Robo-Tank: A Modular and Customizable Aquarium Controller for Planted Aquariums

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Art

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ScapeCrunch family,

As many of you know, I am a big fan of aquarium automation to function as a tool helping you with aquarium husbandry. This not only makes your life easier but also helps to maintain consistency when we get lazy or busy and can even save the day in case of an emergency. This is why I long ago invested in the Neptune Apex system.

The problem has been that it there is a large upfront cost to get started with automation and the leading companies have decided to use the closed-ecosystem model that requires you to purchase their products rather than allowing you to use whatever products you may choose. While I appreciate that this gives the company more controller of how products interact with the controller, it also means you are at their mercy when things go wrong. It would be better for a company to focus on doing one thing well (i.e., controllers) and let other companies do what they do best (i.e., lighting, pumps, dosers, etc.). Now we have an automation option that does just that.

I'm happy to let you know about Robo-Tank, a new controller for our aquariums.
Kickstarter3-ezgif.com-resize.jpg

Robo-Tank is the brainchild of Rob Fowler (@robsworld78) who happens to also be a planted aquarium hobbyist. Robo-Tank is a modular and customizable aquarium controller that has been evolving for nearly a decade. Rob's journey with Robo-Tank began when he got his first aquarium and, like many of you, found the high price of controllers out of reach. Inspired by others in the Reef2Reef community, he decided to build his own using Arduino, and when fellow hobbyists saw it, they wanted one too. That’s what sparked the idea to start selling Robo-Tank controllers, and it’s been growing ever since! Today, Robo-Tank is powered by a Raspberry Pi, offering even more power and flexibility for both beginner and advanced users.

Robo-Tank is all about flexibility. It works with non-proprietary equipment and sensors, so you’re free to choose the gear that suits your needs without being tied to a specific brand. Over the years, Rob has sold more than 1,200 aquarium controllers, with 700 in just the last few years, and the system has been thoroughly tested in real-world aquarium setups. You can read real experiences and feedback from Robo-Tank users here.

The hardware has been refined to ensure reliability, and the affordable pricing, with aquarium controllers starting at just $100, gives incredible value for money. It even includes a highly accurate pH circuit, and for those who love to tinker, Robo-Tank offers the freedom to create custom circuits and, most excitingly, to modify the web app to fit your needs exactly how you see fit. The web app is continuously being developed and provides real-time control and automation for your aquarium, making it incredibly powerful and flexible. You can dive into all the details of the web app here to see how it can transform your aquarium management.

I’m excited to announce that the next version of Robo-Tank is launching soon on Kickstarter! This updated version is tailored to fit the needs of even more users based on feedback and offers the same flexibility and ease of use you’ve come to expect. Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to launch!

Make sure to follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page for updates and be part of this exciting journey.

Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page

I reached out to Rob and found out he is a freshwater guy but has been working with the reefing community given they are very much ahead of us with this type of equipment. Of course, I asked Rob to join us here so that we can also help him continue to evolve the Robo-Tank to be a useful tool for planted aquariums as well.

Robo-Tank_Kit.jpg

Please, please take some time to think about how this can assist you and your aquarium husbandry. We need to encourage and support this type of innovation and it's wonderful that a freshwater planted aquarium hobbyist like Rob is doing it. Feel free to ask questions here.

I've asked Rob to keep us updated on progress. Let's think about how this tool can specifically help us in planted aquarium management.





#robotank
 
ScapeCrunch family,

As many of you know, I am a big fan of aquarium automation to function as a tool helping you with aquarium husbandry. This not only makes your life easier but also helps to maintain consistency when we get lazy or busy and can even save the day in case of an emergency. This is why I long ago invested in the Neptune Apex system.

The problem has been that it there is a large upfront cost to get started with automation and the leading companies have decided to use the closed-ecosystem model that requires you to purchase their products rather than allowing you to use whatever products you may choose. While I appreciate that this gives the company more controller of how products interact with the controller, it also means you are at their mercy when things go wrong. It would be better for a company to focus on doing one thing well (i.e., controllers) and let other companies do what they do best (i.e., lighting, pumps, dosers, etc.). Now we have an automation option that does just that.

