Year 3 Project

24/02/2026 I continued mounting the remaining components on the corkboard. The temperature sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and the cooling fan were positioned so that they could operate correctly when placed near the aquarium tank. 28/02/2026 By this stage, all hardware components were mounted and connected on the corkboard. The ESP32, relay module, sensors, pumps, and fan were fully wired and ready for integrated testing. This marks the completion of the hardware assembly stage of the project. From this point onward, my focus will be on testing the complete system to ensure that all modules work correctly together.

 15/02/2026 At this stage, all modules work individually. I have not integrated everything into one main code yet. Since the components are still on a breadboard setup, I decided to first build a proper mounting structure before full integration. 18/02/2026 I decided to use a corkboard as the base for the system.  20/02/2026 I started mounting the hardware components onto the corkboard. The relay module and ESP32 were fixed first since they are the main control units of my system. After that, the wiring from the sensors and actuators was arranged more neatly to reduce the chance of loose connections.

8/02/2026 February update was submitted. 9/02/2026 I had another meeting with my supervisor to update him on the current progress. I explained that the temperature control system, pump system, ultrasonic sensor, and servo feeder have all been tested individually and are functioning correctly. I also informed him that I reviewed and adjusted my schedule. Some work packages were originally given more time than needed, while others required additional testing time. Therefore, I redistributed the remaining time more efficiently, focusing on system integration and physical mounting. He was satisfied with the progress made so far and encouraged me to proceed with integration and final assembly. 10/02/2026 While reconnecting the pH sensor, I made a wiring mistake, and the sensor stopped responding. It is likely damaged and will need to be replaced. 

5/02/2026 I tested the servo motors for the feeding mechanism. I had two options: a larger 12V servo and a smaller 5V servo. The 12V servo was unnecessarily large for dispensing fish food. The 5V servo was compact and sufficient for rotating a small feeding container. The servo was powered from the 5V rail, grounded to the common ground, and the signal pin connected to GPIO 27. I programmed it to rotate to a specific angle and then return to its original position. Initially, there was slight jitter, which I suspect was due to power instability. After ensuring proper grounding and stable 5V supply, the movement became smoother.