AquaPi - Open-Source Aquarium Monitoring
Hey Home Assistant Community!
If you’re an aquarist who loves local control, privacy, and full home automation, check out AquaPi for ESPHome. AquaPi connects your aquarium directly to Home Assistant using an ESP32 microcontroller running ESPHome.
Unlike commercial aquarium controllers that lock you into proprietary apps or paid cloud services, AquaPi keeps 100% of your data and control local inside Home Assistant.
Key Features & Functionality
- 100% Local Control & Privacy: Powered by ESPHome and Home Assistant, meaning zero cloud dependence, no subscription fees, and lightning-fast local execution.
- Modular Hardware Board: Built on a custom ESP32 board featuring 4 dedicated connectors and empty expansion slots. Scale it up or down to fit a nano tank, a full reef system, or an outdoor pond.
- Real-Time Tracking & Visualization: Stream live sensor metrics straight to your Lovelace dashboards with detailed graphs and history tracking.
- Cost-Effective & Open-Source: Enterprise-grade parameter tracking at a fraction of the cost of commercial controllers.
Packages & Included Sensors
AquaPi is available in pre-configured packages depending on your system’s needs:
| Package | Included Sensor Suite |
|---|---|
| AquaPi Essentials | Temperature, Optical Water Level, Leak Detection, and pH. |
| AquaPi Pro | Temperature, Optical Water Level, Leak Detection, pH, and ORP. (Optional: Salinity/EC & Dissolved Oxygen) |
| AquaPi Pond | Temperature, pH, and ORP. (Optional: Dissolved Oxygen) |
Sensor Capabilities & Specifications
- Temperature: Waterproof DS18B20 thermistors. Supports daisy-chaining multiple probes via Y-cables into a single header.
- Water Level: Food-grade Optical Infrared Liquid Level Sensors for precise Auto Top-Off (ATO) monitoring.
- Water Leak Detection: Dedicated input for floor leak sensing to prevent disasters.
- Water Quality (Isolated EZO™ Inputs): Electrically isolated Atlas Scientific EZO™ carrier boards supporting laboratory-grade probes:
- pH: Lab-grade silver/silver chloride probe.
- Salinity (Conductivity K 1.0): 5 µS/cm to 200,000 µS/cm probe range.
- ORP (Oxidation-Reduction Potential): Redox tracking.
- Dissolved Oxygen (DO): (Currently in development).
- Expansion Options: Connect peristaltic dosing pumps, gaseous CO2 sensors (for planted tanks), IP cameras, smart power strips, heaters, and lighting controllers.
Setup, Calibration & Automations
1. ESPHome & Home Assistant Integration
AquaPi provides pre-built YAML configuration files and Home Assistant Blueprints to make initial setup quick and easy once Home Assistant is established. Simply flash your ESP32, adopt the device in ESPHome, and your sensors automatically populate as native Home Assistant entities.
2. Sensor Calibration
Calibrating probes (such as pH or Conductivity) is straightforward through ESPHome service calls or pre-configured dashboard controls, allowing you to maintain laboratory-grade accuracy over time.
3. Example Automations
- Auto Top-Off (ATO): Trigger a smart outlet or peristaltic pump when the optical water level sensor detects low water, with safety timeouts.
- Heater Fail-Safe: Automatically cut power to a smart plug feeding your heater if the DS18B20 detects temperatures above target ranges.
- Dosing Routines: Schedule precise daily dosing for calcium, alkalinity, or plant fertilizers via peristaltic pumps.
- Emergency Alerts: Send instant push notifications (via Home Assistant companion app, Telegram, or persistent notifications) if leaks are detected or pH/ORP drifts out of safe thresholds.
Hardware Expectations & Support
Important Note: AquaPi hardware boards are custom-assembled in small batches, giving them a handcrafted, maker-focused nature.
- Community-Driven Support: Complete wiring diagrams, circuit board layouts, pre-built code, and setup guides are available on the AquaPi GitHub Repository.
- Support Scope: While we offer basic troubleshooting support for hardware and sensor issues, familiarity with editing YAML files and managing Home Assistant configurations is recommended to get the most out of your system.
Store Link: Capital City Aquatics - AquaPi
DIY & GitHub Info: AquaPi GitHub Wiki