Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 4:38 pm Post subject: DIY Aquarium Controller - Working and In the Tank Now !!!
Dear Friends,
After some major crashes and tank resets, i decided that i am in requirement of an Aquarium Controller (for Marine and FW)... and i Ended up with an Ardunio Microcontroller to be the brain of my System...
All materials are procured... and this shall be configuration:
1. 20X4 Blue LCD display to Display the parameters
2. POWER MODULE- Can control currently 16 power outlets (can increase to 64 if needed ) (turning them on or off based on time, or action).
3. FLOAT MODULE - Can take currently up to 16 float switch status (can increase to 64 if needed) to determine water levels of various tanks (sump, storage tank, RO tank, salt mix tank) for Automatic top off and Water change.
4. Got a Keypad - for changing the Clock, date, Settings of Alarms, setting time for lights, Setting the Power on or Power off for Power Module, turn on into Feed Mode, Water change mode etc.,
5. ANALOG MODULE - Can take 4 Analog inputs - to measure, PH, TDS, ORP and Salinity - currently only PH is operational.
6. TEMPERATURE MODULE - currently it is configured to measure 5 temperatures (2 of my tanks, 1 sump and 2 ambient temperature (room and outside)) but can increase this also to 16 if needed
7. MEMORY MODULE - to store the log of data of the tank parameters....
these are the basic configurations that i felt are enough currently with an option to increase them at will and wish if required!!!! .....
these are the processes the controller can perform (programmed and operational) :
1. Turn on and off 8 sets of lights based on timers.
2. Turn on and off 16 sets of Power Sockets based on timers - or based on action of the keypad
3. Turn on and off a certain set of power sockets in Feed Mode - this can be set using the Keypad and LCD
4. Measures PH and display within an accuracy of +/- 0.02
5. Measure and display temperature upto 2 decimals accuracy...
6. By pressing a button will take the whole system into Feed Mode - Motors, internal pumps and lights will turn off as per the settings for a specific period of time called as Feed mode time... this feed mode time is also using keypad and Display...
7. Automatic water top off based on two floats in the sump and 1 float in the storage box... if storage box is empty an alarm will turn ON to add more water.
8. Automatic water change by pressing a button in the keypad, using 2 floats in the sump and 1 float in the Water change box... again if water storage can is below the float in it, then Alarm will turn ON to add more water and water change wont happen.
9. When in automated water top off, it turns on another power socket so that we can use that to doze elements into the tank.
10. Based on the tank / sump temperature to turn on or off the Chiller power socket to to ON or OFF the chiller.. the temperature, turn on and turn off temperature can be set using keypad and display.
currently these are the features that i have thought off and finished off the programming.. and all modules are working on an individual basis .... have not combined all into one set... already designed the display box and all are set... the pictures will be up in a couple of days as my camera is DEAD!!! ....
after thinking a lot, and configuring this i found that most of the processes are for marine and literally all the options that are basically required for a marine are in here... still there are more automated processes that can be added...
so wanted the inputs from all hobbyists including Fresh Water Hobbyists as to what they would like this controller to do... so that i can do all the options ( to my possible knowledge of electronics and programming)....
also i have the following lined up:
1. to have the data log of all parameters for a period of 1 month, such as
a. how long each light is on since inception.
b. life of the MH bulbs.
c. Turn on and off of chiller, working time and off time of chiller on average.
d. temperature of tank and ambient temperature.
e. PH of tank
f. Water change amount on a weekly basis
2. To use the PWM in the controller to control Controllable pumps to make Waves in the water....
3. To have an Ethernet Contoller linked on to this controller to send periodic Emails/SMS about tank parameters.
4. To Have a Flood Alarm in case there is tank overflow.
5. To have a signal for current in water!!!! most important for people like me...
these are the things that i have thought off...
and i know that many people will be interested in the pricing, and i can just tell that all this was done with JUST less that 5 digits figure of money...
