Automated Indoor Garden (The Garden Project ep. 1)
Automated Indoor Garden (The Garden Project ep. 1)
In the long run I want to make an automated garden setup indoors, with hydroponics and wireless data logging. In this first part I’m beginning it all by creating a little automated watering system for seeds using an arduino and some moisture sensors. I’ll try to grow some herbs as the first test.
Gardening With Cody series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3gtNKRRVjA
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Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/nerdforge
Schematic: Coming soon
Code: Coming soon
PARTS USED:
– Grow Light LED Strip: http://bit.ly/growstip
– Submersible pump: http://bit.ly/sub-pump
– Moisture Sensors: http://bit.ly/moisturesensors
– Arduino: http://bit.ly/arduinonanobg
– 8mm tubing: http://bit.ly/silicon-tube
– Breadboard: http://bit.ly/breadbaord
– Jumper wires: http://bit.ly/jumperwires
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Haha!! I knew it!! Seriously I immediately thought about Cody when I saw your post about this on instagram 🙂 Well done as always!
Hm…not a hydroponic expert, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you got problems with mold if you water from above and keep moist earth covered like that. Again, not an expert, but I think that’s why you’re supposed to water from below and keep the crust dry by making sure there’s enough airflow.
Now I know exactly why you needed that secret room😉🌿
Putting the water container and pump on the same level or higher than the delivery tubes would take some stress off of the pump and possibly extend the life of it. There are also inexpensive spray nozzles available on Amazon which might work with the flexible tubing but would work for sure if pvc pipe were to be substituted. A similar concept would work if the system were to be aeroponic and the electronics could be simplified. Great idea with the arduino and sensors, nice inexpensive project.
you need to use some better LEDs. even CFL lamps work better than these "blurple". best deal i could find are bridgelux vesta modules. they can even be used for photography /video work because they are CRI90
Your soil moisture sensors will get corroded very quickly due to the electrolysis if you measure it as often, as presented in the video.
Love the videos
you have the code for this project
Plants need space…you have deprived them of that…you nerded it all up its supposed to be simple
I really want to get started with little projects like this, i just dont know what arduino to use, any advice
What is the wavelength spectrum light for the grow light you’ve used?
Hola.saludos
Hey your schematics and code are still "coming soon"… Can you please update that? Thanks!
This is an inspiring idea for self-sustainability, Keep it up! It’s Ligit!
is there natural light in the room? plants need that to grow:)
Er du norsk ?
I’ve been watching some nerdforge videos, and like what you guys are doing. From experience, I think you will have some future issues with corrosion and bad readings on the soil moisture sensors. There are methods to prevent that, but not with the sensors you are using. Also you can save the hassle/issues by switching to hydroponics, and ebb flow, or just spray/drip system on a timer. I recently posted a diy mini aquaponcs ebb flow system with free 3d print files. I think you could tweak and utilize. http://www.gardenisto.com/cultivation/horticulture/desktop-aquaponic-tank-part-1/
Here are some links similar to your project, or may be helpful.
http://www.gardenisto.com/systems/controls/analog-soil-moisture-sensor/
http://www.gardenisto.com/cultivation/hydroponics/simple-drip-setup/
http://www.gardenisto.com/cultivation/hydroponics/diy-apartment-hydroponics-with-light-for-30/
One last note, I don’t see any Lumens output specs on the LEDs you are linking to, but that height, plus the unknown lumen and saturation/light angle, could cause your plants to sprout in a weak and spindly sort of way, if they are sufficient at all. I learned that with anything over 3" using 1watt per channel rgb LEDs here:
http://www.gardenisto.com/systems/lighting/diy-led-grow-lights/
Maybe I am late to the game and just missed the update. If not, I hope you post an update, revisit, and make the improvements with the ESP mcu you mentioned. Looking forward to seeing more on this.
You are going to want to replace those clear tubes and containers with something opaque or you will be constantly cleaning them. Algae will grow anywhere the light is able to get in, including the tubing.
Great video. Do you have Garden Project ep. 2 ? All the best
“Vegetables”. Sure.
I’m building something really similar right now, came to this idea independently of this video… i didn’t think about running the hose along the side, great idea!!
Can i do dis without any processor?
So what happened with this?
Emo!
Code??
For some reason I thought you were making an automated DOOR…. Guess I need to read better hahahahahaha!
That’s ridiculously awesome!! I’m not gonna attempt it but still amazing job!
Nice first attempt. Two comments.
1. The moisture sensors you are using die rather quickly.
2. LED strips are rather an inefficient way of controlling LEDs because of all the resistors included. If you don’t want to waste so much electricity, you can make your own strips with no resistors and include a voltage regulator. You’ll have to work out how to connect all the LEDs together (Usually done by a PCB) and use a voltage regulator (Both are quite cheap).
Wow I just stumbled on this vid, but really interesting to see your process! Great work man 🤘 thanks for sharing it with us 🔥🔥💪
hm.. why you need 3 sensors if you don’t control each box individually ?
You need to increase the light (By a lot) and uncover the soil. It defeats the purpose of having an auto-waterer if you dont have any evaporation from the soil. With it covered it will get moldy very quickly, and that is a sure way to kill seeds and seedlings.
I would also add a fan that blows periodically throughout the day.
You wont be happy with these sensors for long. Thres’s a steady current flowing between the two electrodes, so electrolysis will slowly eat them up and produce not-so-healthy metal salts which then will be spreadet in your soil…
nice grow house boyeee
😁
Did you use i3 ?
Nice, but I fear your soilsensor did not last long
I like it. simple and very effective!
3 years down the line you probably found out these sensors are total crap
*_I already have one and I love it I am getting another one now love these>>>_**_t.co/OZGSUsu51i_**_ . They are very easy to set up and to maintain they are fantastic ._*
where is the update? or has it not been done yet? I wanna see some growth. get your mind out of the gutter
Guess it’s safe to say you aren’t really going to put the schematics and code any time soon.
Drainage holes?
Wich relay do You user?
Great idea. I really like this project. That’s what you’d think if you read natural nerd.
You should isolate each box to avoid over watering or introduce an electronic valve system to route the water to the boxes individually. If Box 1 is too dry but Box 2 and 3 are at the proper levels, the sensor will trigger the pump (unless your code says otherwise) and then water would be pumped through the entire system and could possibly over water the other boxes. Great video!
I would suggest adding some gravel in the bottom of the containers and some holes to allow water to drain out. Otherwise, you just built a really cheap mold growing machine. Also, maybe do a single pump per box you are monitoring in case there is a different plant that needs a different watering schedule or water saturation. The way you have it setup now is that the lowest common denominator will trigger watering for the whole system. You may have the other two containers over watered, or worse, overflowing with water if one of the sensors fails or reads below the triggering event.
Is this a minecraft tutorial
interesting idea
Hello @nerdforge 😁 can i get the coding ?
Good to know that you’re a fellow fan of cody
Just ordered components, want to do the same, just the code is still missing… Please!!!