Wifi controlled multifunction aquarium controller

Description

S
im
A
C
o - controller is created for freshwater aquariums. It was designed to make aquarium owner's life easier. Controller is dedicated to the aquarium hobbyists - DIYers. However all parts and controller functions are tested before shipping – you will get controller working. All boards are fully soldered.
Cotroller is controlled through WiFi. For this Angry Fish application must be used. This application can be installed on PC with Windows operating system or Android phone.
Apple devices are not supported
.
Controller can do many repetitive aquarium maintenance jobs:
Control LED lighting. Four channels available so you can control four different colors LEDs manually or automatically. In manual control mode user can turn LEDs off or on; when LEDs are on, LED brightness for each channel can be set from 0% to 100%. In automatic control mode controller can change LED brightness uniformly through a selected period of time. This means you can simulate sunrise, sunset or moonlight effects when LEDs are uniformly dimmed for example from 0% to 100%. Also LED brightness can be set to stay constant through a selected period of time. Controller has LED temperature sensor. This sensor can be attached to LED radiator. Sensor will measure radiator temperature. User can set temperature limit when controller will activate cooling fan to cool-down radiator. Also there is temperature alarm setting: when alarm limit will be reached controller will generate alarm.
Turn off/on automatically high voltage (120-230V AC) devices, like water filter, air pump, CO2 valves, aquarium fluorescent or metal halide lights etc. Eight channels available. Each channel has inbuilt separate timers which have 1 minute resolution. Timers allows to turn on/off aquarium devices several times per day. Also manual control available where you can turn on/off channels manually.
Aquarium water temperature is measured using water temperature sensor. Controller will activate water heater or cooling fan block when water temperature drops down or rises. Thus controller will support constant aquarium temperature, set by user. User can set low and high water temperature alarm limits. Controller will generate alarms when these limits will be exceeded.
Ambient temperature sensor will measure air temperature in your room where aquarium is placed.
Measure water PH and control CO2 valve if you are using one. If carbonate hardness in aquarium is stable then controller can adjust CO2 level in in the water by measuring PH level and turning CO2 valve on or off. Thus controller will support constant water PH value, set by user. Also controller can shut down CO2 at night when plants do not need it. User can set low and high water PH alarm limits. Controller will generate alarms when these limits will be exceeded.
It can automatically fertilize aquarium with liquid fertilizers using peristaltic pumps. Four types of liquid fertilizers can be dosed. User selects dosing hour, dosing amount in mililiters and days at which fertilizers will be dosed. Controller automatically calculates the time needed to keep pump activated. After dosing fertilizers amount left in containers is calculated. Each type of fertilizer can be dosed automatically one time per day. Also manual dosing available: select fertilizer type, dosing amount and press button “Start manual dosing” – fertilizer will be dosed immediately. When fertilizer amount in container will be low, controller will generate alarm – user will know that it is time to refill containers.
Top-off function: aquarium can be refilled with water automatically from the reservoir if aquarium water evaporates. Two modes available: Auto top-off and manual top-off. Automatic mode allows you refill aquarium every day at the time selected. Manual mode lets you to refill aquarium immediately. Water level is monitored in aquarium and reservoir with water using two float sensors. For a better protection from aquarium overfill (if float sensor fails) there are limited aquarium fill time protection – top off will be stopped if fill time is exceeded. Alarm will be activated on fill time threshold reach. Also there is alarm to inform user when water reservoir is empty.
Uninterruptible power supply (UPS): if you are using UPS to supply power to your aquarium devices you can set controller to disconnect non-critical loads when blackout occurred. SimACo has integrated mains voltage sensor in order to know when power from the mains is lost. Alarm will be generated during blackout to inform the user that aquarium devices are running on battery.
Filter’s flow rate monitoring: monitor flow rate of your one or two aquarium filters.  Filter flow rate monitoring helps to find out when filter is clogged and it is time to clean it. To monitor flow rates cheap chinese flow rate sensors can be used. Sensors must be connected to the main board through additional flow sensors board. You can set threshold values for the sensors when SimACo will generate alarm due to the low flow rate value.
Additional features:
SimACo is controlled through WiFi – you can connect to your aquarium controller from any place in the world where is internet connection. For this you must have Windows computer or Android device with installed Angry Fish application (it’s free).
All main controller settings are automatically saved to non-volatile memory so there is no need to restore every setting after battery replacement or blackout.
