Random on/off for wave-maker pump in aquarium?

Hi all,

Brand new user here and I have a strange request. I bought 2 Aeon Smartstrips and I’m using the outlets to automate lights and pumps on an aquarium. It took a little messing around since these power-strips are not individually switched outlets, but I made it work with some code from this site that created virtual switches and then a smartapp that calls these individually. All is good there.

The only need left unanswered is a way to randomly (3-5 times per hour) turn one of those virtual switches on and off. I’m planning to plug a wave-maker pump in this outlet and need it to run intermittently throughout the day. I have zero coding experience and just copied and pasted code from links to make the other things work through the IDE. Any chance someone here can help out with some code?

Thanks in advance,

Willem

Take some time and familiarize yourself with webCoRE. It is not that complicated once you understand the lingo. I promise!

Would also be a good time to get a handle on Github which is like a super depository for the super nerds. Good thing is once you have it linked to SmartThings, it’s as easy as adding the account, selecting the App or DTH and checking Publish and magically it all appears in your SmartThings account!

webCoRE is the Rule Engine of all Rule Engines that can do most of what SmartThings has to offer.

Seriously, take an hour or so, do a little reading and then you will be able to do whatever you like.

Thanks. I’ll check that out.

i would be really hesitant using smartthings to control anything in a pricey salt water aquarium.

So I got webCoRe up and running and set a piston. I’ll know in 15 minutes if it works :wink:

Why is Smartthings a bad idea to time lights and switch pumps? Am I missing something, like reliability issues?

Thanks again, it works like a charm. Not hard to figure out at all.

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You are on your way! As far as SmartThings and reliability…There are some who doesn’t deem SmartThings as being reliable but really it’s all in the devices and SmartApps that you use.

I have found webCoRE to be very reliable right up until the recent time change. Ish went crazy for just a little but but an update was pushed within hours to fix the issues.

Always great to build in redundancy though.

My fireplace is automated with SmartThings and webCoRE…Some say that it’s dangerous…I say it’s safer than it was before.

YMMV

In this particular case, if your internet drops your pumps will keep running at their last state. So if they’re all off, that’s how they will stay until internet is restored. Really depends on how reliable your internet is and what backups you have.

I was wondering what that would do. My plan was to disconnect the hub after I have the whole thing implemented and run through some scenarios. The only critical pump is the main return and then only critical after several hours of not running due to oxygen saturation levels. It is in an always on state other than during maintenance, so if it fails on that would be of no consequence. Regardless the tank and sump is designed to not flood during complete power outages, so any combination of pump settings will not create an emergency. Like I said before, the worst case scenario is loss of main circulation for half a day or so. I’m going to set the system to push notifications for unexpected events including high water sensors and power outage, so in a way I’ll be better off than before at least knowing something out of the ordinary happened at home while I’m not there.

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