# Arduino Vivarium Controller



## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

so i was just wondering if anyone else on here are using an existing sketch for a arduino to control their vivarium... 


would like some inputs if anyone is doing one or having a running sketch....


also what are some things one would like to see in a working controller?

just copy and paste the list with your add on if you think its needed or would like to see one in a controller

1.Timer
2.Temp reading
3.Humidity reading
4.Cooling
5.Heating
6.Auto Misting
7.Auto Humidtifier if RH is below 80%
8.Auto Feeder with dusting
9.Multi-Tank temp/Humidity reading
10.

ETC ETC


are you willing to buy one, if so what price range would you be willing to pay for one?


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

wow i'm surprise there is no reply's to this...



anyways just wanted to give you guys an update on what i been working on...


FYI: the color box to the left will be change, it was simply a sketch to show me where things needed to be...

this is still in a beta mode but just to give you guys a little heads up on the work that has been done so far...



















this will allow you to set the time/date on when each relay should be turn on/off along with a manual switch which will also let you turn it on or off if needed...

the temp will also be setting for the relays to be turn on like say temp is to high then ac will be turn on till temp reach the desired temp set and will also included offsets to the temp also



other key features will be at the bottom right icons...

Speaker - Voice commands lets you do what you need hands free, Volume level, Buzzer for alarms
Wifi - Allows one to connect to online to control the vivarium or just monitor temp any where with a internet connection, from a friends computer to your phone or tablet
Settings icon - Allows you to change any desired temp, time/date, and more


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## jaybugg13 (Dec 9, 2013)

I built a very similar project on a raspberry PI. I built a web interface which you could control the lights, toggle and schedule misting and get temp/humidity data from. Overall it was a fun project and someday I hope to finish it and put it into production, but I'm in the middle of a relocation right now. I prefer the raspberry pi to arduino because is supports a great set of higher level languages and it made networking very very simple. Good luck!


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

Seasonal variation would be a nice, basically set it and forget it and it runs a whole year with altered temperature and misting. Another thing that would be cool is if they could know when its raining or a low pressure front is moving in, and increase misting at that time. Low pressure + increased water really sets off the mood for a lot of frogs.

Also user control overrides is through a web interface is great too, that way you can just turn them off or on from your phone if you want to do something like show someone how it works.


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## vachyner (Aug 10, 2013)

" thing that would be cool is if they could know when its raining or a low pressure front is moving in, and increase misting at that time"

There was a video on YouTube I saw about a year ago and a guy built a controller like this and had it where it would do storms and everything. He had it pull weather data from Columbia or something like that and his Viv mimicked that locale's weather pattern day behind. I tried to find the code he wrote up because I was looking to do something similar, but I ended up forgetting about it. I'd still like to crank one out some day, but other projects and life in general keep getting in the way.

-chuck


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

Ya its really too bad more of these people don't make these projects open source and try to get a community collaboration to finish them. Think of all the work that has likely gone into hundreds of projects like this that never completed or had limited scope that could have been expanded.


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## vachyner (Aug 10, 2013)

Well, when I finally get around to it (hopefully) you can bet I'll be sharing. One thing I've learned in the IT world is whenever you think you e got a solid final product, someone has already found a way to streamline it and clean it up. In projects like this many heads are way better than one.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

i have to agree with more heads are better then one... but finding ones that can code and write isnt easy... also writing these codes take's forever !!!! and yest i will have the user being able to control the unit for everything off their phones or anywhere with a internet connection...

the storm is not a bad idea. i can upload a sketch for the water where the frogs are at and have it run the same temp and RH and misting for rainy days easy...

but with is an add-on and it will have to be put on the to do list at the end as some things are needed before this like relays and misting and fog etc etc before the weather match is even usable...


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Storm would be a must for me. If you could include an option that used 2+ lights for lightning effects instead of just flashing/flickering 1 light that would be cool. Basically anything that improved the dynamic weather fx, like by taking advantage of multiple light sources would be cool. I think you'd want it to work with one light of course, but better fx possible through multiple lights would be a plus.

Oh the other big thing I'd like to see is sound responsiveness. For those of us wanting to do storm vivs one of the challenges is synching rain, lights and sound to all come on at once. Including basic sound responsiveness would be a step towards that, allowing people to use any timed or remote activated sound source to effect the lights, but if you could take it further and add the ability to load and playback sound loops at specific times in sync with lights, rain/fog and maybe even fans ( a wave controller like effect could make storm gusts)...Then you will have done something to my knowledge no one else has.

The bluefish controller is the only one I know of that has included a basic sound element so far, and I think having the ability to play specific sound loops at certain times synced with lights and whatever else you can dream of, is something that would set a controller apart from the growing crowd. Would probably also justify the price some if you can include it without to much extra cost. It might also make your system more desirable to institutions like zoos, aquariums, or even muesems... anyone that need/wanted to create a dynamic/possibly interactive exhibit.
Bluefish...
BLUEFISH Aquarium LED Controller

Here are some threads from the planted tank on similar projects...
iAqua: My Touch Interface Aquarium Controller (Arduino)

OSA raspberry pi aquarium controller - controller has been put to work on my 125g

Hunter X's Arduino Whole Tank Controller (52K Warning)

Guide: Arduino based LED controller for Current Satellite LED+

Lots more diy controller threads out there and search "diy aquarium controller" on youtube also.

