arduino -- Aquaponic automation development

[Rik Kretzinger]

arduino's have a future in aquaponics in my mind.  Not many people talking about their use of arduino's and aquaponics.  Windowfarm groups are much more active with arduino's and control of systems.  I have just completed my auto mode function that I presented at Make:SF meeting featuring aquaponics in the Bay Area.  The auto mode function controls the following components:

 

water pump - controlled by relay with timer function for turning on and off when needed

media probe - determines water level in grow bed will cause water pump to shut off when needed

gravity feed valve -  drains grow bed after time period

float switch - controls water level in tank and protects water pump in case water gets to low in tank

start button - when pushed starts auto mode function LED lights goes from red to green for on

 

My media probe needs to be re-calibrated and I am moving to a new resistor configuration on this demo unit.  Once completed I will do a video to demonstrate the functionality and how the cycle performs.  I will next develop the KILL BUTTON function.  Then move on to 4 one-wire temperature probes and LCD display of options and temperature readings at request of user.

 

 

 

[Rik Kretzinger]

Vlad,

Here is the link for the OneWire Library that is the go to source for the One Wire. MAKE SURE YOU DOWNLOAD "OneWire2" all others are buggy.   I use it with ver 21.  I know that there are problems with a number of the Libraries when you upgrade to Arduino 1.  I have not seen any work with the "OneWire2" and reference to use with Arduino1, so be careful or you will encounter problems.  In the research I have done on this and testing (all my work on this can be found at www.rik94566.wordpress.com) it is best to go with external power configuration, as problems will be encountered running relays and long runs of DS18B20's (onewire device) as power drops and without the correct protection will blow out your arduino.

LINK TO ONEWIRE LIBRARY:

http://milesburton.com/Dallas_Temperature_Control_Library

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Thanks a ton for the link Rik, I'll give it a whirl and see what happens. I have not yet upgraded to Arduino 1...

Thanks for the 'heads up' on the long runs and such. I'll probably avoid using '1wire-mode' anyways (my interest in the sensors was that one was waterproofed already, not parasite power modes.., actually that's not entirely true as it would've been nice to be able to string something together (with less wiring) from one end of the greenhouse to the other...15 meters, but that probably isn't going to happen with this equipment ), especially with the potential for problems. (Would optically isolating the relays from the UNO provide a valid form protection)?

Thanks again for your time. Nice blogs (wordpress) by the way, very well done and quite helpful, they were in part what spurred me to go with this particular micro controller in the first place.  

[Rik Kretzinger]

Vlad --

Thanks for the nice comments regarding the blog.  It helps me gain a better understanding of how these things work and how to use them more effectively.    As for your point about the DS18B20's (one-wire) with external power I have found commercial products on the internet that use this technology and do lots of sensors and very long runs by hooking them together.  I found the products under "one-wire networks".  They are expensive in my mind knowing what I know now and I can build my own.  Took a year of learning, but totally do able now.  As for your point about optically isolating relays.  You are right on with it.  When I started playing around with this stuff there was not a lot of information about them or a lot of vendors that sold them.  Now things have changed.  This is the the only way to go.  Using them allows for extra measure of SAFETY to what we all are doing.  In my mind, any time we can improve on the mixing of electricity and water is always a good thing.  Since starting this journey I have always held the view to place SAFETY FIRST above everything else.  Optically isolating relays are the only way to go.  Keep you your good work, I love hearing about your progress.

[Panagiotis Kapsis]

Hi Vlad,

just try this.. I have use it with DHT22. Works perfect!    

http://www.ladyada.net/learn/sensors/dht.html

Vlad Jovanovic said:

Does anyone have advice on where to download a non-buggy version of the Dallas One Wire library (if this is in fact my problem)? One that they have used successfully as is...

I've gotten my DHT11 sensor working easily enough. Can also turn off/on various AC mains devices based on time intervals with relays and the Uno...but, couldn't seem to do anything with the Dallas probes, one wire 'parasite power' configuration or not. I've checked and re-checked my circuit, it's not the resistor, so I figured I'd start with the library since it would appear that there were so many 'problems' with the earlier versions?  DS18B20 are the probes in question. 

Thanks.

[Vlad Jovanovic]

Hello there...Thank you for the link Panagiotis, but my DHT sensor have worked great from day one, it was the Dallas sensors that were giving me headaches :)

Panagiotis Kapsis said:

Hi Vlad,

just try this.. I have use it with DHT22. Works perfect!    

http://www.ladyada.net/learn/sensors/dht.html

Vlad Jovanovic said:

Does anyone have advice on where to download a non-buggy version of the Dallas One Wire library (if this is in fact my problem)? One that they have used successfully as is...

I've gotten my DHT11 sensor working easily enough. Can also turn off/on various AC mains devices based on time intervals with relays and the Uno...but, couldn't seem to do anything with the Dallas probes, one wire 'parasite power' configuration or not. I've checked and re-checked my circuit, it's not the resistor, so I figured I'd start with the library since it would appear that there were so many 'problems' with the earlier versions?  DS18B20 are the probes in question. 

Thanks.

[Tom Behets]

Heya!

 

Just joined aquaponics community and stumbled on this.

I am doing the same, i already have temperate as an input, a beeper as alarm.

