B4R Question [In Search of Advice] So my wife got us an Aquarium...

[Cableguy]

Hi Guys and Gals

So my wife got us an Aquarium... an old, used, dirty 100L Aquarium...
We spent an hour of so cleaning it from the old (5cm tall) substrate.
The person who gave us the aquarium also gave us everything that it came with, so I have a floating mercury thermometer, the heater, the air pump etc..
This was, and most likely will still be, a sweet hot water fish tank.
Right away I started thinking about what I could create to ease the laborious tasks, maintenance wise.
SO, Knowing that a few of our members have used a raspi to do similar tasks, I come here for advice.

I plan to use as a base either an ESP2866 or a Nano (the ESP is to me the most powerful choice)
Also a nice ui created using my unused Nextion display, my 8 chanel Relay ( or maybe buy a 4 chanel), and a bunch of sensors... but which ones???

Please help me with your input about sensors, what is possible and what is not.
Like, in water temp sensor, PH sensor (does one exist?), etc

Lighting wise, I have a white Led Strip and my RGB 5x8 led board, so I would like to simulate day/night light cycles...

So, pitch in, every advice is welcome

 

[atiaust]

Hi Cableguy,

Have a look on ebay. There is numerous PH probes that you can use with arduino.

Lighting shouldn't be to difficult. Setup a real time clock on the arduino. I may be wrong but I seem to remember from my days as a fish tank owner the lights needed certain frequencies to help plant growth.

 

[derez]

It is not a must but usually you also put fish in...

 

[Cableguy]

It is not a must but usually you also put fish in...

that will not be my department!

 

[AnandGupta]

that will not be my department!

be warned, if any bug in your code creates problem to the "fish"

Regards,

Anand

 

[miker2069]

Interesting project Cableguy. How about these sensors to start:

Temperature Sensor - Waterproof
ph Sensors

 

[kolbe]

Maybe a a light sensor or UV sensor. Shine a known light from one side and see what is received on the other. Maybe this can detect water clarity or algae and the like.

With an unlimited budget ... dissolved oxygen sensor.

 

[Cableguy]

With an unlimited budget

If I had one of those budgets....

 

[Mark Read]

I can recommend this light sensor:

http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/ldr-l...43D3931342D36373134267374613D3931343637313426

The sensor head is about 1 cm diameter. I use it for a similar application, measuring light through a glass tube, with LEDs on the other side.

Here is also an interesting link:

https://catalinatechnology.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/testing-phtemperature-sensor/