Well Bryan... You've gone beyond my kitchen hack Macgyver skills so I can't help much here, but sign me if you need a beta tester.

For selling them, somewhere between $100-$200 is probably the price point to hit. The vivarium crowd seems a little more reluctant then aquarists to shell out $$$ for fancy lights and controllers so far, but there seems to be a trend towards larger/high tech builds akin to what we see from Europeans instead of the "how many 10gals can I fit on a shelf" philosophy that has been popular here. Times they are a changing... slowly  

Oh if you wanna check out all my rambling about storm stuff and wacky ideas here are some threads that give an idea what I want to do...

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...um-storm-weather-fx-idea-resource-thread.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/168890-dendro-daves-vivarium-tech-finds.html

http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/parts-construction/95116-dryad-viv-concept-life-size-girl-box.html
(There are links in some of those threads to my other wacky fx ideas too.)

Oh and here is another discussion that might be interesting...
http://www.dendroboard.com/forum/pa...terrarium.html#/forumsite/20539/topics/198474


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

thats not a bad idea... i will add that to the list of things to do...



so after fiddling with the controller for a few days now, i finally got the main display screen done... this means off to the next part and thats the relay's and everything else... Temp and Humidity sensors where already inputted into the sketch a while back so they have been running fine. What you see in the photo is an error as this displays when no temp is reading or if temp reach out of the spec range of the probes them self...












on the left top side are all your relays and trigger's that will activate by a desire timer you set 24hr/7days a week. It also lets you turn them on manually by tapping them then confirming that you do want to turn them on and it wasn't a accident.

moving from triggers left to right we have :
Cooling - Heating - Misting
Fog - Fan - Lights

right under that is a blank box under the trigger that will display what is turn on at the time and how long it will run / when it will stop (count down timer display)

the alarms & alert is for temp and heating if they ever reach out of the set range you have them at...


on your right side you have your basic monitor from temp to humidity to area weather (which can be change to any area you like, will use this for the weather and storm build later)

at the bottom right you have your basic Speaker volume/Sound controls that will make nature sounds if you like to hear that all day or on a set timer of your choice...

then you have your wifi connection for the weather reports to the controller (sorry not build for stealing wifi for this controller - P.S. its illegal to steal internet xD)


and finially you have your settings menu... which does everything else as setting the timer, change the display to show C and F or F then C but will convert both on the display screen, allows you to set the current time/date in 24hr or 12hr stamps, and so much more... but you get it... the basics... 



let me know what your thoughts are and what you think might need changing or improving.


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## SaFFyR (Jun 23, 2014)

I like this idea very much. I know nothing about coding but I would stand in line to buy a controller which regulates weather patterns, temp and hum and allows you to monitor everything on your phone etc. 

I have nothing to add but I would like to say good luck to you and I hope you manage to create this idea into something awesome


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## Jonas35 (May 31, 2009)

One other thing I would really like to see that is more of a physical construction aspect. Both controllers that I currently own have electrical outlet strips with the plugs stuck in one position. This really makes it hard to plug many of my LED light fixtures in since they have the bulkier sideways facing plugs. If you could make the plugs rotate to accommodate different types of input plugs that would make it much more desirable and increase usability


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Seems like it is coming along nicely. One feature some controlers built in or through an add on module is a moon phase schedule for night lighting. That would be cool to have in a viv controller.

And you may already have this planned but controlling pumps and a mist system would be great.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Jonas35 said:


> One other thing I would really like to see that is more of a physical construction aspect. Both controllers that I currently own have electrical outlet strips with the plugs stuck in one position. This really makes it hard to plug many of my LED light fixtures in since they have the bulkier sideways facing plugs. If you could make the plugs rotate to accommodate different types of input plugs that would make it much more desirable and increase usability


this would be up the the user to put in power strips of their liking... my build will have a multiply wall outlets about 2 per relay and a user can plug in a rotating plug outlet if they like, its more of a user's choice on that




Dendro Dave said:


> Seems like it is coming along nicely. One feature some controlers built in or through an add on module is a moon phase schedule for night lighting. That would be cool to have in a viv controller.
> 
> And you may already have this planned but controlling pumps and a mist system would be great.


i did have a moon phase on the controller when i started but had to remove the feature as the display can only handle so much on 1 - 3.2 tft screen without losing its viability to read the text on the screen. a user can easliy set a led bulb or a few onto a relay and on a timer within the controller to do this as well...


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

That's cool, its a bell/whistle that isnt a deal breaker for me, but if the capability exists for multiple pages within your display, then you might consider adding in any aquarium functions that are missing and also marketing to that crowd.

