Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

I would think anything solid core 20-29awg will work fine from what they say works with the breadboard. Realized last night it's not CAT6 I bought it's CAT5e, but should still work fine for what I'm doing I would think.

@rininger85

Thanks. Found a table that helps as well:

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

After reading the currently 27 pages of this thread (so I don’t ask anything already answered), I wanna introduce myself. I started on the Idea to build an AP to replace my veggie garden as I’m sick of watering it in this dry WA. I thought it would be a good ground to study electronics (that I’ve been trying to get into for years) by implementing some sort of Arduino control to the AP, but like mentioned, you only know what to look for when you have a problem to solve.

So here I am, overwhelmed the amount of info this forum has and the knowledge and dedication of some member such this thread creator Chiumanfu. In the last weeks I found myself learning so many disciplines from water chemistry, fish behaviour, mechanics, electronics, coding, etc… It’s a lot to take in but I guess I like to learn everything so this project definitely suits me.

I few months ago I bought one Arduino Uno board and kit with a few sensors to get started blinking some LEDs, it has since been left aside, a few days ago I finally assembled my IBC AP system and got it running to start cycle, it’s now time to get back to Arduino while I wait to introduce fish on my AP. In anticipation I appreciate the dedication and input of everyone somehow involved in this project, will keep you posted on a new thread about my Arduino project.

Links on threads about my AP system and my Arduino Project on my signature

Thanks all

welcome srlimon. the arduino has been fun playing around with. Unfortunately I haven't had time to finish working on mine. I started mounting everything in my box and found that it got cramped quick and my hands are too big with all those wires, so I kept accidentally unplugging things and now have stuff not working so I need to start over with plugging things in and make sure my code matches then get mine up and running finally and get it in the greenhouse.

Hi Chiumanfu,

I am using your code and modifying it just a bit to suite my needs but I am really stuck trying to interface with Grovestreams. Would you be able to help me with this? I am working on a school project and it is due soon. Please let me know. Thank you,

Luciano

Chiumanfu has not posted anything on this forum since May 31st, '16... I wouldn't wait for him to help. I'd try posting a new thread about grovestreams to see if anyone else has used it that can help. I personally have struggled getting grovestreams to work as well using his code and then I set my project aside and have not got back to it.

Darn, that's a bummer. I've been able to get the sample code that Grovestream provides but the temperature sensors are not the same so I get incorrect values. I will also try to post on the Grovestream forum and if I am able to get my code working I will update this thread in case anyone needed help. I am modifying his code quite a bit, mainly using it as a reference. Thanks for the guidance.

Are you having trouble with the sensors in general? Or just getting the data that is displayed on the arduino to load to grovestreams? If you are using DS18B20 sensors they were kind of a pain to get to work the first time... you have to load the sample code for the DS18B20 sensors and connect one sensor at a time to get the serial number of each one in order to call them in the code correctly. There were a couple of tutorials I was trying to follow on the DS18B20 sensors but the easiest thing to do was to load the sample sketch that came with the driver download.

No, at this point I can read multiple sensors without issue and display them on my lcd. The issue I'm having is uploading to grovestreams. When I modify the GS sample sketch I receive -169, which is the default for the temperature sensor when it is not reading.

Looks like you made it farther than me then. I only had maybe one of my streams upload and it was intermittent when it worked.

If you'd like me to review your code I am willing to do that. Sometimes a second set of eyes helps.

I know that I ran each of my temperature sensors on an example code that gets the device ID for each temperature sensor (all have different device ID's).

Let me know,

Luciano

I just need time to get back in to it... I am working 55-60 hours a week then I go home and have 2 hours every night that I have the 5 month old to myself before the wife gets home... by then one of us cooks dinner while the other entertains the kid, we eat dinner and have an hour, maybe 2 to spend together while playing with the kid then I'm off to bed to start it all over again, and I have too many active projects to be able to dedicate time to it on the weekends when we're not busy with anything else. Eventually I'll get back to it and will probably be OK having just set it aside for a while to look at it again and figure out what I did wrong (at least with the things I've had working so far... I was working on getting the grovestreams part running and just didn't have any luck with it, so if you get that working let me know what the trick is!).

Sounds good. I will let all of you know if I am able to get it running. Sounds somewhat like my schedule minus the kid at the moment. My wife and I have a baby on the way so it sounds like I will have a similar schedule soon.

Thanks,

Luciano

Definitely slows down your projects so try and get as much done as you can now! I just started putting up the walls on my greenhouse and my wife was out walking around the yard spraying weeds when her water broke 9 days before her due date (when I was figuring first kid usually comes late...). So I had 2 and 1/2 stud walls up then that got put on hold for a week or two. Had some family members come over to help finish getting the walls and roof up then I've slowly been making progress on it as I can... was easier the first 3 months because my wife had 3 months she was able to take off before she went back to work, but the last 2 months since he has been in daycare and I have to pick him up from daycare after work... I don't get much of anything done on a weekly basis anymore... by the time I have some free time I usually have no energy =)

I remember those days fondly. But now I'm not up to building a greenhouse; instead converted a shed as best I could. Bad location though. Added a couple of grow beds, a fish tank and sump tank, all IBCs. I made my own monitor/control system - with lots of help from here, thank you all very much.

My advice would be to not look at the end product as the only success, but to make it a hundred little projects. Each one completed is a success unto itself. Makes you happy to see progress and doesn't encroach on family or work time for you can fit them in with small chunks of actual hands-on time when available.

For example, I designed and built my tank heater and control system. It took several elapsed weeks, but little time really for each step is short and fit in when I could:
1. Research what others have done, √ DONE!
2. Synthesize multiple reviews into a single heater design, on paper, √ DONE!
3. Generate a parts list and acquire what is needed to build, √ DONE!
4. Engineer the monitor/controls for the heater, √ DONE!
5. Research and buy the electronics required, √ DONE!
6. Build the heater, √ DONE!
7. Write and integrate the monitor/control code, and √ DONE!
8. Test, test, test. √ DONE!

Heater √ DONE - next...

Even the greenhouse is doable as such, like:
* …
* Frame west end door,
* Install west end door,
* Install ceiling exit exhaust fan,
* …

I know that “one foot in front of the other” works well for me:
- It is satisfying to have one thing done, as small as it may be,
- It uses small chunks of time - think doctor’s waiting room for research,
- Integrated into family routine like stop at the box store on the way home from work,
- etc.

Well, just a way that works for me. I have a million little projects yet to go but have already enjoyed eats from the grow beds.

Hope my 2¢ helps.

Greg