PLC based automation for 125 Gal Reef

[jlneng]

Hi All,
I have been lucky enough to receive an Allen Bradley SLC500 PLC with a Panelview 550 Touchscreen free of charge from a friend who works at an AB distributor. I work as an Electrical Controls Engineer so the opportunity to automate my 125 Gal Reef Tank is right up my alley. I am going to use the system to simulate dawn and dusk with Actinic only, daylight with Actinics and 10K CFL's, and moonlight with (3) 1 Watt LED's. Also am going to use the system to simulate random switching of powerheads for differing flow patterns. One great aspect is that I can control multiple devices at the push of a button such as turning off the Aqua lifter, sump pump and protein skimmer powerhead simultaneously while I do routine maintenance. I used to have unplug the lifter, run into the basement and shut off the sump pump and skimmer powerhead. I know many of you go through the same drill. I know that this is wretched excess and overkill but an Electrical Engineer should have a fully automated control system for his reef! If anyone has any more automation ideas that I could incorporate into the system, please chime in....

 

[Anonymous]

Some have dosing pumps that dose CA/Alk/I/Mg automatically via PLC, as well as trouble-avoidance (overflow, leak, etc) and auto-top off.

 

[Anonymous]

Okay. I am officially as jealous as possible.

Good luck. Please post pictures and details of this project as it progresses. I'd love to see how it all works.

Louey

 

[magicman76]

temperture controlling the fans.. if you have any..
sounds too good to be true.. lucky you..

 

[magicman76]

umm.. this is the diy forum right? what about some reverse engineering on that puppy! J/K 8)

 

[smontanus]

Automate the entire water process. Tap water to RO unit, RO unit to top off system and RO unit to premix for water changes. Then automate the top-off AND the premix. Hell, even automate changes. Use the PLC for monitoring tank parameters too. Graphic display of trends and feedback to the automation systems. Is that possible. I'm serious, I've thought about this. If your gonna do this leave no stone unturned. Man I'm jealous too. Keep us posted.

 

[jlneng]

Thanks for the ideas. I am going to get 2 capacitive sensors to monitor normal water level and emergency overflow catastrophy water level and use those inputs to stop the pump in the sump. I presently add make-up water and calcium supplements by hand. The PLC I have has no analog capabilities, just fixed rack discrete I/O. If it did have analog I would wire some thermocouples for temperature measurement, and maybe a PH monitor. THis is way too much fun. I will post some pictures this weekend.

 

[jlneng]

Hi All, I wrote my PLC program and designed and programmed the panelview screens for the 125G Automation System. I thought that I would post some Pics of the parts. I am going to do the installation & wiring today. Hopefully I will finish same....Thanks for all of the great ideas!

 

[Anonymous]

How close will the controller be to the tank? It may corrode due to the salt spray, so do you have any plan for the enclosure?

 

[jlneng]

I have the controller mounted in a NEMA 12 Enclosure so it should be protected from any water. I am going to make an acrylic L shaped bracket to mount the Panelview in. I think that I will install the Panelview and bracket on top of the hood. They should look pretty good there. I have a UPS for the PLC power, just like what you could use for a computer, and the power for the outputs is on a separate GFI protected circuit. That way, if the power goes off, the PLC will at least stay awake. The PLC enclosure will be installed under my tank in the cabinet/stand. I mounted the PLC to the sub panel today, installed an off/on switch for the outputs, and set up the branch circuit wiring for the receptacles. This is way too much fun. I am an Electrical Controls Engineer, none of the work that I do for $ is this much fun! By the way, I did order 2 dosing pumps today; peristaltic types, for calcium addition so that will be automated as well. I have the set points for run time programmed as well on the panelview.

 

[Anonymous]

>... This is way too much fun. I am an Electrical Controls Engineer, none of the work that I do for $ is this much fun!

So true! That's the difference between a job and a hobby.

>...The PLC I have has no analog capabilities, just fixed rack discrete I/O. If it did have analog I would wire some thermocouples for temperature measurement, ...

Can you use a presetable thermostatic that trigger the PLC when temp is above/below a certain temperature?

 

[jlneng]

Yes, I could use a pre-setable thermostat but after thinking about it, I am going to leave the heaters plugged into the wall just in case the PLC screws the pooch. I am in NC/Virginia area this week doing Engineering for $ instead of fun.

 

[rnoreef]

I have an automation system on my 300 gal reef. I work for a commercial temperature controls dealer and have used my ddc controlls to control all my pumps, lights, hood temperature,top off, and heaters. With the ddc controllers I have analog inputs and outputs so temperature control is not an issue. I'm actually working on automating my water changes with fill and drain valves. I also set up my closed loop through a modulating 3 way valve to create a wavemaker.

 

[jlneng]

My Automation System is finally wired, programmed and in test on my work bench. 4000$ worth of free hardware, and a few hours of assembly, and programming. I still have to finish a mounting bracket for the Panelview Touchscreen. I am going to make it out of acrylic and if it looks good, I will put it on top of my Oak PC/LED hood- Another DIY project.... Has anyone here ever used a plunge router on acrylic to cut out anything ? I have cut & drilled same with saw & drill but never tried the router. I guess if I screw up I will just wreck some plastic. I will post some pics as soon as I can. Thanks for all the great suggestions!

 

[jlneng]

Automation System is Online! It is really nice to be able to turn devices On/Off or change timer presets all in the same place. It makes changing carbon/filter media a breeze. All I have to do now is get the farmers almanac and program my moonlight LED function/Sunrise/sunset so they emulate the phases of the moon & sun. I have some resisters that I need to wire in for 50% output, and 25% output. At full 100% output it is a little too bright- sometimes the fishkeep swimming instead of sleeping. I was thinking of marketing this system but I don't know if people would want to spend the money required for this type of high end controls. It would really be fun though if someone had the budget. Trending things like salinity,Ph,temperature are quite easily done. Control of make up water mixing and addition, dosing, and just about anything else one could think could be done quite easily with the system I have in place. I can even monitor the automation system remotely using a dial up connection straight to the PLC. If someone had a high end PC based HMI (Human Machine Interface) in lieu of the panelview terminal that I used, they could access their system remotely using any Web browser. I do that for customers Industrial Automation Control Systems quite frequently. I will post some pics later...I have to get the camera hooked up to the computer.