Simulations

[VR28man]

One other thing with controllers: beyond apex (proprietary language/software, iirc), there’s also reef angel (arduino based, runs one or another flavor of C, iirc, and a good base of volunteer supplied code. $300+ for the current variant, though).

There’s also reef-pi, an attempt by folks on this board to turn a raspberry pi into a controller. It’s completely diy but that sounds like it will not be a problem for you. They probably would appreciate you jumping in with your project; if you went this route I’m sure something would spin off for that community.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...troller-based-on-raspberry-pi.289256/page-108

 

[Kayotic5011]

One other thing with controllers: beyond apex (proprietary language/software, iirc), there’s also reef angel (arduino based, runs one or another flavor of C, iirc, and a good base of volunteer supplied code. $300+ for the current variant, though).

There’s also reef-pi, an attempt by folks on this board to turn a raspberry pi into a controller. It’s completely diy but that sounds like it will not be a problem for you. They probably would appreciate you jumping in with your project; if you went this route I’m sure something would spin off for that community.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/r...troller-based-on-raspberry-pi.289256/page-108

thank you for that bit of info, I will be looking into that and would love to get any help where I can. This project will be a big one and take some man power for sure.

I could see how the raspberry pi would be an amazing start to a controller, however.... as I build control panels for my living, there's one thing in a lot of them that is not in a raspberry and that is a P I/O or know as a Point I O (I O meaning input output). This is a rack of cards that has the ability to control many things at once without getting in the way of the actual processing unit in which we call a PLC. The PLC is the brain that sends and receives the point I/O's information. I believe this raspberry Idea is trying to use the raspberry as a controller aka PLC, and without the point I/O, I feel that it would be to much processing without the addition of a computer or lap top, but not impossible...in fact probably completely possible with the aid of something other than just the raspberry.

I'm interested in getting my hands on a apex to study it, as its close to what I want to do. One main reason I wont though is I believe that system is mainly an alert system with the 800 dollar ones having a few more options like an I/O switch probably to allow the programing of an ATO or an auto dosser. The second reason I wont is because there going to be my competitor and I don't want them to think I used there system to make mine....matter of truth I didn't even know about the apex system while coming up with mine. It wasn't until a yr later I learned that the apex system was a thing...hell I didn't even know the general public had an option for a system like that in there own private homes, figured with the cost it would be only supplied to sea aquariums with huge displays for the public to see and explore....and that's why I thought to design a control panel that brings the controls of a giant sea aquarium exhibit to the general public at a good price. I want mine to control every aspect of your tank and I mean everything, even program proxy sensors to do an auto water change, I also want to make it a panel that gives us reef and fish tank holders the ability to leave the house for more than a day or two without fear of coming home to a crashed tank....pretty much automate everything.....anyway my wheels are spinning and everyone can smell the wires burning im thinking about this control panel build so much. I hope to start the control panel build here in a month or so, I just need to sit down with the boss and see what I can make happen for what price.

 

[Kayotic5011]

wow just saw a clip on youtube about the apex. I was actually trying to listen to music and it sneaked in a commercial on me so i watched a couple mins of it. This thing is really pimp,...my hats off to the creatures awesome job. That was my first time really seeing anything about it and I lol at the irony of that commercial because of my post this morning. I find that strange and funny all at the same time. Ive never looked up anything about it except for something I read on here, so again I lol at the irony......anyway in a nut shell its doing what i wanted to as a program, but as for the panel and the actual brain I am going in a totally different direction with the panel build.....but none the less lol I figured id come share that with everyone seeing I found it funny myself....One thing I do know though is if I cant get mine together the way I want in a decent price range (cause I can defiantly build it no matter what) I'm not above showing some respect and buying one and showing some support for a really awesome system.....wasn't trying to know what that thing actually did but I got shown anyway.....well played universe.

 

[Kayotic5011]

ok, I finally got some down time at work and so I started looking into the different PLC's and there controllers and by the looks of things the price at the moment isnt as bad as it was starting to look. Still need to order the parts and do more research, but I figured I'd throw out word I'm going to be putting it together before to long.

 

[Breadman03]

You might want to scope out this thread:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-plc-controlled-aquarium-project.54804/

 

[Kayotic5011]

You might want to scope out this thread:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/my-plc-controlled-aquarium-project.54804/

freakin awesome.....thank you so much for that link, im gonna read through it and see what he has done. I actually work with panels for a living. I am a panel fabricator for a good company and we build everything like this on a constant...some of our panels are 12ft tall and over 23ft long. It makes me smile to see something I work with and intend to build for my aquarium be the idea of someone else who shares my thoughts and abilities. Thank you again for this link. My plan is to build something like this with twice the abilities of an apex system but hopefully in the same foot print....highly unlikely on same foot print size but im gonna try.