DIY automated pH doser

[Bennyweed1]

Nice, glad it's working for you. If the pump shuts off it will siphon all your pH solution if the pump doesn't have an anti siphon valve?

Pump seems pretty big for dosing pH, but it was cheap.

As long as the pump is above the pH solution it will no siphon.

Yeah, the pump is really up to the user. Granted I picked this pump for my 140 gallon reserv. but it is holding a 5 gallon bucket perfectly. So even though it is 3.5 GPH it isnt over dosing.

Remember you can dilute your pH solution too. I use the powder so I can tweak the strength of the solution to how ever I need it.

But you can buy a Peristaltic Pump. I just didnt see the need in doing so, they cost more. As long as it is AC powered, you will be okay.

 

[vapeman24]

So awesome! Thanks for posting this!

Gearing up for my first grow and this will help me control just one more variable even better! Really liking this idea along with K.I.S.S.

 

[Bennyweed1]

So awesome! Thanks for posting this!

Gearing up for my first grow and this will help me control just one more variable even better! Really liking this idea along with K.I.S.S.

I use KISS also, doesn't get much better then this !

 

[watts]

Too bad the Milwaukee MC122 is the only option. It's probably well worth the money but it would be nice if there were cheaper ones just as good.

 

[Bennyweed1]

Too bad the Milwaukee MC122 is the only option. It's probably well worth the money but it would be nice if there were cheaper ones just as good.

I dont know how much cheaper it can get when you consider a nice pH pen alone can cost around $80-$100.

 

[Bennyweed1]

Here is day 2 of the DIY automated pH adjuster running in a solo 5 gallon bucket

Here is the plant

I will continue to update and document this single plant until it is ready for bloom.

I will also document if I need to physically alter, mess, or adjust the pH for this test plant

That being said I had to make my first alteration today........


As I checked the status of test plant beta alpha detla hop scotch kitty cat tango, I noticed the pH was at 6.5!!


Then I immediately went into trouble shooting mode and pulled out the'ol trusted duck tape, vaseline, and banana

As I started to probe things, to my surprise I forgot to plug the pump back into the activation switch/plug after I was done messing with it yesterday..........

I digress. Don't do this and if you do, its probably better to keep it to yourself.

 

[anon0988]

Then I immediately went into trouble shooting mode and pulled out the'ol trusted duck tape, vaseline, and banana

As I started to probe things, to my surprise I forgot to plug the pump back into the activation switch/plug after I was done messing with it yesterday..........

I digress. Don't do this and if you do, its probably better to keep it to yourself.

I lol'd

 

[Bennyweed1]

The DIY controller is now looking after 65 gallons of water and soon to be 140g.

pH is holding great

You can see the probe near the end of the manifold

 

[fatigues]

I would also not use an Aqualifter pump. They are just not that precise or reliable. They are iffy for top-off use and are generally used as a stop-gap pump to resume a siphon for external overflows in the event of a power interruption. Get a proper BRS 1ml dosing pump for real dosing control. That's what Northern Lights uses in their automated pH dosing set ups, btw.

Honestly, I think this approach tries to save a few dollars and thereby loses out on a LOT more functionality by being too limited in what it seeks to accomplish. It's COOL, yes. But it could be MUCH cooler. For $60-$120 bucks more, you could automate your entire grow!

A Reefkeepr Lite (RKL) with the SL1 module (do not get the SL2 module, it monitors Ph above 7, not below, you want the SL1) allows you to:

Use the Reefkeepr to monitor temperature, has built in timers for every switch, and can turn on and turn off the basic 4 power outlets to control your lights, fans, chiller, and essentially anything that runs on 120v AC power. While that certainly includes a dosing pump, it isn't limited to just that.

You can also add another PC4 power bar to it for twice the outlet controls. (and can daisy chain off of any of those controlled outlets, too). The options are limitless.

Add the SL1 module, and it will continuously monitor:

pH (will monitor below 7), and an ORP probe to monitor your dissolved oxygen levels in real time. If your airstones are blocked up -- the RKL will alert you to the problem. And it also adds two more control ports to manage dosing pumps or other auto-top off solutions or whatever else you want to dream up.

Essentially, a RKL is $119 and a SL1 module is $70. Probes for the SL1 are not manufacturer specific and use standard BNC lab connectors ($30-$45). So that's another $80 for new pH and an ORP probes. A BRS dosing pump is $50.

Basic run down on features: watch this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8FQGz_s_g8

Bonus: RKL units are frequently and OFTEN for sale on Craigslist and reef aquarium sites as the Reefkeeper Lite line of products is seen as "beginner" and inferior gear in that hobby and more experienced aquarists want to switch to an even more capable (and expensive) Neptune Apex controller. As a result, you can routinely find RKL units with an add on power bar (brings it up to 8 total controlled power outlets) and an SL1 module, and often more, for a mere $150, used. And as compared to the abuse equipment takes in a grow, aquarium hobbyists baby everything. It will be in great shape!

