Comments & Suggestions

[JCase]

Came across your software while looking into LED lighting control as I'm considering setting up my reef again.
When I was in the hobby controllers did not really exist. So while watching your GUI video I started making some notes  which I'll post below.

Then I started looking into controllers! You seem to have a lot of stuff covered and some to go yet.

Please note I'm not knocking you in any way. I root for the startups and underdogs. For example I'm also into Radio Controlled airplanes. I got involved about a year and a half ago with the Taranis controller, which is open source. A few of us got together to create a training website for the opensource operating system and how to use it. Its at OpenTx University I'm the admin/webmaster of the site. I have 25 years in the IT industry with over 10 years of that as an IT Project manager (PMP). I also dabble in electronics, not so much with fancy controllers like the the Arduino or the Raspberry Pi. I was licensed as an Amateur Radio Operator at the age of 12, therefore I love to DIY almost to the point of excess, where if I purchased a turnkey system I would have been $$$ ahead instead of building it.

I figure I'll do a bullet list of items I gathered from watching your GUI video and other thoughts:

• Random storms: I think it would be cool to have random lightning storms, where you can set the number per day, maybe even set the days they will occur. That way its a surprise event instead of something I set off. So if you set 4 storms per day from the time lights come on till they go off the 4 storms would happen at random times on the days specified.
  
• Simple wave action using powerheads, where you alternate the power on/off of each powerhead that would create random currents in the tank. I see in my recent searches they have fancy powerheads to do this but they seem expensive. Instead of that route incorporate some into Robo-Tank for a cheap solution. I'm thinking just power on/off
  
• Profiles: Not sure how realistic this is but maybe have saved profiles that you can recall. Save the entire setup under a profile that can be recalled, that way if you want to change around stuff you have an easy way back. Allow the profiles to be saved externally for backup in case of system failure.
  
• Logic: Include logic into various areas, one area might be dosing, when a probe reads x, perform y. Or maybe even logic for a chiller depending upon temp.
  
• If an outlet is not used, have an icon to assigned to it as N/A so on the home screen or elsewhere it shows N/A so the user knows it's not being used
  
• Logging: store values so simple logging can be performed using the GUI/web interface and or for download to use in Excel
  
• Sell a turnkey system that includes all the boards assembled and in a box so a user can just hook it up and go with very little DIY except the setup
  
• Sell probes to add to the turnkey system ready to go
  

I also took a look at your competition, the closest seems to be the Apex Controller, except for the web integration I think yours looks better. I think your working on the web stuff.

In my other thread I started you stated you sold 45 controllers. What was the time frame of the sale of the 45 controllers?

Maybe on the website recommend some lights that will connect right up to Robo-Tank. Or list what is required in a lighting system to be compatible.

I hope you take everything above as helpful and not criticism. I'm in no way criticizing your work What you've done looks great and I think it could make a great commercial product. That is why I asked about making some turnkey stock available.

I'm also curious what your (Rob) background is?

Thanks,
John

[Rob F]

Hi John, love the comments, some may say its criticism but I say its helpful. You being a ham operator says a lot. ;) I use to sell and service two-way radios so I know a ton of CBers and ham operators. I started in the business at 15 and was fascinated when I went to some of these guys places, antenans coming out of each corner. I didn't personally do anything with ham, as you know they do it all themselves. I played in the VHF and UHF frequencies, mainly for farmers and large companies. Did that for 13 years then I actually switched over and made a decent living on ebay for 4 years. Those were good days, no work and lots of money... I've always done my own thing jumping around, maybe one day I'll find something I can stick to. Right now I also have a contract with UPS, it works great with me doing this. The airplane thing sounds cool, I've been tempted lately to buy one, well a helicopter actually, they look they would be a lot of fun. I've always loved remote controls and bought a 70 chevelle that barely moved, I changed out the motor with the biggest I could find and got it doing wheelies lol... With an air born remote I'm worried about what happens when it all goes wrong lol.

I should know more about Apex then I do but the last year I've been focusing on what I'm doing, I know what I want so haven't looked much at the others available. For me this has been all about the display. Unfortunately that adds quite a bit to the cost but hey its worth it.

I started this about 2 years ago and opened up the store Sept 16, 2015 for business, since then I've sold the 45 controllers. I love everyone who has taken the chance with me, with the little info I offer they still jumped in. I realize there's lots I could/should be doing which would increase the sales I'm sure, but at this point its perfect so I do nothing but keep making the controller better. :) I'm almost there, I think its all going to come together nicely. I'm a determined person so I can't see anything stopping me now.

• Random storms: I think it would be cool to have random lightning storms, where you can set the number per day, maybe even set the days they will occur. That way its a surprise event instead of something I set off. So if you set 4 storms per day from the time lights come on till they go off the 4 storms would happen at random times on the days specified.
  

This is something I want to add, I'm going to try and tie in the power heads with the storm as well.

• Simple wave action using powerheads, where you alternate the power on/off of each powerhead that would create random currents in the tank. I see in my recent searches they have fancy powerheads to do this but they seem expensive. Instead of that route incorporate some into Robo-Tank for a cheap solution. I'm thinking just power on/off
  

I don't think the power heads would last long if they were turned on/off all day long. I have a cheap one and when it fires up it doesn't sound very good. I am working on a layout and settings for controling 4 of the newer digital power heads. I know they can get expensive but there are cheaper alternatives now. I just ordered 2 small Jabeo wp10's for about $80 so I can play.

