The Atlas Wi‐Fi Aquaponics Kit combines pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, conductivity, CO2, and humidity monitoring in an enclosed ESP32-based system that sends readings to ThingSpeak. The current Atlas listing says no programming is necessary, but the older 2021 setup guide uses Arduino IDE and manual firmware uploading. Identify your hardware revision first: current kits list USB‐C and a supplied-code setup, while older units may use micro‐USB and require the legacy workflow.
This guide covers both paths, then walks through probe connection, ThingSpeak configuration, verification, calibration, and safe pump integration.
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What the kit does—and does not do
The kit is a monitoring and control platform, not a complete aquaponics installation. You still need the fish tank, grow bed, plumbing, circulation pump, filtration, aeration, water treatment, and a biologically cycled system.
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According to the current Atlas product listing, it measures:
#1 Best Overall
- 4-in-1 Accurate Hydroponic Monitoring: No more guesswork in hydroponic farming! Accurately monitor pH, EC, TDS, and temperature in one device. Designed for hydroponics, DWC, aquaponics, and indoor growing systems, this pH meter for water helps maintain perfect nutrient balance for faster, healthier plant growth.
- Real-Time WiFi Monitoring & Smart Alerts: Manage your hydroponic system anytime with the Kactoily App—no more manual testing. Track pH, EC, TDS, and temperature in real time, view trends, set custom ranges, and export data easily. Instant alerts notify you when levels go off balance, helping protect roots, prevent plant stress, and maximize growth.
- Lab-Grade Accuracy for Healthier Plants: Powered by a high-sensitivity ATC probe, this professional digital ph meter delivers fast, stable, and precise readings. Whether used as a ph tester or nutrient control tool, it ensures reliable hydroponic management. One-step calibration makes it beginner-friendly while maintaining lab-level accuracy for experienced growers.
- User-Friendly Design & Easy Operation: Featuring a large LCD display, this digital water ph tester provides clear real-time readings at a glance. The ph meter comes with a 1.2m (3.9ft) probe cable for continuous immersion in nutrient solutions. Simple plug-and-play design makes this ph meter for water and ph tester water ideal for both beginners and professional indoor growers
- Multi-Use & Complete Calibration Kit: LKBird hydroponic tester includes 6 packs of pH calibration powder (pH 4.01 / 6.86 / 9.18) to keep your water ph tester accurate and stable. Also includes screen stand, wall adhesive, and hanging bracket for flexible setup. This all-in-one system replaces multiple tools—perfect as a reliable tds meter, ph tester, and hydroponic monitoring solution for home gardeners and indoor farms.
- pH: 0–14, with 0.01 resolution
- Dissolved oxygen: 0–100 mg/L
- Temperature
- Conductivity: 0–200K, with 1 μS resolution
- CO2: 400–5,000 ppm
- Humidity: 0–100%
pH, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity support automatic temperature compensation. Readings are shown on the controller’s display and uploaded to ThingSpeak for remote viewing on a phone, tablet, or computer.
The listed electrical requirements are 5 V and 310 mA at 5 V. The enclosure is rated IP64: dust-protected and resistant to water splashes, but not waterproof or suitable for immersion.
Identify your kit revision first
| Detail | Current Atlas listing | 2021 Hackster workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Cable | USB‐C | USB‐A to micro‐USB |
| Setup | “No programming necessary,” with current instructions and code supplied by Atlas | Arduino IDE, libraries, credential editing, and firmware upload |
| Best reference | Current product page | Original Atlas setup guide |
Do not assume that every kit follows the 2021 instructions. The current product page lists an assembled enclosure and USB‐C, whereas the older tutorial describes micro‐USB hardware and manual programming. Inspect the connector on your enclosure before buying a replacement cable. A compatible older cable is listed by Adafruit, but it is not the correct choice for a current USB‐C revision.
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The current product listing includes:
- Assembled enclosure and a 3-foot USB‐C cable
- EZO pH circuit, Gen 3 lab-grade pH probe, and pH 4, 7, and 10 calibration pouches
- EZO dissolved-oxygen circuit and lab-grade dissolved-oxygen probe
- EZO RTD circuit and PT‐1000 temperature probe
- EZO conductivity circuit, with a K0.1, K1.0, or K10 probe selected for the order
- Two conductivity calibration solutions matched to the selected probe
- ENV‐CO2 environmental sensor
- EZO-HUM embedded humidity probe
Check the packing list against the actual contents before powering the unit. Atlas describes this equipment as intended for electrical engineers rather than as consumer electronics. The original documentation was developed and tested on Windows; it says Mac was not tested, not that Mac categorically cannot work.
Before you start
- Confirm the cable matches the enclosure connector and supports both power and data where required.
- Have Wi‐Fi credentials available.
- Create a ThingSpeak account.
- Prepare a ThingSpeak channel, channel ID, and Write API Key.
- Gather clean rinse water, calibration solutions, clean containers, paper towels or lint-free wipes, and a stable 5 V power source.
- Use Arduino IDE only if your revision requires manual firmware setup or you intend to modify the supplied code.