My arduino ethernet is connected to my local network. I am building a Drupal timer module, so i can set timings for controlling 8 electrical plugs over relays.

 

Further does my drupal module generate a forum signature banner with live stats from the arduino (and a live camera picture is planned).

 

What does the module do already now:

- switch relay on/off

- create timer day templates

- set a default timer day template

- set other timer day templates for specific days

- get current status of relay ports. (on/off)

- generate banner with stats of ports

 

todo:

- check each minute status of port and check if this is how it should be (if previous command failed, we have a failback a minute later)

- blocking bug, sometimes my arduino gets unresponsive

- get temperature and humidity of growtent and temperature of fishtank as stats, include them in banner

- grab screenhshot from camera hanging in growtent and integrate it in the banner

- create a way to overrule a status of a relay. (question: when to stop the overrule, till overrule is stopped, or when the next change in the day template happens?)

- make a dupal installation profile, so you just have to install a drupal site, enter some settings, and of you go...

 

I'll plan to opensource this and post it on gitub. But first i need to get some basics stable, and cleanup the messy prototype code :)

 

I am still looking for a good casing for this.

There is one

- arduino ethernet,

- 8-Channel 5V Relay Module Extension Unit Development board Microcon...

- 8 electrical plugs (maybe also integrated in the casing?

I'll post here when i have more news.

Cheers,

Tom

[Rik Kretzinger]

Tom -  all good stuff.  You have done a lot of work and moving to a very nice set-up.  Are you doing all the programing?  Open source code would help all of us here, as it seems the major draw back to advancing arduinos and aquaponics is the coding part.  Keep up the good work and we all learn as we work through all the systems and sensors that will lead to a strong knowledge base.   rik 

[Tom Behets]

Small update

I build the casing for the sockets and the arduino/relays from a rack lightswitch case.

Some pics:

Also, here is a screenshot of my webpage interface a quickly build in Drupal

How does it work?

A drupal site runs cron every minute and asks the arduino what the current state is of all ports.

This is compared to what is supposed to be running now and changes accordingly.

This way if the server running drupal crashes or the network has troubles it gets done maximum one minute after a connection has been made.

Ow and lastly, i installed a motorised IP cam right above the bell syphon, here is a short clip of us installing everything: https://sensr.net/clips/3064

I'll update when i have more work done...

[George Schreiber]

Hi,

similarly to you guys, I also saw Arduino as an inexpensive way of adding automation to my AP setup. So like many others, I also wrote an application for it...

But somewhat different than most other Arduino software you might find around: it requires no coding from the users (as long as supported hardware is being used) -- all it needs is configuration that can be prepared and provisioned to the Arduino from a website APDuino Online.

The first public version of the software has just been released (under GPLv3) this weekend and it is available from the APDuinOS Headless Downloads page.

It runs on the Arduino Mega 2560 + W5100 EtherShield hardware combo (as a basis) and supports a handful of sensors: 

* DS18x20 OneWire Thermal Sensors

* DHT-11, 21, 22 Temperature and Humidity Sensors

* BMP-085 Barometric Pressure and Altitude Sensors

* HY-SRF Ultrasonic Distance Sensors

* Vibration Sensors

* raw Digital and Analog pin readings (buttons, photoresistors, etc.)

also, a number of controls:

* Digital and Analog pin writes (leds, relays, etc.)

* RC-Switches

To automate controls, rules can be added and configured to do stuff like "start ventillation if temperature is above 30C" or "stop pump if sump has less than 20cm water in it".

Timers also supported (relative to the current bootup time, more cron-like scheduling is to be implemented).

All application logic is in the firmware, so even if your PC/internet goes down, it will keep polling sensors and executing rules - managing controls - in the aquaponics greenhouse (or other automated installation).

The application can log selected sensors and controls to SD-card and to various online log sinks, like Cosm. It also provides a HTTP interface for the device status - as on the attached picture...

More information is available on the  APDuino Project page -- Users' Guide, etc. -- work in progress...

Hope you'll find it useful!

Cheers,

George 

[Rik Kretzinger]

George -- got your comment on my blog about looking at your site.  I think there is some good work here and a grand idea to help people use arduino's for aquaponics.  The concept you are working at accomplishing is sound in my mind.  Would like to learn more about your strategy and implementation plan.  I registered at your site and poked around over the week.  Wanted to check out your new work that was up loaded.  Now I can't get back in for some reason.  Let me know what I need to do.  

Thanks

rik

[George Schreiber]

Hi Rik,

good to hear from you! I am going to check out your registration. FYI, the two sites (org and com) require different accounts. http://apduino.org  is the project page, and http://apduino.com is the online tool to configure and manage devices. An account for this later one is necessary, in order to use the applications.

Upon registration, you should have received an automatic email with a link to confirm your registration. Then you should have been signed in and should have been provided with instructions on how to get a device working. (Or your devices / claimable devices list, later on).

I just got home from work, will check out your account...

Best Regards,

George

[George Schreiber]

Rik,

I checked, you seem to have a valid (confirmed) account. I suggest you try to reset your password using this link and follow instructions in the automatic email sent to your email address (to be provided in the reset form).

 Let me know!

Cheers,

George