Some people are using aquarium controllers on vivs, but the few vivarium controllers there are I don't think cross over to the aquarium side as well as theirs cross over to ours, so you could be the first one to start specifically for vivs, yet as be as capable as most aquarium controllers. I don't think anyone has pulled that marketing trick yet. Might give you an edge if you go commercial 

At any rate it would probably be worth doing a nice write write up you can copy/paste and post to the major aquarium forums, viv and terrarium forums, other herp/amphib hobby forums to get as much exposure as possible. Just remember me if you make it big... I need a job


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Dendro Dave said:


> That's cool, its a bell/whistle that isnt a deal breaker for me, but if the capability exists for multiple pages within your display, then you might consider adding in any aquarium functions that are missing and also marketing to that crowd.
> 
> Some people are using aquarium controllers on vivs, but the few vivarium controllers there are I don't think cross over to the aquarium side as well as theirs cross over to ours, so you could be the first one to start specifically for vivs, yet as be as capable as most aquarium controllers. I don't think anyone has pulled that marketing trick yet. Might give you an edge if you go commercial
> 
> At any rate it would probably be worth doing a nice write write up you can copy/paste and post to the major aquarium forums, viv and terrarium forums, other herp/amphib hobby forums to get as much exposure as possible. Just remember me if you make it big... I need a job


lol i need a job too staying home and working nights give me no sleep and a black eye xD


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

just wondering how many would do a trade for a controller?


this is by no means a trade thread but i'm just curious to see how many would be interested in a controller....


i will most likely have 3 versions of the controller...


Basic:
*Heating / Cooling Timer
*1-2 Tank Temp Monitor
*Humidity Monitor
*Time/Date


Premium:
*Heating / Cooling / Misting / Fog / Fan / Lights Timer
*3 Tank Temp Monitor
*Humidity Monitor
*Time/Date


Gold:
*Heating / Cooling / Misting / Fog / Fan / Lights Timer + desire to set on temp/humidity if its to low or to high
*3 Tank Temp Monitor
*Humidity Monitor
*Time/Date
*Weather Control
*Weather monitor
*Nature Sound on/off
*Voice Recg. (optional with extra cost)



these are just the basic controller's i can offer at a later time but just wanted to know what are the trade offer's or cash offer's one would pay for these as parts and labor would play an issue to how much one is willing to pay for each of the 3 settings... if selling cost is low... not worth buying parts for if that makes sense... give me your thoughts...


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

I think people would need to know approximate cost, and a lot of people would wait it out to see how reliable it is. 

That said I would be interested in trading depending on how it turns out. But if the thing gets high enough in price it will start to run into competition from existing controllers from companies.

Also one thing to keep in mind is fail proofing. Losing electricity for a short time or a long time can be a disaster for automated systems. Would be nice if this thing could check the internet for the time to make sure its still on track.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Pubfiction said:


> I think people would need to know approximate cost, and a lot of people would wait it out to see how reliable it is.
> 
> That said I would be interested in trading depending on how it turns out. But if the thing gets high enough in price it will start to run into competition from existing controllers from companies.
> 
> Also one thing to keep in mind is fail proofing. Losing electricity for a short time or a long time can be a disaster for automated systems. Would be nice if this thing could check the internet for the time to make sure its still on track.


well if your talking about the time/date fuction, it also running off a small 3.6v flat battery just in case if power does go out... time/date are saved till its power back on, also all setting will be saved so if power does go out, and comes back on at a later time... the setting are all set to what it was before it lost power... also the controller runs off a 5v dc supply so even a small battery can run the controller to give u temp and humidity readings but all 12vAC power will be lost unless its plug into a wall outlet...


i got it covered... but from what you was saying the price compares to company pricing...

i see the vivarium controller runs for $100 for a basic one with a cheap lcd for display while mines run off of a touch screen display and can monitor a lot more and is editable unlike company versions.


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Will yours do dawn/dusk dimming or is it a hard on/off? Obviously you're building in timer functionality but in rereading I'm unclear on if there is PWM dimming like in many other controllers? I know the dawn/dusk feature is something most will probably want.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Dendro Dave said:


> Will yours do dawn/dusk dimming or is it a hard on/off? Obviously you're building in timer functionality but in rereading I'm unclear on if there is PWM dimming like in many other controllers? I know the dawn/dusk feature is something most will probably want.


yes and no... the current version is just an on/off as its connected to a floresent light bulb which i think most people use on the cheaper end of lighting 


but for the few with LED Fixture for lighting there will be dimming (i hope, if i have the time after having a basic controller running first)


dimming or not its not a deal breaker... its more of an option, also how many people stands and wait for lights to come on or turn off? (LOL) i just look at the tank when ever lights are on...


but the dawn and dusk lighting your talking about might be added into the weather control but i'm not 100% sure of it yet...


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## bsr8129 (Sep 23, 2010)

I would be interested in one, most likely the premium version, but would like to know the cost of what it would be and how it fully works. New to this automation stuff.


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## Pubfiction (Feb 3, 2013)

Will you be able to program complicated misting schedules? I would like to be able to hit frogs with short 15 seconds misting 2x per day then do a 1 - 2 minute misting 3x / week to flush out water reservoirs such as bromeliads and egg deposition sites.


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

Pubfiction said:


> Will you be able to program complicated misting schedules? I would like to be able to hit frogs with short 15 seconds misting 2x per day then do a 1 - 2 minute misting 3x / week to flush out water reservoirs such as bromeliads and egg deposition sites.


