Automating a Grow Room / Rooms

[pahval]

hello there... maybe i can be of help here if someone needs help with code... im designing my own system, that takes care of environment and nutrients, as of yet i have no device ready, as im still making my code (it has to have PID tuning of temp and hum regulation in proper VPD parameters, with my own light controller with custom UV and IR timers), and i have just stratched about nutrient making (ro, automated nutrient dosing, stirring, valve control etc), and i have some resources that may come in handy for you... i can suggest you check out this project here:

Mycodo

Documentation for Mycodo, an open source environmental monitoring and regulation system.

kizniche.github.io

where he uses is for hydroponics, as explained here:

Automated Hydroponic System Build – Projects | Kyle Gabriel

kylegabriel.com

its a beast of controller, takes care of everything you would want from diy automated system, and with high precision... happy growing! <3

 

[2com]

I'm still reading through, but I just wanted to say this is excellent, thanks. If it were up to me, these kinds of threads/ideas would be "featured", or somehow highlighted.

I'm curious what sensor you're using for ph and how long it will stay calibrated, also are you using drippers? do you worry about clogs? do the liquid nutrients separate at all over time? (from sitting)

If you have code experience this'll probably be a "cake walk" (What the fuck does that even mean? I don't think I've ever went for a cake walk, seen a cake walk, taken a cake for a walk, or walked on cake. Sounds aight though.)
As for the nutrient settling/separating, check out ledgardener's video on his home automation with home assistant. (He uses pc fans with magnets as stirrers underneath his nutrient jars).

Edit: I see ledg's video was posted further back.

 

[printer]

I'm still reading through, but I just wanted to say this is excellent, thanks. If it were up to me, these kinds of threads/ideas would be "featured", or somehow highlighted.

If you have code experience this'll probably be a "cake walk" (What the fuck does that even mean? I don't think I've ever went for a cake walk, seen a cake walk, taken a cake for a walk, or walked on cake. Sounds aight though.)

 

[2com]

Choreographed cake dance? Not the same.
I hope they were all let out of that giant white box / preloading matrix environment afterwards.

 

[berten-ernie420]

So that there is no confusion for future readers; Yes I can build a unit to only dose nutrients at half the cost of a commercial doser unit.

BUT.

For the SAME price of a commercial doser, I can build a unit that can control an entire grow room.

Commercial units rarely come with enough pumps to use an entire lineup. Most come with 2-4 dosing heads, with the option of adding more on to the system at a higher than reasonable markup. Or if you do need one with more heads, the price skyrockets.

Yea you can buy the cheap 3 or 4 pump dosing head unit for fish tanks and start working the project yourself. But that will only get you so far. My system is essentially a kit, that I can have shipped anywhere. Very easy to use and setup the components. If you can cut and glue pvc, then you'll have no issues. Alternatively, I can precut all the dimensions as long as I have accurate dimensions of your setup.

So in conclusion, don't be sticker shocked if you inquire and get a response you weren't expecting. You get what you pay for. I can build a single room unit, utilizing up to a 10 part nutrient lineup (with 2 pumps reserved for ph up and ph down), smart auto-doser controllers for much cheaper than what you can buy commercially. But if you want one to control everything in your grow room, those will be higher cost due to the fact it has more components and more coding. I'm not trying to become a millionaire here, but fuck people, these aren't just some little cheap, couple hundred dollar toys. If you want to only spend a few hundred bucks, I'd say good luck.

 

[berten-ernie420]

Here's the 2.0 version. Wireless sensors and full control of 3 separate grow environments. Only got 2 pumps attached in the photo, but all are operational. I will be putting this unit into operation today (hopefully) so I will update with more pics then. It has a total of 12 separate 110v outlets all of which can be programmed to operate different controls. Like a dehumidifier, exhaust fans, co2, lights, pump for administering nutrient mix to room, waste drain pump.

 

[2com]

Awesome dude.

 

[berten-ernie420]

Design flaw #1, placement of the arduino stack too close to the outlet, (couldn't plug the damn thing in), resulted in 2 less power outlets, and a designated port for programming as well as designated 9v power supply to the baro on the arduino. And a giant hope I gotta patch from where the outlet was mounted. Ahh. The struggle. Hahahaha. All in stride tho.

 

[2com]

@berten-ernie420

Hey, have you seen this: https://atlas-scientific.com/atlas-iot-software/ ?
It's free.
Of course, it's for use with their sensors, EZO circuits and stuff (It works seamlessly with them I mean). They have an iot pH monitor kit with touch screen too - it runs this software. You can add any of their other sensors to it at will too. (The kit comes with everything, including Rpi, but I'm just showing you the software).

I'm seriously considering something like this, as the alternative is bluelab, or maybe apera.. ?

 

[berten-ernie420]

@berten-ernie420

Hey, have you seen this: https://atlas-scientific.com/atlas-iot-software/ ?
It's free.
Of course, it's for use with their sensors, EZO circuits and stuff (It works seamlessly with them I mean). They have an iot pH monitor kit with touch screen too - it runs this software. You can add any of their other sensors to it at will too. (The kit comes with everything, including Rpi, but I'm just showing you the software).

I'm seriously considering something like this, as the alternative is bluelab, or maybe apera.. ?

Yea Ive scrolled through that info once or twice. My system utilizes atlas products. But that iot software only lets one control water quality and display. My system does complete environmental control and nutrient dosing in one. Yea the screen is small to say the least, but I can upgrade it to a larger touch later on, jus would require integration into my existing stack. Food for thought for sure.

 

[2com]

Yea Ive scrolled through that info once or twice. My system utilizes atlas products. But that iot software only lets one control water quality and display. My system does complete environmental control and nutrient dosing in one. Yea the screen is small to say the least, but I can upgrade it to a larger touch later on, jus would require integration into my existing stack. Food for thought for sure.

