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EC, PH, Temperature monitor - Egrowr

Hanuman

Member
Joined
4 Jan 2019
Messages
2,419
Location
Thailand
A year ago I came across this device for hydroponics that measures EC, PH, temperature and some other parameters which are not relevant for our aquariums. I contacted the company to know if they would be willing to send me a unit for testing. Initially they were interested and we even discussed the possibility of working to adapt their device to the aquarium hobby. Unfortunately they backtracked and decided not to pursue as discussed as they wanted to focus on hydroponics instead.

Still I am thinking that it could be a neat little device. I am mostly interested in the PH probe. I am not interested in a controller hence why I think this device is appropriate.

Here is the website: < Egrowr >
Screen Shot 2022-03-16 at 16.12.19.jpg

What do you guys think?

Cheers
 
A year ago I came across this device for hydroponics that measures EC, PH, temperature and some other parameters which are not relevant for our aquariums. I contacted the company to know if they would be willing to send me a unit for testing. Initially they were interested and we even discussed the possibility of working to adapt their device to the aquarium hobby. Unfortunately they backtracked and decided not to pursue as discussed as they wanted to focus on hydroponics instead.

Still I am thinking that it could be a neat little device. I am mostly interested in the PH probe. I am not interested in a controller hence why I think this device is appropriate.

Here is the website: < Egrowr >
View attachment 184527

What do you guys think?

Cheers

Looks like an interesting bit of kit, and the interface looks good with the ability to graph measurements over a period. As you say, it could with some tweaking for aquarium use - mainly swapping the humidity probe for something else (DO monitoring or PAR readings would be nice).

How does that device compare to something like the Seneye monitors?
 
mainly swapping the humidity probe for something else (DO monitoring or PAR readings would be nice).
That's actually exactly what I suggested to them.

How does that device compare to something like the Seneye monitors?
Egrowr doesn't have a PAR meter. What they have is a light intensity sensor. But I also did commented on the fact that in our hobby a PAR meter would be more useful. On that subject they said that the following and I quote "Actually a PAR sensor is very useful in hydroponics as well, the issues is the cost and there are many options on the market for PAR sensors. We wouldn’t have any comparative advantage here."
 
That's actually exactly what I suggested to them.


Egrowr doesn't have a PAR meter. What they have is a light intensity sensor. But I also did commented on the fact that in our hobby a PAR meter would be more useful. On that subject they said that the following and I quote "Actually a PAR sensor is very useful in hydroponics as well, the issues is the cost and there are many options on the market for PAR sensors. We wouldn’t have any comparative advantage here."

Lol really? You should have got them to link to all of these many available submersible PAR meters!
 
Lol really? You should have got them to link to all of these many available submersible PAR meters!
OK,

look at what we know about a PAR meter, Its got 3 wires, you can connect it to a DVM. pop a voltage across the pos and gnd and it and it has a signal wire that is simply a voltage response measured in mV.

That leads me to believe they are nothing more than an photosensor that likely has a visible light bandpass filter. if there were 5 or 6 return signal wires, I would believe there is a bit more complication, but so far im thinking you take
one of these:

$$$$$ 400-700nm OD 0.7, M25.5 x 0.5 Absorptive ND Filter | Edmund Optics
or
$$$$ MidOpt® SP700 Near-IR/UV Block-Visible Shortpass Filter for Machine Vision 405-690nm
or likely
$ Wavelength 400-700nm Optical Vis Bandpass Filter - Buy Vis Bandpass Filter,Bandpass Filter 400-700nm,Bandpass Filter Vis Product on Alibaba.com

put any old photosensor under it. with the correct response range like so with some relatively easy to create circuitry:


its simply (V+) -----|PhotoCell| ----(SIG_RETURN)-----|Resistor|---(GND)


and package it waterproof, if you were to match this vs an off the shelf, i'm thinking there would be a pretty solid relation between the two. Someone with one of those fancy 3D printers could likely cobble it together in no time flat.

total parts if you have a DVM handy like$15 with el cheapo alibaba filter and closer to 100sh for the more precise filters... the problem is having a "true" PAR meter to calibrate it. Once thats done its gravy.

we could open a UKAPs PAR meter shop and use proceeds for website maintenance and contest prizes!
 
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we could open a UKAPs PAR meter shop and use proceeds for website maintenance and contest prizes!
Love it!

I suggest the name should be "Photon Lazer 5000 Measuring System" for the high end option and "Light-Schmight" for the cheapo variant.

Come to think about it, there are many things UKAPS INC can sell.
We have the Luddite TM Pump in a Bucket by @dw1305
"Actually Decent" CO2 System - a collab between @Hanuman and @22802
The HanuZeus PH logger..

There are a lot of possibilities
 
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"Actually Decent" CO2 System - a collab between Hanuman and 22802
I was unaware I collaborated with that person 🤣

I am actually surprised I am not receiving more comments on this Egrowr device. I thought it would be great. I know there is nothing new to PH or EC probes and controllers in the hobby but this little piece of equipment logs all the data. I thought most people using controllers with PH probes didn't have a logging feature but maybe I am mistaken.
 
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