That would be awesome! I don't think any of the controllers on the market offer that capability. I'm sure there are plenty of froggers who would LOVE that option for their display vivariums. For many people, less maintenance means more time to enjoy their frogs!

John


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Pubfiction said:


> Will you be able to program complicated misting schedules? I would like to be able to hit frogs with short 15 seconds misting 2x per day then do a 1 - 2 minute misting 3x / week to flush out water reservoirs such as bromeliads and egg deposition sites.


so what your saying is a 5 x timer scheduling in a weeks time? if this is indeed what you are taking about... then yes... you should be able to set up to 5-8 schedule for misting.... thats when ever you want it to do what you need it to so... 24hr a day 7 days a week, any day, any time you want to set it to be...



at a bit of a slow pace right now with the coding as setting the relay timer sketch is not easy for a 1 man job -.- but it must be done... so i will have some pictures posted some time the next few days if not weeks but it should be completed soon tho... just the relay and timer that is the tricky part of this build...






bsr8129 said:


> I would be interested in one, most likely the premium version, but would like to know the cost of what it would be and how it fully works. New to this automation stuff.


well cost will all depend on what is on the build... 

arduino + touch screen runs about $60 +/-
temp probe = $5-7 +/-
DHT22 humidity/ temp probe = $8-10 +/-
Voice Req/ Voice command = $80-100 +/-
Wifi = $25-30 +/-
Sound = $10-20 +/-
wiring + outlets = $50 +/-
Relay board = $10-15 +/-
weather station board = $20-30 +/-


these are just the basic price on the equipment needed on the controller, not everything you need if you dont want them or need them but just wanted to throw some numbers out there so you can get an idea on the price of each part it takes to build a controller

by all means this is not a set pricing as some vender's may or may not have it for cheap or on sale. also these might not be all the parts listed also but are the ones that come to mind


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

so i just wanted to give you guys a heads up on what i have been doing so far...

took a while but got most of the coding done... still a few more add ons needed and touch ups here and there but for the most part the basic "needs" of a vivarium is done...


here are some photos of what i have done so far...











due to the leak of money i wasnt able to finish this build as there are a few parts and shields missing from the project such as the weather, voice commands, speaker for sounds, and a few other small things...

but i hope u guys like what you see so far for a 1 man coding job... if you think you can offer some kinda help don't hesitate to PM me.

would love to hear what you guys think. Haven't seen to many controllers for vivarium that is even close to what i am building.


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## dedman (Sep 5, 2008)

I've been working on something using arduino as well. Nothing near what you have already developed. Awesome work! 

I have an uno with some of the temp/humidity time stuff programmed and just purchased a tft from adafruit, but I won't be playing with that for a long time. (Unless you are willing to share/sell some code ) 

Are you wiring/coding for some of the meanwell dimming power supplies etc? (10v)

Again- awesome job! Looks really cool!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Bigsease30 (Jul 11, 2014)

I am extremely interested in the Premium model plus a few extras. Can you provide a price for the premium package and one for the premium plus the addons listed below.

Premium:
*Heating / Cooling / Misting / Fog / Fan / Lights Timer
*3 Tank Temp Monitor
*Humidity Monitor
*Time/Date

Plus:
*Lights Timer + desire to set on temp/humidity if its to low or to high
*Weather monitor / just to show outside local temp
*Wifi


I have a few questions. How big is the display? As for the sound, is it just for nature sounds or error alarms? If I buy the premium from you and later want to add other features, is the firmware you provide all the same or edited per package? If you upgrade your firmware will you provide the purchasers an updated copy? and lastly, would you sell the firmware/parts list and instructions separately and allow up to piece together our own unit as we need things? Cost? 

Thanks in advance.


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## easttex (Oct 29, 2012)

For whatever reason, I am not able to view the last set of six photos. And I'd really like to because I have followed this thread with much interest.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

easttex said:


> For whatever reason, I am not able to view the last set of six photos. And I'd really like to because I have followed this thread with much interest.


pm me your email an i can send you the photos...






dedman said:


> I've been working on something using arduino as well. Nothing near what you have already developed. Awesome work!
> 
> I have an uno with some of the temp/humidity time stuff programmed and just purchased a tft from adafruit, but I won't be playing with that for a long time. (Unless you are willing to share/sell some code )
> 
> ...


for led dimming i have some codes laying around for it but nothing stone set as of yet, for coding tho what are u looking for ? timer? dimming? etc etc... not sure which code you need or looking for...






