Hydrostatic
Member
Have you looked at LabJack?
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Grow room automation...Whatcha think???
- Thread starter minds_I
- Start date
Great thread very interesting stuff!
We use these(and other models) Mitsubishi processors in our system controllers and they control all we need with digital and analog in/out options and loads of diff compatible sensors. They are programmed from the front panel and or your P.C.This is a quite basic model in this particular controller but its still capable of switching and sensing lights,ventilation in and out and all water and air pumps. sorry about picture quality! JBo
We use these(and other models) Mitsubishi processors in our system controllers and they control all we need with digital and analog in/out options and loads of diff compatible sensors. They are programmed from the front panel and or your P.C.This is a quite basic model in this particular controller but its still capable of switching and sensing lights,ventilation in and out and all water and air pumps. sorry about picture quality! JBo
fucking A londinium...nice one man....
Ive seen a couple of nice setups similar to what youve done on UK420.....
nice going dude
Ive seen a couple of nice setups similar to what youve done on UK420.....
nice going dude
iLLperception
Member
Hey green_tea are you still working on that application? I'd be very interested to hear if you have any updates.
it has currently been put on the back burner for the time being, as im working on moving where I live, and hopefully now that I have graduated, I will land a job that will give me the income i need to do it exactly how i envision it.
I will probably start back up with it come june / july.
I will probably start back up with it come june / july.
M
Microwido
I would say forget PH monitoring, its not all the critical as long as you have good soil to begin with. Just increase dosages of nutrients over time, like you always have, and have a Static amount, that way its much easier.
This is what I think of Growroom Automation.
There is alot of potential here for automation in this thread, however I think many have missed the goal and have focused on solely the equipment. Lets get back to the basics?
I have been growing for many years now leaving my plants unattended for 14 days at a time. And looks like the focus of this thread has been on nutrient maintence. This is how I manage.
-N-P-K and Additives will have to be adjusted according to grow cycle and strain.
-PH stable nutrients, reduces the need for PH monitoring.
-Largest res possible to reduce large changes in water addback and nutrient addback.
but not so large as that its costly to dump nutrients.
-Nutrient solution should be used no longer than 2 weeks, Ideally dump all nutrients each week but 2 weeks is as long as you want to go.
-Adding back water is far more important than adding nutrients. Its more likely to get an overfert situation than a underfert situation over time in an unattended setup.
The environment can be controlled with a simple PLC. I'm a big fan of the Allen Bradley Pico controllers. Kinda nice once you get aquainted with them.
So there needs to be stages programmed in.
-Seed-VEG (4 weeks) (This may vary if one runs clones)
-Early Bloom/Stretch. (2 weeks)
-Mid Bloom (2 weeks)
-Late Bloom (3 weeks)
So.. nutrient mix will have to be done manually, and the res will be dumped to waste every 14 days except in veg, usually they consume so little that res changes arent necessary but I do it anyways as good practice.
So I propose the only res maintence that needs to be done for nutrient management is.
-Automated top off.
-2 week flushing.
Now it would be pretty easy to say, just hook up pumps get a measured dose every 2 weeks at res change however this greatly limits yourself to what products you can use. If you like to use "advanced nutrients" then this is not for you. If any of your
products are powdered, then you'll have to add them in. For example, I like to use Kool Bloom, powdered in late bloom. Not to mention adjuncts like Chi, that have to
be applied via foliar applications. Or something like subculture, that may only have to be added once during a grow.
So.. to make things simple, I would either run something like a one part fert like
Pure Blend Pro or General Hydroponics (Flora Nova series) I like using FN series
because its very PH stable.. In fact it tends to PH low when using RO water.
No nutrient is foolproof but Flora Nova is a great product to work with, its something I would use for an automated/semi-unattended setup. Only drawback is that it needs to be agitated before use, and it has alot of sediment in it that tends to clog filters.
Another thing to consider is that not all of us are EE's but even I can figure out how to program a AB Pico controller that will automate my garden. isn't it more practical to work with one of those so all of us could reproduce the work..
And there's that thing about lighting with MH and HPS.. and How I have to maniuplate
it for veg, bloom cycles.. but I'll save that for another time.
There is alot of potential here for automation in this thread, however I think many have missed the goal and have focused on solely the equipment. Lets get back to the basics?
I have been growing for many years now leaving my plants unattended for 14 days at a time. And looks like the focus of this thread has been on nutrient maintence. This is how I manage.
-N-P-K and Additives will have to be adjusted according to grow cycle and strain.
-PH stable nutrients, reduces the need for PH monitoring.
