forum on the robotank website.

 

[Submerge]

Rob answers questions on the forum on the robotank website.

I’ve been trying to log in there for over a week and can’t get an email from the site to verify my account. Tried reaching out directly and no response.

Starting to get concerned this is a dead product at this point. Sux cause I’m ready to buy.

 

[b1llvance]

Rob answers questions on the forum on the robotank website.

I’ve been trying to log in there for over a week and can’t get an email from the site to verify my account. Tried reaching out directly and no response.

Starting to get concerned this is a dead product at this point. Sux cause I’m ready to buy.

Not sure what the contact info is on the website but he’s always replied to me through the [email protected] address. Last time I talked to him he was actually in Asia but was going to be coming back to Canada so he may be in the midst of a move halfway around the globe. I hope that’s all it is anyway.

 

[Fish Fan]

Rob answers questions on the forum on the robotank website.

Since when? @robsworld78 hasn't logged into R2R since April of 2025. Would you know a better way to reach him?

 

[vittpsu21]

I haven't looked at the git repository yet and am at work, do you know offhand what its written in? Or even a link to it?

This is what I do for a living so was kinda interested in looking at it before deciding on a path for myself

So it's kind of in limbo, if you want to run a rpi 5 then its a little tougher to do, but if you want to run a zero 2 w, pi3, or pi4 and run the older OS on it then it will work fine. Raspbian changed how you interface with the gpio and it needs to be updated in order to work with the latest OS releases. I have multiple of these running and they are solid if you do that. So it just depends, there is currently no features being added that I am aware of but if you look through and see all that it can do which is a bunch of stuff, you just have to decide if your ok knowing what I stated above. I look for stability over pretty much all else, I do not mind running on an older OS as long as it does what I need so I continue to use them.

Maybe this winter I will have some more time, I would like to go through the code and see if I can figure out what needs to be updated, but i was also hoping to do that last winter, lol. I believe @Ranjib is just really busy with life currently and not sure if and when he may be able to jump back in, but the current product is solid.

There are other options out there @robsworld78 who has kits also has his own software that you can use so that is an option also. The thing that I like the most is that its all open source, anyone could fork the repo and start updating. It's not like the corporations that just stop supporting things especially when using the cloud, at least here there are opportunities to do something in the future.

 

[b1llvance]

Rob answers questions on the forum on the robotank website.

Since when? @robsworld78 hasn't logged into R2R since April of 2025. Would you know a better way to reach him?

Robo-tank.ca

 

[Fish Fan]

Robo-tank.ca

Gotcha. I misunderstood, I thought you meant he helps here at R2R, which he used to, but I haven't seen him since April, so I don't know if he's supporting the project here at R2R anymore. I hope he does.

 

[Cow]

Received my Rob tank board. Haven't fully deployed everything but just from a quick comparison if I was gonna drop some scratch on a PCB I would definitely get the Robo Tank over the AquaPi board. I don't wanna give away any trade secrets but if you just follow the traces on each you'll see Robo Tank has a lot more going on for a similar cost. If you already run home assistant you can get AquaPi running for like $30 which is sweet but if you don't have an instance running somewhere the Robo Tank seems great.

 

[Submerge]

I was able to make contact with Rob and got my order going. Rob was very helpful and answered my questions. Build thread coming!

 

[Fish Fan]

I was able to make contact with Rob and got my order going. Rob was very helpful and answered my questions. Build thread coming!

How were you able to get in touch with him? Was it through Reef2Reef?

 

[Submerge]

How were you able to get in touch with him? Was it through Reef2Reef?

Robo-Tank <[email protected]>

He is having problems with his forum so that is not a great way to communicate ATM. Email works great, this is the kind of info he is helping with:

You can connect the 12v dosing pumps directly to the DC ports on the equipment extension. When configured as a dosing pump you can adjust the output voltage of the DC ports allowing a little control over the speed of the pumps.



Here’s a link to the manuals.



https://www.robo-tank.ca/reef-pi_Related_User_Manuals



You would be using the Version 3 controller.



If you have any more questions let me know.




Seems like a truly solid guy once you get ahold of him. I do not have fear about this product going dodo after hearing from him. He is still adding functionality, next is salinity checking.

