Arduino help needed

[Huckster79]

So I'm thinking of going to these first setting up an auto water system with it but my question isn't on code or whatnot... What hardware do I start with?

There are lots of kits on eBay but there's lots of stuff I won't use in the different ones... So am I better off making a list of ala carte parts and buying it all that way or is there a kit that most of the components are usable either in this project or further advances I do with it such as temp humidity monitoring, co2 controlling, ect....

 

[spearwarrior]

I'm working on being able to automate with arduino and I've been buying parts "ala carte" specified with code I'm finding online. I'm merging all the code I've found online to log temp, humidity, light status, fan status to mysql server that I'll be able to check remotely and the system will email/text if things get out of spec. That's the dream anyway I haven't even finished my build yet.

 

[The Meadows]

Huck, if you post a link to a kit we could offer better advice. Auto watering can be complex with the number of necessary components. I'd normally suggest the a la carte method of parts acquisition, but you probably want to get a kit. I've been leery of automating anything that might cause a flood. Be careful.

Spear, keep at it, I have a working system for that. It got so complex I got a second arduino so I could simplify the wiring and coding. My latest addition to my code is storing the timer schedule in mysql.

 

[plutosmoke]

awesome, anyone able to implement this and used it successfully yet to monitor co2? http://sandboxelectronics.com/?product=mg-811-co2-gas-sensor-module

 

[Huckster79]

I'm kinda second guessing myself and may go with a blumat water system...

 

[The Meadows]

Aww shucks Hucks. You can also go to a dispensary instead of making your own. <gentle jab>
Blumats have their place. A lot depends on what and how you're watering. I have a flood and drain hydro setup. A water pump pumps the solution up to the tray. When the pump turns off, the tray drains back into the reservoir. I was using a timer that allowed me 15 minute intervals of on/off. I lost most of the pins that allowed more than 1 cycle per day. Now, a $20 arduino and a $2 relay allow me to time the pump on/off time to the second. I can schedule it to turn on and off as many times a day as I want. A little more programming and hardware allows remote access/configuration/viewing. A bit more programming and a switch to turn off the schedule or turn on the pump. Put led's in another room to show the current status.

Mine is a closed system and no chance of flooding if something breaks. And everything man-made will break, sooner or later. Moving parts (pumps, valves, etc.) break sooner than static parts (tubs, tubes, etc). A valve stuck open could be bad.

 

[Huckster79]

I'm just in homade airpots.. W promix.... Was thinking of doing moisture meters in plants to a watering pump in a reservoir (not hooked to water supply) so really for me just would be computerizing what a Blumat does.... For what you do Arduino sounds perfect...