Vancouver Reefer Posted January 29, 2009 Author Share Posted January 29, 2009 With 4 buckpucks, 9 relays and all the other components i cant even fit the components in let alone start to route any! lol A solution to the problem is being worked on as i speak so hopefully all will be good. KDris: I like that circuit. I will have to have a play in a few weeks and see what accuracy i can get!!! Izzue: Thats not a reef controller lol, mine will be so much more cooler!!!! But thanks for the link!! VR Link to comment
Izzue Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 O Crap... I didnt notice the section I was posting in But I would like to say I was only making a point about the cost... RKE works fine for the average reefer...but Im sure the DIY will have much more functionality. Just watch the credit card bill. Reef ON Izzue Link to comment
evilc66 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 With 4 buckpucks, 9 relays and all the other components i cant even fit the components in let alone start to route any! lol A solution to the problem is being worked on as i speak so hopefully all will be good. KDris: I like that circuit. I will have to have a play in a few weeks and see what accuracy i can get!!! Izzue: Thats not a reef controller lol, mine will be so much more cooler!!!! But thanks for the link!! VR Split the brains and the brawn into two different boards. Doh! I'm sure Evil will think of something. Have you found a good circuit for the pH measurement yet. I've found this one which might be useful to you. http://www.66pacific.com/ph/simplest_ph.aspx I was looking at this circuit a while ago, but stopped persuing it after I couldn't find a reasonably priced PH probe. Seems nice and simple. Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 I managed to sort out the CAD problem so now im back on track. Im still thinking whether or not to have it all on one board or split it all up onto several boards????? The digital aquatics website is offering a PH probe at $40. Cheapest ive found so far VR Link to comment
mim37204 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 i'm guessing it's a glass pH electrode. ebay link Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 This is the one i was looking at: http://www.digitalaquatics.com/m_product_accessories.php Link to comment
mim37204 Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 how do you like your LCD so far? i'm having a difficult time trying to persuade myself out of trying to incorp this guy into my design. keep having to reminding myself "keep it simple" Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 3, 2009 Author Share Posted February 3, 2009 Looks a nice LCD. I think the arduino has code libs for it here, but i would do alot of research before buying it: http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Code/LCD The main problem with using something like that, is getting the code working. Unless your a whizz at programming in C, you may have problems trying to find help for it on the net. My 4x16 took some figuring out, but after lots of reading of other peoples code and tutorials i got it working fine. Yesterday i just finished programming the alarm interrupts for it, so if anything goes out of my set parameters, the arduino outputs to an alarm circuit and then changes the screen to show me if water temp too high, ph too low etc. If this is your first arduino/lcd project i would start off with a 2 or 4 line lcd and see how you get on. You could always then upgrade in the future once you have got the hang of it. Just my 2 cents worth! lol Keep us informed on how it goes!! VR Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 My project webpage has had an update guys, Check it out: http://richardorme1979.googlepages.com/home VR Link to comment
neanderthalman Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Looks like the arduino code is virtually identical to C. Probably just appropriated it in it's entirety. I don't know what it's using to output to the display, but assuming it's the printf function, as I recall, I think you can get the zeroes to show up in your date using code like this PRINTF(%2d/%2d/20%2d,day,month,year); It's been a long time since I did any coding, so there may be an error - other than the obvious Y2.1K bug Link to comment
evilc66 Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 It's almost C, but not quite. The structure and formating are the same as you have noticed, but they simplify the command structure to do certain common things, like serial output and pwm functions on the analog pins. There are libraries available that will let you code in straight C. Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 Your correct, the Arduino does work on something similar to C. Ill have a look into your line of code. Mine is working off lcd.print function so ill see if i can alter the code to suit. Hows the AWC going? no problems arisen yet? Looks like the arduino code is virtually identical to C. Probably just appropriated it in it's entirety. I don't know what it's using to output to the display, but assuming it's the printf function, as I recall, I think you can get the zeroes to show up in your date using code like this PRINTF(%2d/%2d/20%2d,day,month,year); It's been a long time since I did any coding, so there may be an error - other than the obvious Y2.1K bug Link to comment
Bamboozle Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Sweet! I've been thinking of doing my own controller via Arduino as well. Glad to see others are working on it too. It's lookin' good so far! Link to comment
neanderthalman Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 Your correct, the Arduino does work on something similar to C. Ill have a look into your line of code. Mine is working off lcd.print function so ill see if i can alter the code to suit. Hows the AWC going? no problems arisen yet? AWC's working just fine. Haven't had any issues whatsoever. Hopefully I'll be integrating it into the electrical panel soon - just need to scrape some money together. I took a few minutes to look up lcd.print. Found something called sprintf that looks to code similarly to printf, that's been used for LCDs. Might be useless, but just throwing it out there. Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 10, 2009 Author Share Posted February 10, 2009 Ahhhh Crap!!!! thats going to have to wait now!!! I was just moving components around on my protoboards to make room and i accidentally plugged my lcd into my +12v board instead of the +5v and now its dead Oh well going to have to get another and wait What a dumbass!!! Link to comment
neanderthalman Posted February 10, 2009 Share Posted February 10, 2009 craptastic! .....you could always take this one apart to see how it's built. Silver lining? Link to comment
isidro0 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 I've done that, fried the leds. I replaced them from a camera led backlight. Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 Yep only half the screen comes up with characters, the other half is just the white squares. Oh and i fried my 1307 RTC chip too!!!! Today has just been one of those days! I think i should give up as i cant even get a 555 to flash an led!!! I think its time for beer and let the brain heal!!!! Link to comment
evilc66 Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Wow. Rough end of the day. Link to comment
SmittyCoco Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Whatever you do don't give up !!! Innovation is costly. We are just glad you are the absorbing one. Thanks for all the updates. Definitly alot of intrested parties. Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 11, 2009 Author Share Posted February 11, 2009 There will be no giving up. Im really loving this project and its just leading on to more and more things to follow: sms or email notification of alarms. web page for real time monitoring . maybe a stepper motor based dosing pump system. But these are later down the line. The project may get a little slow though as i start my new job soon so i wont be home all the time to play on it. When im on the air ambulance roster i will gets lots of sitting around time which i can then use to play more. It will happen just be patient folks. Oh and i still have to buy all my tank etc yet so its not going to be on overnight thing. Im aiming for end of year for it all to be up and running. VR Whatever you do don't give up !!! Innovation is costly. We are just glad you are the absorbing one. Thanks for all the updates. Definitly alot of intrested parties. Link to comment
SmittyCoco Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Well It is a great project. I would really like to see some dosing pump implementation. As will you when you get your actual tank running and you are manualy dosing ! Link to comment
seiitiro Posted February 11, 2009 Share Posted February 11, 2009 Very nice project. I'm planning something like this here in Brazil. Here is a ph circuit Tiny pH-meter It needs a temp. compensation. Regards. Paulo Hanashiro Link to comment
jener8tionx Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I ordered my Arduino over the weekend and started brainstorming in a wiki at : Arduino Controller Project I plan on posting all the code/schematics I come up with and sources for electronics. I added a forum too so arduino as a reef controller can be discussed further. Let me know what yall think. Link to comment
Vancouver Reefer Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 Nice start so far. Keep us up to date on your progress. What kind of tank will this be going on? DO you currently have the tank setup or is this a start from scratch project like mine? VR Link to comment
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