Bigsease30 said:


> I am extremely interested in the Premium model plus a few extras. Can you provide a price for the premium package and one for the premium plus the addons listed below.
> 
> Premium:
> *Heating / Cooling / Misting / Fog / Fan / Lights Timer
> ...


for light timer + set to temp and humidity can be coded easy but it will be an optional by the user with a extra cost... i find it useless to add this as you can just raise the light up to help keep temp low but i also know some people cant do it due to their setups, light with humidity doest effect it much if any if i am correct... but choice is still up to the user...

as of right now these controller are still on beta versions and might have bugs and what not... so they will need to be tested just to make sure nothing goes wrong, so i cant put a price on it just yet...

for addon to the premium package is possible but of course there will be extra cost which again i dont have the pricing on this yet too...

the screen will be 3.2" touch screen tft - as for firmware... it will stay as current as possible, the only time that one will need a upgrade of a "firmware" will be if anything new is added onto a device that has not been already on there and at that time it will need to be resent back to me for a new upgrade any ways but you wont have to send EVERY thing... just a small board to send back and it will only cost $5 to send it both ways (you to me and me to you)



for parts it will come in parts and will need to be connected together by your self for cheaper shipping cost or i can put them together and ship them that way too for an extra cost... 


i will have more details on the parts and installation when the time comes to sell...



as of right now space is an issue on the board as there is a lot going into this small controller and i am running out of space on the board, for this reason i had to edit the codes, make them smaller, fix bugs, and so much more... tested some settings on the controller and so far so good but its not in a operational status yet as its still being coded... might be a month or 2 before its running and tested but i will keep this thread posted with updates could be sooner then 2 months... never know, some coding is easier then others and depends on how much time i can spend a day doing it... but so far so good


ps. another thing to add to this is i might have a custom build controller to the user's liking as it seems as if some people like one thing over the other... we'll see how this works out later down the road when my controller is up and running correctly, but its a thought i will keep in mind


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## Bigsease30 (Jul 11, 2014)

Please keep us updated. Thanks


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

easttex said:


> For whatever reason, I am not able to view the last set of six photos. And I'd really like to because I have followed this thread with much interest.


Where were you when you tried to view the pics? It is possible that there is a filter that's blocking your access to the image hosting site.

John


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## Octothorpe (Dec 11, 2008)

This is an awesome thread.
I've been working on pretty much the exact same thing, but using a combination of an Arduino and a Raspberry Pi.
Next thing coming up is the LED functionality, and I -- like many people on this thread -- am not happy with the limitations of the current systems. Custom coding our own driver is going to be absolutely essential, but I have to admit, I'm a bit out of my league with high powered LEDs.
How are you coming along with that part?


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

will keep you guys inform as i go on with the build...



with high powered led... i don't have an issue with coding, i just have issues with space on the board lol... so much things and not enough room... trying to complied the sketch smaller with bytes and array to keep them small and make room but this will take some time to go over everything i have done so far just to make them smaller and workable


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## Bigsease30 (Jul 11, 2014)

@Bryanmc1988 

Is there any way you can give us some hardware information that you are currently using? I already own an Arduino Mega 2560 and would like to get a head start on some of the other hardware such as the LCD, temp/hum and wifi ect to speed up my end of the process. Any help would be grateful. (You can PM me as well)

P.S. I may have another buyer for you as well. I showed a buddy of mine this thread and he is intrigued as I am.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Bigsease30 said:


> @Bryanmc1988
> 
> Is there any way you can give us some hardware information that you are currently using? I already own an Arduino Mega 2560 and would like to get a head start on some of the other hardware such as the LCD, temp/hum and wifi ect to speed up my end of the process. Any help would be grateful.
> 
> P.S. I may have another buyer for you as well. I showed a buddy of mine this thread and he is intrigued as I am.


you will need a
arduino mega 2560
3.2" TFT LCD
tft lcd shield 
DHT 11 or DHT 22
temp probe (DS18B20)
relay board 
I2C RTC DS1307

these are the basic items needed but other items from hardware stores will also be needed which i do not have a list as of yet...

with wifi and weather shield they very as i am currently do not have them now due to money and cost so they are hold off till i can find some donator or find the cash to get one... but as of now i'm just working on cleaning the codes to make room for these future shields to be added, without the space these shields will be useless,


i would hold off on buying hem early as price on these items may drop down the road unless ur building your own then go for it... lol just my 2 cents, buy and play around with it...

i do sell a digital copy of the "Beginning Arduino Programming" book that does help learn the coding and understanding of the arduino world... so much things can be learn and built... if you can dream it, you can build it


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## easttex (Oct 29, 2012)

FroggyKnight said:


> Where were you when you tried to view the pics? It is possible that there is a filter that's blocking your access to the image hosting site.
> 
> 
> 
> John



I am using Tapatalk on my iPhone. My desktop is a pile of junk so wind up doing most of my browsing on my phone.


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## Octothorpe (Dec 11, 2008)

another great shop for equipment to run with this is smartgreenhouse.org. They have something called a 'cat board / kitten board' combo.
You can run regular CAT5 ethernet cable to remote locations for your sensors:
CATkit - long distance connectivity

As for the difference between the DHT11 or DHT22, stick with the 22. The DHT11 doesn't have enough range to deal with the high humidity of the vivs. (I used the DHT11 to start with because it was all I could find in my haste. The DHT22s are only a couple dollars more.)