 

[Fish Fan]

Robo-Tank <[email protected]>

He is having problems with his forum so that is not a great way to communicate ATM. Email works great, this is the kind of info he is helping with:

You can connect the 12v dosing pumps directly to the DC ports on the equipment extension. When configured as a dosing pump you can adjust the output voltage of the DC ports allowing a little control over the speed of the pumps.



Here’s a link to the manuals.



https://www.robo-tank.ca/reef-pi_Related_User_Manuals



You would be using the Version 3 controller.



If you have any more questions let me know.




Seems like a truly solid guy once you get ahold of him. I do not have fear about this product going dodo after hearing from him. He is still adding functionality, next is salinity checking.

He has always been more than solid helping me, it's just that he used to be quite active here at R2R, but he hasn't logged in here since last April. I guess if I need his help I'll have to reach out through his email seems best. Thanks for your reply!

 

[Submerge]

He has always been more than solid helping me, it's just that he used to be quite active here at R2R, but he hasn't logged in here since last April. I guess if I need his help I'll have to reach out through his email seems best. Thanks for your reply!

Yeah that’s what gave me pause to place an order. Couldn’t get into the forum and no responses or activity here.

In the end as long as he responds to email I don’t need a forum presence to feel ok with the product. Time will tell of course but my build out going forward is based on robo tank managing it. Cheers

 

[Fish Fan]

Yeah that’s what gave me pause to place an order. Couldn’t get into the forum and no responses or activity here.

In the end as long as he responds to email I don’t need a forum presence to feel ok with the product. Time will tell of course but my build out going forward is based on robo tank managing it. Cheers

I'm quite happy with my current Robo-Tank setup, and I recently scored another brand new full setup from another member for my next build. I'm happy to reach out to Rob at his email if I need his help, though I hope he hasn't completely forgotten about R2R, it was great having him here too.

 

[Kurtzisa]

sooo ... reef-pi is dead?

 

[Lingwendil]

Stalled, I guess?

Nothing keeping you from installing it on an older version of raspbian I suppose.

 

[bishoptf]

sooo ... reef-pi is dead?

Stalled, I guess?

Nothing keeping you from installing it on an older version of raspbian I suppose

I wouldn't say dead, if you need a controller today it will work with a all rpi versions under 5 today using a legacy OS bullseye. There is no active development that I am aware of but I have started like looking at the code and trying to see how we can update the gpio libraries so it can be used on the newer OS including the rpi 5's.

I am not software developer but have a buddy that is helping me break the code down and see how to get it working on the newer OS. That is my main goal right now, get it working on a rpi 5 and the other units on trixie OS. No features added etc just the existing code that is there today.

I will also say tha Rob at robotank has some different controller software but not sure if it inly works on his units and what the status is of development.

I will post an update once Inam able to get something working and want additional testers....

 

[Submerge]

I wouldn't say dead, if you need a controller today it will work with a all rpi versions under 5 today using a legacy OS bullseye. There is no active development that I am aware of but I have started like looking at the code and trying to see how we can update the gpio libraries so it can be used on the newer OS including the rpi 5's.

I am not software developer but have a buddy that is helping me break the code down and see how to get it working on the newer OS. That is my main goal right now, get it working on a rpi 5 and the other units on trixie OS. No features added etc just the existing code that is there today.

I will also say tha Rob at robotank has some different controller software but not sure if it inly works on his units and what the status is of development.

I will post an update once Inam able to get something working and want additional testers....

Rob is supposed to come out with a new version of the robo tank app in the next couple of weeks. He has started posting again on his forum and also is working with folks over email. I know he plans to support a salinity probe and later OS. Hopefully that turns out to work.

I'm in MO too, outside STL. Are you in this area?

 

[bishoptf]

Rob is supposed to come out with a new version of the robo tank app in the next couple of weeks. He has started posting again on his forum and also is working with folks over email. I know he plans to support a salinity probe and later OS. Hopefully that turns out to work.

I'm in MO too, outside STL. Are you in this area?

Yup west of st louis near Wentzville.

 

[Submerge]

Yup west of st louis near Wentzville.

dang, right around the corner. I'm in Ofallon 40 and Winghaven Blvd.

Thinking about hosting a get together for St. Chas reefers if you are interested. I'm running on Robo Tank myself.