reef-pi :: An opensource reef tank controller based on Raspberry Pi.

[bishoptf]

Chiller needs to be higher than heater thresh. For example, if your heater kicks in under 78 deg, you don’t want your chiller kicking in above 77 deg, because then the two devices would be fighting each other.

I think at some point I was having trouble with that feature and it ended up being that I needed to use PC web browser instead of my phone.

Yeah thats kind of what I figured out but thats not how I use the temp controller. I use the thermostats in the heaters and set the heater threshold higher up to use as a fail safe in case the thermostat sticks. All I was wanting is to control the fan when the temp reaches a certain temp and then cut it off when it reduces to a certain temp. Using the heater and chiller controls the relay is basically controlling the heater and I was trying to avoid that to keep the cycles off the relay. Wondering if there is any other way of doing it.

 

[Ranjib]

Yeah thats kind of what I figured out but thats not how I use the temp controller. I use the thermostats in the heaters and set the heater threshold higher up to use as a fail safe in case the thermostat sticks. All I was wanting is to control the fan when the temp reaches a certain temp and then cut it off when it reduces to a certain temp. Using the heater and chiller controls the relay is basically controlling the heater and I was trying to avoid that to keep the cycles off the relay. Wondering if there is any other way of doing it.

It’s exactly what @DanTheReefer mentioned. If you don’t want reef-pi to control the heater (turn off ) when fan is on , then declare another temperature controller with the same sensor and use it to control only the chiller.
but this also means that you will run both heater and fan at the same time . But I assume that’s ok as the heater will internally shut off due to its internal thermostat , even if reef-pi keeps it on

 

[SilverBulletPRN]

It’s been couple of years since we moved in to the new house , and now the home related work is settled (it’s never finished ). I am taking this opportunity to get back to my original goal, to have more tanks.

I was pondering for some time .. on specifics of individual tanks . And was thinking of slowly setting up them one by One . But then I realized I have all the equipment , I just finished rebuilding whole bunch of old reef-pi controller with shiny new parts , and I have the tank and dry rock sitting idle . So why not just start cycling those . Here is what happened next
My next pico (calling it my son ‘s as he is the one choosing the corals , doing some of the chores ) . Started early Jan

the next one started late March is the repurposed Red Sea reefer ato container . This one does not have any controller , it’s mostly to see keep those rocks alive . As I was mentioning , I have not decided yet on what to keep in it yet.

The only current resident

kickstarted my first biocube back again last month

and here is the last remaining pico tank that was not sitting idle

These new tanks join the family with the older pico . One of them is pretty much same for past 3 years

the other old pico was being neglected . I took time to de-clutter it and bring some softies back. I’ll decide later what to do once the softies grow larger. I intend to transfer some in biocube .. but there should many other options

A lot of options to experiment with things now. I plan to slowly start experiment with different type of controller functions with this . I have already started with various lights .. will keep you all posted . Follow my build threads for any of the tank specific information

how did you attach that frag to the back wall? it looks great

 

[bishoptf]

It’s exactly what @DanTheReefer mentioned. If you don’t want reef-pi to control the heater (turn off ) when fan is on , then declare another temperature controller with the same sensor and use it to control only the chiller.
but this also means that you will run both heater and fan at the same time . But I assume that’s ok as the heater will internally shut off due to its internal thermostat , even if reef-pi keeps it on

Yeah thats what I was thinking but I wasn't sure how to leave the heater control settings but it finally came to me. What I would like to do is is have the fan come on when the temp raises by 1 deg, can I use hysteresis to make that work. For example, id like the fan to come on when the temp hits 79.5 and lower it buy 1 degree, so take it back down to 78.5 and then turn off, rinse and repeat. Looks like I need to wore some fans up that I can play with the speed, if I can get the right speed then I can just leave them on, but right now the fan drives the temp low enough to where the heaters kick on and trying to avoid that.

