What I am trying to do is come up with a system to will alert me via a text message or a phone call in the event of a power outage and that will also turn on a small battery operated air pump. This system will be used to keep an eye on a saltwater fish tank that could be in danger in the event of a power outage due to the filters, air pump, heaters, and lights. My main obstacle is the part that alerts my phone. If anyone has any ideas or advice it would be greatly appreciated.
Do you have a way of keeping your internet access up if the power goes out?
I think you might be better off getting a UPS for your fish tank.
I agree... An inexpensive UPS will keep the cable modem (or whatever) up, keep the air pump running, and connect to a PC that can send a text to your phone. If you don't want the PC, then you could build a little board that would talk to the UPS and then send an email to your phone when the power goes out.
But for this to work you need to keep the Internet up and that probably means a UPS.
Pay as you go phone, and connect the arduino to send a text message.
This message on the old forum seems to be up your street:
http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1290601471
I haven't tried it myself - sorry!
Hi!
This link is a great tutorial if you want to go GSM
http://tronixstuff.wordpress.com/2011/01/19/tutorial-arduino-and-gsm-cellular-part-one/
Andrew