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

[Ranjib]

One small feature that would be nice is individual hysteresis for heating VS cooling.

With the way heaters are silent, fans are not, heaters usually have a secondary control loop, fans do not, heaters are switched at mains voltage while fans are (or at least can be with reef pi) switched at 5v or 12v or whatever with a simple transistor or not much more, it would be nice to have a moderately high hysteresis for heaters and a much smaller one for coolers,or at least the option to do this.

Technically, it's already possible by just using two temperature entities on the same probe, one running heating, the other cooling, but that destroys the nice heater/cooler runtime graph in the dashboard.

Not a huge deal and not sure how many others even care, but it would be a nice little detail

Yes.

after using reef-pi for temperature control for more than 7 years , and recently benchmarking a lot of different heaters, I feel i Should use reef-pi only for failsafe . This is due to the fact that repeated on off causes more wear and tear on the heater and the relay. cou-Pe of my mechanical relays and one of the Kasa relays gave up. on the other hand the heater benchmarking data reveals some of them are very precise (cobalt neotherm for example ) while other show significant temperature swings (oase for example ) with their internal thermistor. I intend to go with neotherms for next builds and use reef-pi to monitor and intervene when things are out of bounds

 

[Sral]

I take it back, don't worry as I won't be using this light! Set it up to see what it's like and it's like having a disco in the tank and nowhere near the viparspectra. I thought the viparspectra had too much light leaking into my room......but this TMC branded zetlight makes it impossible to look at the tank from my settee.

I will just have to make some led changes to the viparspectra.

Thanks all and happy reefing.

Just for understanding: was the color distribution very uneven or was it flickering ? I’m guessing it was the first.

 

[geologeek]

Just for understanding: was the color distribution very uneven or was it flickering ? I’m guessing it was the first.

The colour distribution was all over the shop and far too much shimmer lines, it is literally like a disco with light flicking off in every direction.

Also TMC never bothered to get back to me with regards to how to control it in slave mode.......I could not figure out how it was controlled via the audio jack which had a negative, 24vdc and one other on the 3 way audio jack and I didn't know how it would allow the 3 channels to be controlled. It a mute point anyway as I really did not like the light output and it is like half the power of the viparspectra.

 

[Simonv92]

Hi all! there's a way to add some digital inputs to a Raspberry Pi with Reef-Pi? I've tryed with an AD1115 but it would be better to have a 0/1 input type.
Thank you very much!
Simone

 

[Sral]

Hi all! there's a way to add some digital inputs to a Raspberry Pi with Reef-Pi? I've tryed with an AD1115 but it would be better to have a 0/1 input type.
Thank you very much!
Simone

Analog Inputs via an ADS1115 can be made to work like that as well. There is a transformation formula field in the pH Tab. I'm pretty sure one can find an easy formula to convert the input to something resembling a two state system and then use the "raising" and "lowering" mechanisms. Something like:

sign(v-3.3/2)

might work, if the maths there knows the sign function and if the value from the ADS1115 is a voltage between 0 and 3.3. Otherwise you might use:

(v-3.3/2)/abs(v-3.3/2)

Again, might work if the maths knows the absolute function as exactly that.

All GPIO pins on the PI can be used as Digital Inputs. You establish the Inlets under Admin->Connectors and then use the ATO tab.

 

[Simonv92]

Analog Inputs via an ADS1115 can be made to work like that as well. There is a transformation formula field in the pH Tab. I'm pretty sure one can find an easy formula to convert the input to something resembling a two state system and then use the "raising" and "lowering" mechanisms. Something like:

sign(v-3.3/2)

might work, if the maths there knows the sign function and if the value from the ADS1115 is a voltage between 0 and 3.3. Otherwise you might use:

(v-3.3/2)/abs(v-3.3/2)

Again, might work if the maths knows the absolute function as exactly that.

All GPIO pins on the PI can be used as Digital Inputs. You establish the Inlets under Admin->Connectors and then use the ATO tab.

Thank you very much @Sral! I'll do some test, I already have an ADS1115 on my CPU Board so I'll give it a try!

 

[iamdan]

Got it. The mqtt issue happens only when settings are updated ? Or always after reboot or just randomly ?

always after reboot. Have to click on reload and then it works.

Also I see a lot of people having issues first setting it up, I managed to get around that issue myself by turning mqtt in but not configure anything, hit save and then reload and then I could configure it

 

[Sral]

always after reboot. Have to click on reload and then it works.

Also I see a lot of people having issues first setting it up, I managed to get around that issue myself by turning mqtt in but not configure anything, hit save and then reload and then I could configure it

That’s my standard for changing anything in ReefPi. Turn it on, save and reload

 

[Ranjib]

always after reboot. Have to click on reload and then it works.

Also I see a lot of people having issues first setting it up, I managed to get around that issue myself by turning mqtt in but not configure anything, hit save and then reload and then I could configure it

Is reef-pi configured to start after networking service ? The issue is very similar to WiFi based drivers, and should be easily fixable by configuring the systemd unit.

 

[iamdan]

Is reef-pi configured to start after networking service ? The issue is very similar to WiFi based drivers, and should be easily fixable by configuring the systemd unit.

Sorry for late reply just got back from working away, No I haven’t changed, was installed initially via robs script. How does one do this? I tried searching the forum threads but couldn’t find anything relevant

 

[iamdan]

Code:

[Unit]
Description=raspberry pi based reef tank controller
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
ExecStart=/usr/bin/reef-pi daemon -config /etc/reef-pi/config.yaml
WorkingDirectory=/var/lib/reef-pi
Restart=always
RestartSec=90
StartLimitInterval=400
StartLimitBurst=10


[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

As always I find something after I post lol

Is this the correct way?