That thing can allow you to monitor and control every electrical device in your entire grow, programmed to an event, a timer, a temp, a pH reading, dissolved oxygen reading, etc.. Hell if you wanted to add the salinity module, it could auto-feed your lucas solution to constant concentrations of ferts from seedling to harvest, if that's what you wanted it to do.

The point is, this setup does so much more than control a dosing pump, it's not even funny.

Hell, if you add a NET module interface, it will do all of the above, plus you can monitor and control your system over a phone if you like. It will even e-mail you if there is a problem. It will look like an Aquarium controller to anybody who might be eavesdropping, so it's not a dead give-away, either.

By going this route, you just cut out the cost of timers, thermometers, a pH monitor and a couple of power bars and you added the ability to computer control your entire grow for $200-$300 depending on what you install. It's not *cheap*, but compared to the cost of most grow gear and set ups, it's really not expensive at all.

 

[Bennyweed1]

wow thanks for posting this. The RKL is what I want. Ill now be selling my milwaukee meters.

I love the idea of having the iNet. Alerts for pH drops ext...wow. So badass.

How is it hooked up to top off nutrients? Do you just premix a diluted mix and have it hooked up and controlled with a float switch? Or there a more precise option?

Also, can you control dosing pumps and program how much to dose so one could get the right pH drift?

 

[watts]

Hey benny, you said the doser pump you have pulsates on and off since you have the tubing connected to the probe. I was wondering if this makes the Milwaukee controller turn the pump on and off repetitively. I figure it would wear the controller out quicker.

Also, what are you using for pH down exactly?

 

[Bad Habits]

Nice dude. Might have to give this a shot at some point. Subbed for future reference!

 

[Bennyweed1]

Hey benny, you said the doser pump you have pulsates on and off since you have the tubing connected to the probe. I was wondering if this makes the Milwaukee controller turn the pump on and off repetitively. I figure it would wear the controller out quicker.

Also, what are you using for pH down exactly?

I doubt it will wear the controller, the activation switch is controlled by a relay. Nothing to really fail.....think of the repeat use of the relay that controls the turn signal on a car.

But none the less, it does pulsate a hand full of times before the pH is back in check but you can never have a solid pH drift with this setup.

 

[Stonefree69]

Found this link today and bookmarked it myself: LITERMETER DOSING PUMPS "The new LiterMeter III is an automatic precision dosing pump for the aquarium and horticulture industry. Three independent programs control one built-in pump and one or two external pumps. Perform 2-way water changes, in addition to eliminating the manual drudgery of dosing Kalkwasser, trace elements, or topping off evaporated water. Quiet operation, auto-calibration, and virtually maintenance-free."

Also Basic-Dosing-Pumps Spectrapure has some real nice products, they also have some of the best RO units as well.

 

[iizy]

Hey guys, I'm considering buying the Reefkeeper to control my pH values but I'd need some of your expertise. I have two separate top feed systems with around 20 gallon reservoirs. I have to get 2 pH probes and 4 separate pumps to + and - pH for both reservoirs right?

What are the simplest pumps to use for 2 separate reservoirs (about 20 gallons in size each)? I'm not too good with electronics. Thanks for the help!

 

[Schwarzenbart]

bump

 

[r2k]

Thanks for the bump, I'm new here.

I wonder how things are working out now with this? Are you still using it?

If I had been here 2 years ago, I would have suggested you might be able to lower the dosage rate by bleeding most of the pump output back into the storage container and let only drip a small fraction into your tub. It lets the pump run longer and adds corrections slower. For instance, the pump pushes out through a 1/2' line, tee it into a 1/4" line that goes to your tub and other end goes back into the gallon jug of concentrate. Before you drip the 1/4" line into the tub, stick a drip irrigation tip onto the end, maybe a 1/2 gallonPerHour dripper would be nice.

-r2k

 

[Grownomenal]

I do a lot of ph controls at water plants using programmable controllers. I can point you in the direction of a cheap 100$ programmable controller with quite a few I/O. You can get a really cheap peristaltic pump for 50 bucks off amazon. The controller even has a http web interface. Hook it up to a router and check it all from your phone or computer.

We normally do ph based on a threshold and a delay then tune as the system reacts. You can do a PID but you will feed more than you need. Once your PH drifts out of the threshold you dose then wait for the delay. If your good then wait and check again later. If you drift even farther you dose a higher amount.

All you need

Controller : Google triplc 100$ includes software
Ph probe : needs output either current voltage or serial
Pump : Cheap one like 50 bucks off amazon

Sky's the limit after that you can hook your lights to a relay output, I even did one with co2 controls. Hook up fans, humidifier, that little controller has lots of capabilities. Don't like how it's acting just change your program.

I've thought about developing a small "standard" controller and programming it for people. Super cheap lots of flexibility and remote monitoring.

Just some food for thought...

 

[whadeezlrg]

subbed! this plus blumats = lots of free time!

 

[exploziv]

150 usd for controller and pump is a bit too much. It can be done with about 30 usd if you use arduino board as controller and a cheap perisaltic pump off ebay. The PH probe is probably the most expensive bit of the system.