Something Electronic For A Fish Tank?

[CluelessScot]

Hello all,

Im in my final year of mechatronic engineering and for my end of year project a have to design and built an electronic device. I thought i could make something for my tank or something fish related but i have no idea what i could make... Anyone have any idea of something useful that i could design and make? I will start my project in about 3 weeks and it will last 2 college blocks so 24 weeks not inc holidays

So any ideas please suggest away

Kev

 

[solidshark55]

Well i suggest you make an air pump or a heater or a electric themometer

 

[emo]

Some sort of automatic water changer!

 

[OohFeeshy]

Thermometer, pH tester, timed lighting system, algae cleaner, water level tester and topper-upper....

 

[CluelessScot]

Thermometer, pH tester, timed lighting system, algae cleaner, water level tester and topper-upper....

oo some fun stuff there...

Thinking about the lighting timer and level tester Not to sure about the ph tester but it would be something id like to research...

 

[Lateral Line]

In this thread I chucked out a basic for a temperature controller. A T controller with a variety of power control stages might be of commercial interest, most easily available will only switch 300-500W, so a niche exists for a better controller with a higher powered triac or thyristor, (of course, this is easy so may not fit your course constraints).

A really nice lighting controller would be a really saleable item. Something that instead of whacking 500W of lighting on a tank, phased the lighting in gradually, and then out again so there were no sudden LARGE changes which scare the fish, (remember - if a cloud goes in front of the sun, there is a substantial light change - fish know this).

My own setup is a real bodge using 4-5 time switches to switch some LED pilot lights on, then some fluorescents, then more, then more... then less then less then.... you get the idea.

I'd like to be able to download a "light profile" into a controller which might even allow me to specify which light groups are on at what times during the day to simulate the movement of the sun.

I have the electronics expertise to do this, but not the time, and if you had a neat gadget that did all that at a sensible price, I may well buy one.

You do not say how advanced your electronics need be, (I have a HNC endorsed to TEC 7), if you want something more challenging, post again. Most of the "sense/display" type things reduce to a 741 and a 7 segment driver chip.

NanoBot algae cleaner.........

 

[OohFeeshy]

The lighting thing would be good, you could programme in red LED's for a 'sunrise' effect and blue LED's for a moonlight, although the red might be a bit tacky.

 

[Lateral Line]

You'd be suprised what some people would buy OF!

 

[CluelessScot]

weee its all sounding good to me...

Mechatronics is a mix of electronic/electrical/mechanical/computing and i chose to do my project on electronics...

it would need to be around the level of HNC/HND... i need to make my own PCB and the components would be supplied buy the college... last year some of the projects were a BFO metal detector, a device which would let you know if your car was doing over 5000rpm (cheap road angel speed thing), a radio tansmitter and reciver and a complex alarm for a car i think.

I just thought well i love fish and diy fish stuff so why not incorp this into the project? this block ends in 2 weeks so after that we start the project, norm the first month is picking something so im getting a head start The lighting system would be ace tho!

Kev

Ps if you know of any circuit diagrams or pcb layouts online let me know plzzzz

 

[smithrc]

Some sort of automatic water changer!

as its mechtronic... I'd go with this idea too...

one of our local shops has been re-fitted by jewel - they press a button and off the system goes.

It drains the tanks 25% then swaps and fills back up. you could get it to turn off the filters and pumps while it drains - then add a measured dose of declorinator to the tank then fill back up

 

[sub.42]

Yep,

You could use level control switches, by IMO, and a SAFI valve to control water flow, and using a SAFI, you could use the filter pump to expel water..........

If you need ideas, or help, just ask. I have been there too, but I was a silly boy and scratch built a PH controller for a swimming pool

sub.

 

[CluelessScot]

Oo PH Controller eh?

How did you go about doing that one?

 

[piper]

Just a warning clueless, I did my Engineering project on designing a new form of speaker as my main hobby was in this area. Although I loved the project, learned a lot from it and got a good grade I found it hard to sell my self to future employers on what they saw as a hobby topic.

Remember that if this is your major degree project this is what you use to show competence. I felt a bit silly giving a presentation to the MOD on speaker design when everyone else had worked on more fundamental things.

Good luck with what ever you choose to do.

 

[CluelessScot]

Hi all,

Had my first class of "Engineering Project" today and Decided that i would deff do a project on me hobby I really want to make a moonlight effect light using LED's but this is way to simple So aswell as this i will be making a digital thermometer... To design and build a digital thermometer would be enough to gain the pass but as LED lighting is such a simple thing i will incorporate the two together somehow... i think its making them both power off the same supply or 12v. Anyone else know of something simple that i could incorporate into this? I was thinking possibly a waterlevel sensor?

Ill keep you all updated on whats happening, If anyone comes across an actul Circuit diagram like a pcb layout let me know would really help cos im tryin to find one atm lol

Just a warning clueless, I did my Engineering project on designing a new form of speaker as my main hobby was in this area. Although I loved the project, learned a lot from it and got a good grade I found it hard to sell my self to future employers on what they saw as a hobby topic.

Remember that if this is your major degree project this is what you use to show competence. I felt a bit silly giving a presentation to the MOD on speaker design when everyone else had worked on more fundamental things.

Good luck with what ever you choose to do.

Thanks for the heads up but i think doing the project on a hobby will motivate me more as in doing something which will be a bit of a pain...

Thanks all

Kev

 

[OohFeeshy]

Perhaps something like incorperating some sort of thermostat that varies the temp as the lights turn off? IE, midday, warmest, then cooling down a few degrees as it gets to night? Temperature isn't constant in the wild.