Also, it's probably a good idea to put in a Schottky diode to protect the sensor from some bonehead applying reverse polarity #magicsmoke.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Octothorpe said:


> another great shop for equipment to run with this is smartgreenhouse.org. They have something called a 'cat board / kitten board' combo.
> You can run regular CAT5 ethernet cable to remote locations for your sensors:
> CATkit - long distance connectivity
> 
> ...


thats what happens when noobs try to code when they have no idea what they are doing lol good example... but for my setup i am using the dht22 as its more accurate also... only a few dollars more but way worth it... but dht11 works as well for a vivarium setup why? cause it can read up to 90% if i am correct or a little more but for a vivarium u dont want rh to drop below 70% so its still in range if you want to save some dollars


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## Octothorpe (Dec 11, 2008)

Bryanmc1988 said:


> thats what happens when noobs try to code...


LOL, no, I have a pretty good handle on the coding side of it (30+ years). It's the soldering/electrical that bit me. Too many interconnecting pathways with the +/- power feed, and I accidentally switched the two. Rev 2.0 has a schottkey diode on the ground side of the DHT22 (schottkey because regular diodes will give off heat, which is the last thing you want beside a temp sensor)

The new version is this:
Note the little OLED Display on the breadboard.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

is your dht22 going into the vivarium? if so why put it on a board?


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## Octothorpe (Dec 11, 2008)

Bryanmc1988 said:


> is your dht22 going into the vivarium? if so why put it on a board?


I'm putting it inside a box with a screen around it so that the little gaffers can't get at it. Plus, I'll be spraying the back soldering of it with some sort of waterproofing...


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

i say why not just wire it up then place it into the tank? your making it more work on your self then it really needs too... 


did u think of when it breaks? how are u going to replace the dht22? build it the board? or removing the dht22 and solder and seal it again?


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## Bigsease30 (Jul 11, 2014)

Bryanmc1988 said:


> you will need a
> arduino mega 2560
> 3.2" TFT LCD
> tft lcd shield
> ...




Does it matter what relay board I buy? Looks like they sell them in 2/4/8/16 relays separate board and a shield type. What do you recommend? 

Also, is a 3.2" led the only size screen your supporting? I have seen a few 7" that I may be interested in if not. Also with or without a sd card built in?

Thanks again!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

Bigsease30 said:


> Does it matter what relay board I buy? Looks like they sell them in 2/4/8/16 relays separate board and a shield type. What do you recommend?
> 
> Also, is a 3.2" led the only size screen your supporting? I have seen a few 7" that I may be interested in if not. Also with or without a sd card built in?
> 
> ...


you buy the relay board u need to control what u need... if u wanted what u listed above then u will need at less 8... 

3.2" is what i used as its small and fits nicely in a box, you can buy a 7" but the display will not show up right from my code as i am using a smaller screen... 7" is big tho...


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## Octothorpe (Dec 11, 2008)

Bryanmc1988 said:


> i say why not just wire it up then place it into the tank? your making it more work on your self then it really needs too...
> 
> 
> did u think of when it breaks? how are u going to replace the dht22? build it the board? or removing the dht22 and solder and seal it again?


Yeah, I did go through quite a bit of deliberation on how I was going to get that dinky little sensor _safely_ mounted into the tank. And by "safely", I mean not just safe for the frogs (I'd hate for one of the little gaffers to take a lick of 5v) but also to keep the sensor itself protected from the misting system etc.
I also wanted it to remain modular, so if one of the temp/humidity sensors bought the farm -- I could simply replace it.
That's where the smartgreenhouse.org kitten boards come in. The little box/board that houses the DHT22 is simply "plugged in" via an RJ45 connector, so the screen box that houses it matches all of the following:
1. protects the frogs from contact with the 5v
2. protects the sensor from direct contact with the interior
3. it's totally modular, so that the cabling that is inside the tank that the sensor plugs into never has to be re-pulled. Simply unplug the old sensor and plug in a new one.
hopefully, all of the above considerations negate the need to ever have to replace it. Between the screening cover and the waterproofing spray on the solder joints (back of the board), I would hope that it lasts forever.

The thing I'm working on right now, is getting an average reading between 2 sensors. One mounted on the upper left of a 36" x 18" x 36" exoterra, and the other one mounted lower down on the right side. I haven't quite figured that out yet, but I think it will be more accurate than a single point.

Feel free to PM me, I'd love to continue this conversation on the sidelines.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

so i have decided to add in another option to the fan timer...

4 fan timer can be set to go on / off at different time,

added options will be : able to set fan to temp if needed to cool down the tank - with this option selected, all set timer for fan will be disable while this is on so that it helps provent any issue or having the fan run on both ends and drying out the vivarium...

another add on will be: another fan relay or (fan 2) for hardware cooling set on a temp not connected to the vivarium but to the hardware enclosure to keep things cool if it ever starts to get to hot... which i can say that this will rarely be activated (you'll be able to set the offset to when it should go on / off) as with arduino it doesnt really push out much heat if any... but this will be an option if needed....



so far all the coding is coming along great...

i might also do a theme change also later on down the road so that the user can pick how they want their arduino to look like...

a few more days and all relay should be working fine... then off to the next step and start with 

wifi and weather forecast...
then sound and music (nature sounds)
and so on after with the optional addons


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## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

