Let's create an open source GrowBox!

[Niwashi]

@Boxman very cool. Heis actually using home assistant. I have already figured out to to get virtually any smart outlet to work with IFTTT and Homeassistant. I just want to create remote sensor probes with adurino now and have them communicate either IFTTT or MQTT. Have you looked at IFTTT yet? Really cool and simple for basic stuff like fans and lighting. I think the only thing i am really nervous about controlling peristaltic pump for PH adjustment and nute dosing because IFTTT has trouble checking the "state" of some outlets and it would be hard to correlate time to run the pump.

 

[Boxman]

Very good! @Niwashi .I have seen the IFTTT as a general idea but If i understand correctly you can't make it easy to communicate for the arduino. I ordered some smart outlets to play with. Until then I plan to play with the arduino and how to handle the temperature humidity. How MQTT server will be set up and how the connection will be implimented.of course I have in my mind about PH sensor . What components do you have for PH?

For the peristaltic pump I was thinking that it is possible to control it throw arduino but I dont know how persise can it be.

I will start experimenting with arduinoMCU and MQTT and various sensors for start and we will see how it will go.
What do you propose to do for set up the PH ?

 

[Boxman]

I read a little more about node red and I think that I have a more specific plan for what to do.First of all I will use Node red to connect all my device and the node-red dashboard for the UI.
For the first version I will start simple. First I will try to set up the UI. I installed the Node-red and the dashboard plug in.

The UI will have:
1. One group that will control the lights (for now will have only 2 buttons for open and close).Later will have and the menu to set up when to open and close automatically.
2. One group for the water doing the same thing.
3. One group that will show the stats (e.x. temperature & humidity)

here is the clipboard if you want to play with:
[{"id":"2b8168a4.537f18","type":"ui_text","z":"c9295279.62c39","group":"342c9bf6 - Pastebin.com


The next step is to setup the mqtt broker and take the data from there

 

[Boxman]

Hello again, I got a arduino MCU and I started working at the project. I used the UI in the previous post and I set up the temperature and humidity. But first I set up the arduino at the On The Air mode. I followed this instactions for OTA .And that means if the arduino is connected at the wifi I can upload sketches without connect it to my laptop. Then I used shiftr to set up a MQTT broker. Also set up DHT11 sensor. I had a small problem to find the right library for my arduino.I learned that because the ESP the sensors need different libraries. I programed the arduino to publish the temperature and the humidity to two different topics and from the node red to see in the UI. Soon I will set up a github repository for better documentation. Now I wait for the Sonof plugs to play with.
Also I want to find a good ph sensor for the arduino. Do you haave any suggestions?
The next task is to store that data and make graphics.

 

[grower987]

So hows it going?

This is the module I used on the fish tank controller.

Dormant Labs PH Module V2 by rezahussain on Tindie

 

[DrewT]

*bump - I too am interested in how this went. From my experience, it's not the module that's problematic as much as it's the choice of PH probe. I have yet to find a budget PH probe that can remain permanently submerged in solution without suffering rapid probe degradation.

 

[drummer69]

Good Morning Sir's ;
Very Very interesting thing you've got going on in here
I am starting to Automate my grow as well ( also planning on using arduinoize ) my home brewing setup this yr as well
Count me in boys I can help were I can , being an industrial automation specialist for 10+ yrs I hope I may contribute. I am more a hardware build it set up person vs programming but am starting coding classes hopefully soon,
PM me if you would like to converse off the board
JCD
Keep up the awesome work
PS Drew you are talking with odam2K about a similar scenario I am following as well