DIY Reef Controller

nkd5024 said:
moncapitane,

There is none yet, it will be up by thanksgiving day at the latest. I just want a few more days to make the code a bit more efficient and finish up any major bugs I can find. Just to be clear, this release is only to test out the UI.
Click to expand...

Sorry about that. I though you had been working on it longer. Didn't mean to impede. Just was curious.
 
No problem, moncapitane.

I just really want to make sure when I release the UI for testing I don't waste your time with a buggy program that won't give a real impression of what using the controller will be like when its finished. :D

So my thanksgiving break starts tomorrow so i'm going to work all day tomorrow to get this ready for you guys to try out. I just spent a few hours looking over the code I already had written and realized just how much I learned from taking a real programming course! So I am currently revising the code to make it as light as I can to save space and speed.

I am not sure how many people have all the required components to run the program as of now, but if you do and are planning to test this out for me let me know so I can get some feedback.

I want this to be a controller for anyone to use, so if there are features that you would like to see added feel free to mention them!
 
My only requests for a controller are these...

Lots-o-outlets.
PH and temp probes
Expandability to accept Salinity and ORP
PWM Dimming
ATO Control
Feed Mode
Night Mode
Tunze Controls would be very nice
Dosing Controls
Data Logging - Even if a flash drive was used to expand memory and eliminate the need for wireless.

That my wish list anyhow..
 
nkd5024 said:
I also wanted to mention that the 3.2" lcd screen takes up a lot more pins than it actually uses. I bought some male/female jumper wires from adafruit so I can only plug in what I need, this will also come in handy when mounting your screen and arduino in a project box.
Click to expand...

Is it possible to have control and data from a controller sent to a laptop or Ipad? If so I would rather not have an LCD. But have the controller do its thing on its own and program and monitor from my couch.
 
Mekanic,

With what I have planned right now will provide the following,

8 Solid state outlets
8 TRIAC mechanical outlets
1 pH
1 ORP
1 tank temperature probe
2 light fixture temperature probes
ATO control via either an etape liquid level controller or a simple float switch.

Data logging will be saved for the 3 temp channels, pH and ORP onto the SD card.

Salinity would only cost another $45 to add but I honestly don't know if i'd use it so I didn't add it originally. But if enough people want it i'd be glad to make it an options addition.

What would night mode entail? Just a change in flow patterns? I guess that would go with the tunze control. I have never had a tunze so I'd have to get one to test it on which i'm sure i'll end up doing as many people use them and I do need to replacae my two koralias soon.

Photobug,

I do plan on making a program that would work with the controller so you don't have to use the lcd to control the controller, but i think most people would want the lcd.

I would really like to make this a project that you can pick and choose what you want/need and don't have to pay for things you don't want. Why pay for salinity or ORP if your not going to use them?
 
Working on the google code site and getting ready to upload the code tomorrow. Anybody wanna throw out some name ideas?

How does New Life Reef Controller sound?
 
If you want to make something catchy thats too many words. Ill try and think of something on my 6 hour flight now. Maybe just an abbreviation would make that catchy enough

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
 
Using this list of things you stated here below

1) Arduino Mega 2560
2) 3.2" LCD Screen (if your model differs from mine, just change the
initiation of the UTFT class. "UTFTtf myGLCD(ITDB32S, 38, 39, 40, 41);"
to your lcd controller number.

3)Sd card connected to your arduino's SPI pins (50, 51, 52, 53)
4)DS1307 RTC connected to SDA (pin 20) and SCL (21)
5) TMP36 temp sensors to pin A6 and or A7

what would all this cost to build?
 
For just the listed components it would run you around $90. Mega runs around $50 on amazon, the ITead lcd screen comes with an SD card reader for $33, and Adafruit sells the RTC for $9 and the TMP36 probes for $2 each.

I'm posting the source code in a few hours!
 
Which screen?

Santa might have to come early and buy myself a mega now
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Xparent ICS Tapatalk 2
 
I checked out what ebay had to offer and they had boards that are more than likely a knock off version for 15 to 25 bucks. Not sure how well they work though...

I'd recommend the ITead studio's lcd screen since its the same price as the sainsmart lcd minus the sd card issues so you'll save the $15 buck I had to spend on a seperate sd card reader.
 
they are not knock offs arduino is totally open, I have one from arduino the company and all the rest are from ebay, they all use the same atmega chip
 
I just meant knock off as in they weren't manufactured by the arduino company. I have read that most of them work just as well, although I have read a few posts about bridged solder joints on SMD components.


The user interface demo is now available for download.

It should be very straightforward to get running, there are instructions in the download. Just remember to calibrate your touch screen before loading the reef controller program.

Please let me know if you find any bugs or anything you think would improve the layout. Thanks!

http://code.google.com/p/reef-aquarium-controller/downloads/list
 
Haha, I kept reminding myself to put the password in the setup files and I forgot all about it. :headwallblue:

Its 12580. You can change it to whatever you want after you enter that.
 
Hi,
I have a working reef controller and just got my touchscreen and found your project.
I am trying to configure your sketch/tinyFAT to work with ethernet+sd shield.
I tested with the examples provided for the screen, SD card and ethernet and they work.
Maybe there is something small in tinyFAT library that should be changed. Or pins used by both shields..Any help?
(i messed up with HW_AVR.h with no success)

I want to contribute to this project :)
 
nkd5024 said:
Mekanic,

With what I have planned right now will provide the following,

8 Solid state outlets
8 TRIAC mechanical outlets
1 pH
1 ORP
1 tank temperature probe
2 light fixture temperature probes
ATO control via either an etape liquid level controller or a simple float switch.

Data logging will be saved for the 3 temp channels, pH and ORP onto the SD card.

Salinity would only cost another $45 to add but I honestly don't know if i'd use it so I didn't add it originally. But if enough people want it i'd be glad to make it an options addition.

What would night mode entail? Just a change in flow patterns? I guess that would go with the tunze control. I have never had a tunze so I'd have to get one to test it on which i'm sure i'll end up doing as many people use them and I do need to replacae my two koralias soon.
Click to expand...

That sounds perfect to me. ANd night mode would be what you said, turn off the wavebox, slow the tunze powerheads, preferable done by a photosensor :)

FYI, Tunze uses a 3-8v DC analog signal for controllable pumps and a DIN5 connector if it helps :)
 
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