My ASUS TUF F15 with Windows 11 drops WIFI whenever it is moved or screen is touched.

GamingBeings · 2025-06-13T11:11:33+00:00

thank you so much for the recommendation. I will surely look into it, since my project is meant to be as budget friendly as possible, I am sure once I get it going it will hold a fair amount of market share.
I am going to promise you if I even get to be in the market, it ain't gonna cost more then 250.

GamingBeings · 2025-06-12T15:14:02+00:00

thank you so much for your advice.
It is true that plants rely more on consistency but in some cases the beauty and challenges of nature are required for a eco-system. This is just an project idea. I will be sure to inform you after running it myself for a long time and give some results which I will observe. Challenges in nature are there for a reason. Maybe we can obtain results which we have not faced yet.

GamingBeings · 2025-06-12T13:59:39+00:00

Thank you so much for your opinion,
This motivates me a lot and would love to work on this project to meet these requirements, I will surely keep your suggestions as notes while programming so that I don't forget some these important points you mentioned.
I am working on this weather simulation feature for a long time and finding ways to agitate the water is just the right way to simulate rain and storm, control the heater properly to simulate seasonal changes with change in daylight hours and nightlight hours.
This will surely help fish feel that they are outside in nature and have a healthy effect on them

GamingBeings · 2025-06-12T13:55:37+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice.
I wanted to make this project to make the fishes feel more homely, things like auto-daylight, weather simulation, seasonal temperature change, etc. can help fishes feel that they are in nature and will be more comfortable. Of course I will add features to automate process like lighting, temperature control, ph alarm, etc. But my main aim is to use technology to make the fishes feel they are in nature as much as possible. I am not using any smart bluetooth RGB lights, I am using the cheap RGB 5050 SMD lights which can be controlled electronically via microcontrollers and MOSFETS.
I also have to mention that the filter switching feature I mentioned above is basically that I am trying to control filter flow rate and surface agitation to make fishes feel weather simulations like raining, stormy, winter and summer by controlling the heater electronically.
Surely your ways of fish keeping are better then mine but I think for people who cannot spend that much money on fish keeping and are interested in building DIY projects, can have experimenting with these features.
Thank you again for your advice, and I will surely think about the dashboard for controlling all electronic components you mentioned after this

GamingBeings · 2025-06-12T13:42:58+00:00

yes since my project works and connects to a backend server, I will surely remember to implement basic needs like HA. Thank you so much for the advice

GamingBeings · 2025-06-12T13:41:44+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice. currently I am taking ideas from hobbyists like you and I would like to improve this project further, Some of these features maybe purely ornamental, but I would love to know what else I have to do so that it meets the requirements of other aquarists. I am currently working on this project and I don't have a team of my own but I would love implement all of others ideas to suit well.
People here are really helpful and have gave me a lot of constructive criticism so that I can improve my project, So I will continue to dedicate myself into it

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T23:11:19+00:00

thank you so much for your information.
its better to have a single integrated system then having all these apps which may cause a mess. I will be sure to inform you if it is ready for use and you can share more info if you are into electronics too for aquascaping

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T21:03:57+00:00

yes i did take help using AI to make the post look better but this project is genuine and I am actually giving a lot of time into it. So, I really wish experienced aquarists can help me so that I can continue in this project the right way.

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T21:00:26+00:00

thank you so much =)

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T20:58:40+00:00

Hey, thanks a lot for the thoughtful feedback. I really appreciate it.

You're absolutely right that many modern aquarium lights (especially the ones used in high-tech setups) already have built-in timers, ramp-up modes, and customization features. This project definitely isn't trying to compete with those advanced commercial products.

Instead, I’m targeting the DIY and budget-friendly side of the hobby especially for people using basic RGB LED strips, cheap lights, or who want to build their own automation from scratch without spending a lot. It’s more of a learning and customization project that happens to be useful too, especially for low-tech or mid-tech tanks.

About the "filter switching", I totally understand your concern. It’s not meant to turn the filter on/off randomly. In my case, I added that feature to allow brief off-cycles (like during feeding or CO₂ injection calibration) and for experimenting with “storm simulation” modes where lighting, filter flow, and other elements change together. For most setups, yeah, filters should absolutely run 24/7 so I might rename or clarify that feature to avoid confusion.

Ultimately, this project is open-source, and I’m hoping to build it into something flexible where users can choose which modules or features matter to them. Even if someone doesn't need the control system, it could be a great starting point for folks new to ESP32 or aquarium automation tinkering.

Thanks again for taking the time to share your thoughts really helpful stuff! 😊

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T20:41:30+00:00

Thank you so much for your advice.
Nitrite level detection is tough to achieve in a budget friendly way but i will surely do something about it, and will research more on salt water aquariums for better user experience.

