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

[Bigtrout]

A rebuild of my OS worked for me as well -- I think I missed the SPI config last time, which would totally bork the single-pin relay control, I think.

So I've got 3 temp probes, a float switch ATO and 8 relay ports working, although I only have one outlet in the house right now to use with the relay, but that's enough for the ATO pump.

I'm almost done with a shell script that will handle all of the config we need in raspbian:

timesyncd
dtoverlay=pwm-2chan
dtparam=spi=off
sudo modprobe w1-gpio

I'm also wondering what it would take to pre-bake an img file in CI, but I haven't looked into it yet.

Its a pain because of file permissions, but once im set up good, i make a copy of the reef pi database for every new version I install. Everything geys hosed. Wipe and reinstall raspian and reef pi...copy over the database and you are good to go.

 

[MangroveCorals]

I'm using a goby hat, and from the goby hat I'm controlling my doser as normal 12 v pins. The signal is on or off for these. In reef pi I have timers controlling each motor as equipment. The timer triggers and the motor responds. It works when I'm sitting there. But I've been noticing my alk is dropping since I wet this thing up.

I set it to trigger automatically with the timer and I watch it and it works. Then I trigger manual and it works. I go to bed, go to work, come home and my alk is dropped drastically. This means it hasn't triggered. So I watch the app and I watch the pumps for the next automatic trigger. No response was seen at the motor. I trigger it manually in the app, nothing at the motor. I reboot it, automatic and munual triggers now activate the pump.

This means that everyday I have had this and think it's working before I go to bed it stops working and then doesn't work until I reboot it. I always like to reboott after changing settings.

But this is a disaster for my tank. My alk can not be sitting at 6.5, and now alothugh I made sure to dose a bit extra tonight these alk swings are going to have implications.

Why would my equipment be triggering in thw app, but not the motor? Then why did it all of a sudden work after the reboot. It makes no sense to me.

Either it should lnt bw triggering in the app, or there should be motor activation. I also have to way of know how many times it trigger and actually worked.

Think of what I'm doing as if you have a relay bowed and are activating the relays to turn on equipment. There's no relay for mine, it's just the motor.

Noting that 6.5 alk will be fine for corals. A sudden drop and then stability will have little implications , rather than A drop and then unstable .3+- swings everyday. Stay creeping upwards over a month. Test imo your dosing in a stand-alone system and manually dose in mean time. My system is at 6.4 and happy for sometime. (Don’t intend on staying here for propagating faster but for know it’s no biggie) . One of my buddies whose a big coral farmer for 20+ years, in Hobe Sound Fl, has a mother colony tank of acros and it’s alk is around 4 dkh. He’s got tanks of all parameters and no matter the coral the stability is #1 priority, even after a swing.
Thankfully you are very attentive to your reef and catch these hiccups and doing everything to retain that stability of parameters you prefer!! Good luck and wish I had some more help on the circtury end :( but just getting my first module up and not confident in my circuitry problem solving just yet.

 

[dmolavi]

I got a wyze pan zoom. Home depot discounted them to 25 bux after xmas

You can also grab the RTSP firmware from Wyze and that will allow you to stream the video feed, vs just having to use the Wyze application to view it. I've done this with 2 of my cams, one for the tank, and another in the sump.

 

[Bigtrout]

You can also grab the RTSP firmware from Wyze and that will allow you to stream the video feed, vs just having to use the Wyze application to view it. I've done this with 2 of my cams, one for the tank, and another in the sump.

Nice to know! Thanks

 

[dmolavi]

Nice to know! Thanks

You're welcome. As soon as I work out the kinks, I'm going to have a livestream on YouTube of my tank (kinks are on the youtube side)

 

[Lmorales45]

It seems like it should be the opposite, but the pi camera is really expensive resource-wise. Most people just pick up wifi cameras, x10 has some good deals as do a few other dealers.

Thanks for the info. I didn't realize it was so resource intensive. I have one and would like to try if possible. Is there some other camera that works with reef-pi. I really like the idea of the web ui as one place to go to for info including camera.

 

[raketemensch]

Thanks for the info. I didn't realize it was so resource intensive. I have one and would like to try if possible. Is there some other camera that works with reef-pi. I really like the idea of the web ui as one place to go to for info including camera.

I hear you, I have one going unused as well.

 

[cwalton00]

wget -c https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/releases/download/3.2/reef-pi-3.2-pi3.deb

What am I missing here?

 

[raketemensch]

wget -c https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/releases/download/3.2/reef-pi-3.2-pi3.deb

What am I missing here?

I don't think there is a 3.2 yet? Latest seems to be 3.1:

https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/releases/download/3.1/reef-pi-3.1-pi3.deb

 

[burningbaal]

Anyone use a normal jabao 3 or 4 channel doser controlled by reef-pi? I bought @Michael Lane 's dosing adapter since I was buying something else from his shop. I think I'll have a shot at finding a used DP-4, but even the new DP-4s seems hard to find...Figure I could probably wire into the non-slave with the same dosing adapter...right?

 

[Ranjib]

A rebuild of my OS worked for me as well -- I think I missed the SPI config last time, which would totally bork the single-pin relay control, I think.

