...this subject is interesting...but I'm always half-way there.
Photos
December 14, 2010
Stuffs on my waiting list
5. dog bark triggered camera shuttter
6. human proximity sensor
7. laser burglar alarm
8. wireless control -stepper motor unit for surveillance camera using old toy RC
9. modified mosquito electric killer
10. appliance automatic timer circuit
6. human proximity sensor
7. laser burglar alarm
8. wireless control -stepper motor unit for surveillance camera using old toy RC
9. modified mosquito electric killer
10. appliance automatic timer circuit
My Aquaponic System
After doing research on growing plants without soil, I came up making my own version.
I preferred the Ebb and Tide method with auto siphon I made (wherein overflow is not a problem).
...and to save electricity, I was obliged to design and build a customized pump timer, which I successfully did after nights of trial and error. The circuit is continuously powered by a 12 DC voltage (negligible power consumption which will turn-on the 220 volt power of the submersible 18-watt pump for only 2 minutes. Then after 2 minutes, it will automatically shut-off the 220 volt line and sleeps again for 15 minutes.
In my first attempt, all 6 grown tilapia I put died a day after. I don't have pH tester so I don't know if the water was conducive enough for the fishes. The water was beer-like color due to the newly installed coconut husks as my medium, and there were no algae yet that had grown. I did my research again about raising tilapia...now I know.
December 13, 2010
Wildlife at home
Then 4 African lovebirds joined the group after 2 weeks.
Weeks after, I just saw one dead bright green parakeet on the ground. There were no signs of sickness the day before its death. Maybe it was due to a rat or cat attack while clinging at the wire net during night sleep.
Then, last December 10, one of these yellow colored Fischer died, it already showed gradual signs of discomfort days before its death. The mixture of Gatorade, honey, baking soda, and water was not effective.
Things such as this happen anytime. Anyway, good things also come...
One pair of these Fischer has been bringing add-ons (strips from plywood) for their nest beddings
I'm hoping the pair will breed as soon as possible.
November 26, 2010
Auto-repeat timer relay circuit I built
My Auto-Pump Timer Relay Circuit for Aquaponic System
Below is the original PCB layout of the automatic timer I designed. But unfortunately I ended up into a messy version due to several revisions and parts/design adjustments, simply because the bits of information I got from googling were not really provided as exact which had really disappointed me while I was in the first stage of construction. This timer circuit is intended for the18-watt submersible pump I purchased for my backyard aquaponic system. I was not able to make use of this particular pcb. However, a functional circuit was finalized anyway! I designed this circuit to wake-up the water pump every 15 minutes and powering the pump for only 2 minutes.
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PCB Component side
PCB Solder side
The actual soldered components
The big red LED continuously blinks-indicating the timing in process.
The big green LED lights up every 15 minutes waking up the system.
The small green LED lights up when the circuit wakes up, sending a signal to be amplified enough for the system to trigger the 2 minutes "On" time.
The small red LED lights up for only 2 minutes as the basis of the relay to turn-on the 220V line for the pump. Extra care was taken on this dangerous part of the board.
The circuit is powered by 12Vdc adaptor. This entire system must be sealed-off for safety reasons.
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The 35-Minute Timer for Home Appliances
(to be built soon...)
Component Side
Solder Side
October 30, 2010
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