DIY Reef Controller
- Thread starter nkd5024
- Start date
nkd5024
New member
rmdonovan,
I got the pH sheild a few days ago but am still waiting for everything else, thanks again!
Calepy,
Would you like me to put you down the boards to build one? Most of the work I'm putting into the project is trying to make it easy for anyone to build and not have it explode.
I will have videos of the soldering process for the pcbs, uploading the firmware to the boards, how to use to controller, etc.
I got the pH sheild a few days ago but am still waiting for everything else, thanks again!
Calepy,
Would you like me to put you down the boards to build one? Most of the work I'm putting into the project is trying to make it easy for anyone to build and not have it explode.
I will have videos of the soldering process for the pcbs, uploading the firmware to the boards, how to use to controller, etc.
overexposed
Acroholic
Nick, I have been silently following this thread and building a similar unit out of breadboards and various shields... mainly just familiarizing myself with Ardu. I would love to get hold of a set of your boards, can you please add me to the list of interested parties and PM me with details?
nkd5024
New member
So thanks to rmdonovan a single pH probe will be supported in the upcoming firmware release!
I got his gift in the mail a few days ago and after staring at it while working on the software I finally broke down and threw together a sample sketch and got it to work really quickly. After calibrating the stamp my tank is reading 7.98 and has been stable for a while.
I am very impressed with how easy to use the atlas stamps are and I look forward to adding ORP, conductivity, and maybe even their dissolved oxygen probes into the build!
Nick D.
I got his gift in the mail a few days ago and after staring at it while working on the software I finally broke down and threw together a sample sketch and got it to work really quickly. After calibrating the stamp my tank is reading 7.98 and has been stable for a while.
I am very impressed with how easy to use the atlas stamps are and I look forward to adding ORP, conductivity, and maybe even their dissolved oxygen probes into the build!
Nick D.
WSPepsilon
New member
That's exciting! Is the 7.98 reading accurate for your tank?
Will we be able to add additional ph probes later? Ideally I'd like to run 3 (sump, ato reservoir, water change station).
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2
Will we be able to add additional ph probes later? Ideally I'd like to run 3 (sump, ato reservoir, water change station).
Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Note 2
nkd5024
New member
I was planning on eventually making a separate board for up to eight atlas scientific stamps. So three pH, two ORP, a conductivity, and a doxygen should be possible with a simple mux.
To be honest I have never tested my tank with a pH probe before but the stupid color chart pH kits from Salifert always looked like it was at 8. After I calibrated the stamp I rechecked the calibration fluids and they all reading exactly what they should have. You just need to make sure you use the temperature compensated reads.
To be honest I have never tested my tank with a pH probe before but the stupid color chart pH kits from Salifert always looked like it was at 8. After I calibrated the stamp I rechecked the calibration fluids and they all reading exactly what they should have. You just need to make sure you use the temperature compensated reads.
DeepSeaBeauti
Will Fielitz
Nick this thing is progressing great. Do you have any updated photos of the build and display with the pH probe? This is a great addition to the project that I'm really excited about since dosing my tank would be much easier with real time pH.
Will
Will
DrewPalmer04
New member
Can someone post pics of their successful op amp circuit?
nkd5024
New member
I don't have any updated pictures as of yet. The annoying thing about starting a project while taking a programming course is that after a while you realize how inefficient your code was as you learn more.
I really hit this wall hard a few days ago and decided that since this is an open source project I really need to make the code as easy as possible for the average person to read. To accomplish this I created a couple simple libraries that create button and tank objects that can be referred to. I also split the code into separate files. My hope is that doing this will make it much easier for people to edit the code themselves if they want to change something in the UI or to use different sensors, etc.
This is what i've been doing the past few days and I am also back to where I was before I started, haha.
After I got a bunch of requests to create a board for multiple ph, orp, and conductivity probes with the project I decided it would be a good idea since I have to order from Itead anyway. The boards will allow up to four atlas scientific stamps to be read. You will be able to add up to 5 of these boards into the project between the arduino mega and the atmega328 resulting in a maximum number of 20 pH, orp, conductivity probes.
If anyone wants to get one of these boards along with the other ones please let me know as I still haven't ordered everything yet.
Nick D.
I really hit this wall hard a few days ago and decided that since this is an open source project I really need to make the code as easy as possible for the average person to read. To accomplish this I created a couple simple libraries that create button and tank objects that can be referred to. I also split the code into separate files. My hope is that doing this will make it much easier for people to edit the code themselves if they want to change something in the UI or to use different sensors, etc.
This is what i've been doing the past few days and I am also back to where I was before I started, haha.
After I got a bunch of requests to create a board for multiple ph, orp, and conductivity probes with the project I decided it would be a good idea since I have to order from Itead anyway. The boards will allow up to four atlas scientific stamps to be read. You will be able to add up to 5 of these boards into the project between the arduino mega and the atmega328 resulting in a maximum number of 20 pH, orp, conductivity probes.
If anyone wants to get one of these boards along with the other ones please let me know as I still haven't ordered everything yet.
Nick D.
nkd5024
New member
So the order is out! It took a bit longer than I planned so everyone who signed up to beta test could get their stuff. Luckily before I sent out the order I realized that the pressure sensor chip I've been using would be affected by atmospheric pressure which would throw off the readings for the ATO by a bit depending on the weather.
I found a chip that is the same price that is a differential pressure sensor that instead has two inputs, one that is connected to the tubing and goes into the tank while the other one stay out of the water. The chip then returns the difference in pressure instead of absolute pressure.
I will post a picture of all the stuff as it arrives!
I found a chip that is the same price that is a differential pressure sensor that instead has two inputs, one that is connected to the tubing and goes into the tank while the other one stay out of the water. The chip then returns the difference in pressure instead of absolute pressure.
I will post a picture of all the stuff as it arrives!
nkd5024
New member
So I thought while I am waiting for the boards to ship I could work on a stand alone ATO system that would be as cheap as possible for anyone interested in using the pressure sensor chips for a more reliable method of ATO than using a float switch. I am just thinking of using a simple 7-digit interface to display the current water level and to program the controller with.
My goal is to use an attiny85 and to keep the cost as low as possible.
Any thoughts?
My goal is to use an attiny85 and to keep the cost as low as possible.
Any thoughts?