Never publish real Wi‐Fi passwords or ThingSpeak keys in screenshots, source repositories, or support posts.
Connect and inspect the probes
- Unpack the enclosure and inspect probe cables, connectors, and the enclosure for shipping damage.
- Match every probe to its labeled port. Do not substitute sensor modules or connect them to arbitrary ports.
- Check whether the CO2 module is already installed. If it was removed for shipping, reinstall it in its labeled position. The older guide warns that CO2 modules are calibrated to specific EZO‐CO2 devices, so do not swap them.
- Keep the electronics enclosure away from splashes and condensation even though it is IP64-rated.
- Do not immerse probes until you have followed the relevant preparation and calibration instructions.
How the ports and addresses work
The Atlas datasheet describes seven sensor ports. The pH, dissolved-oxygen, and conductivity ports are electrically isolated. Temperature, CO2, and humidity use the other ports; port 7 is intended for one or more dosing pumps or another compatible device.
Rank #2
- Food quality material: fact of food quality PVC-U, this hydroponic culture system produces high quality plants that are more nutritious and better flavor than products grown on land.
- Create faster: 3 times faster and 30 % more yield: Aironic systems grow three times faster and produce 30 % more yield on average.Apartment cultivation system.That means you will enjoy abundant and nutritious crops just a few weeks after planting.
- Advanced: it will save about 90% of water that with the traditional planting form.In addition, this is a groundless crop, it only needs water and a nutritious solution for plants, you can perform a green plantation without contamination.
- Easy to assemble and use: This aquaculture garden plants system is easy to assemble and use;Very suitable for beginners!No experience is required;It is easy to take care of, without arable land, without weeds, saving time and energy.
- Wide application: It can be placed anywhere, such as bedroom, kitchen, living room, office, window pottery and other plants of its favorite flowers, fruits and herbs.
The controller communicates with peripherals over I2C. New Atlas components normally default to UART and must be switched to I2C before being added to this kit. Default addresses documented by Atlas are:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Device | Decimal | Hexadecimal |
|---|---|---|
| EZO DO | 97 | 0x61 |
| EZO ORP | 98 | 0x62 |
| EZO pH | 99 | 0x63 |
| EZO EC | 100 | 0x64 |
| EZO RTD | 102 | 0x66 |
| EZO pump | 103 | 0x67 |
| EZO CO2 | 105 | 0x69 |
| EZO humidity | 111 | 0x6F |
If you add another sensor of the same type, change its I2C address so it does not conflict with the existing device.
Create the ThingSpeak channel
- Sign in to ThingSpeak and create a new channel.
- Enable six fields.
- Use clear labels and units, for example: pH, DO (mg/L), Temperature (°C), EC (μS/cm), Humidity (%), and CO2 (ppm).
- Save the channel.
- Open the channel’s API-key area and record the Channel ID and Write API Key.
ThingSpeak’s interface can change, so use the current labels shown in your account rather than relying on an older screenshot. The channel field order must match the firmware. A channel that receives values in the wrong fields can look functional while producing misleading records.
Set up a current kit
Start with the instructions and code linked from the current Atlas product page. Atlas currently links the ThingSpeak example from its Ezo_I2c_lib repository.
Follow the supplied revision-specific instructions rather than automatically applying the 2021 tutorial. If the current configuration is preloaded, you may only need to connect power, configure the network and ThingSpeak details through the supplied process, and verify operation. If the supplied instructions require editing or uploading code, edit only the intended values:
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- Wi‐Fi network name and password
- ThingSpeak Channel ID
- ThingSpeak Write API Key
Before uploading a modified sketch, confirm that the expected sensor objects, I2C addresses, enable pins, timing values, and pump constants match your hardware.
Rank #3
- The AquaSprouts Garden is a self-sustaining aquarium & aquaponics kit for the home, office or school
- Fish fertilize the plants. Plants clean the water for the fish. Once up & running, aquaponics requires minimal water changes & no filter replacements
- Grow your favorite veggies, herbs and greens anywhere, all-year-round. No need for added fertilizers—let your fish friends provide the nutrients your plants need
- Perfect tool to explore how our natural environment works and great option for those with limited space
- Fits any standard 10-Gallon aquarium (approximately 20" X 10" X 12") from any manufacturer (not included)
Legacy Arduino IDE setup
Use this path when your unit matches the older manual workflow or when you need to modify firmware on a compatible revision. The original Atlas guide was published on November 12, 2021, so its software advice is historical.
- Install Arduino IDE on Windows if following the documented Atlas workflow.
- In Arduino IDE, open the board-manager settings and add:
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json - Open Tools → Board → Boards Manager, search for
esp32, and install or update the Espressif ESP32 package. - Install the ThingSpeak Arduino library and the Atlas EZO I2C library.
- Open File → Examples → EZO_I2C_lib-master → Examples → IOT_kits → aquaponics_kit.
- Enter the Wi‐Fi name, Wi‐Fi password, Channel ID, and Write API Key.
- Select Tools → Board → ESP32 Arduino → Adafruit ESP32 Feather, then match CPU settings to the Adafruit HUZZAH32/ESP32 Feather configuration.