Controller has incorporated bootloader. Bootloader allows to update microcontroller’s program (firmware) through USB cable using Windows Angry Fish application when new firmware and software versions available.
Main board has inbuilt 12V/1A power supply for the dosing pumps and other aquarium equipment. This reduces the number of external power supplies needed for your aquarium equipment.
Controller has inbuilt alarm system: you will know when LED radiator temperature is too high; water temperature is too high or too low; when water PH is too high or too low; levels of liquid fertilizers in containers are low; level of water in top-off container is low; aquarium top-off time exceeded and several others. If alarm exists, buzzer will beep warning the user that action must be taken. The levels of alarms are flexible and can be configured by user.
Main board has terminals for the switch. User can disconnect all high voltage 110V-230V devices in order to do aquarium maintenance safely.
SimACo logs values from sensors and aquarium devices states: water temperature, cooling fan state, heater state, ambient temperature, water PH value, CO2 solenoid state, lighting device state, two flow rate sensors values.
Main set:
two boards: main board and buttons board;
4×20 LCD module;
cables to connect buttons board and LCD module to the main board;
USB cable to connect SimACo to PC;
3V CR2032 battery;
rocker switch;
water temperature sensor.
Main set + 3D printed case:
two boards: main board and buttons board;
4×20 LCD module;
cables to connect buttons board and LCD module to the main board;
USB cable to connect SimACo to PC;
3V CR2032 battery;
rocker switch;
water temperature sensor;
3D printed case, it is printed from PETG plastic, color - gray.
Additional parts:
Ambient temperature sensor;
LED temperature sensor;
Mosfet LED driver board;
MeanWell LDD LED driver board - for Mean Well LED drivers LDD-300H...1000H, LDD-1200H, LDD-1500H;
Flow sensors board.
I do not sell any aquarium equipment like dosing pumps, PH sensor, water flow sensors etc.
Not all controller's functions will work with main set. Check the list below which additional items you will need for every function.
Most aquariums have different setups. SimACo is also designed to work with a broad range of mains voltage: 120-230V. Wall outlets in different countries also are different types.
Because of these differences
i can not provide every part required for every function. Some parts you will need to buy elsewhere or do it yourself. Below is a list of other parts which you will need to use
with a specific function
. Items which can be bought from me but are not included in the main set are
highlighted in
green
and items which you will need to make yourself or buy not from me are highlighted in
red
:
Keep in mind that AC 120-230V
power supply cable
is not included in the Main Set: you will need to buy it yourself.
LED lighting control.
Led T° sensor
is needed to monitor LED temperature and control LED cooling fan. LED driver boards:
MOSFET driver board
or
Mean Well LDD drivers board
are needed for LED lighting with dimming function. Board type depends on what type of LED lighting you are using for your aquarium. If you will decide to use LDD drivers board, you will need to buy
Mean Well LDD-XXXH drivers
. Also you will need
external power supply
for the LED lighting. It must be selected according to your LEDs type.
AC 120-230V voltage devices control.
SimACo does not have
power bar
with outlets yet: you will need to do it yourself.
Aquarium water temperature measurement and support.
Water T° sensor is required to measure water temperature, control water
heater
and
cooling fans
.
Ambient temperature measurement.
Ambient T° sensor
is needed to to measure ambient temperature.
PH/CO2 measurement and support.
PH sensor
with 50 Ohm BNC connector is needed to measure water PH level and control
CO2 valve
. Also you will need other CO2 equipment: CO2 bottle, pressure regulator and diffuser.
Liquid fertilizers dosing.
12V
dosing pumps
are needed to dose liquid fertilizers.
Aquarium top-off.
For this function you will need
Reservoir sensor
(for reservoir water level monitoring),
Aquarium sensor
(for aquarium water level monitoring) and 120-230V
top-off pump
. Water level sensors are also named as “float switches”.
UPS battery energy saving.
Mains AC 120-230V voltage cable
must be connected to the mains voltage sensor input. Sensing circuit is already soldered in to the main board. Buy
UPS
according to your aquarium devices wattage.
Aquarium filters flow rate monitoring.
For this purpose
flow sensors board
must be used. Two
flow rate sensors
can be connected to this board.
All required information, connection diagrams, Angry Fish application and my contacts can be found in my web page:
www.mysimpleautomation.com