Nixu's Aquarium setup (Work in progres)

[Rob F]

This is what I have for the Atlas Scientific circuit settings, here you can set the KH value and turn on/off the different circuits and calibrate. Anything else I'm missing?

[Rob F]

Hello Niksunen, a great feature!
A long time ago (about one year) I wrote Rob to integrate this feature to control CO2 and the PH value.
But Rob is very busy with the development of the controller, so the feature stands at the end of the to-do list.
It would be optimal if there were a page on which the PH probe can be calibrated (3 point calibration), the KH value can be entered, and an upper and lower PH value or a CO2 value can be specified.
Then there is missing the possibility to switch the CO2 on and off at a shedule in depending of the PH-value (at night the plants do not need CO2) and an alarm if something is wrong.... and the luxury variant which weighs the CO2 consumption.

I hope Google has translated all this correctly ;-))

There going to be. I ask Rob if he are planning to do it, and if not i do. But he says that it is he's to-do list and are coming at some point :) 

And that is great idea to add kh value somewhere in same screens with that calibration functions :) 

"Then there is missing the possibility to switch the CO2 on and off at a shedule in depending of the PH-value (at night the plants do not need CO2) and an alarm if something is wrong.... and the luxury variant which weighs the CO2 consumption."

if i understand this correctly. There is this feature allready. I dont remember which update (maybe 3.10 ?) bring this function. I use it and works fine :) 

I also used it to start air pump and make air bubbles in tank (in night time) if ph is too low, so co2 "vaporate" aquarium quicker and ph is not go too low and harm fish

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Nope i remember wrong, it was version 3.0 update which brings those custom rules.  https://www.robo-tank.ca/forum/Thread-Ro...0-is-Ready

Do I have this correct, there is no need to add co2 value to custom rules as you can control it using ph? If so, wouldn't that also mean you wouldn't need it for alarms as you could use ph?

[niksunen]

Hello Niksunen, a great feature!
A long time ago (about one year) I wrote Rob to integrate this feature to control CO2 and the PH value.
But Rob is very busy with the development of the controller, so the feature stands at the end of the to-do list.
It would be optimal if there were a page on which the PH probe can be calibrated (3 point calibration), the KH value can be entered, and an upper and lower PH value or a CO2 value can be specified.
Then there is missing the possibility to switch the CO2 on and off at a shedule in depending of the PH-value (at night the plants do not need CO2) and an alarm if something is wrong.... and the luxury variant which weighs the CO2 consumption.

I hope Google has translated all this correctly ;-))

There going to be. I ask Rob if he are planning to do it, and if not i do. But he says that it is he's to-do list and are coming at some point :) 

And that is great idea to add kh value somewhere in same screens with that calibration functions :) 

"Then there is missing the possibility to switch the CO2 on and off at a shedule in depending of the PH-value (at night the plants do not need CO2) and an alarm if something is wrong.... and the luxury variant which weighs the CO2 consumption."

if i understand this correctly. There is this feature allready. I dont remember which update (maybe 3.10 ?) bring this function. I use it and works fine :) 

I also used it to start air pump and make air bubbles in tank (in night time) if ph is too low, so co2 "vaporate" aquarium quicker and ph is not go too low and harm fish

---

Nope i remember wrong, it was version 3.0 update which brings those custom rules.  https://www.robo-tank.ca/forum/Thread-Ro...0-is-Ready

Do I have this correct, there is no need to add co2 value to custom rules as you can control it using ph? If so, wouldn't that also mean you wouldn't need it for alarms as you could use ph?

This is kind of matter of view :D Yeah control only with ph is enough (for me atleast, i don't know what other says :D ) And alarms, yes you can use ph alarms and set it to go off if ph drop too low. But if somebody want, using co2 level works also. 

 Concentrations of approximately 15-25 ppm / mg/l of CO2 are generally considered good for plant growth and safe for fish. Values above 25  ppm CO2 may cause some difficulties with fish, but many have reported no ill effects to their fish at levels of 30 and 35 ppm. 

I personally going to use only ph alert, and only want to view co2 value. But this is also matter of view :D

[Rob F]

I can see how it could make more sense for some, instead of using ph they could use co2 but technically if the same not sure. What do you think Roland? I updated the image above to show extra settings for KH value type.

[ChrisC]

For those of us with reef tanks the ability to control CO2 based on ph levels would work nicely to integrate a CO2 reactor into the mix. Basically there is a second ph probe in the reactor that measures the ph and turn the CO2 on and off based on a range. For example: monitor the ph in the reactor and turn off the CO2 if it gets below say 6.3.

[Rob F]

This is good timing and can be done, if I understand correctly all it needs is another ph circuit and ability to create custom rules for it? Is there any circumstances where 3 ph circuits are required or only 2 typically? Also on this subject, would any of those other circuits need duplicates, for example ever a need for two conductivity probes?

[ChrisC]

For my application one pH in the tank and one in the reactor is all I would need. I don't know of a need for multiples of any of the other probes. There maybe others who could shed some more light on that question. Just thinking about it, would it be possible to give positions for X number of slots for probes and just define what kind of probe is in each slot?
That might complicate everything too much with calibration and display but it would be cool.

[Rob F]

Yeah just wondering your input, I know someone out there wants 4 or 5 of them. :) Just wondering for practical uses on a single aquarium. Ultimately I would like what you described and have thought about it but when I do it hurts with that display and all the settings. It would be difficult for everything, custom rules, managing data coming from controller as some circuits put out 2 and 4 pieces of data and the list goes on. I don't want to be tied up for months figuring everything out just for those circuits. It'll be easier to have code dedicated to circuits and then enable/disable that circuit and later I can hide different settings based on that.

