180 gallon build: Modular control system, 3D printed equipment, open-source
- Thread starter jrhupp
- Start date
fefegarcia1
Member
Hi!
It's very easy using Github Desktop for Windows: https://help.github.com/desktop/guides/getting-started/installing-github-desktop/
I can help you with remote access if do you want.
Best regards.
Fernando Garcia
BigDave
Premium Member
Wow. This is quite the setup. I'm setting up a PI/Arduino combo to run my tank as well, but I'm going to more monolithic approach where the two devices will run everything.
I'm really liking your setup though.
I really like your stepper motor ball valve. That's quite impressive. I was making an automated irrigation system and had a water collector design for measuring rainfall that could have used one of these for draining the collection cup quickly.
I sometimes find it funny how our different hobbies always tend to align themselves with each other. I used Inventor to design my steel stand and after building it, we found out that the sump fit perfectly.
Keep up the good work!
I'm really liking your setup though.
I really like your stepper motor ball valve. That's quite impressive. I was making an automated irrigation system and had a water collector design for measuring rainfall that could have used one of these for draining the collection cup quickly.
I sometimes find it funny how our different hobbies always tend to align themselves with each other. I used Inventor to design my steel stand and after building it, we found out that the sump fit perfectly.
Keep up the good work!
Pics not coming through ?
Which pics? The links in the first couple of posts are messed up. But past those all should be good.
Excellent! Which printer?
Hi Fernando,
Thanks for the offer. I haven't forgotten about Github, just have not had time look more into it yet. Things have been busy and when I have had a few moments something else always seems to come up. I even have many updates on the tank that I have not gotten to posting yet.
Hopefully soon I can git going (pun intended). But the Windows desktop won't help me much with that as I am a Mac man (at least mostly).
Thanks BigDave. Glad you like it and the valves!
I have gone down the all-in-one route (I think this what you mean by monolithic) with my greenhouse. While it works fine, I think for systems like a large-ish reef tank that will be some what dynamic over time, a modular/distributed design is a better option. At least that is the way I see it now.
In any case, good luck on your build. Hopefully there is something here that can be scavenged for your uses.
fefegarcia1
Member
Time for some much over due updates.
Lets start with something simple; I added some vibration isolation for the hangers that support the surge system. Its nothing special, but it cuts out most of the vibration that was being propagated through the ceiling. Some foam rubber in the hanger and rubber washers on the rod.
Next up, after months of having the tank running, I finally did the trim work on the family room side. I had been hesitant to cover over the seals on the front pain after what happened with the first tank, but the time has come to make things pretty (no more rough drywall edges!). And in the end there is a big enough gap that with a flash light I can keep an eye on the seals.
The surge has been running for several weeks now and I am quite happy with it so far. I have a temporary controller running it that polls the lights to see if the blue LEDs are on, and if so it will trigger a valve (so they don't run at night); switching between valves every eight minutes'ish. After a dozen cycles on a valve, it runs a home sequence to check/reset positioning. I have some thoughts on how to check position with each cycle, I just need to find time to work on the sketch and test the ideas.
The thing I did not like about the surge was what I was using for an outlet; a sanitary elbow cut off at around 60 degrees. You can see one in the upper right of the full tank pic above. This was directing too strong and too directed of flow, which was blowing the sand around like crazy.
To fix this I put together a new outlet design that spreads the flow out and lets me adjust position along several axis. It uses an o-ring under compression to grip and seal to a 2" PVC pipe (what the surge is plumbed with) and has a ball joint for positioning. Here is an image of the SketchUp model:
And here is the actual model: outlet for 2" pipe Keep in mind I include support structures in the original model and don't like to see the surface that was attached to the build plate.
Here is part of it on the printer. You can see the included support structure (transparent part in the picture above) and how I print this.
And a couple of the parts all laid out together. This is my first time modeling threads (thanks to the DrawWhorl extension) and I think they came out pretty slick.
I love the flow from these. The way stuff moves across the whole tank reminds me of being out on the actual reef. What I don't like is how big they look in the tank. I think I can shave a fair bit of length off of them with out losing the spread on the flow. So there maybe a 2.0 version of the nozzle portion before too long.
Other updates relate to small fixes and feature adds in the various control sketches. Most changes are minor and I think all tested versions have been updated at their respective links.
I still have GitHub on the to do list. I have a three week break in work travel, so I may get caught up on some of this stuff, that included.
I have also started work on the actual controller that will coordinate things and give me a web based interface to the system. Progress on it is slow as I have little to no experience with anything beyond some very basic html. But I have a functional prototype of a web based terminal that lets me pass data back and forth through a browser and server up what comes through on the Yun's serial port to something that looks like the Arduino serial monitor. So I have the basic functionality needed, which I think was probably my largest hurdle for getting going on this.
Lets start with something simple; I added some vibration isolation for the hangers that support the surge system. Its nothing special, but it cuts out most of the vibration that was being propagated through the ceiling. Some foam rubber in the hanger and rubber washers on the rod.