 

[MikeSpike]

Hi. Using the latest reef pi with robo tank controller. I'd like to create a visual indicator e.g. flashing cabinet light when there is an issue e.g. raised temperature. I thought of using the temp controller to run a macro (master) which calls another macro (sub) that turns the light on waits 1 sec, turns the light off and then calls the macro master.
This does achieve the loop I want - but doesnt give me any escape route! Any alternative suggestions on achieving this.
Thank you

 

[elysics]

Hi. Using the latest reef pi with robo tank controller. I'd like to create a visual indicator e.g. flashing cabinet light when there is an issue e.g. raised temperature. I thought of using the temp controller to run a macro (master) which calls another macro (sub) that turns the light on waits 1 sec, turns the light off and then calls the macro master.
This does achieve the loop I want - but doesnt give me any escape route! Any alternative suggestions on achieving this.
Thank you

I think it's best to do this outside of the macro system. Like either use the filedriver and more complex logic outside of reefpi, or a simple signal line that goes to a microcontroller or low tech electronics that do the blinking effect, maybe mess with the esp integration

Easiest and simplest would probably be to buy a commercial 12v blinking light of some kind and solder in a transistor or mosfet somewhere. Maybe you'll find one with a control line already installed.

 

[MikeSpike]

I think it's best to do this outside of the macro system. Like either use the filedriver and more complex logic outside of reefpi, or a simple signal line that goes to a microcontroller or low tech electronics that do the blinking effect, maybe mess with the esp integration

Easiest and simplest would probably be to buy a commercial 12v blinking light of some kind and solder in a transistor or mosfet somewhere. Maybe you'll find one with a control line already installed.

Thank you. Don't know how to use the file driver - but will look into a micro controller. Perhaps a feature request for Macros going forward.

 

[dmsc2fs]

Hi. Using the latest reef pi with robo tank controller. I'd like to create a visual indicator e.g. flashing cabinet light when there is an issue e.g. raised temperature. I thought of using the temp controller to run a macro (master) which calls another macro (sub) that turns the light on waits 1 sec, turns the light off and then calls the macro master.
This does achieve the loop I want - but doesnt give me any escape route! Any alternative suggestions on achieving this.
Thank you

I don’t think you need it to flash. I have a red LED that turns on when my ATO needs filled. It is impossible to miss it.

 

[elysics]

Moving/varying brightness lights are way easier to notice than static lights, especially when you are not actually looking in their direction.

If you have an industrial design style to your aquarium room, you might even be able to fit in one of those 12v rotating emergency beacons. Now THAT will grab your attention

 

[Sral]

Thank you. Don't know how to use the file driver - but will look into a micro controller. Perhaps a feature request for Macros going forward.

Yeah, if macros worked as intended you could definitely do that. Personally I‘d probably try a macro that activates two timers, the first of which turns on an equipment-pin every 10 seconds (seconds 0, 10, 20, 30, etc) and the other one turning it off every 10 seconds, but on seconds 5, 15, 25, etc.

If that equipment pin is connected to the light, directly or indirectly, it would create that effect. Although if you do it with a relay it would strain the relays lifetime every time the light flashes.

[Amendment] currently I believe, activating a timer from a macro actually triggers the connected equipment, not the timer itself.

 

[Fish Fan]

Hi all! I'm sure this has been asked, so I apologize, but could someone please tell me how many tanks a single ReefPi controller can control? I'm considering a project that would be two IM Nuvo 15 gallons side-by-side, one would be a nano reef, but the other a freshwater planted. Could one ReefPi controller handle both systems, or do I need a separate ReefPi for each tank? I wouldn't need much for the freshwater tank, basically just the light, pump, heater and water top off.

Thank you for the help!

-Fish Fan

 

[Sral]

Hi all! I'm sure this has been asked, so I apologize, but could someone please tell me how many tanks a single ReefPi controller can control? I'm considering a project that would be two IM Nuvo 15 gallons side-by-side, one would be a nano reef, but the other a freshwater planted. Could one ReefPi controller handle both systems, or do I need a separate ReefPi for each tank? I wouldn't need much for the freshwater tank, basically just the light, pump, heater and water top off.

Thank you for the help!

-Fish Fan

I believe the only limit is typically how much equipment one ReefPi controller can effectively control, since there are only a limited number of pins available and extending those comes with its own problems.

Apart from that ReefPi doesn’t care how you spread out your sensors and equipment between two or even more tanks, as far as I’m aware.

The only problems might be sensor bus system limitations, like wanting several sensors with the same I2C address or wanting to use 6 DS18B20 sensors on one line. Somebody tried the latter and reported a lot of fails after a few months. There are workarounds for al of that though

 

[Fish Fan]

I believe the only limit is typically how much equipment one ReefPi controller can effectively control, since there are only a limited number of pins available and extending those comes with its own problems.

Apart from that ReefPi doesn’t care how you spread out your sensors and equipment between two or even more tanks, as far as I’m aware.

The only problems might be sensor bus system limitations, like wanting several sensors with the same I2C address or wanting to use 6 DS18B20 sensors on one line. Somebody tried the latter and reported a lot of fails after a few months. There are workarounds for al of that though

Thank you for your reply! I understand the Pi has some limitations. Do you think my project is doable, or would I be best with either two ReefPi builds, or simply manually maintaining the freshwater tank?

Thanks again!

-Fish Fan