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

[Michael Lane]

Thanks, makes sense, feed from 3.3v rail and then tie it into an open GPIO port. Need to figure out how I want to add it to the hat.

Thanks for the help as usual :)

I found this old schematic for wiring in float switches, can someone explain the difference?

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

My 125g tank was setup with RKE controller and several modules. I have been trying to source a new head unit but I was not successful since the company went out of business. Would it be possible to be a reef-pi controller that would reuse some of the RKE module such PB4 power bar, ALC light...

www.reef2reef.com

Either configuration can be valid, as long as the internal pull-up/pull-down is set correctly.

It looks like it was designed for an older rpi since the diagram is 26 pins. I'm not sure if the older pis had a different default pin states.

This looks like it is not expecting to use the internal pull up or pull down resistors. The 10k resistor is a pull up resistor to provide a default state when the switch is open. The 1k serves as the current limit resistor (can also protect against accidentally setting GPIO 18 as a high output if the switch is also closed).

 

[ChrisNH]

I am having trouble configuring email alerts.

Is the process still
1. Enable email alerts
2. Fill in my gmail account for from
3. Fill in whatever (using the gmail for simplicity right now but will be different) for to
4. Get an app password (I got a 16 character string)
5. Enter that in password

When I press "Send test message" the button stays gray. Is that normal? I get no email. For documentation I am using https://reef-pi.github.io/additional-documentation/telemetry/

Is there something I need to do with the pi to enable email to go out?

After I enter the password the first time it update is green. If I press again it gives me an invalid password but that may be expected since I don't think you store it? Google doesn't show the passwords being used.

Thanks.. seems like a weird thing to be hung up on. I tried a variety of different approaches but can't get a test email through. I got everthing else done and the pi seems to be working great but this is the first time I have tried to get alerts working so i can't say it was "working before".

Edit: I am on 3.4

 

[ChrisNH]

Just setup another ato controller with the upper sensor and same pump

I am having trouble wrapping my mind around this response about ATO a few weeks ago. I am doing something similar to what was responded to here, two sensors with the second being a fail-safe.

Maybe I don't understand what the ATO is doing when there are two sensors.

Does it only turn on the pump if all the things tied to the pump go high?

Low Sensor	High Sensor	Pump
Wet	Wet	OFF
Wet	Dry	OFF
Dry (FAILED)	Wet	OFF
Dry	Dry	ON

I want the inputs AND with the out put being pump on..

Thanks. I am trying to self-serve but its hard to search a single mega-thread..


Edit: In my experiment it definitely does not work this way. I truly don't think I understand how I am supposed to be setting this up.

 

[robsworld78]

I am having trouble configuring email alerts.

Is the process still
1. Enable email alerts
2. Fill in my gmail account for from
3. Fill in whatever (using the gmail for simplicity right now but will be different) for to
4. Get an app password (I got a 16 character string)
5. Enter that in password

When I press "Send test message" the button stays gray. Is that normal? I get no email. For documentation I am using https://reef-pi.github.io/additional-documentation/telemetry/

Is there something I need to do with the pi to enable email to go out?

After I enter the password the first time it update is green. If I press again it gives me an invalid password but that may be expected since I don't think you store it? Google doesn't show the passwords being used.

Thanks.. seems like a weird thing to be hung up on. I tried a variety of different approaches but can't get a test email through. I got everthing else done and the pi seems to be working great but this is the first time I have tried to get alerts working so i can't say it was "working before".

Edit: I am on 3.4

There's better ways but this work. It can be difficult because all the security with Gmail, easiest is turn it off. ;)

Reef-pi Email Alerts.docx

Reef-pi – Email Alerts Last Updated May 15, 2020 In this manual we’ll go over how to configure a Gmail account to work with Reef-pi, you can use a current email but it’s recommended to set up an email account just for reef-pi. Note: You can use your own ser...

docs.google.com

I could be wrong and I would love to be but I don't think you can add an extra backup optical sensor for ATO, the 2nd sensor will make the port turn on momentarily when it's checked.

The backup sensor would always be trying to turn the pump on because it's not touching water, so it would do that and then immediately after the main sensor would turn the pump off because it's touching water so you get a quick switch happen. As I understand it the backup sensor would need to be ignored as long as the main sensor was sensing water so it gets complicated. I tried every which way to use an optical for a backup but this always occurred and makes sense it would.

The easiest thing to do is add a backup float switch, just place it inline on the GPIO signal to the relay or mosfet so it can cut the signal if open.

 

[ChrisNH]

I don't think you can add an extra backup optical sensor for ATO

Maybe through macros? I just assumed this would be a thing. I guess I should have looked into it more before I went and put three opticals into my build.

 

[robsworld78]

Maybe through macros? I just assumed this would be a thing. I guess I should have looked into it more before I went and put three opticals into my build.