So I've got 3 temp probes, a float switch ATO and 8 relay ports working, although I only have one outlet in the house right now to use with the relay, but that's enough for the ATO pump.

I'm almost done with a shell script that will handle all of the config we need in raspbian:

timesyncd
dtoverlay=pwm-2chan
dtparam=spi=off
sudo modprobe w1-gpio

I'm also wondering what it would take to pre-bake an img file in CI, but I haven't looked into it yet.

You can, but im not sure its worth it. reef-pi does not have any dependencies which makes it easier to install straight using dpkg, most folks build distro because dependencies

 

[raketemensch]

You can, but im not sure its worth it. reef-pi does not have any dependencies which makes it easier to install straight using dpkg, most folks build distro because dependencies

Yeah, it looks pretty convoluted to do so, I was hoping for something as simple as a Dockerfile.

I’ll still wrap up the shell script, though, I have a strong aversion to GUIs for installation/configuration.

 

[elysics]

Hi @Ranjib , Im currently in the planning stages for my reef-pi. I saw that you mentioned on issue 668 on github that you might be planning to implement executing external programs/commands in Version 4.0. Is that still happening?

The reason i ask is because here in europe, germany in particular, there aren't any voltage controllable powerbars like the SRP8, that i could find (at least i didnt find any with prices that wouldnt make GHL the affordable option). The next closest thing is the Silvershield SIS-PMS or now rebranded Gembird/Energenie EG-PMS and its variants, but the problem is that the interface is some USB data exchange.
There is a well established opensource linux program/driver that can control these via command line (google "sispmctl"), so i was hoping to just be able to call that program.

My current alternative is to just throw a second pi at it to act as a translator between the input and output signals of reef-pi and the program, because i am not familiar with go and kind of overwhelmed with the reef-pi code so i dont know if there is a quick and dirty hacky way to do this, could you maybe point me in the right direction if you think there is?

I really don't wan't to mess with 230V for several reasons and dont trust radio controlled solutions enough to stake the life of my tank on them.

 

[Ranjib]

Yeah, it looks pretty convoluted to do so, I was hoping for something as simple as a Dockerfile.

I’ll still wrap up the shell script, though, I have a strong aversion to GUIs for installation/configuration.

Im in process of opensource the chef cookbooks. It covers stuff like essential services (ssh, timesync ), reef-pi installation, node exporter installation etc.

 

[Ranjib]

Hi @Ranjib , Im currently in the planning stages for my reef-pi. I saw that you mentioned on issue 668 on github that you might be planning to implement executing external programs/commands in Version 4.0. Is that still happening?

The reason i ask is because here in europe, germany in particular, there aren't any voltage controllable powerbars like the SRP8, that i could find (at least i didnt find any with prices that wouldnt make GHL the affordable option). The next closest thing is the Silvershield SIS-PMS or now rebranded Gembird/Energenie EG-PMS and its variants, but the problem is that the interface is some USB data exchange.
There is a well established opensource linux program/driver that can control these via command line (google "sispmctl"), so i was hoping to just be able to call that program.

My current alternative is to just throw a second pi at it to act as a translator between the input and output signals of reef-pi and the program, because i am not familiar with go and kind of overwhelmed with the reef-pi code so i dont know if there is a quick and dirty hacky way to do this, could you maybe point me in the right direction if you think there is?

I really don't wan't to mess with 230V for several reasons and dont trust radio controlled solutions enough to stake the life of my tank on them.

You can use the new HAL layer to write a driver for the specific powerstrip you want. Its really easy now post 3.0, let us know if you need any help

 

[Ranjib]

You can also grab the RTSP firmware from Wyze and that will allow you to stream the video feed, vs just having to use the Wyze application to view it. I've done this with 2 of my cams, one for the tank, and another in the sump.

Thats not supported last time i checked. Once you go that route, you;ll miss all the updates. I am still looking for a decent rtsp supported camera

 

[Des Westcott]

Thats not supported last time i checked. Once you go that route, you;ll miss all the updates. I am still looking for a decent rtsp supported camera

I read a very good review on the Sonoff camera. RTSP worked straight out the box.

 

[Barclay]

Hi friends, today my reef-pi has arrived, i took it used by a friend who had changed the project, i made all the updates and i started to see the operation, but when i go to configure the lights, i get this error, can someone help me? it's the first time i use raspberry and i don't know it at all, thanks to who will help me. PS I have already enabled I2C in raspi-config

 

[Urtoo]

Barclays, did you follow the guide?
Here is the link, you need to configure i2c in raspi-config

reef-pi Guide 1: Setup and Demonstration

reef-pi is an opensource reef tank controller capable of automating day to day reef keeping chored including equipment control, temperature control, water level control, dawn to dusk light cycle. This is the first tutorial within the reef-pi tutorial series covering installation and...

learn.adafruit.com

 

[dmolavi]

Thats not supported last time i checked. Once you go that route, you;ll miss all the updates. I am still looking for a decent rtsp supported camera

True, but you can keep track of the updates, or go OpenIP Cam on the Wyze as well. You can also flash back the non-RTSP firmware if you want.