Kindly give your inputs, and kindly add as to what will be that you will be looking for....
take care
Pk[b]
Last edited by Perikaruppan on Sat Dec 19, 2009 10:41 pm; edited 3 times in total
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:35 pm Post subject: Re: DIY Aquarium Controller - WORKING!
Hi PK
The amount of customisation that you have thought about is incredible !!!!
As a DIY kinda guy, this interests me no end !
In tems of FW and planted tanks , I would want something like this .
1) Lights and CO to be on a timer
2) when lights are off the co2 needs to get shut off as well.
3) when the co2 gets shut off aeration needs to start.
4) shut off co2 when it reaches a predetermined saturation level in the waterwhich will give the plants the best kick off but not kill fish either. ( we always err on the side of not killing fish so there is a lot more potential for this.
5) Tell you when your filter flow rate falls below a threshold limit
6) I think madan was customising some ways of automating daily PMDD dosing as well , but not aware of how far the exercise had progressed.
You have covered all the rest that I can think of.
Joined: May 19, 2008 Posts: 1311 Location: Bangalore/Coimbatore
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Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 5:47 pm Post subject: Re: DIY Aquarium Controller - WORKING!
Fantastic :)
These might help:
1. For MH bulbs, a slight delay can be introduced before it is switched on in case of power failure
2. With minor changes to the code, you can include heater also into the temperature control section(you dont seem to have included a heater, sure you dont really need it, but you can include this too)
Really great that you have included data collection. Monthly data can give rise to some very interesting analysis.
Joined: Jun 16, 2009 Posts: 131 Location: padmanabhanagar, bangalore
Status: Offline
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:17 pm Post subject: Re: DIY Aquarium Controller - WORKING!
I was wishing someone to design such a micro processor.
Congrats and my best wishes for the success of the product.
See you can make it remote operated.
Hi PK
In tems of FW and planted tanks , I would want something like this .
1) Lights and CO to be on a timer
2) when lights are off the co2 needs to get shut off as well.
3) when the co2 gets shut off aeration needs to start.
4) shut off co2 when it reaches a predetermined saturation level in the waterwhich will give the plants the best kick off but not kill fish either. ( we always err on the side of not killing fish so there is a lot more potential for this.
5) Tell you when your filter flow rate falls below a threshold limit
6) I think madan was customising some ways of automating daily PMDD dosing as well , but not aware of how far the exercise had progressed.
You have covered all the rest that I can think of.
Regards
Bijay
Vijay, light and Co2 can be on the same timer... and we can use a regular solenoid valve to turn on and off the Co2...
clause 3 of aeration can be programmed into one of the 16 power sockets to turn on the aerator...
point 4, of auto shut off can be done reading the PH of the tank...
point 5 is not possible as the digital flow meter is freaking expensive...
point 6, yes i forgot to mention the automated dozing, similar to that of a peristatic pump used in marine dosing... got the motor of 10rpm but not gone deep into it...
will definitely incorporate all the above... and thankx..
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:41 pm Post subject: Re: DIY Aquarium Controller - WORKING!
Thanks tirta, hayath, nayak, aroop, kulsdood, alpha,…
Babu will include those too…
Not very keen on marketing it as my business line is into Construction!!!... and Tirtha I am electronics guy with an MBA in finance and into Construction for a living with Fish as my Hobby!!! So totally unrelated in all aspects!!!
On successfully getting it up and running might consider doing it on a small scale for IAHians who require it…
Posted: Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:59 pm Post subject: Re: DIY Aquarium Controller - WORKING!
Wonderful idea!! Every DIY of yours amuses me.
Is the LCD based on a HD44780 compliant controller? Can you please PM me the cost and availability in Chennai since I'm looking for a 16x2 for my PC.
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) (turning them on or off based on time, or action).
:
[b]
so there is a lot more potential for this.
.. ensure you copyright it 
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