New tank setup with LEDs and microprocessor
- Thread starter cyrusthevirus
- Start date
tahiriqbal
Sialkot
Coming along really nice. All you need is to fire it up and see the full view. What are your PSU rated at? From what I read on your PCB driver board it states 58V, just want to know how you will match 58V requirement via your PSU unless they are rated at 58V..!!??
cyrusthevirus
New member
The PSUs are rated at 58V 1A. I can't wait to fire it all up. Just checking my connections to make sure It literally does not fire all up.
tahiriqbal
Sialkot
Was thinking about the same Kcress, I hope everything is at a bit of distance from the tank. PSU are not waterproof either which also needs extra care!!!
cyrusthevirus
New member
Yeah, the picture is taken with the board sitting flat on the table where I created it. It will be hung on a wall around the corner from the tank and all potential leak/spash areas.
Thanks for the advice. Sometimes it is the little things we miss which cause the most problems.
Thanks for the advice. Sometimes it is the little things we miss which cause the most problems.
cyrusthevirus
New member
And let there be light!!!
WOW a lot of light. All I am seeing are spots. Pics below... So at this point I have tested the lights and the drivers and they seem to be working fine. I can get both a sunrise and a sunset and control the overall brightness. Now I need to determine how bright I want to run them and how quickly I want to make the lights increase in intensity. Anyone have any thoughts?
WOW a lot of light. All I am seeing are spots. Pics below... So at this point I have tested the lights and the drivers and they seem to be working fine. I can get both a sunrise and a sunset and control the overall brightness. Now I need to determine how bright I want to run them and how quickly I want to make the lights increase in intensity. Anyone have any thoughts?
cyrusthevirus
New member
Oops here comes scope creep again. This time I am creating a DIY Kalk stirrer.
Here are my parts:
Used lab stirrer $45 on ebay
"scrap" piece of acrylic tubing $15
Several valve parts from usplastics and nylon screws $20
Electronic timer $15
Total $95
The stirrer will not need a pump because it will be fed directly from my RODI.
To put it together I had the acrylic store cut the ends of the tube so they were clean and ready to be attached. To create the two components of the flanges, I used a table saw and a piece of wood with a nail placed 3.5 inches from the edge or 1/2 the diameter of the circle I wanted to create. I then clamped the wood to the table saw and drilled a small holw in the middle of the acrylic. Then I just slowly turned the acrylic until a circle was created. I then just repeated these steps for the second circle.
To create the donut shape for the bottom half of the flange, I lucked out and had a hole saw which was the exact size I needed. I already had the center of the circle located so it was very easy to drill without the hole moving around.
Now that I had the two flanges complete, I could determine what size O-ring would be needed to seal the completed flange. I determined I needed a 4.5" inside diameter gasket or O-ring. I found several online, but for a $5 part I had to pay more than $10 to have them shipped. I decided to check with my local Home Depot or Lowes, but had no success. So I checked with an appliance repair place knowing that there has to be an appliance which would need a large o-ring. The problem I ran into was that in order to determine if they had one, they needed to know the part number for it. Of course I did not have any part number. My last resort before I ordered online was NAPA Auto Parts. After brain storming the the staff, we found a gasket which was the perfect size and only $2. Success!!
At this point I am waiting for the lab stirrer to come in so I can determine the size of the base and for the nylon screws to come in so I can determine where to and how many holes to drill to attached the two flanges. More to come...
gasket:
flange parts:
acrylic cylinder:
Here are my parts:
Used lab stirrer $45 on ebay
"scrap" piece of acrylic tubing $15
Several valve parts from usplastics and nylon screws $20
Electronic timer $15
Total $95
The stirrer will not need a pump because it will be fed directly from my RODI.
To put it together I had the acrylic store cut the ends of the tube so they were clean and ready to be attached. To create the two components of the flanges, I used a table saw and a piece of wood with a nail placed 3.5 inches from the edge or 1/2 the diameter of the circle I wanted to create. I then clamped the wood to the table saw and drilled a small holw in the middle of the acrylic. Then I just slowly turned the acrylic until a circle was created. I then just repeated these steps for the second circle.
To create the donut shape for the bottom half of the flange, I lucked out and had a hole saw which was the exact size I needed. I already had the center of the circle located so it was very easy to drill without the hole moving around.