Next up, after months of having the tank running, I finally did the trim work on the family room side. I had been hesitant to cover over the seals on the front pain after what happened with the first tank, but the time has come to make things pretty (no more rough drywall edges!). And in the end there is a big enough gap that with a flash light I can keep an eye on the seals.
The surge has been running for several weeks now and I am quite happy with it so far. I have a temporary controller running it that polls the lights to see if the blue LEDs are on, and if so it will trigger a valve (so they don't run at night); switching between valves every eight minutes'ish. After a dozen cycles on a valve, it runs a home sequence to check/reset positioning. I have some thoughts on how to check position with each cycle, I just need to find time to work on the sketch and test the ideas.
The thing I did not like about the surge was what I was using for an outlet; a sanitary elbow cut off at around 60 degrees. You can see one in the upper right of the full tank pic above. This was directing too strong and too directed of flow, which was blowing the sand around like crazy.
To fix this I put together a new outlet design that spreads the flow out and lets me adjust position along several axis. It uses an o-ring under compression to grip and seal to a 2" PVC pipe (what the surge is plumbed with) and has a ball joint for positioning. Here is an image of the SketchUp model:
And here is the actual model: outlet for 2" pipe Keep in mind I include support structures in the original model and don't like to see the surface that was attached to the build plate.
Here is part of it on the printer. You can see the included support structure (transparent part in the picture above) and how I print this.
And a couple of the parts all laid out together. This is my first time modeling threads (thanks to the DrawWhorl extension) and I think they came out pretty slick.
I love the flow from these. The way stuff moves across the whole tank reminds me of being out on the actual reef. What I don't like is how big they look in the tank. I think I can shave a fair bit of length off of them with out losing the spread on the flow. So there maybe a 2.0 version of the nozzle portion before too long.
Other updates relate to small fixes and feature adds in the various control sketches. Most changes are minor and I think all tested versions have been updated at their respective links.
I still have GitHub on the to do list. I have a three week break in work travel, so I may get caught up on some of this stuff, that included.
I have also started work on the actual controller that will coordinate things and give me a web based interface to the system. Progress on it is slow as I have little to no experience with anything beyond some very basic html. But I have a functional prototype of a web based terminal that lets me pass data back and forth through a browser and server up what comes through on the Yun's serial port to something that looks like the Arduino serial monitor. So I have the basic functionality needed, which I think was probably my largest hurdle for getting going on this.
Tinkanator2000
New member
I have the same exact printer....... Colin's tech support is awesome! I see the auto bed level mod (did that to mine as well), and the fan on the extruder motor. Looks like you have some bed mods (see printed parts under it) yea? What hot end do you use? Printing surface?
Sorry to derail the thread a bit but your print quality looks excellent.
Sorry to derail the thread a bit but your print quality looks excellent.
Thanks. Don't think of it as giving up one for another. Really they are complimentary, and the printer is just a tank accessory!
Thanks. I am glad you like it.
Its not a derailment at all. As you know, these kind of details impact the print quality, so it seems to me they are quite relevant to the topic(s) at hand.
Yes, I added auto bed leveling. And not just a fan on the extruder; they are on the x and y motors as well. Those three run the hottest, and in the enclosure that keeps them "cool" and lets me disperse their heat and get hopefully a more even temp in the enclosure.
I replaced the plywood bed with an aluminum plate too. That had a huge impact on how much and how often things needed adjustment; as in now I never have to adjust the bed. I think the original plywood bed twisted with changes in temp and humidity, and as such was quite finicky. I added the auto bed leveling in hopes of compensating for this. But the adjustment it calculated was never quite right with out me tweaking the bed manually first, which suggests the bed was not perfectly plainer. Once the plywood was swapped for aluminum I get a perfect first layer with a single probing for z=0 in the middle of the bed.
As to the printed parts under the bed, the idea was to cut down on air flow under the bed as it moved and hopefully get a more even temperature. And to hopefully hold in the heat as it heats up so it would come up to temperature faster. In the end I don't think they do much, but it was more trouble to take them back out than to leave them in.
I also added a relay on the bed heater. That improved warm up time significantly.
For the hot end, I have the Magma on it with a 0.4 mm orifice.
For the print surface I use PET film on window glass with a thin layer of ABS dissolved in acetone (ABS juice).
And as to the brand, Colin's reputation for support was what swayed me into going with this printer. At the time there were some cheaper kits, but I was completely new to this and figured (correctly) that having access to a kit with technical support was the safest way to get up and running quickly. When I got the kit originally there were a couple of messed up parts and Colin had replacements on the way near instantly.
Tinkanator2000
New member
I believe it is something around 0.25". I cut it out a scrap part that I had on hand; I think it was the top plate for an under water spectroradiometer originally.
naecO.rM
New member
Great stuff!Well my first Aquarim project is my anti sand dune plate for the vortech
Do you brush acetone on with a paint brush or give it the vapour bath?
Is that for a MP40QD or MP40wES?
Would you share your 3D file , please.
Nice. I think a few others on here have ordered the same one. Post something when you get it up and printing!
Time for an update! Though not a lot of exciting stuff to share.
