"Ebb and Flow" for orchids and hydroponics

[Marco Sillano]

A new project using Sonoff.

A complete DIY "Ebb and flow" watering system, with an 'ad hoc' timer (of course using Sonoff) and a client in node.red.

For orchids and general hydroponics.

You can find it there: https://github.com/msillano/Sonoff-ebb-and-flow 

Hope you will like this project.

Regards

m.s.

[Phil]

Bravo ;)  but no tasmota?????   you loose a couple of brownie points for reinventing the wheel  but grand lil project nonetheless..  kudos..

ps for a great budget plant care sensor and roadmap for inclusion into your mqtt/nodered system with a ble enabled host check out ThomDietrich's extension of the 'Open Home Automation' miflora project

[Marco Sillano]

Thanks Phil

About Tasmota, i like it..... but I found more 'natural' the martin-ger esp_MQTT script than Tasmota's rules, at least on standalone applications like this timer. The features of esp_MQTT are perfect for this type of projects. And they were available first.

Of course I know and I use Flower care: You can find a test and analysis of  Flower care performances  at page 13 of this project, with a link to miflora_mqtt_daemon.

But in any case we must keep in mind the project target:  a low cost, standalone device, for gardener.  Keep it simple! :)

Best regards

m.s.

On Saturday, August 25, 2018 Phil wrote:

Bravo ;)  but no tasmota?????   you loose a couple of brownie points for reinventing the wheel  but grand lil project nonetheless..  kudos..

ps for a great budget plant care sensor and roadmap for inclusion into your mqtt/nodered system with a ble enabled host check out ThomDietrich's extension of the 'Open Home Automation' miflora project

- show quoted text -

[Oxyandy]

Is this using any alarms, alerts or sensors ?
Cheers
Andy

[Marco Sillano]

Thanks Andy for the interest.

This project is very simple: no alarms, alerts or sensors.

Only a stauts line like: " 11:32:22  in ebb: for next flow 111 min " updated every minute to inform the user about the proper operations of timer.

In ebb and flow method the parametrs of grow are:  environment measures plus infos about solution:  volume, EC, pH, 

I suggest the use of 'Flower care' as sensor for get air temperatute, sunlight, moisure and EC: It is very reliable and cost effective (US$ 25).

It can be used 2 ways: or standalone with the 'Flower care" app on smartphone or using miflora_mqtt_daemon in MQTT-nodered context (see project notes).

To adjust light, water, temperature and humidity to optimal is essential for good orchids grow, but  ebb and flow times are only weakly connected to temperatures.

The ebb and flow times are usually gardener's options, based on substratus, floreal phase, leafs apparence, roots status etc. 

For all previous considerations i decided to keep this timer as simple as possible (it cost US$ 5).

Of course, it is easy to integrate "flower care" measures in node-red and then modify ebb and flow  times  accordingly. But I dubt that this is useful for gardeners.

Keep in mind that this project is standalone, i.e. it requires node-red (or any MQTT client) for configuration, but  it don't requires any PC to work. If you put the logic in node.red, you need also a PC/Raspberry 24/7 to grow your plants!

In a different project (https://github.com/msillano/sonoff_watering) you can found a watering timer controlled by soil moisure sensor, still cheap (US$ 15). Maybe that can interest you.

Best regardas

m.s.

[Oxyandy]

Marco

Yes, I always have interest in anything 'plant' & 'hydro' related..
I take it very seriously..
I have a system that generates alerts / alarms - in the event of:
...reservoir being low
...feeding cycle did not complete
...remote switching to backup reservoir & pump
Always looking to expand and improve & gain from others experiences
Pumps & power usage kept to minimum by the usage of float switches etc

[Marco Sillano]

I'am studying a semi-professional modular DIY controller for hydroponics and greenhouse.

Very seriously :)

I will communicate it here.

Best regards

m.s.