Now that I had the two flanges complete, I could determine what size O-ring would be needed to seal the completed flange. I determined I needed a 4.5" inside diameter gasket or O-ring. I found several online, but for a $5 part I had to pay more than $10 to have them shipped. I decided to check with my local Home Depot or Lowes, but had no success. So I checked with an appliance repair place knowing that there has to be an appliance which would need a large o-ring. The problem I ran into was that in order to determine if they had one, they needed to know the part number for it. Of course I did not have any part number. My last resort before I ordered online was NAPA Auto Parts. After brain storming the the staff, we found a gasket which was the perfect size and only $2. Success!!
At this point I am waiting for the lab stirrer to come in so I can determine the size of the base and for the nylon screws to come in so I can determine where to and how many holes to drill to attached the two flanges. More to come...
gasket:
flange parts:
acrylic cylinder:
Tang Salad
Algae skeptic
Great work Cyrus, very impressive and comprehensive design. 
I'd say the brightness depends on what you'll be keeping. Sorry if you mentioned that already. (...how was I to remember after getting blindsided by that DIY kung-fu hurricane? ):fun5:
I think to recreate the daylight pattern of a reef in the tropics, I'd try for 10-12 hours from sunrise to sunset. 4ish hours of full power in the center whilst 30-50% power on the sides. All of this I'd adjust for aquascape and livestock. e.g. maybe a high light Acro. pillar flanked by one or two craggy, lower light (lit during hours to and from darkness) bommies for LPS.
I'd say the brightness depends on what you'll be keeping. Sorry if you mentioned that already. (...how was I to remember after getting blindsided by that DIY kung-fu hurricane? ):fun5:
I think to recreate the daylight pattern of a reef in the tropics, I'd try for 10-12 hours from sunrise to sunset. 4ish hours of full power in the center whilst 30-50% power on the sides. All of this I'd adjust for aquascape and livestock. e.g. maybe a high light Acro. pillar flanked by one or two craggy, lower light (lit during hours to and from darkness) bommies for LPS.
cyrusthevirus
New member
Even though I have not posted in a while, this project continues. The actual tank setup is delayed until after the holidays because the tree is in the way of the tank location. I still have a couple weeks of testing left.
The project has been very interesting. I was stalled for about three weeks after I thought I fired the chip. Instead one of the connections was missing. Then I could not get the correct readins for my ADC, then after a little outside help, I got them working.
At this point, I have the output to a LCD, the date and time, ORP, pH and temp. Salinity is on hold. I also have to order another 5V Power supply to run the ORP and pH at the same time, although I may try them both on the same PS and see what happens.
The DIY Kalk stirrer has been working very well. Soon I will have to add more Kalk to it. I also changed out the to seal for a rubber o-ring. The gasket fell apart once I added water. I will try to take a pic at some point so you can see it in action.
The only testing I have left is to set the time for the actual sunrise/sunset. So far I have simulated it in a 5 minute time window. Then I add a battery backup to keep the clock and my system will be up and running.
Here is a pic of the output on the LCD:
Here a pic of all of the wires:
I plan to enclose them all in the following box:
The project has been very interesting. I was stalled for about three weeks after I thought I fired the chip. Instead one of the connections was missing. Then I could not get the correct readins for my ADC, then after a little outside help, I got them working.
At this point, I have the output to a LCD, the date and time, ORP, pH and temp. Salinity is on hold. I also have to order another 5V Power supply to run the ORP and pH at the same time, although I may try them both on the same PS and see what happens.
The DIY Kalk stirrer has been working very well. Soon I will have to add more Kalk to it. I also changed out the to seal for a rubber o-ring. The gasket fell apart once I added water. I will try to take a pic at some point so you can see it in action.
The only testing I have left is to set the time for the actual sunrise/sunset. So far I have simulated it in a 5 minute time window. Then I add a battery backup to keep the clock and my system will be up and running.
Here is a pic of the output on the LCD:
Here a pic of all of the wires:
I plan to enclose them all in the following box:
pH/Salinity and ORP circuit boards have been soldered. They are below. Now I am just waiting on the probes, They should ship next week. I received all of the LEDs, the U chennel and the fans, now I just have to find the time to build.
pH/ORP before soldering:
pH/ORP after soldering:
Salinity before soldering:
Salinity after soldering:
Great project.
Do you have the eagle files for this boards?
And part list?
Thanks in advance!
cyrusthevirus
New member
Let me see if I can find them.
Thanks!!! :thumbsup:
liquidarts
New member
yes....thanks...
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