01-20-2021, 02:58 AM
Problems / challenges since last update - These are all with Reef-Pi it seems - and not with Robo-Tank.
I have experienced losing all my temp probes twice in the last two days. Re-loading or re-booting Reef-pi doesn't help. I have to hard power cycle the controller and they come back. A frustration for sure, and potentially a problem, because you lose all your temperature control as well. But if you use the alert function, you can get notified pretty much as soon as it happens and can attend to it.
On my previous controller, I have battled with pH and consistency in readings as well as getting constant strange spikes in readings. This continues with the current controller and I am yet to get to the root of the cause. I know some guys have reported interference from bad / cheap power supplies and replacing them has solved the issue. One guy pinpointed it to down to his lights. His problems started as soon as his lights came on. I thought I had a similar issue with my peristaltic pump on my ATO, but changing how that got power only partly resolved my problems. I did wonder if there was a difference between my previous board and the Robo-Tank pH board. Bottom line is I don't think there is a problem with either, but I do battle with probes holding accurate calibration and I don't actually trust the readings I get, but I do use them to track trends and I have a few things planned to try get better repeatability on pH readings.
Also, I have had a problem with the pH and temp graphs in Reef-Pi. For the last 28 hours or so, the latest time on my pH graph is stuck at 07H00 on 19 January 2021. If I go back on the graph, the latest reading re in an area of the graph about 10% of the way to the left of the latest position. Reef-Pi reports the latest readings correctly to AIO, so my graph there is accurate, but not in Reef-Pi. Yesterday my temps had the same issue, and I just deleted them and re-installed. I'm reluctant to do this with pH as I have spent so much time getting calibration correct. I may still resort to that though.
I used to run a Real Time Clock (RTC) on my old system due to a recommendation. We have fairly regular power cuts here in SA, and apparently it helps with Reef-Pi keeping track of the time when it loses connection to the Internet. It's a simple and cheap addition and I have the board already, so I am considering adding it back to the Robo-Tank installation. And while I'm at it, I have my stand-alone pH board from my old system, so I think I will add it and get an additional pH probe and run two for a while and see if I can pick up any differences and maybe try pin down any pH reading / interference or whatever they might be issues. Will also allow me to move things around and see if that makes any sort of difference to anything. From what I understand I just Daisy-chain them in the I2C connectors.
I have experienced losing all my temp probes twice in the last two days. Re-loading or re-booting Reef-pi doesn't help. I have to hard power cycle the controller and they come back. A frustration for sure, and potentially a problem, because you lose all your temperature control as well. But if you use the alert function, you can get notified pretty much as soon as it happens and can attend to it.
On my previous controller, I have battled with pH and consistency in readings as well as getting constant strange spikes in readings. This continues with the current controller and I am yet to get to the root of the cause. I know some guys have reported interference from bad / cheap power supplies and replacing them has solved the issue. One guy pinpointed it to down to his lights. His problems started as soon as his lights came on. I thought I had a similar issue with my peristaltic pump on my ATO, but changing how that got power only partly resolved my problems. I did wonder if there was a difference between my previous board and the Robo-Tank pH board. Bottom line is I don't think there is a problem with either, but I do battle with probes holding accurate calibration and I don't actually trust the readings I get, but I do use them to track trends and I have a few things planned to try get better repeatability on pH readings.
Also, I have had a problem with the pH and temp graphs in Reef-Pi. For the last 28 hours or so, the latest time on my pH graph is stuck at 07H00 on 19 January 2021. If I go back on the graph, the latest reading re in an area of the graph about 10% of the way to the left of the latest position. Reef-Pi reports the latest readings correctly to AIO, so my graph there is accurate, but not in Reef-Pi. Yesterday my temps had the same issue, and I just deleted them and re-installed. I'm reluctant to do this with pH as I have spent so much time getting calibration correct. I may still resort to that though.
I used to run a Real Time Clock (RTC) on my old system due to a recommendation. We have fairly regular power cuts here in SA, and apparently it helps with Reef-Pi keeping track of the time when it loses connection to the Internet. It's a simple and cheap addition and I have the board already, so I am considering adding it back to the Robo-Tank installation. And while I'm at it, I have my stand-alone pH board from my old system, so I think I will add it and get an additional pH probe and run two for a while and see if I can pick up any differences and maybe try pin down any pH reading / interference or whatever they might be issues. Will also allow me to move things around and see if that makes any sort of difference to anything. From what I understand I just Daisy-chain them in the I2C connectors.
Des
Durban - South Africa
Durban - South Africa