Possibly but I haven't been able to. You can put floats in series which can give you unlimited backups.

 

[ChrisNH]

This should work in theory. I will set up a test this evening.

 

[robsworld78]

This should work in theory. I will set up a test this evening.

I don't think that will work, that'll turn off the ato sensor and disable it. You can do a lot with them, start with simple macros to figure them out and go from there.

 

[ChrisNH]

I don't think that will work, that'll turn off the ato sensor and disable it. You can do a lot with them, start with simple macros to figure them out and go from there.

So the macro works great. It seems to turn off the sensor and disable the pump as I expected when I run it manually.

However, running it from another ATO sensor kills reef-pi a slow death. The log shows that there is a constant API call. ATO interface becomes unresponsive and I have to stop reef-pi and wipe the DB to recover.

My best guess is that ATO is still not hooked up to Macros despite having the option? Dunno.. its a pity, since if I run the macro it will disable the main ato and shut off the power to the pump. Just what I want in that scenario. I am not sure if I would need to disable the watch dog sensor too just to shut it all down (I did try to no avail) but its moot.

Well, that and an alert. I can't get alerts to work either. Alerts working, thanks.

 

[stefanm]

Hi, I need a little advice here.

Firstly my reef pi hardware is a total mess! I've used jumper wires which are proving highly unreliable, the sparkfun one are probably much better but very expensive, ultimately I would like to switch over to Michael Lane's boards, I've seen the V3 boards have the gerbers available but very much doubt I can solder the PCA 9685.

So I found this expansion shield which costs as much as 10 sparkfun jumpers...

What do you guys reckon?

My chow mein..

 

[stefanm]

This one l

Hi, I need a little advice here.

Firstly my reef pi hardware is a total mess! I've used jumper wires which are proving highly unreliable, the sparkfun one are probably much better but very expensive, ultimately I would like to switch over to Michael Lane's boards, I've seen the V3 boards have the gerbers available but very much doubt I can solder the PCA 9685.

So I found this expansion shield which costs as much as 10 sparkfun jumpers...

What do you guys reckon?

My chow mein..

That board doesn't seem suitable, this one seems much better.

 

[GaryE]

Hi, I need a little advice here.

Firstly my reef pi hardware is a total mess! I've used jumper wires which are proving highly unreliable, the sparkfun one are probably much better but very expensive, ultimately I would like to switch over to Michael Lane's boards, I've seen the V3 boards have the gerbers available but very much doubt I can solder the PCA 9685.

So I found this expansion shield which costs as much as 10 sparkfun jumpers...

What do you guys reckon?

My chow mein..

Pffft..

 

[MikeSpike]

Thanks. But i cant see the instructions there for a clean install and maintaining my setup?

@Ranjib can you help me with this?

 

[Yov]

Soo... anybody got an idea why 14:07 is in between 11:46 and 12:28? Got this on al the graphs... have been playing with the names (remov spaces) and deleting ADAfruit feeds ... (got to much error's from this...)

Edit: Stil got the Adafruit error's (and lose temp sensor error)

 

[Michael Lane]

@Ranjib can you help me with this?

@MikeSpike I think the easiest way to upgrade reef-pi without rebuilding the entire rpi image would be to install reef-pi and then reset the database. This would not reset the logs, but all configuration would wiped and it would basically be a new reef-pi install.

I'd also recommend creating a back up of the SD card prior to taking these steps in case you need to quickly revert to the existing image.

Assuming you are using a pi 3, you can upgrade reef-pi with the following (based on release 3.4)

wget -c https://github.com/reef-pi/reef-pi/releases/download/3.4/reef-pi-3.4-pi3.deb
sudo dpkg -i reef-pi-3.4-pi3.deb

wget will download the new release, and dpkg will install the new release over your existing installation.

You can reset the database after those steps are completed. This is done by stopping reef-pi, deleting the database, and finally restarting reef-pi. I refer to the troubleshooting page when I need to remember where the db is located.

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

 

[buddy.]

Has anyone automated their RODI storage with reef-pi?
I see there are products that will auto flush your filter that might be able to be plugged in to a reef-pi outlet and be controlled by a couple of float switches? My storage takes about a week to empty so the filter will still only be used once per week.

 

[Ranjib]

@Ranjib can you help me with this?

Check the troubleshooting guide, it has instructions on how to delete the database and do a clean installation. Let us know if you are stuck.

 

[AbjectMaelstroM]

Those of you making backups of your SD cards, what are you using to so it?

 

[ChrisNH]

Is there any way to make the dashboard graph have a “free scale” y axis like temp for pH?

 

[Yov]

@Ranjib is there a way to exclude something from the adafruit feed? for example, my lights get graphed on adafruid but i would prefere this not to happen. I got 6 differend light outputs and 4 temp readings... i get constant errors becous wel adafruit is only letting me save 10 feeds