I'm happy to let you know about Robo-Tank, a new controller for our aquariums.
View attachment 6149

Robo-Tank is the brainchild of Rob Fowler (@robsworld78) who happens to also be a planted aquarium hobbyist. Robo-Tank is a modular and customizable aquarium controller that has been evolving for nearly a decade. Rob's journey with Robo-Tank began when he got his first aquarium and, like many of you, found the high price of controllers out of reach. Inspired by others in the Reef2Reef community, he decided to build his own using Arduino, and when fellow hobbyists saw it, they wanted one too. That’s what sparked the idea to start selling Robo-Tank controllers, and it’s been growing ever since! Today, Robo-Tank is powered by a Raspberry Pi, offering even more power and flexibility for both beginner and advanced users.

Robo-Tank is all about flexibility. It works with non-proprietary equipment and sensors, so you’re free to choose the gear that suits your needs without being tied to a specific brand. Over the years, Rob has sold more than 1,200 aquarium controllers, with 700 in just the last few years, and the system has been thoroughly tested in real-world aquarium setups. You can read real experiences and feedback from Robo-Tank users here.

The hardware has been refined to ensure reliability, and the affordable pricing, with aquarium controllers starting at just $100, gives incredible value for money. It even includes a highly accurate pH circuit, and for those who love to tinker, Robo-Tank offers the freedom to create custom circuits and, most excitingly, to modify the web app to fit your needs exactly how you see fit. The web app is continuously being developed and provides real-time control and automation for your aquarium, making it incredibly powerful and flexible. You can dive into all the details of the web app here to see how it can transform your aquarium management.

I’m excited to announce that the next version of Robo-Tank is launching soon on Kickstarter! This updated version is tailored to fit the needs of even more users based on feedback and offers the same flexibility and ease of use you’ve come to expect. Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to launch!

Make sure to follow the Kickstarter pre-launch page for updates and be part of this exciting journey.

Kickstarter Pre-Launch Page

I reached out to Rob and found out he is a freshwater guy but has been working with the reefing community given they are very much ahead of us with this type of equipment. Of course, I asked Rob to join us here so that we can also help him continue to evolve the Robo-Tank to be a useful tool for planted aquariums as well.

View attachment 6150

Please, please take some time to think about how this can assist you and your aquarium husbandry. We need to encourage and support this type of innovation and it's wonderful that a freshwater planted aquarium hobbyist like Rob is doing it. Feel free to ask questions here.

I've asked Rob to keep us updated on progress. Let's think about how this tool can specifically help us in planted aquarium management.





#robotank

HI Art, I'm honored to be here, thanks so much for having me. If anyone has any questions about the controller feel free to ask.
 
I should add that ScapeCrunch nor I have any business or financial relationship with Rob and Robo-tank. I do feel it's a worthwhile project that is needed for us, however, so am happy to support the mission.
 
Folks, the Robo-Tank Kickstarter has started and people are starting to pledge.

The rewards @robsworld78 are VERY reasonably priced and modular. This is a great opportunity to get into automation if you have been on the fence. I highly encourage you to consider pledging. Rob has a great reputation (you can read about all his customers and reviews from Reef 2 Reef) and is extremely helpful if you have questions. Of course, the community on Reef 2 Reef can also answer many questions and share their experiences.

I would be all over this if I didn't already have the full Apex package. I will nevertheless back the project as I think we all have a duty to support people trying to push innovation and competition in our hobby.

Lastly, sharing is caring. Please spread the word to help make Robo-Tank a successful Kickstarter project by sharing it on your social media.

Thanks again and thanks @robsworld78 for pushing innovation in our hobby.
 
Folks, the Robo-Tank Kickstarter has started and people are starting to pledge.

The rewards @robsworld78 are VERY reasonably priced and modular. This is a great opportunity to get into automation if you have been on the fence. I highly encourage you to consider pledging. Rob has a great reputation (you can read about all his customers and reviews from Reef 2 Reef) and is extremely helpful if you have questions. Of course, the community on Reef 2 Reef can also answer many questions and share their experiences.