I have started working on a generic reactor body that will give me a spot to run carbon, or whatever should the need arise. The idea is that the parts are modular, easily assembled using PVC pipe and standard PVC fittings, and that the reactor bodies can be daisy chained together. All I have to show at the moment is the SketchUp model; I ran short on filament mid way through cranking these guys out and then was traveling. New filament is here and I am working on getting the rest of the parts printed up this weekend. Once they're done, I'll post the build and source files.
Here is a capture of the model from SketchUp:
There are four unique printed parts to the reactor body and the main body is made of 2" PVC. As shown it uses all four parts and an internal 1/2" PVC tube to force inflow to the bottom (it exits out the top). But there are possibly a few other configurations that can be put together with a subset of the parts. I will likely lay these out in the final SketchUp file I post; so stay tuned for that.
I started working on some under cabinet organization for tools and what not. So far I have a tool rack and drip tray printed out and installed. Next up will be some bins for tests kits and a test tube drying rack. I left the door inserts full thickness (four quarter) to give plenty of structure to mount things like this too.
Here is the rack and drip tray on the door:
And loaded up with some tools:
And here are the stl files for the two parts: zip file
I have also started in hot and heavy on the web development for the controller. The controller will built off the Arduino Yun. The UI will be entirely web based (no display or touch screen). So far I have a "œterminal" page built that is very similar to the Arduino IDE's serial terminal in that it lets me pass data to the Arduino's serial port and read serial data back into the web UI. I have also started implementing some of the graphing and control infrastructure. Its a slow go as my web development knowledge is self taught and this is using a lot of stuff that is new to me. But its coming together. When its a bit further along I post a walk through of the system.
I have started working on a generic reactor body that will give me a spot to run carbon, or whatever should the need arise. The idea is that the parts are modular, easily assembled using PVC pipe and standard PVC fittings, and that the reactor bodies can be daisy chained together. All I have to show at the moment is the SketchUp model; I ran short on filament mid way through cranking these guys out and then was traveling. New filament is here and I am working on getting the rest of the parts printed up this weekend. Once they're done, I'll post the build and source files.
Here is a capture of the model from SketchUp:
There are four unique printed parts to the reactor body and the main body is made of 2" PVC. As shown it uses all four parts and an internal 1/2" PVC tube to force inflow to the bottom (it exits out the top). But there are possibly a few other configurations that can be put together with a subset of the parts. I will likely lay these out in the final SketchUp file I post; so stay tuned for that.
I started working on some under cabinet organization for tools and what not. So far I have a tool rack and drip tray printed out and installed. Next up will be some bins for tests kits and a test tube drying rack. I left the door inserts full thickness (four quarter) to give plenty of structure to mount things like this too.
Here is the rack and drip tray on the door:
And loaded up with some tools:
And here are the stl files for the two parts: zip file
I have also started in hot and heavy on the web development for the controller. The controller will built off the Arduino Yun. The UI will be entirely web based (no display or touch screen). So far I have a "œterminal" page built that is very similar to the Arduino IDE's serial terminal in that it lets me pass data to the Arduino's serial port and read serial data back into the web UI. I have also started implementing some of the graphing and control infrastructure. Its a slow go as my web development knowledge is self taught and this is using a lot of stuff that is new to me. But its coming together. When its a bit further along I post a walk through of the system.
I like the IC3D brand ABS. Its clean, dimensionally accurate, prints really well and comes in my favorite color (lime green!). I have tried a few other filaments and they have been pretty hit or miss. Anything lime green or black in the posts is IC3D. Other colored stuff is likely Toner Plastics. Some rolls from these guys have been great, others not so much.
TheFishGuy31
New member
180 gallon build: Modular control system, 3D printed equipment, open-source
Sweet build. I didn't know that you could serial Arduinos like that.
I was trying to build a controller a couple of years ago but having everything in one file was too much of a CF for me to handle.
Are you able to control each of the modules from the master or do you have to take individual modules down to update them?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sweet build. I didn't know that you could serial Arduinos like that.
I was trying to build a controller a couple of years ago but having everything in one file was too much of a CF for me to handle.
Are you able to control each of the modules from the master or do you have to take individual modules down to update them?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
There are lots of options for getting Arduinos to talk to each other. Serial is built in on all of them and is quite easy as its the interface we use the most with them already. But I2C can be used. And if I was willing to spend the extra cash I would network these guys with ethernet.
Each model can both send data to and receive data from the master controller. The models all hold settings in EEPROM (non-volatile memory) and this can be updated via the controller. When they restart they read what they need in from there; not values that are hard coded in the sketch. So there is no need to pull them down unless I want to flash a new sketch on one of them.
The master controller is still a work in progress though. When I get a few more things refined on it I'll post a video showing the basic functions in action.
Each model can both send data to and receive data from the master controller. The models all hold settings in EEPROM (non-volatile memory) and this can be updated via the controller. When they restart they read what they need in from there; not values that are hard coded in the sketch. So there is no need to pull them down unless I want to flash a new sketch on one of them.
The master controller is still a work in progress though. When I get a few more things refined on it I'll post a video showing the basic functions in action.
