Arduino dosing controller build

[mbingha]

Just a minor update: I've hooked up the LCD, rtc, and motor shield up and got them all tested and running independently. Next I'm going to hook up my temp sensor and alarm and finally start merging the code. I have a baby on the way within two weeks so my progress is likely to slow down here soon...

 

[mbingha]

Just a minor update: I've hooked up the LCD, rtc, and motor shield up and got them all tested and running independently. Next I'm going to hook up my temp sensor and alarm and finally start merging the code. I have a baby on the way within two weeks so my progress is likely to slow down here soon...

Temp sensor is up and running, and much of the code has been merged. I have the lcd successfully displaying time, date, and temperature, and I'm waiting to test the dosing pumps. I'll likely have a test run for a few days to make sure it's dosing the correct amounts before I hand over the controls to my tank. Learning to write code has been a fun and frustrating task.

My temp probes are "waterproof" but I'm looking to double up on that protection, any suggestions? It is just a steel probe with heat shrink on the wires.

 

[Sv490665]

Temp sensor is up and running, and much of the code has been merged. I have the lcd successfully displaying time, date, and temperature, and I'm waiting to test the dosing pumps. I'll likely have a test run for a few days to make sure it's dosing the correct amounts before I hand over the controls to my tank. Learning to write code has been a fun and frustrating task.

My temp probes are "waterproof" but I'm looking to double up on that protection, any suggestions? It is just a steel probe with heat shrink on the wires.

Nice progress, thanks for carrying the torch! If the probe is truly stainless steel with no traces of iron (which would be rusting) then it should be fine in the tank. If you still want to protect it further, perhaps putting a thin and careful film of aquarium grade silicone all over the probe and wires would help. Hopefully just a thin film would still seal everything without affecting temp readings. Just an idea, I have never tried it though.

 

[mbingha]

No problem. I wish I had more time to finish up, but with my limited programming skills it's been show going. Hopefully I'll be able to pick back up in about three weeks.

 

[disc1]

Nice progress, thanks for carrying the torch! If the probe is truly stainless steel with no traces of iron (which would be rusting) then it should be fine in the tank.

Not all stainless grades are created equal. Some will rust quickly under saltwater and wipe out your tank. The ones that won't are the real expensive grades that temp,sensor is probably not made of.

Best bet is no metals at all in the tank. Short of that you might consider encasing it in a glob of silicone. It will kill the response time, but temps don't generally change that fast in a fish tank so it shouldn't be a problem.

 

[ArnoVH]

Also want to buy stainless steel thermal probe $1,5
Questionnaire if you seal it in silicon is it kills the response time you say.
It is still possible to hook up heater and cooling on the thermal probe ?
Or not so good idea because temp change would me noticed to late.

 

[ArnoVH]

Oh also planning hook it all up to arduino I also have DIY led.
so I am going to hook that up to.

 

[zachts]

Also want to buy stainless steel thermal probe $1,5
Questionnaire if you seal it in silicon is it kills the response time you say.
It is still possible to hook up heater and cooling on the thermal probe ?
Or not so good idea because temp change would me noticed to late.

Should be fine, I run my heater and chiller (as do many others) off a Ranco with the stock probe encased in a piece of vinyl tubing melted together on one end and siliconed above water line on the other for good measure. Response time is still with in a minute or less and I've never seen the temp rise or fall above the set points.

So, unless you have massively fast temperature change as a potential problem encasing the sensor should not be an issue at all.

 

[ArnoVH]

Oké thank you i am planning to
Place 1 heater whit thermostat as back up and a small heater that can only heat whith THE fans as main.
Also planning to gift Some room to not react.

So
Temp >25t = fans on
Tempo <24= heater on

 

[ArnoVH]

And temp < 24 heater on