Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Proposed control system for my system..

Ok here are a few ground rules...
Airlift to help move water around..

Water Flow..
Fish tank > Settlement >> growbeds >> sump >> Pump to Media filter >> Fish Tank[Full cycle]..



Air-Lift system..

Ok some conditional things that need to happen..
- Airlift to only operate when the water level in the sump is at its minimal level.. [Not full]
- Airlift is [OFF] when the Settlement is at Maximum level [Float Switch]..
- Airlift is [OFF] when the Sump is FULL



Pump system..

Some conditional stuff for pump flow..
If Water level in sump is [-FULL-] Pump is Turned [ON]..
If Water level in sump is [-Minimum-] Pump is [Off]..
If Water in FT is [-Maximum-] Pump is [Off]


That is all I can think of for now..

Juergen..

Psst

If you see any problems with my think'n please tell me.. I know I don't know everything and I would rather get it right from the start and not have to redo stuff..

--> by the way I'm thinking of using either 12 or 24v for the sensor/switching device.. there is no way I'm getting 240v close to even near the water..

Juergen..

How are you going to control the switches and the different conditions to turn them on and of.
Personally I would go with some sort of computer program only because I have a few old ones here, get a few sensors of the right kind. The problem I would have is the programming.
Maybe there is programmer here who can do us a favor

A simple float switch in you sump will be fine for this.
the 3rd statement "If Water in FT is [-Maximum-] Pump is [Off]" is not needed if the overflow is gravity fed to GB's.

If you have some code you need written let me know. I'm probably only really keen to code in C though... mind you C is by far the worlds most widely used language for small embedded applications, in industry anyway. Not sure about the stats on hobbyist use.

The 3rd line of :-

If Water in FT is [-Maximum-] Pump is [Off]

should of been ..
If water in SC is [-Maximum-] Pump is [Off]

where SC is the settlement and the if that is max'd it means that the water has not cleared to the Grow-beds..

I want the system so that I don't overflow any water out of the system..
the less water I loss the better overall..

Juergen..

I know the post is a bit old but how did you go with monitoring the system?
I'm setting up with a Micrologix 1000 and some float switches.