I would be all over this if I didn't already have the full Apex package. I will nevertheless back the project as I think we all have a duty to support people trying to push innovation and competition in our hobby.

Lastly, sharing is caring. Please spread the word to help make Robo-Tank a successful Kickstarter project by sharing it on your social media.

Thanks again and thanks @robsworld78 for pushing innovation in our hobby.
Thanks for the kind words Art. :)
 
Sorry all, I've decided to cancel the Kickstarter campaign for a number of reasons, one being I wasn't completely happy with the changes. I've decided I'm going to stick with v3 as it's been very reliable and focus on other improvements. The full package picture in the original post is v3 controller for anyone wondering. I will still be adding the conductivity circuit and the stepper motor extension.

I've setup a coupon code for ScapeCrunch members if anyone is interested. The coupon code is ScapeCrunc unfortunately I'm limited to 10 characters so couldn't get the h in there.
 
I originally started this project for my planted tank but ended up in reef discussions. Of course not as much to control on a planted tank but it can do whatever is needed such as controlling co2 levels using the pH.
 
@robsworld78 kudos to you for not releasing until you feel comfortable with it. Commendable.

As one that relies on automation due to travel, a controller is every bit as important for me and my planted tank as any reefer. I control everything and have redundancies, backups and alarms that make my investment of money and time much safer. Not to mention the lives of the ecosystem I built.

I control CO2 through pH monitoring, temperature, lights, dosing of micro/macro, top off, water leaks and more. Oh, if anything goes wrong, I get an alert via text and email.

It’s smart too. If the pH drops below a certain level, the CO2 is turned off and an air stone is started. If the temperature goes too high, the lights are turned off and a fan comes on. If I get a leak alert, the return pump is turned off and the air stone comes on. If any equipment’s power goes out of a normal range, I get alerted to it indicating something is wrong with it.

The most critical piece is what I call my nuclear switch. When I travel and something goes wrong, my wife knows to hit that big red switch. It shuts the tank down except for the air stone. It then send me a text, “Your wife hit the NUCLEAR button!”.

I do know it’s expensive to set up but you can build it piecemeal over time. The peace of mind you get is priceless.
 
@robsworld78 kudos to you for not releasing until you feel comfortable with it. Commendable.

As one that relies on automation due to travel, a controller is every bit as important for me and my planted tank as any reefer. I control everything and have redundancies, backups and alarms that make my investment of money and time much safer. Not to mention the lives of the ecosystem I built.

I control CO2 through pH monitoring, temperature, lights, dosing of micro/macro, top off, water leaks and more. Oh, if anything goes wrong, I get an alert via text and email.

It’s smart too. If the pH drops below a certain level, the CO2 is turned off and an air stone is started. If the temperature goes too high, the lights are turned off and a fan comes on. If I get a leak alert, the return pump is turned off and the air stone comes on. If any equipment’s power goes out of a normal range, I get alerted to it indicating something is wrong with it.

The most critical piece is what I call my nuclear switch. When I travel and something goes wrong, my wife knows to hit that big red switch. It shuts the tank down except for the air stone. It then send me a text, “Your wife hit the NUCLEAR button!”.

I do know it’s expensive to set up but you can build it piecemeal over time. The peace of mind you get is priceless.
Thanks, it didn't make sense at this time as I'm adding conductivity circuit and control for stepper motors, it would make more sense to have those integrated rather than extensions to keep costs down for users. v4 had nothing different than v3 other than moving ports around so I'll wait some.

Everything you mentioned and more can be done with the current controller using my app except for the power monitoring however I am working on that as it can be really useful to identify issues. I have a prototype coming, fingers crossed. You can also add a small buzzer which is quite loud for an audible alarm if something goes wrong or just as an alert. I also think down the road I may add the ability to connect any 2 wire speaker so you could have custom audio alerts/alarms. I like your nuclear button, that can be done as well except for the text, currently only emails but texts will be coming.
 
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