Tank control...

[MickTheFin]

Ok, bare with me on this - I've just finished off a bottle of vodka, so while my best ideas are while I'm in this state of mind, I might not be the most comprehensible...

I'd love a complete control system that monitored and controlled everything in my tank from temperature, to ph, flow, lighting, reactors etc...

However, in the real world a single point of failure is a very bad thing. I like the way my lighting is totally separate from my calcium reactor. I like the way my tank heating works regardless of whether we've had a power cut or not.

Do people think aquarium computers are good thing or not? I mean, while they're a central component where everything can be monitored and controlled they're also a central point of failure... if they go down, everything stops working.

At the moment, I have an ATC800 that controls the temperture. The lights are on a timer. The pH controller monitors the calcium reactor... If any one of those fails, the rest of the system carries on without issue.

Now, I have a a degree in elecronics... To me, it's relatively simple to design a PC compatible control system that monitors/controls most parameters of a reef tank - but is it really necessary?

I've been thinking about some sort of control system. The easiest method would be, say a 16 channel ADC to a PC with the relevant relay board. But that would mean if the PC crashed/shut down etc, nothing in the tank would be controlled. Another method would be for the PC to download the control information into a micro-controller. While this would remove the dependency on the PC, most micro-controllers are serverly limited in the amount of code they can contain. I realise that the code needed to control a fish tank is small, but compared to what a PC could do, it's tiny...

Anyone got any comments, or is it best to have totally different systems for each component in the system?

Mike

[cl0wn]

agree with your point of having the computer responsible for your tank, how about just using it for monitoring your parameters, rather than controlling them, that way you would be in control and would be able to make changes as and when.

[ROB]

I would go for having the PC control non detrimental things such as lights dosing flow pumps and monitering levels and leave the heaters return and anything that can cause damage down to yourself,

Oh and I am trying to finish a botle of vodka:biglol: so mine wont make sense lol.

Rob.

[cl0wn]

i take it you've already seen markj's project?

http://www.reefcentral.co.uk/showthread.php/21549-NEW-Multi-DIY-electronic-project

[MickTheFin]

I have yes, but micro controllers always seem a little short on memory. I'd like any controller to be able to keep a record of tank parameters over a daily/weekly/monthly period. I guess you could do it on a micro controller with something like an SD card for storage.

However, I've had a rummage around my box of forgotten computer bits and come up with a 1GHz VIA C3 on a mini-ITX board along with an 8.9" SVGA touchscreen. Need to find a suitable box and I reckon this could be the ultimate controller.

Mike

[Mark J]

I actually thought about creating an all in one type controller, but I came to the same conclusion you have (except I didnt have the luxury of a bottle of brain lubricant lol!!!) in that if it goes down, then EVERYTHING goes down etc.
I was going to add various other bits to my controller but decided against it JUST in case! Only the other day was toying with adding my future LED light project to the controller one, but decided to keep things seperate as like you say, the PIC's can be a BIT low memory wise, even though some are pretty decent nowadays.
An SD card is a pretty viable way to log data etc, as are Eeproms as a friend has built a vivarium controller (controls 4) and the eeprom can store a fair whack of stuff from what I recall (not looked into eeproms myself really yet as im still a novice)
Again, PC's are great and powerful, but if it crashes or something equally catastrophic your tank suffers.
Another reason I try to keep things seperate etc, is so that if anyone fancies having a go at making thier own, its nothing that needs Einstein to build etc.

Ok, ive waffled long enough lol, hope if you do create the mega controller look forward to seeing a thread as it progresses.

Mark.

[reefergeek]

i had an old till kicking about think its a 10" touch screen with mico atx and a 12v supply to run it bit big and bulky though, may be you should have a ganda at them there only cheap