Aaaarrrghhh. Like this idea man.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

just had to put it in for extra security as you just never know when it will get hot or if any thing else in the build will heat the hardware enclosure,


how will this work?

simple...

lets say u want the hardware's to be at a 70F at all times... 

say you want to have a 5 degree difference... if temp ever reach more then "70F" + "5F" offset... total "75F" offset, fan will kick on to cool it down till it reaches "70F" then it will turn it self off till its back up to "75F" again...

now for the fan... how many can be connected? well the question is how much power do you have...? if u have enough power, you can run 100 fans for all i care but honestly that's over kill lol... but you get the idea...



another edit was to remove the alarm/alerts section as i see it to be useless... if timer is on or off it is already display on the main screen for the manual relay switch... see above photo to get an idea... off / on / auto (for timer)


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

good new... a few more add ons that will make you guys a little more happy...


for Premium: 
* Hardware fan cooling on/off on temp was added to the build.
* LED moon lights on timer 1xtimer on/off


for Gold: 
* Hardware fan cooling on/off on temp is a little more advance - this will turn fan on depending on temp set... the higher the temp the faster the fan will spin... the lower the temp the slower the fan will spin (this will keep fan life longer as it goes on...
* LED moon lights on timer 2xtimer on/off


so far as it goes for pricing as many have been waiting for - these price will only be for software. Price on equipment's will be extra at your own cost. how much extra all depends if they are on sell or not. I will be including a parts list later on as the build continues. 

Basic version will be around $15 (basic low cost monitor and timer)

Premium version will be around $30-$35 (Average cost with some tweaks and toys that an average vivarium user will need)

Gold version will be around $40-$50 (All the bells and whistles a boy/girl can ever want...)


if you need any info or have questions, please pm me and i will answer them as best as i can. Also i will be taking in some beta tester down the road also if you guys are interested in being a tester... will look for about 2-4 tester some for gold some for Premium or maybe all gold... not 100% sure but will have more answer as the days count down...

there will be an admission fee for beta tester of $25 just wanted to throw that out there... beta tester will need to order the equipment through me (in which i can upload and wire things up then sent it out to you) or you can order your own if u can find it at a better deal but will have to send or ship me the arduino board for the software uploading as i will not have an online update any time soon...


looking forward to hearing what you guys have to say... more add ons will be coming soon as the build gets going...


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## Bigsease30 (Jul 11, 2014)

I am very excited about this. The equipment that I have collected so far for this project is:

Arduino mega 2560 - real
Arduino mega 2560 - copy by sainsmart
7" TFT LCD - I would really like to use this 
3.2" TFT LCD
tft lcd/sd shield - sainsmart
DHT 22 x1
temp probe (DS18B20) x5
8 bay relay board (10A 125VAC)
I2C RTC DS1307 (tiny)
lots of misc cables and breadboards

I would like to be a beta tester if possible. How fast will your turnaround/ship time be? I work in the oil field and am gone for 30 days at a time with a week off in between which is coming up.


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

well the beta testing wont be for another few weeks if not a month from now as i still need to order and code the wifi sounds and a few other things...


as for the time... it all depends on when the board is ship to me and how soon i can get it... lets say i get it today... i'll upload the software then ship it back the next morning...




Arduino mega 2560 - real (this will work just fine)
Arduino mega 2560 - copy by sainsmart (this will work just fine)
7" TFT LCD - I would really like to use this (this can work but the whole software will need to be fix from scratch as it will be a different size lcd then what was intended to be used)
(if you do want it for this size, order me a set of screen and Shield and in return i will code it in a bigger size to fit this lcd in exchange for the 7" with shield so that i can modify the software to fit.)
3.2" TFT LCD (this will work just fine as software is build for this screen size)
tft lcd/sd shield - sainsmart (this is required for the 3.2" lcd)
DHT 22 x1 (this is need for humidity and temp)
temp probe (DS18B20) x5 (you'll need about 4-5 for temp reading)
8 bay relay board (10A 125VAC) - (you'll use about 7 out of the 8 as of now for the software...might end up using more but we'll see) (send me a link to which relay board you bought as there is alot of kinds out there)
I2C RTC DS1307 (tiny) (perfect, as this is what i use for time)
lots of misc cables and breadboards


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

will be posting a video of the controller in a few mins so keep a watch out on it... it will walk though most of the controller and what has and hasnt been done yet... let me know what you guys think


so close to being done, cant wait to get over with it lol, its been months in delay and time consuming.


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## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

Waiting with baited breath😁😁😁😁😁


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

video updated :http://youtu.be/FtZYr4pOYNM



a few issues not stated in the video was that when sound was playing that all image files on the SD card would be messed up which leaves the whole arduino image looking messed up... will try to see if a fix with 2 sd card will solve this issue if it doesnt then a mp3 module will need to be connected to this build for sound play but even then i dont know if the issue will still exist after that... only one way to find out is to try it so i'm taking 1 step at a time to solve the audio issue


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## KARMACOP (Jan 9, 2015)

This project looks really exciting! Im wondering if you would consider adding automatic sunrise/sunset led dimming. I have a basic arduino setup that does the pwm dimming and uses and rtc to do it at a manual set time. However i have been looking at the idea of using the AVR-Libc library here . This library can calculate sunrise/sunset in your location based on latitude and longitude. It will match the current real sunrise and sunset times, pretty neat!