Thanks

 

[Ranjib]

how did you attach that frag to the back wall? it looks great

I just used ic gel . Btw , I have also glued the same cyphastrea in my 65g Red Sea reefer and it took off :/) , love it

 

[Ranjib]

Yeah thats what I was thinking but I wasn't sure how to leave the heater control settings but it finally came to me. What I would like to do is is have the fan come on when the temp raises by 1 deg, can I use hysteresis to make that work. For example, id like the fan to come on when the temp hits 79.5 and lower it buy 1 degree, so take it back down to 78.5 and then turn off, rinse and repeat. Looks like I need to wore some fans up that I can play with the speed, if I can get the right speed then I can just leave them on, but right now the fan drives the temp low enough to where the heaters kick on and trying to avoid that.

Thanks

Keep us posted how it performs . I have used fan and heater together before but with a single controller and the heater was controlled by reef/pi with heaters internal temp set to higher (83)

 

[SilverBulletPRN]

I just used ic gel . Btw , I have also glued the same cyphastrea in my 65g Red Sea reefer and it took off :/) , love it

hmm I'll give IC-gel specifically a try. I've been trying to make it stick only to find it fall off a few days later lol

 

[Ranjib]

hmm I'll give IC-gel specifically a try. I've been trying to make it stick only to find it fall off a few days later lol

they do chip off easily, and i think if they dont grow on the new vertical surface they might fall off , the pre-existing frag thats glued is almost always less stable because the glue does not stick to the backwall very well (or it chips off very easily). I was lucky that the frags grew relatively quickly for me, and the new growth provided that stability. But still i was able to chip off the entire colony from the other pico to kick start the back wall for my 65 G.

 

[InactiveAcct]

Yeah thats what I was thinking but I wasn't sure how to leave the heater control settings but it finally came to me. What I would like to do is is have the fan come on when the temp raises by 1 deg, can I use hysteresis to make that work. For example, id like the fan to come on when the temp hits 79.5 and lower it buy 1 degree, so take it back down to 78.5 and then turn off, rinse and repeat. Looks like I need to wore some fans up that I can play with the speed, if I can get the right speed then I can just leave them on, but right now the fan drives the temp low enough to where the heaters kick on and trying to avoid that.

Thanks

Recommend having pi control heater and having the heater’s internal thermostat as the fail safe

 

[Matt Carden]

Does anyone know how to source raspberry pi at msrp prices? Amazon is selling zeros for $80 and 4s for $160!

 

[bishoptf]

Does anyone know how to source raspberry pi at msrp prices? Amazon is selling zeros for $80 and 4s for $160!

Adafruit is getting pi4's almost weekly, here is where I get updates from - https://rpilocator.com/?country=UK,US and I have been able to snag a few. Zero's w2 are still hard to come buy but they do pop up now and then, most I have purchased from the UK, shipping is a little higher but not to bad. Couple ways of doing it I use the RSS feeds and get notified.

 

[Matt Carden]

I built a diy led display light using meanwell 3 way dimmable to off power supplies. Is it possible that feedback from the control wires could have caused damage to the controller?

 

[Matt Carden]

Adafruit is getting pi4's almost weekly, here is where I get updates from - https://rpilocator.com/?country=UK,US and I have been able to snag a few. Zero's w2 are still hard to come buy but they do pop up now and then, most I have purchased from the UK, shipping is a little higher but not to bad. Couple ways of doing it I use the RSS feeds and get notified.

I didn't find one on that website but I tried Adafruit and they had a pi 3 so I got one thanks!

 

[reyokonova]

is the robot tank system still the best option to use reef pi? if you don't want to do a lot of soldering and breadboards? where are the only salinity and or probes? and one final thing I can't seem to find one of the pi units that is recommended anyone tried one that is not on the list of pi's to use with Robotank?

 

[InactiveAcct]

@Schreiber wondering if Leviathan 1.1 ORP can be used as Ph. I have your original leviathan, it looks like the main difference is we don’t need to BYOBuckconverters?