[ChrisC]

I understand and completely agree. That would be a complicated proposition.

[rott]

I use a calcium reactor that has a probe in it that turns on a co2 tank to bubble threw corral rubble and basically melts it back down to its mineral form then drips that concentration back in to my tank so a c02 based on ph is good for reefers

[Rob F]

That's cool, sounds like a lot of people will be able to make use of two ph readings.

[roland33]

I think 2 PH sensors are enough ....
It would be verry comfortable if it is possible to show both, PH and CO2 on screen and also to have the possibility to use the rules for CO2 and PH value.
So you could observe the CO2 course better and regulate accordingly (whats happend in the night, or whats to do if the CO2 valve is hanging, etc...), this is easier than everytime calculate the other value by hand.

[Rob F]

Yeah I'm going to add co2 values to rules as well, like you says no calculating to do then.

[rott]

Rob I agree with Roland33 2 ph probes is enough for any tank people that say they need it for there sump also well I just don't believe it. With all the talk of Co2 being used here I know there are most likely 3 of us maybe 4 here using it. I am one, niksunen, and probably roland33 and Arne I think he is from Germany have any of you had you tanks be almost empty then the next morning it is totally gone when it should have at least another day in it? cant think of the word for it now but if Rob remembers anotherHobby from the old days. I think he was working on a fix for that so your tank wouldn't just dump on you when it got to a low pressure after having this happen to me and killing several Discus when my ph went to low 4's till the water could gas it off and yes the alarm did off with no one home to hear it

[niksunen]

Rob I agree with Roland33 2  ph probes is enough for any tank people that say they need it for there sump also well I just don't believe it. With all the talk of Co2 being used here I know there are most likely 3 of us maybe 4 here using it. I am one, niksunen, and probably roland33 and Arne I think he is from Germany have any of you had you tanks be almost empty then the next morning it is totally gone when it should have at least another day in it? cant think of the word for it now but if Rob remembers iAqua I think he was working on a fix for that so your tank wouldn't just dump on you when it got to a low pressure after having this happen to me and killing several Discus when my ph went to low 4's till the water could gas it off and  yes the alarm did off with no one home to hear it

How this even possible ?

Well i am such confident, that my setup is prevent that. When ph is going under that "line / value" which i set controller closes magnetic valve, so no more co2 going in tank. Also if ph start to drop still. It start air pump which makes water lots of airbubbles, and those help co2 dissolving / evaporate in aquarium water much faster. So it is good back up

[rott]

c02 dumping has been a factor in using calcium reactors in reef tanks for years where we also don't use bubblers :)

[niksunen]

c02 dumping has been a factor in using calcium reactors in reef tanks for years where we also don't use bubblers :)

Well i think this is easy to "fix" just add preasure meter / "probe" to co2 line. And reads it value to arduino. And if co2 preasure start get low / or too high it closes magnetic valve, and makes alarm to screen. I think you only need that little preasure meter, little wire and couple lines of code, so easy job to done :) 

I think i add it to my setup, but i want to know how much co2 is left, so i going to diffrent way, so that way i am going to use scale, to measure whole co2 set weight and so i can calculate how much co2 is left. And uses this data to show it screen, graphs, and send me email reminders that is time to change bottle :)

Edit, you can use like this psi meter http://www.digikey.com/products/en?mpart...00DP&v=568

[rott]

funny I did a Google search and the first one was planted tank and a guy lost all his fish so I guess it is fresh water also but it all has to do with your regulator after I got burned I spent a lot of money on a good one from a custom shop

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niksunen
that is a good idea

[rott]

having a probe like that would be good. I like the idea of the email when the c02 bottle is almost gone. some times I miss when it does run out and it sits empty for days till I notice from under my cabinet

[niksunen]

I started to do feature that i personally tought it good to have specially if you have kids etc :D

feature ask pin code when display has been idle for some time and it is touched (i use same settings than screensaver "timeout" currently) after that time is gone (i have 5 min) it just works like before. It leave you that screen where you are when it activates, and doesn't effect that in anyway. So everything Robo-tank settings works fine with it, it takes you back to home when you are set to to take you in robotank screen settings

Basically when "pinlock" feature is active you don't noticed it anywhere, (but maybe i can add little lock icon under date, next to ato, internet etc icons, what you think guys) before you touch the screen, then it opens screen where you have to put pin code and if it is correct, "pinlock" going to off and you can use display normally. And after that timeout (5 min idle) it locks screen again. If you don't enter pin it waits (currently) 15 seconds and bring you home screen and "pinlock" remains on, so next touch to display brings that screen back. So that disables possibility to change settings etc, so child (or anyone else) cannot mess it up (atleast if they don't know pin :D) But you can still see all values normally in homescreen, they update normally and whole controller works normally even if it "locked)

Feature is not yet ready, i just started to do it today, and because i have not spare set of arduino / display etc, i have to wait night time / or light pause, so i can update sketch to controller. So i continue today evening.

There is short video what i have working right now (currently there is not much to working, basic function to detect if locked and pin screen has numpad ready (but mayeby i take those buttons little bigger, what you think ? ) but no touch functions there yet, this is something i do today night when aqua goes to night mode)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE9CyASe-qw