• Profiles: Not sure how realistic this is but maybe have saved profiles that you can recall. Save the entire setup under a profile that can be recalled, that way if you want to change around stuff you have an easy way back. Allow the profiles to be saved externally for backup in case of system failure.
  

I like this idea, never thought of it. All the settings are saved to an eeprom so if you unplug the controller and put it away for 5 years it'll be exactly how it was.

• Logic: Include logic into various areas, one area might be dosing, when a probe reads x, perform y. Or maybe even logic for a chiller depending upon temp.
  

I'm actually getting ready to start doing these kinds of things. Here's a thread showing what I'm thinking.
https://www.robo-tank.ca/forum/Thread-Se...nd-Actions

• If an outlet is not used, have an icon to assigned to it as N/A so on the home screen or elsewhere it shows N/A so the user knows it's not being used
  

Another great idea

• Logging: store values so simple logging can be performed using the GUI/web interface and or for download to use in Excel
  

Hoping to have this over the web. This is difficult because the data needs to go somewhere and I don't want people relying on my server for it to work. Wheels are turning :)

• Sell a turnkey system that includes all the boards assembled and in a box so a user can just hook it up and go with very little DIY except the setup
  

Would love to but its not feasible at this time. Cutting those project boxes is a lot of work and I don't have a lot of money to throw into getting a truck full of pre-cut boxes.

• Sell probes to add to the turnkey system ready to go
  

Over time I hope to have everything but it'll be a while. Any money I'm making I'm putting it all back in the controller and I'll let what happens happen. :)

I appreciate the comments, if you have more post away. :)

[Benny314]

I'd like to chip in on the wavemaker bit.

The wavemaker on off thing is what most AC wavemakers are controlled by. It's normally a simple time adjustable relay that allows you to adjust the on off cycle of wavemakers built into a power bar. The issue is the wavemaker you use. The cheap ones often have a nasty knock or rattle whenever they start up (some will even start spining backwards sometimes) so cycling them on and off is annoying lol. Long term though it doesn't do any real harm turning them on and off.
As we have discussed before Rob. PWM controlled wavemakers like the jebao's are the better option, yes their controllers do some random modes, but you could tie the wavemaker into the storm cycle making the tank conditions get rough when the storm kicks in, or just have a preset cycle of a night mode, higher power for a period in the morning to stir up settled dirt and then a steady flow pattern for the day. You could also tie DC return pumps into the system as they're PWM controlled too, pausing or slowing intime with the feed cycle etc.

The profile presets is a nice idea too. You could have a holiday one that makes things more automated/changes how the warnings are sent and what they're sent for.

[Rob F]

I'd like to chip in on the wavemaker bit.

The wavemaker on off thing is what most AC wavemakers are controlled by. It's normally a simple time adjustable relay that allows you to adjust the on off cycle of wavemakers built into a power bar. The issue is the wavemaker you use. The cheap ones often have a nasty knock or rattle whenever they start up (some will even start spining backwards sometimes) so cycling them on and off is annoying lol. Long term though it doesn't do any real harm turning them on and off.
As we have discussed before Rob. PWM controlled wavemakers like the jebao's are the better option, yes their controllers do some random modes, but you could tie the wavemaker into the storm cycle making the tank conditions get rough when the storm kicks in, or just have a preset cycle of a night mode, higher power for a period in the morning to stir up settled dirt and then a steady flow pattern for the day. You could also tie DC return pumps into the system as they're PWM controlled too, pausing or slowing intime with the feed cycle etc.

The profile presets is a nice idea too. You could have a holiday one that makes things more automated/changes how the warnings are sent and what they're sent for.

Ah good to know, you would also want a solid state relay or bury these clickers deep. It'll be interesting to see how these small Jabeo's do. I got the smallest so I can actually set them on high and hopefully not disturb my plants to much.

For the powerhead control I'm hoping to go all out. It'll be the most customizable with all kinds of random things going on. It'll also work with a water pump so in the mornings you can have the powerheads stir up the debris and the water pump kicks in to suck it out. Someone was telling me one of the big players added this pump to work as team so I may as well add it. Maybe that was you telling me? I'm going to post some pictures of my idea in a few days to see if it passes.

[Benny314]

Yeah I'd said Ecotech's Vortech pumps have a muck stiring up setting, Ecotech have just released a line of DC pumps too. But as far as I'm aware Ecotech hasn't made a controller tieing both together and no one has set a controller such as apex up to run both wavemakers and return pumps to work together in this way. Might be possible with an apex, but I'm not sure. The sheer price of apex systems makes them not viable for me. This is Robo-Tanks huge selling point.

[rott]

after reading and being in talks of this on other forums because this is a very old topic sense the first stilo controller was released back a long time ago that most of the sudden stop and start does hurt the cheap power heads we use every day and shortens there life. I have no idea about the DC pumps there still to new..

I like the idea of profiles set it save it forget it make a bunch up then just use them as needed its a great idea

[Guest]

Profiles: ability to name them, maybe with comments. I know this part would be a royal pita having to also do the code for a keyboard. But maybe have it in the web interface for naming and comments.

[Rob F]

I have a 12v pump I'm going to tie in sync with the powerheads to see if it does any good. I'm looking forward to playing.

I've always wanted more custom name for different things, now I can do it using text files. I do like the idea of profiles and will get that in one day soon, I'll use text files on the SD card for the names. A person opens that files, adds the names and that's what the controller uses. I'm probably going to do that to a few other labels as well.