 

[Sral]

is the robot tank system still the best option to use reef pi? if you don't want to do a lot of soldering and breadboards? where are the only salinity and or probes? and one final thing I can't seem to find one of the pi units that is recommended anyone tried one that is not on the list of pi's to use with Robotank?

Personally, I'm making a DIY ReefPi Build since I do get off on doing these things. Saying that however, if I ever set up another system I would go for RoboTank. Simply costs too much money and time to DIY it. Up until now I easily spent well above 1000$ and 100h on equipment, planning and soldering. If you are not prepared to do that, I can absolutely recommend checking out Robo-Tank. There is also the Leviathan board, but there have been issues with support there. It's cheaper and smaller scale though.

Similar threads about sourcing some PIs and Alternatives:

Alternatives to Raspberry pi Zero for Reef-pi

Hi all, As title says. I want to build another controller for my pico tank (I already have reefpi installed on a Raspberry pi Zero and Robotank hardware in my 32g) but the Pi Zero now goes for 60$ (!!) in Europe. Do you know if the pico can run reefpi? or it has not enough ram? Any cheaper...

www.reef2reef.com

Raspberry Pi alternative

Are there any confirmed Raspberry Pi alternatives that work without a ton of modifications? It looks like without paying $150+ or waiting until mid 2023 I won't be able to get a pi board.

www.reef2reef.com

They also contain some links where you can get PIs for MSRP if you wait a bit.

 

[elysics]

Personally, I'm making a DIY ReefPi Build since I do get off on doing these things. Saying that however, if I ever set up another system I would go for RoboTank. Simply costs too much money and time to DIY it. Up until now I easily spent well above 1000$ and 100h on equipment, planning and soldering. If you are not prepared to do that, I can absolutely recommend checking out Robo-Tank. There is also the Leviathan board, but there have been issues with support there. It's cheaper and smaller scale though.

Similar threads about sourcing some PIs and Alternatives:

Alternatives to Raspberry pi Zero for Reef-pi

Hi all, As title says. I want to build another controller for my pico tank (I already have reefpi installed on a Raspberry pi Zero and Robotank hardware in my 32g) but the Pi Zero now goes for 60$ (!!) in Europe. Do you know if the pico can run reefpi? or it has not enough ram? Any cheaper...

www.reef2reef.com

Raspberry Pi alternative

Are there any confirmed Raspberry Pi alternatives that work without a ton of modifications? It looks like without paying $150+ or waiting until mid 2023 I won't be able to get a pi board.

www.reef2reef.com

They also contain some links where you can get PIs for MSRP if you wait a bit.

I've spent my fair share on tools for this as well, i love buying tools, but what did you buy to break $1000 ? A high end oscilloscope?

I wouldn't say $1000 is what the average person needs to spend to do this diy, more like 300-400 or something

 

[Sral]

I've spent my fair share on tools for this as well, i love buying tools, but what did you buy to break $1000 ? A high end oscilloscope?

I wouldn't say $1000 is what the average person needs to spend to do this diy, more like 300-400 or something

As far as I know low end lab oscilloscopes start at something like 1000$ ^^

I can share a list at my Build thread if you like
Ordered almost everything on digikey, maybe that was the mistake. Possibly should have looked around, but then again, doing so costs time and time is money ...

 

[elysics]

As far as I know low end lab oscilloscopes start at something like 1000$ ^^

I can share a list at my Build thread if you like

Always open to suggestions for more toys

 

[robsworld78]

is the robot tank system still the best option to use reef pi? if you don't want to do a lot of soldering and breadboards? where are the only salinity and or probes? and one final thing I can't seem to find one of the pi units that is recommended anyone tried one that is not on the list of pi's to use with Robotank?

Any Pi with a 40 pin header will be ok with the controller and should be ok with reef-pi as well. I do have some Pi Zero 2 W's however only with the full kits as I had to overpay for them and only way to absorb it was in the full kit.