What do you think?


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

its cool but i dont really see a need to have it exact to the sec... and by adding another feature to the build... it will only take up more space then needed... i currently have what you are using right now where it dims on and off due to the set time...


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

due to me leaving the hobby, i will have to stop with the controller build.


and as of right now the features on the controller is :

*Heating / Cooling / Misting / Fog / Fan / Lights Timer + desire to set on temp/humidity if its to low or to high
*3 Tank Temp Monitor
*Humidity Monitor
*Time/Date
*Fan cooling for hardware set to temp %
*Calender format can be set for DD/MM/YYY or MM/DD/YYYY
*shows Day of the week 
*Time Format for 12hr or 24hr
*Temp scale in C or F and will convert to show both in its right temp scale
*Screen saver option to be set also


*due to going out of the hobby i will let the code go for $25 paypal gift or $30 payal goods... *

arduino board must be sent in to be uploaded with the code. no internet upload as of right not...

any questions please let me know....

known bugs are:
* timer can not be set in between (meaning if timer 1 on is at 10am and off at 10 pm, nothing should be set in between this time frame. although it can be set it will just turn off when the timer hits the 1st off when it is reach...

this is for each relay not for all... say fog timer, mist timer, lights, etc are their own relay and it can be set in between

srry if this is confusing but if you have any questions please feel free to pm me...

but every thing works great and the way they should be...


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## steelyphil (May 8, 2010)

I really hope you put up the code if no one takes your offer.


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## FroggyKnight (Mar 14, 2013)

Aww, I'm sorry to hear that you're leaving the hobby. I hope you come back soon! 

If I knew anything about programming or tech in general, I would certainly take you up on that offer for the code. But alas, I'm lost when it comes to stuff like this and plan to stay that way for a while 

John


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## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

I'm sad to read this. I know there are always things that are out if our hands that we can't control but this was one if the coolest ideas I've come across on this forum. I hope it a works out for you.


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

I was really hoping to see this project finished. This is the first post I read on this forum. The reason I joined... So much work.

If I were an Arduino user I'd go for it.


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## Octothorpe (Dec 11, 2008)

awww man! Bryanmc! That's terrible news. Sorry to hear it.
On that note... how does one "leave a hobby"? By their very nature, wouldn't one just "put it aside for a little while"...
Not sure you can actually LEAVE it.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPw-3e_pzqU


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## Bryanmc1988 (Jun 22, 2014)

true but sadly my wife doesnt want me to keep flys or bugs in the house cause they "Might" bit our new born lol i told her that i'll bit you... and she told me to get out lol so the answer is do i divors and keep the frogs or leave the frogs and keep my kid xD


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## 55105 (Jan 27, 2015)

Bryanmc1988 said:


> true but sadly my wife doesnt want me to keep flys or bugs in the house cause they "Might" bit our new born lol i told her that i'll bit you... and she told me to get out lol so the answer is do i divors and keep the frogs or leave the frogs and keep my kid xD


I don't know if this is the case for everyone but my flies don't seem to live very long outside of their culture containers.

I use a Dixie cup to transfer flies from the culture for feeding and if I leave them in there for a while they die.

Also, fruit flies are 100% harmless and incapable of biting. My wife is terrified of bugs too but she has come to realize how harmless they are.


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## Igofastr (Jan 16, 2015)

I too am sorry to hear that you're leaving the hobby.

Tell you wife that none of the "bugs" you need to raise dart frogs pose any threat to your infant. I keep 7 vivariums in my office at a hospital, and they've been cleared by the infectious disease officer.

Seriously, if your wife needs any convincing, I'd be happy to talk to her .

If I knew anything about coding, and had a spare minute in my life, I'd certainly try to carry on where you've left off. Alas, I don't....

I hope you reconsider...tell your wife that you could pay for a lot of diapers selling these things once you finish. Heck, you can even finish this project without even having any critters of your own...think about it.

Ron


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## CaseyWagner (Aug 3, 2015)

Bryanmc1988 said:


> due to me leaving the hobby, i will have to stop with the controller build.


That's a shame. I'm just getting into the hobby and ordered parts to make a controller too.

Were you using winged fruit flies or wingless? If you get the wingless cultures maybe that would satisfy your wife?  Not that either type bite, but she won't see the wingless ones flitting around.

I ordered a bunch of components for my planned build today:

UNO R3 with 2.4 inch TFT
2 DHT22 Humidity/Temp sensors
DS1307 Realtime Clocks (It was a 5-pack, but I'm sure I'll find a use for the rest.)
2 DS18B20 waterproof temp sensors
and a little water pump.

I've got a couple of ultrasonic foggers already, so I just need to create a fogger torpedo with a small pail and some aquarium tubing.

If you can't get your wife to bend on the fruit flies, maybe consider repurposing your vivarium to grow orchids. I imagine you wouldn't need to tweak much at all of your existing controller for it to be perfect for it.


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