Tank Journal Archive

['vspec']

Forgot to add the marineart site I was on.
http://www.0-0sz.com/Vipcom/proteinskimmer/

 

['vspec']

Do we get Aquamarin Aquatic products on our shelves?
Their branding skimz looks alright.
I noticed they mentioned the aquabee pumps before swapping for their own.

http://www.skimz.sg/about.html

 

[MagicJ]

The Skimz range of skimmers has been available since earlier this year. Some people have been having problems with the pump and it looks like they are now being fitted with a new impeller design. They look good though ;)

 

[DavidS]

Getting closer slowly. The two el-cheapo wave makers arrived yesterday, and a quick test in the laundry suggests they work. Bigger than I expected, but that's what I get for living in a part of the world where I can count the number of marine setups I've seen in person on one hand!

Been thinking about the lighting some more. I think I'll make another 2 24 LED rigs up using RapidLED kits for this tank, with have each one running from back to front of the tank, rather than from left to right. I think 3 light rigs should be enough.

What does irk me is the DDC-01 controller - I like the sunrise/sunset function, but I dislike sacrificing individual channel control of each colour to use that function. Ideally, I'd like the blues on longer than the whites. Thinking that when I order the gear to finish off the lighting, that I should order another DDC-01, and actually use one for whites and one for blues. That'll give me the ability to run them both on sunrise/sunset programs, and I can use the blue circuit on a longer cycle. They're cheap enough to buy that I think it would be more cost effective than buying a more complicated controller.

 

[MagicJ]

David, not sure what your electronic skills are like by an Arduino based controller would do exactly what you are after, and more, for around $100.

 

[DavidS]

Hmm.. I used to strip out old circuit boards when I was a kid so I could scab parts for other things :D
Had considered one - what are they like in terms of actually programming them to do anything? Wiring stuff doesn't bother me (I'd prefer not to be trying to solder entire circuit boards though), but I'm not sure about the programming side of things.

 

[MagicJ]

Can easily provide a sketch (program) that does exactly what you want ;)

 

[DavidS]

Can easily provide a sketch (program) that does exactly what you want ;)

how does programming them work - is it something based on how you wire the circuitry, or do you interface it to a computer a program it?

I would normally be googling like mad instead of asking vague questions, but at work - no one notices me here.. they do notice me googling stuff :D

 

[MagicJ]

Most Arduino versions connect via USB - you upload the program via USB and away it goes .....

 

[DavidS]

ohh ohh ohh.. now that sounds interesting

 

[MagicJ]

David, it is definitely something worth considering. You could spend another $50+ on getting a DDC-01 but you still would not get the potential functionality of an Arduino.
I have a keypad/LCD in my controller but you don't have to go to that extreme. Perhaps this can be the subject of another thread in a few days time ;)

 

[DavidS]

Is there somewhere I can look at the software interface?

 

[MagicJ]

The Arduino is basically just a commercialised hardware based on the Atmel ATmega chips which utilises there own development environment based on the Processing programming language (similar to C). It is an open source platform so there is a lot of programming examples available on the net. I have basically written my own program but utilised bits from a number of other programs.

You can find a lot of information here http://arduino.cc/en/

 

[DavidS]

C? Noooooo................... my arch enemy!

 

[MagicJ]

It's better than Pascal and Fortran which were the last two languages I used when at Uni!!

I have got a soft copy of an introductory book on the Arduino if you want to have a look - PM your email address if interested.

 

[DavidS]

Haha... for a unix person, I've always found C like banging my head against a wall. That said, I've never actually been very good at programming. Bloody hopeless at it.

 

['vspec']

C? Noooooo................... my arch enemy!

haha, gold.

 

[DavidS]

In other news - the 20kg of tropic marine salt arrived. I was expecting a tub - it was a box full of 1.7kg bags :P
Not complaining - seems to sit around better sealed.
Also means I received the first heater.
New wave makers arrived yesterday.

 

[MTG]

Time for an update with pics mate!!

 

[DavidS]

Nothing to take pics of yet Matt Green - the tank hasn't been delivered yet! The nano's TJ could do with an update, but the only thing that's changed in there since the pics I took when I moved it to LED is that the algae is growing well! Need to dial back the photo period tomorrow I think - currently need to clean the glass daily as it turns red/brown. Looks like the blenny is enjoying it though, but even he can't keep up.