-Largest res possible to reduce large changes in water addback and nutrient addback.
but not so large as that its costly to dump nutrients.
-Nutrient solution should be used no longer than 2 weeks, Ideally dump all nutrients each week but 2 weeks is as long as you want to go.
-Adding back water is far more important than adding nutrients. Its more likely to get an overfert situation than a underfert situation over time in an unattended setup.
The environment can be controlled with a simple PLC. I'm a big fan of the Allen Bradley Pico controllers. Kinda nice once you get aquainted with them.
So there needs to be stages programmed in.
-Seed-VEG (4 weeks) (This may vary if one runs clones)
-Early Bloom/Stretch. (2 weeks)
-Mid Bloom (2 weeks)
-Late Bloom (3 weeks)
So.. nutrient mix will have to be done manually, and the res will be dumped to waste every 14 days except in veg, usually they consume so little that res changes arent necessary but I do it anyways as good practice.
So I propose the only res maintence that needs to be done for nutrient management is.
-Automated top off.
-2 week flushing.
Now it would be pretty easy to say, just hook up pumps get a measured dose every 2 weeks at res change however this greatly limits yourself to what products you can use. If you like to use "advanced nutrients" then this is not for you. If any of your
products are powdered, then you'll have to add them in. For example, I like to use Kool Bloom, powdered in late bloom. Not to mention adjuncts like Chi, that have to
be applied via foliar applications. Or something like subculture, that may only have to be added once during a grow.
So.. to make things simple, I would either run something like a one part fert like
Pure Blend Pro or General Hydroponics (Flora Nova series) I like using FN series
because its very PH stable.. In fact it tends to PH low when using RO water.
No nutrient is foolproof but Flora Nova is a great product to work with, its something I would use for an automated/semi-unattended setup. Only drawback is that it needs to be agitated before use, and it has alot of sediment in it that tends to clog filters.
Another thing to consider is that not all of us are EE's but even I can figure out how to program a AB Pico controller that will automate my garden. isn't it more practical to work with one of those so all of us could reproduce the work..
And there's that thing about lighting with MH and HPS.. and How I have to maniuplate
it for veg, bloom cycles.. but I'll save that for another time.
U
uncle_shorty
Wow, im definetly interested in this,
dont forget to integrate IP cameras, motion detection and programmed triggers that call your phone, check this link
http://www.lextech.com/blog/2008/05/09/new-revenue-extending-systems-with-the-iphone/
Where are you at in this and what do you need to do?
dont forget to integrate IP cameras, motion detection and programmed triggers that call your phone, check this link
http://www.lextech.com/blog/2008/05/09/new-revenue-extending-systems-with-the-iphone/
Where are you at in this and what do you need to do?
Grower gone wild.. Do you program in Ladder Logic for that controller or maybe Function Block diagram?? I figured out ladder logic in a couple of hours more or less.
For those interested.. check out the TECO controllers (PLCs) at factorymation.com
They have free software you can download to write AND TEST code for the controllers.. use FBD if you like if/then statement programming and the like. Its a piece-o-cake I promise.
I just wrote a program for a PLC that does automated on-the-fly res topoffs for three res tanks at a time and full fills at the press of a button. This eliminates the storage tank for RO water and just runs the machine whenever its needed.. res fills take hours of course but who cares.. its all automated.
itemized expenses:
(1x) Teco PLC - $88
(4x) 1/4in solenoid valves - $30 ea (from mcmastercarr)
(6x) vertical float swichs - $6 ea (2 per res for pri/backup)
Total: $250 (to never have to topoff or fill a res manually again)
I'm sure my friends here with three res's or more feel my pain on this issue!
For those interested.. check out the TECO controllers (PLCs) at factorymation.com
They have free software you can download to write AND TEST code for the controllers.. use FBD if you like if/then statement programming and the like. Its a piece-o-cake I promise.
I just wrote a program for a PLC that does automated on-the-fly res topoffs for three res tanks at a time and full fills at the press of a button. This eliminates the storage tank for RO water and just runs the machine whenever its needed.. res fills take hours of course but who cares.. its all automated.
itemized expenses:
(1x) Teco PLC - $88
(4x) 1/4in solenoid valves - $30 ea (from mcmastercarr)
(6x) vertical float swichs - $6 ea (2 per res for pri/backup)
Total: $250 (to never have to topoff or fill a res manually again)
I'm sure my friends here with three res's or more feel my pain on this issue!
nUt_jOb said:
Its ladder logic. You can download the a PDF file off of Allen Bradley's website they have the user manuals online.
Hmm automated res fills hehehe, now thats what I need.
Thanks for the parts list to help us all get started.
