Do it yourself MicroOctopot Auto Fill System

Indoor Growing
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#387

Theoretically you could use an esp32 device or aquara device or similar that uses a water/leak detector circuit and use it to trigger when the sensor reports dry. But you’d likely have to build & modify a sensor yourself for that use. Modifications would likely be necessary in order to not submerge the sensor, which could foul the sensor over time. Since many water/leak sensors are designed to conserve battery life by occasionally reporting dry then sleeping until water trips the sensor to report wet, using the sensor in reverse such that it’s always reporting wet until it finally reports dry might cause significant battery drain for the sensor.

I don’t think Grouchy was faulting you for trying to improve upon the idea, just noting that the system in this thread may not be the best jumping off point for your idea.

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#388

Not sure why you would even need a switch for this. If you fill the main res with x liters of water and let it run out, then the dry back starts until refill.

I had the same first thought as @SmackyMcSmackers. Some reverse water detector. Prob not reliable.
Why not a switch like this? It will not tell you how many liters used but will indicate empty control.

@GrouchyOldMan called it correctly in my opinion. Dont complicate a simple system.

If automating anything, you may want to investigate raspberry pi for control. Tons of cool add ons and economical.

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#389

@SmackyMcSmackers that’s too complex a solution.

I was thinking more like I could keep a straw with a styrofoam piece at the base in the control box.
As the water level in the control box goes down, the straw does too and hopefully makes electrical contact which sends a signal.

@JOHN1234

I’ll know how fast they are drinking it up I guess :sweat_smile:

My eventual plan is to automate the making of the nute water with perilstatic pumps so I will end up using a raspberry pi. I was just trying to figure out a solution so I could have some data on how fast the plants are drinking and play around with dry cycles.

A very ghetto version of this is I could use a CCTV camera and then check the recording time and log that but I am lazy af :stuck_out_tongue:

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#390

Very cheap pot options for expansion or building a new system:

https://hydrobuilder.com/active-aqua-grow-flow-expansion-kit-6-pot-2-gal.html#

80% off!

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#391

Tried to order 2 sets but blown away at shipping costs;

Estimate Shipping and Tax
Shipping Method
Ground $58.43
Second Day Air $204.73
Next Day Air $446.41

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#392

@SilicanPelican dryback sounds nice. selenoid right before the water distribution manifold linked to a timer.

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#393

I mean, that’s what two 10# 10x10x32” boxes cost to ship, unfortunately. Ten pounds is about $20 usually if you can’t get it into flat rate, pots are kinda bulky.

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#394

Thanks for the link and the reply @Dirt_Wizard,
Some may say I am “frugal”, others may say I am “cheap”, but
no matter, these shipping costs will put this out of reach for me just on principle, lol.

1 Like
#395

so if you have a raspberry pi running Home assistant you could play around with the duration of the dryback and have a log as well.
If you measure the rez water accurately, you can also measure the average plant drinking rate.

I cannot figure out how to capture the signal that the water in the control box has emptied out. A ghetto way of doing it is to have a straw with a styrofoam piece attached to the end of it that drops down as the water level goes down and then makes contact with some kind of electrical connection?

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#396

How might these ebb and flow pots be used like an octo since there is no reservoir?

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#397

go threw amazon if u can, they have them and shipping is cheaper

#398

Why wont the float switch I shared above work for you? When the level drops the switch contact opens (tells you it’s empty). It is NC when above empty setpoint.

Alternately you can use this one. Same concept just more mounting options.

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#399

I have a couple of SGL control boards that have 4 motor ports ready. a scale would work for control box

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#400

Couldn’t one simply slip the bottom of a one gallon jug or some other close-fitting 4-6” tall, opaque saucer or can/bucket/whatever underneath those AA buckets and skip the ebb and flow pumping action completely, using the controller simply as an Octo control res and using the pump instead to refill the control bucket from a larger reservoir? Or am I missing something?

1 Like
#401

I have the 20 gallon Texas controller and like 6 of the waterfarms still. Purchased 2001. Still use it lately for feeding a newer rdwc system. May adapt it for my grobuckets now. Five quarts at least every 48 hrs. And they’re not even flowering yet.

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#402

Seems like it could work. Not a bad idea!

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#403

was thinking something like this right before the water line manifold

image-1
image-12434×1621 238 KB

#404

Ok cool I’m glad I didn’t lose track of how it works! I haven’t run an Autopot yet myself but I’ve been following the DIY threads a lot because those are my favorite three letters

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#405

@JOHN1234 is right that a solenoid float valve should be pretty easy to hook up, you could also use a manual filler like this

#406

Funny, I just read this today trying to solve my yellow leaves. Apparently brass should not be used.

1 Like