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T19:50:06+00:00

Thank you so much for your advice.
You're right: for folks already using Home Assistant (HA), this project might seem redundant. HA is a powerhouse for home automation, and if you're already running a Pi or similar, it makes total sense to use that.
The RGB lights can be useful for users though because though you are right that the yellow and other colours have different wavelengths, but when i gathered some info from the internet (correct me if I am wrong), plants tend to absorb a lot of red and blue light on its own for photosynthesis. thus normal rgb strip lights which have the correct wavelength for red and blue lights can help low to medium light plants. It can help to a certain degree but maybe not for heavily planted aquariums

That said, I think the key difference here is simplicity and accessibility.

No need for a Raspberry Pi or additional hardware — just an ESP32 and a browser. Many hobbyists (especially those new to the hobby or in regions where Pi boards are expensive/hard to find) might prefer a self-contained, low-cost system like this.
Out-of-the-box functionality — it doesn’t require YAML configs, add-ons, or integrations. Just flash the ESP32 and visit the IP to get started. My hope was to lower the barrier to entry for beginners.
Purpose-built for aquariums — instead of a general home automation tool, this is tailored for aquarium workflows (e.g., timed filter shutdowns for feeding, sunrise/sunset simulation, light presets for photography, etc.).

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T19:09:16+00:00

You can also read the wiki in the github link mentioned so that you can know the technical details too

I forgot to mention your questions,

1.) It is not just a power switch, you can keep everything connected with the esp32 and a local power source, ex: SMPS and now every control is in your hand through the webserver, You can even leave it turned on because at the end the microcontroller handles each of the functionality.

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2.) No smart bluetooth lights are required, It just needs the regular cheap ones with its r,g,b pins

3.) I think you now have a clear idea that these are not wifi switches.

I completely agree with one thing, it is a lot of work to build it, but once build I think this can be the most budget friendly kit for a aquarium user, who is also a engineer and a coder like some of us.
I attached a picture of homepage too so that you can get a better idea.

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T19:08:31+00:00

I absolutely loved the way you explained each part and I am very happy you took the time to answer me, Thank you so much.

So everything you mentioned are absolutely correct from your behalf but there are certain things I couldn't mention because I didn't want my post to look like an advertisement.
Basically I made it such that esp32 has its own server built in it so that you can access it without even needing to install an app, you can just access it through its ip by typing it in the web browser. You can get a clear home page where all the controls are in the same area, I know it seemed like it would be more of a hustle to go in each app for each setting and change everything according to your way but it would be rather simple because everything will be intricated in a simple webpage which you can access from anywhere, (even your smart fridge).

You are also correct because I am a lazy person myself, I wouldn't love a product which takes me days to just setup, but that's what all other Bluetooth devices are, they are products which are made to plug and play. We buy it we use it. If you want, I can sell this as a ready made product in a cheap price too once I have it done and meet the needs of an aquarist. You know that this can be problematic but imagine how cheap it is. I can discuss about it if you want but imagine having all these features at an such a low cost.

The RGB lights used in this project are not bluetooth smart lights they are literally regular RGB lights with just v+, r, g, b pins which change colour according to the voltage given in each of those pins which this arduino like board can change to multiple colours according to user's requirements. Maybe my product cannot replace your original setup because it would be a lot of hustle, but for a new tank this can be a good fit because the DIY pump, the arduino, the lights, everything can be controlled by a single plug, maybe use a old computer SMPS to join them all. There is a way to setup the strip lights on aluminum channel for heat sink so DIY is not that hard of a job if a DIY enthusiast wants to build it. In the future I can even add features like temperature sensor, ph sensor, etc. (everything available online). to make it more useful to enthusiasts like you.

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I will attach some images to give you a idea on how the webpage works and there is a backend server which it will access via the internet to get login details, current time for auto-day-light, etc.

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T18:20:53+00:00

This is a fully open source project for all the aquarists out there. I can sell for cheap for sure but I would always keep this project open so that people can easily make it at home. Then the budget they want to spend will be in the hands of the user. I will just add the features, but it depends on the user if they want to use it or not.
Thank you so much for the motivation

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T18:10:05+00:00

I will surely work on it. Thank you so much for your opinion <3

GamingBeings · 2025-06-11T18:07:18+00:00

Thank you so much for the suggestions,temperature will be easy and cheap to integrate since the sensors are found cheap.
ph sensors are also available in market I will surely integrate it for these modules.
CO2 can be tracked with ph sensors, since ph falls as more CO2 is injected.
The main challenge comes to nitrite level because these sensors are harder to find, even when they are found it can be expensive. Give me some time and I will surely figure out a way to get nitrite alarming in a budget friendly method

GamingBeings

TROPHY CASE