Yours is probably more capable, no doubt.
But:
"The Atlas iot™ software works with the following EZO devices:

• EZO-pH
• EZO-ORP
• EZO-DO (Dissolved Oxygen)
• EZO-EC (Conductivity)
• EZO-RTD (Temperature)
• EZO-CO2 sensor
• EZO-O2 sensor
• EZO-RGB Color Sensor
• EZO-PMP (Peristaltic Pump)
• EZO-PRS (Pressure Sensor)
• EZO-HUM sensor (Humidity Sensor)"

Some of them aren't water sensors. Can connect up to 6 of them (only in "i2c" mode). And apparently now "cloud" capable via mqtt.
I *think one of the guys there told me it could be configured to control as well, not just monitor - I meant to ask at least, haha.

I don't know what route to go and what to use, there's too many options to sort out the easiest way. You had to write code for everything I guess. Could you have used home assistant and node red or something like ledgardener did.

 

[berten-ernie420]

Yea Ive scrolled through that info once or twice. My system utilizes atlas products. But that iot software only lets one control water quality and display. My system does complete environmental control and nutrient dosing in one. Yea the screen is small to say the least, but I can upgrade it to a larger touch later on, jus would require integration into my existing stack. Food for thought for sure.

@berten-ernie420

Hey, have you seen this: https://atlas-scientific.com/atlas-iot-software/ ?
It's free.
Of course, it's for use with their sensors, EZO circuits and stuff (It works seamlessly with them I mean). They have an iot pH monitor kit with touch screen too - it runs this software. You can add any of their other sensors to it at will too. (The kit comes with everything, including Rpi, but I'm just showing you the software).

I'm seriously considering something like this, as the alternative is bluelab, or maybe apera.. ?

My system doesn't JUST utilize atlas products. It uses other sensors as well. You could use the atlas as a base project and branch off that?

 

[2com]

My system doesn't JUST utilize atlas products. It uses other sensors as well. You could use the atlas as a base project and branch off that?

Yup, I know yours doesn't

And I don't know. I guess one could (I'm probably not that one at this point, hah).

 

[berten-ernie420]

Yours is probably more capable, no doubt.
But:
"The Atlas iot™ software works with the following EZO devices:

• EZO-pH
• EZO-ORP
• EZO-DO (Dissolved Oxygen)
• EZO-EC (Conductivity)
• EZO-RTD (Temperature)
• EZO-CO2 sensor
• EZO-O2 sensor
• EZO-RGB Color Sensor
• EZO-PMP (Peristaltic Pump)
• EZO-PRS (Pressure Sensor)
• EZO-HUM sensor (Humidity Sensor)"

Some of them aren't water sensors. Can connect up to 6 of them (only in "i2c" mode). And apparently now "cloud" capable via mqtt.
I *think one of the guys there told me it could be configured to control as well, not just monitor - I meant to ask at least, haha.

I don't know what route to go and what to use, there's too many options to sort out the easiest way. You had to write code for everything I guess. Could you have used home assistant and node red or something like ledgardener did.

Yea I could've used home assistant. Prolly still could figure it out. But yea I wrote the code, but I wouldn't really call it that. Most of the logic I jus copied from online and I just configured everything to run in the right order, concurrently.

 

[berten-ernie420]

There's lots of examples out there that could do, individually, what mine does as a whole. Juuuuuus saying.

 

[Outdoorhydro]

Nice write up! This gives me ideas
I'd only add a pi to give me readouts on what my room is doing on my TV, Maybe even add a Webcam to view it too.

 

[2com]

Atlas Scientific did an instructable on how to make their iot monitoring station: https://www.instructables.com/BUILD-YOUR-OWN-MONITORING-STATION-USING-THE-ATLAS-/
You'd end up with something like this: https://atlas-scientific.com/kits/iot-ph-meter/
Except with your choice of sensors/ezo circuits (only for atlas scientific sensors and probes). A touch screen isn't required, either.

I realize this isn't really automation, it's just monitoring. So it doesn't fit the thread, but I thought I'd share it anyways. I can remove it if you wanna keep it to automation, no prob at all, lemme know.

 

[berten-ernie420]

Atlas Scientific did an instructable on how to make their iot monitoring station: https://www.instructables.com/BUILD-YOUR-OWN-MONITORING-STATION-USING-THE-ATLAS-/
You'd end up with something like this: https://atlas-scientific.com/kits/iot-ph-meter/
Except with your choice of sensors/ezo circuits (only for atlas scientific sensors and probes). A touch screen isn't required, either.

I realize this isn't really automation, it's just monitoring. So it doesn't fit the thread, but I thought I'd share it anyways. I can remove it if you wanna keep it to automation, no prob at all, lemme know.

It's good info to share. Stuff if I had seen prior to starting this build, couldve influenced how my unit was constructed. Good info to share nonetheless.

 

[berten-ernie420]

Nice write up! This gives me ideas
I'd only add a pi to give me readouts on what my room is doing on my TV, Maybe even add a Webcam to view it too.

I was asked to do another build but with a pi. I'd try it, but not outta my pocket. Haha.

 

[Overgrowtho]

What is the system referenced for around 2,400$?

If not going the DIY route, what systems exist on the market for automating?

I only know one I have found: the Intellidose from Autogrow.

IntelliDose Kit

Automatically manage your nutrient and pH levels, set remote alarms and data log your progress with one simple controller. The IntelliDose sets the industry standard for a small commercial auto-dosing. Dose up to a 9 part blend (nutrients, additives, pH adjuster) while maintaining your preset EC...

shop.autogrow.com

Are there any more on the market?

How about any for large scale industrial use?