Hello! I am new to arduino(or any microprocersors) and my working on my first project: a fully automatic aquarium. That means:
-turning on and off lights at certains hours.
-droping food at certains hours
-a temperature and a PH metter shown at an LCD
-control over the heater and the PH
-putting at certains hours nutrients(not a huge amount 1-2ml)
-verify the level of the water and if needed put water with a electric pump or change an amount of water at certains days a week
-verify the whole things and show the result on screen
For know i bought a few hours ago and arduino begginer pack composed by an arduino uno ,a breadboard,some wires, and brick equipment(led,sonsor,swich,etc). (I think) i've done some amazing things in 2 hours.
What do you think about this project and where to start from? i think that the light and the food are the simplest think
Any tips or information that you think could help is welcomed.
Thanks for your time.
P.S.:Sorry for my bad english.
I would start with reading the tutorial and reference section to get a good understanding of the language and how to program things. You will learn a lot in just a few days.
I think it is a very good project to do, maybe not for everyone as a first project, but by cutting it in smaller steps it surely can be done.
my projectplan would look like this:
Then I would start with a light ON/OFF project.
then add the status of the light to a local display
Then add some serious timekeeping Time library or a RTC (Real TIme CLock)
add it to the local display
then add temperature sensor
then add the temperature to a local display
then add a warning system if water is too hot/cold ==> e.g. buzzer + led1
then add control over the heater
then add the heater status to the local display
then add the PH meter to the application
then add the PH to the local display
then add a warning system if PH is too low/high ==> e.g. buzzer + led2
Then add the water level meter
then add the water level meter to the local display
then add a warning system if level is too low/high ==> e.g. buzzer + led3 // or another buzz
then add a water management system
=> local display
then add food supply system
=> last feed time -> local display
then add an SD card and log all measurements to SDcard (e.g. one file per day)
Hopes this helpes you to get started
Rob
Search this forum and the old forum for aquarium to see previous discussions on aquarium projects.
Yes, do a search for aquarium here. (Google is faster 
)
BTW, I just rely on Ebo-Jager to maintain temperature. Never had one fail.
justjed:
BTW, I just rely on Ebo-Jager to maintain temperature. Never had one fail.
Quite. There's really no actual need to control the temp from the Arduino except for the fun of it, unless perhaps you want to vary the temp according to time of day, perhaps to simulate life on the reef, or take advantage of cheaper electricity in the early hours.
You will need to do a lot of testing before you let this thing take control and you will be amazed how many bugs you can pack into a short sketch. Some of the later items in Robtillart's project plan have potential to be fish killers if there are defects in your code. Try to make things as fail safe as you can.
Some of the later items in Robtillart's project plan have potential to be fish killers if there are defects in your code
True, thats why I put them in the second half ... should have been more explicit about that (thanx wildbill).
Hi.Thanks for ideas everyone. i thought at a similar plan Rob. For some days i'll play with the leds,swich,buzzer,sensor until i'll learn the code.
As a local display i thought i can use and old mobile phone display, what do you think? As you said i'll do the project in small steps and verify the steps like 2-3 days.
Hi. im sorry but i have to say that this project its too hard for me. its too risky for the fish and have a high probability to fail. I'll post a new project in Project guidance,now something more realisable like a led screen.
Thanks for your support and i wait tom read the new topic.
Don't be too quick to abandon the aquarium - there's stuff you can do there that shouldn't be fish threatening even if it goes wrong. To start with, how about monitoring the temperature and displaying it on the LCD you mention?
your right, i'll continue with minor stuff light,temperature,etc. The problem is that i don't have an LCD screen.I'll try and make a led screen and show there the messages.If you can look at here http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,63119.0.html and help me i'll be tankfuly.
Thank for your help,
Robert
your right, i'll continue with minor stuff light,temperature,etc. The problem is that i don't have an LCD screen.
The typical monitoring setup is to make it web based so you can see the desired parameters using a computer, iphone, etc.
i know but what you say is optimal. but too much for me. for know i'll try and make that led screen.If you have time please look at that project
Thanks