Friar's 4 gallon Finnex - R.I.P.

[metrokat]

what

[brandon429]

If Kat offered you six thousand dollars for the crab it would be sold. we just need to find a better middle ground. kat offer him six bucks and that dead brain coral skeleton we mail around to everyone.

[friar1]

 

 

Sigh, sorry Kat, until I find another crab willing to take on this job, I will probably not be giving him up, however, If he grows too much, wellllll, that's another story. Oh and to ease the pain a little, we are expecting snow here in the next couple of days!

[friar1]

Ok so, here are my two new LED drivers. Man! I cannot believe how small these things are. Yes you need a power supply, but also, these were only 11 dollars each!

 

 

So now, I need to get some more Arduino parts.

[metrokat]

[friar1]

And here is the first Experiment with the Ardiuno Uno board and the new Mean Well LDD LED drivers. Using the Arduino to output a Pulse-Width Modulation or PWM signal to the driver and A Potentiometer to control the Duty cycle, the LED's had a good smooth fade and with this driver will fade to 0%, off all the way. Now, this was not MY brilliant Idea but the ideas of many in the reefing community, including those from this thread at Reef Central a very comprehensive log of a variety of projects using the Arduino controller platform and these new Mean Well Drivers. Here is the experiment:

 

 

Here is a sketch for the Arduino too: for doing this fade experiment.

 

// these constant variables store the pin numbers
const int ledPin = 9;
const int knobPin = 0;

// these variables store the values for the knob and LED level
int knobValue, fadeValue;

void setup() {
// initialize the serial port
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
// read the value from the input
knobValue = analogRead(knobPin);
// remap the values from 10 bit input to 8 bit output
fadeValue = map(knobValue, 0, 1023, 0 , 254);
// use the input value to fade the led
analogWrite(ledPin, fadeValue);
// print the input value to the serial port for debugging
Serial.println(fadeValue);
}

[friar1]

So why did I do this experiment? Especially when there are ready made diagrams and code for this kind of application? Well, for one thing, I wanted to be sure I understood how this new driver worked and if I could apply to it code that was intended for a simple LED fade using only the Uno board. The plan is to eventually hopefully incorporate. even an IR Remote control to fade up and down the various strings of LEDs from my couch. I won't be able to do this without some custom code, so I need to understand how the different parts of the code work.

And no, I am not a programmer, might make it easier if I was lol. However I have been a tinkerer from my youth, so this is also just fun to do.

Next step is to substitute an IR remote system for the pot..... updates to follow.

[Builder Anthony]

Look into photocells theres some videos on youtube.those boards are pretty powerful and theres tons of otther thi gs to do with them.

[friar1]

Oh Yeah Builder A, have done the experiments with the photocells, youre right, this is one powerful little board. Combine it with the new LDD drivers from Mean Well and you have the makings of a great Pico Light Controller. In the end, it will probably cost me as much as one I could buy premade, but this way, I get to customize it to my liking.

[friar1]

Well,

 

It looks like we are going to move. 20 minutes away. Larger house (Ooooohhhhhh, dream 15 gallon tank...) this will have an impact on the speed in which I can build my new lighting fixture, but it also means I can plan for a larger fixture now. One to go over a 17 gallon Mr Aqua tank, although... I really like the cadlights 15 gallon. But there is more room in the 17 gallon, but I don't want to tear down the 4 gallon finnex because I want to let it continue to grow out.... decisions decisions. Monthly payments will be higher, plus more to travel to work! Arrrrggggg! Oh well, I guess i will just build a small replacement LED fixture with the neato Arduino timer I found in another forum site for the 4 gallon Finnex.

 

Crabby has Decimated the Gelidium algae. There is very little left on my rocks. Good Crabby!

[metrokat]

I had to peroxide my gelidium during the tank move. I wouldn't have to do that if I had your good crabbie you know.

[friar1]

Well,

 

If you had my Crabbie, Kat, my gelidium would still be there. I have a ric I bought a while ago, that has never grown. I think the gelidium came with it. Now it is all inflating and looks so much better now. So Crabbie Stays, sorry! Plus, I understand that emeralds tend to get lazy if they have an abundance of fish food to munch on.

[friar1]

I hate to be selfish, but you know when you find something that works..... You stick with it. Sorry

[metrokat]

what did I miss?

[friar1]

Nothing, just that you won't be getting my emerald crab anytime soon. Probably wouldn't do you much good anyway.

[metrokat]

why what happened?

[friar1]

Oh, so I have read that those with fish in their tanks don't have very good results with emeralds because they tend to eat the leftover fish food and not algae. Just sayin'

[metrokat]

Oh, so I have read that those with fish in their tanks don't have very good results with emeralds because they tend to eat the leftover fish food and not algae. Just sayin'

You might be right. And I feed heavy, well, mostly coral foods but I'm sure he gets a lot to eat regardless.

[SgtBhaji]

Nothing, just that you won't be getting my emerald crab anytime soon. Probably wouldn't do you much good anyway.

My Emerald has just found a taste for Xenia... Can't say I'm too impressed since I like my blue that barely grows. *shakes fist*

 

I may need to pimp him out for Xenia cleanup before it starts eating other corals... Either that or cultivate Xenia for it.

[friar1]

The last emerald I had only attacked my Duncan and my zoas. it is definitely hit or miss with these guys

[friar1]

So to update, still have some GHA hanging around. Funny, Bryopsis Gone! Gelidium, Gone! GHA... still here. Crabs are finicky. Also I have noticed at night a little more aggressiveness from the candycane corals and the neon brain, never seen sweepers this long before. The Candy Cane is bugging the Duncan a lot at night. During the day though, Duncan has no problem. The Brain is sweeping one Very Long one at night also, but he is not near anyone else so.....

 

I think after the move, if I can afford it, I will progress farther towards a 17 Gallon Mr Aqua with an AC 70 or 110 with Stevie T's Media Baskets. If I can afford to do that. It might take awhile though.... I think money will be a little tight for awhile!

Of course though I am going to keep my 4 gallon. Want to see how long I can keep it going!

[brandon429]

Im proud of you its been going a long time really nicely.

[lljdma06]

I'm floored that you only feed this twice a week. I've no such luxury with nps.

 

This tank is very cool. I like the layout and the trumpets look great.

 

Good luck with the move. I've had to move tanks. No fun. At least picos are portable.

 

L

[friar1]

Thanks llj

I don't even feed twice a week anymore, maybe once a week.

 

Thanks for looking!

[friar1]

Looks like Crabbie either molted or died. Can't tell which. Saw the shell (or dead Crabbie) upside down being attacked by the mini mini colony. Then next thing I know, the brittle star (Briley) made off with the shell (or dead Crabbie) I guess I will have to wait to see if he re-appears.

 

The Trumpet coral is growing like crazy. Every time I look at it there are more mouths. I have to move him to where the Acans are and get the Acans to the sandbed.