Hey guys I'm new to the pond management stuff but i have learned a lot from you on here... I have read a lot about guys using timers and stuff with aerators and there is a real powerful tool out there in the home automation world that I feel could help in pond management... It may or may not have been discussed before on here but this is how I think it could help. and save a lot of money by running your pump smarter
For 99$ I bought a z wave controller from Vera Home Controls... it is basically like a wifi router except it communicates via z wave which is what all the devices use.. then the box is connected to your local internet network.... you can buy z wave devices such as light switches outlets and array of sensors like thermometers humidy light... you name it... then what is nice about vera is it is a platform (unlike the more basic systems lowes sells like iris)... think of it like apple..... within vera people develop apps.... so once you log into your vera platform you can download say honeywell app so all your security stuff integrates or lift masters app so your garage doors are in the platform and can comunicate with other brands of devices( example: you could make your alarm arm when the garage doors shut) ... then there are apps like the weather app.. so now your platform always knows weather variables like outdoor temp rain or shine, humidity(example : build a scenes where when the weather switches to rain close my garage doors)..... This is all very simple to do and setup

For ponds at the simplest form you put a on off switch to turn your pump on and off with your phone... then you can start building scenes like...

for winter.. If the outside temp is under 32 turn on aerator....this would save a ton of money for people not living at their pond... and only running when needed

for summer you could put a z wave thermometer probe in the pond and say if pond temp rises above 80 turn aerator off
or.... if outside temp is above 80 turn aerator off...

or possibly put a probe in the bottom and top and say if temp difference is greater the 5 degrees turn aerator on... delayed action would be once temp diff is less than 5 turn aeration off..

you could control feeders... based off environmental parameters

I am sure with enough interest you could have other z wave sensors made like DO ...

also just by having a temp probe in the pond it is only the cost of the probe like 30$ or something and you can now monitor your pond temp from your phone from anywhere in the world....

its all pretty cool and you can basically make just about anything happen you want! again for like 130$ You could be controlling it from your phone and building complex scenes!!! I'm no expert but thought Id share with you guys!!
Thanks for all the info!!


Last edited by a3fan11atick; 05/21/16 12:33 PM.