TOWER SYSTEM – set-up at Maker Faire 2014 May 22, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in adafruit, agponics.com, arduino, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, Electronic Componets, indoor aquaponics, indoor gardens, indoor growing, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, One-wire, Raspberry PI, Tower System, Tower Tubes.Tags: agponics, aquaponics, automation, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, IoT, Maker Faire, microcontroller, rik kretzinger, sensor
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RADIAL FLOW FILTER – just completed April 2, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, Electronic Componets, indoor aquaponics, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, PRODUCTS, radial flow filter, Tower System.Tags: aquaponic automation, automation, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, indoors aquaponics, IoT, microcontroller, rik kretzinger
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Since first conceiving of the Tower unit as a concept I knew they needed to be operated differently than DWC and Media bed in how you deal with the solids from the fish. Media beds — it has not been that big a deal for me because my rule is that any tank size smaller than 350 I filter the water and break-up the solids and then put back into solution by pumping back into the grow beds. This way I lose no nutrients that the fish produce. Has worked well for over 3 years now. In the testing that I have done with the towers I found that solids need to be dealt with or things will plug up. I still will be reintroducing the broken up solids back into the system put it will take place downstream of the bio-filter component and re-injected into the new buffer tank that stabilizes fish tank water volume and height. This all came out of research I was doing on how best to handle solids in aquaponics. As designed this radial flow filter can handle up to and maybe a bit more than a 1000 gallons of fish tank water. The only thing left to figure out on this radial flow filter now is where I will be locating the outlet for the clean water. That will be dependent on fish tank water level. Should have fish tank completed this coming weekend and make the determination on this aspect of the build.
I put together a youtube slide show if you want to see more detail of the radial flow filter:
IT’S OFFICIAL – Maker Faire 2014 – we will be there with a booth to show case Tower unit March 24, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in adafruit, agponic MD, agponicMD, agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, arduino, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, indoor aquaponics, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, One-wire, PRODUCTS, sensor, Stainless Steel Temp Probe, Tower Pocket Block, Tower Tubes, Yourduino.Tags: aquaponic automation, arduino sketch, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, microcontroller, rik kretzinger
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IT’S OFFICIAL NOW:
I’ve been accepted to exhibit at @MakerFaire Bay Area on May 17 & 18, 2014 http://makerfaire.com/
#20475 – internet of farming arduino-based aquaponics
Will be able to show case a number of new leading edge things that I have been developing.
Here are just a few of them:
Design of a “Radial Flow Filter” for the tower unit system ( will be blogging and doing a Youtube video about it shortly”
Venturi DIY design that will replace air pumps on my systems.
Aquaponic Fog Unit that I have just completed and in testing mode now.
Have fully working Tower unit with totally enabled IoT features that show case the latest developments in this technology as related to aquaponics.
agponic – MD — air supply feature March 1, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in agponic MD, agponicMD, agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, IoT aquaponics, plumbing, PRODUCTS.Tags: aquaponic automation, automation, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, rik kretzinger
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A lot of aquaponic systems use air pumps. So what is a aquaponic automation simulator without a air pump! Here is how it is handled and how it is connected up. This air pump comes standard on all the versions. The extra air line is for the planned 12V back-up configuration that is part of the pro version. Well underway on that unit and will have details soon.
agponic MD – connecton box left side features February 12, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in agponic MD, agponicMD, agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, arduino, DIY aquaponics, DO sensor, indoor aquaponics, indoor growing, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, One-wire, PRODUCTS, Slide Switch, Slide Switch.Tags: aquaponic automation, aquaponic crop, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, indoor aquaponics, microcontroller, rik kretzinger, Temp Probe
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Here is the configuration of the left side of the connection box.
www.carriots.com — new option in the IoT world of automation February 4, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, arduino, Carriots, DIY aquaponics, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics.Tags: aquaponic automation, automation, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, microcontroller, rik kretzinger
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Last week I was very charged up about the blog posting by Home Automation. It was not that the work they were talking about was that outstanding, it was more about the API he was using called CARRIOTS. It can be found at http://www.carriots.com. There have been a number of similar type products hitting the market place recently by a number of different organizations and companies. What I found most impressive with this was the fact that it was very straight forward and well documented with a clear pricing structure that was affordable for hackers. The better news is that they have tech support as part of the reason they are in business. Even better is that with this product it can be used in place of two products (APduino & Xively) because it has features that are found in both the other two services like “RULES”. Can’t wait to see what we all can do with a easy to use and less resource intensive API.
Check out this tutorial:
https://www.carriots.com/tutorials/Arduino_RPi_Carriots/flowmeter
Here is a cool project that will help you see what can be done with this service:
agponic-MD — features defined February 4, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in 1-wire, agponic MD, agponicMD, agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, indoor aquaponics, indoor growing, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, One-wire, PRODUCTS, Stainless Steel Temp Probe, Temperature Probe.Tags: 1-wire, aquaponic automation, automation, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, indoor aquaponics, rik kretzinger, sensor, Temp Probe, Temperature Probe
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Now that the basic agponic-MD unit is completed – I am working through all the different features that can be found on the unit and define there functions.
Here is one side of the connection box at the back of the unit.
Pass through PORT – on agponic-MD February 3, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in agponic MD, agponicMD, agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, Rj45 connector.Tags: aquaponic automation, aquaponics, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, rik kretzinger, sensor
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One design feature on the agponicMD unit is the “pass through port”.
This is a tube that runs from the top of the grow bed and in front of the RJ-45 top junction connection box and then down into water tank or fish tank.
This ‘Pass through port” actually has 3 functions:
First Function — is to allow the unit water tank or fish tank (if you have fish in it) to be filled with having to open the unit up.
Second Function — allow for your fish to be feed if you chose to add fish to the unit. I like Cory cats myself in it Green Emerald’s add a nice color contrast .
Third Function — Really the main reason I needed one. Being that these containers are sealed when fully locked down air cannot get into the bottom tank. This causes a problem with the drain valve. Water tank container will not allow draining from the grow bed container as a air is source needed to unlock the inside pressure of the closed container.
I did a youtube video on the subject. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odFwA7KqAJ0
Backside equipment found on agponic-MD unit February 2, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in agponic MD, agponicMD, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, arduino, DIY aquaponics, Electronic Componets, Gravity feed valves, plumbing, sensor.Tags: arduino sketch, automation, DIY aquaponics, indoor aquaponics, IoT, rik kretzinger, sensor
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Connector Box on agponic-MD February 2, 2014
Posted by rik94566 in 1-wire, agponic MD, agponicMD, agponics.com, aquaponic automation, aquaponics, aquaponics electronics, arduino, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, Float Sensor, Float Switch, indoor aquaponics, Internet-of-Farming, IoT aquaponics, One-wire, Rj45 connector, Slide Switch, Stainless Steel Temp Probe, SUGRU.Tags: 1-wire, aquaponic automation, Controlled Environment Agriculture, DIY aquaponics, DS18B20, indoor aquaponics, rik kretzinger, Temp Probe, Temperature Probe
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A big part of the aquaponic simulator is the fact that it uses standard RJ-45 jacks to interface with Arduino’s or a Raspberry PI. Having this type setup helps keep all the wires and connectors that are required for the unit to operate in a consistent manor safe and out of possible interaction with water elements.
Here is what is needed to construct this sub-assembly:
When all the above parts come together the finished product looks like this:
Aquaponic DIY Automation Blog 