Troutt's Reef-Pi Build

Bigtrout · Jan 8, 2019

Diamond1 said:
I'm pretty sure you can use any ph probe with a bnc connector but like anything else you get what you pay for. My understanding is double junction probes are better. They last longer and are not prone to drifting and they don't need calibration as often.
The proteins and metals in the water can cause a single junction probe to wear out faster than the double junction probes. I'm going to get a cheapo 15 or 20 dollar single junction probe from amazon for testing before I jump up to a 70 or 80 dollar Atlas Scientific probe.

I been spying the Pinpoint from American Marine, double junction probe, good reviews...35 bucks

Thing to remember is a ph probe is acting like a battery in the water to make a small voltage, like any battery they get depleted...so they do have a finite life to them. Cheaper but still accurate is where we want to be. We only need accuracy to .1 or .2 ph(saltwater guys chime in here)

Ranjib · Jan 8, 2019

@Roberto_b's ph boards are fairly small. They dont have holes for mounting with standoff, but theres some space so drilling should be possible. But the small factor makes it ok to just mount them via the bnc connector only

Bigtrout · Jan 8, 2019

Ranjib said:
@Roberto_b's ph boards are fairly small. They dont have holes for mounting with standoff, but theres some space so drilling should be possible. But the small factor makes it ok to just mount them via the bnc connector only

Im drilling mine into the side of my case which is pretty sturdy, and mounting by the bnc

Diamond1 · Jan 8, 2019

Bigtrout said:
I been spying the Pinpoint from American Marine, double junction probe, good reviews...35 bucks

Thing to remember is a ph probe is acting like a battery in the water to make a small voltage, like any battery they get depleted...so they do have a finite life to them. Cheaper but still accurate is where we want to be. We only need accuracy to .1 or .2 ph(saltwater guys chime in here)

I was under the impression that ph probes are passive and just record small electrical currents from hydrogen ion activity in the water column and not actually generating current. That's why stray voltages can cause bad readings. It's something to do with the amount of hydrogen ions that get absorbed into the probe that generate the current that the probe reads. More acidic (lower ph <7) and there are less ions in the probe and a higher ph (>7) = more ions in the probe.

So when the probes go bad does the solution in the probe get depleted or does the silver tip of the probe get contaminated and wear out or both?

I also don't think that .1 or .2 accuracy is going to be a problem, keeping the ph consistent, that's the bigger issue for saltwater.

Bigtrout · Jan 8, 2019

Diamond1 said:
I was under the impression that ph probes are passive and just record small electrical currents from hydrogen ion activity in the water column and not actually generating current. That's why stray voltages can cause bad readings. It's something to do with the amount of hydrogen ions that get absorbed into the probe that generate the current that the probe reads. More acidic (lower ph <7) and there are less ions in the probe and a higher ph (>7) = more ions in the probe.

So when the probes go bad does the solution in the probe get depleted or does the silver tip of the probe get contaminated and wear out or both?

I also don't think that .1 or .2 accuracy is going to be a problem, keeping the ph consistent, that's the bigger issue for saltwater.

Not sure on the wear issue, but I think its probably both. Heres a tidbit about how they work.

An acidic solution has far more positively charged hydrogen ions in it than an alkaline one, so it has greater potential to produce an electric current in a certain situation—in other words, it's a bit like a battery that can produce a greater voltage. A pH meter takes advantage of this and works like a voltmeter: it measures the voltage (electrical potential) produced by the solution whose acidity we're interested in, compares it with the voltage of a known solution, and uses the difference in voltage (the "potential difference") between them to deduce the difference in pH.

Read more here: its a good explanation
https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-ph-meters-work.html

Diamond1 · Jan 8, 2019

Bigtrout said:
Not sure on the wear issue, but I think its probably both. Heres a tidbit about how they work.

An acidic solution has far more positively charged hydrogen ions in it than an alkaline one, so it has greater potential to produce an electric current in a certain situation—in other words, it's a bit like a battery that can produce a greater voltage. A pH meter takes advantage of this and works like a voltmeter: it measures the voltage (electrical potential) produced by the solution whose acidity we're interested in, compares it with the voltage of a known solution, and uses the difference in voltage (the "potential difference") between them to deduce the difference in pH.

Read more here: its a good explanation
https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-ph-meters-work.html

Good article thanks.

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 8, 2019

Crap guys big interview today. Sitting here waiting nervous and it is making me have to pee. Good lord I hope I get this. This is a life long career if it happens for me!!

Diamond1 · Jan 8, 2019

Jonathan Troutt said:
Crap guys big interview today. Sitting here waiting nervous and it is making me have to pee. Good lord I hope I get this. This is a life long career if it happens for me!!

You got this.

Bigtrout · Jan 8, 2019

Good luck!

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 8, 2019

Thanks guys I appreciate it!

crusso1993 · Jan 8, 2019

Jonathan Troutt said:
Crap guys big interview today. Sitting here waiting nervous and it is making me have to pee. Good lord I hope I get this. This is a life long career if it happens for me!!

Sending good vibes and good luck... easy peasy!

Matt Carden · Jan 8, 2019

Good luck!

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 8, 2019

I got it!! Woot woot!

Diamond1 · Jan 8, 2019

;Woot;Woot;Woot;Woot;Woot;Woot;Woot;WootCongratulations!!!!! Looking forward to you LARGE tank build!!!!

theatrus · Jan 8, 2019

Jonathan Troutt said:
I got it!! Woot woot!

So what’s the new gig?

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 8, 2019

theatrus said:
So what’s the new gig?

Amtrak

crusso1993 · Jan 8, 2019

Jonathan Troutt said:
I got it!! Woot woot!

CONGRATULATIONS! Very happy for you and your family. I hope it's everything you want it to be.

Drinks on Troutt!

Jonathan Troutt · Jan 8, 2019

crusso1993 said:
CONGRATULATIONS! Very happy for you and your family. I hope it's everything you want it to be.

Drinks on Troutt!

Me too man. I have 2 generations of family history up there. So it almost feels like a way to reconnect with that past. Plus the money is amazing. At least it is for me compared to what I make currently

crusso1993 · Jan 8, 2019

Jonathan Troutt said:
Me too man. I have 2 generations of family history up there. So it almost feels like a way to reconnect with that past. Plus the money is amazing. At least it is for me compared to what I make currently

That family history is a pretty cool added bonus!

I do not know about Amtrak benefits these days but I do know they used to have stellar employee benefit. Hope it still is the case.

Sounds like you might have to move when you say, "Up there." Is this the case?

tankaholic · Jan 8, 2019

ScottBrew said:
Looking like progress is being made! The pi3b+ was redesigned from the 3b to run cooler. You may not even need the heatsink. From Raspbian, you can put the processor temp tool in your toolbar.

How does one do this?
I'm a pi noob
Also can you change time from military if so how?
thanks