- Compile and upload the sketch.
Do not describe the guide’s old package advice as current. Board-package names, library packaging, menu labels, and compatibility can change. Use the versions specified by the current Atlas example or release information, and record the versions that successfully compile and upload.
First power-up verification
- Connect the correct USB cable and stable 5 V power.
- Confirm that the display powers on.
- Confirm that each expected probe is detected and produces a value.
- Verify that the controller joins the intended Wi‐Fi network.
- Check that ThingSpeak receives repeated updates, not just one successful post.
- Compare display values with serial output when using the manual Arduino workflow.
- Confirm timestamps, field assignments, and units.
- Reboot the unit and verify that it resumes operation without exposing credentials.
For the legacy firmware, the original guide specifies a HUZZAH32 COM port, 9600 baud, and carriage-return line ending in the serial monitor. Treat those settings as firmware-specific, not universal requirements for every current kit.
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Calibration is separate from cloud setup. Record the date, probe identity, solution used, stabilization time, and any unusual behavior. Do not use unstable readings to trigger dosing.
Pause legacy logging
In the older serial workflow, send:
pollThis requests approximately once-per-second readings and stops ThingSpeak uploads during calibration. After calibration, send:
datalogThe legacy example uses a normal reading/upload interval of about 15 seconds. Commands and serial behavior depend on installed firmware; a current no-programming configuration may not expose the same command prompt.
Rank #4
- (Food quality material) Made of PVCU of food quality, this hydroponic cultivation system produces high quality plants that are more nutritious and better flavor than products grown on land.
- (Advanced) It will also save approximately 90% of water that with the traditional plantation form.In addition, this is a groundless crop, it only needs water and a nutritious solution for plants, you can perform a green plantation without contamination.
- (Grows faster) 3 times faster and 30 % more yield: Aironing systems grow three times faster and produce 30 % more yield on average.Apartment cultivation system.That means you will enjoy abundant and nutritious crops just a few weeks after planting.
- (Easy to assemble and use) This aquaculture garden plants system is easy to assemble and use;Very suitable for beginners!No experience is required;It is easy to take care of, without arable land, without weeds, saving time and energy.
- (Service) Our products are strictly examined before shipping, we are committed to achieving greater satisfaction.If you have any questions about our product, do not hesitate to contact our customer service team.
pH calibration
- Begin with pH 7.00.
- Remove the probe’s soaker bottle and rinse the probe.
- Place it in fresh pH 7.00 solution.
- Wait for the reading to stabilize; the original guide estimates one to two minutes.
- Rinse, then repeat with pH 4.00 and pH 10.00.
- Record the calibration date and solution condition.
Starting at the neutral midpoint gives the calibration sequence a reference before the acidic and alkaline points. Do not reuse contaminated solution or let the probe tip touch the container.
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The older guide gives a K1.0 example:
- Ensure the probe is dry.
- Send
ec:cal, dry. - Place the probe in 12,880 μS calibration solution, remove bubbles from the sensing area, and wait for stabilization.
- Rinse the probe.
- Place it in the 80,000 μS solution and wait for stabilization.
Do not copy those values automatically. Current kits may use K0.1, K1.0, or K10 probes, and the correct solutions depend on the selected probe constant. Use the matched solutions supplied for your probe and its current documentation. Bubbles, an incorrect K value, or the wrong solution can produce implausible EC readings.
Dissolved oxygen calibration
The legacy guide describes exposing the DO probe to air and waiting for the reading to stabilize. Treat that as one air-calibration step, not as a replacement for the current DO probe’s complete preparation and calibration instructions. Bubbles, membrane condition, temperature, and water movement can all affect the result.
Temperature calibration
The older guide says PT‐1000 calibration is normally unnecessary. If you choose to check it, that guide suggests boiling water and:
rtd:cal, twhere t is the intended temperature. Boiling point varies with altitude, atmospheric pressure, and water conditions, so boiling water is not automatically a precision reference.
CO2 and humidity
The supplied setup material explains how to connect and report CO2 and humidity but does not provide an equivalent user-calibration procedure. Consult the current sensor documentation before attempting calibration or assuming these sensors use the same commands as pH, EC, or DO.
Best Value
- Hydroponics Growing System Kit - Grow herbs and greens indoors with a pre-assembled hydroponic kit that sets up quickly. Adjustable LED grow light and straightforward water refill design help support steady plant development with minimal effort, while keeping kitchen counters organized.
- Hydroponic System for Plant Lovers & Gardeners - Designed for home chefs who want basil, mint, parsley, and other herbs within reach. The included heirloom varieties & clear instructions help beginners start confidently and maintain plants over time.
- Herb Grower with Light - Extendable LED panel accommodates both compact and taller plants, while supporting your plants through their whole growth spurt. Reusable lids help reduce excess light exposure to sponges, supporting cleaner growth compared to open-pod designs used by many alternatives.
- Indoor Smart Garden for a Smart Planter - Manage your smart indoor garden kit from your phone with simple app features for lighting, scheduling and everyday adjustments. Everything is designed to keep daily care effortless, even when your week gets busy.
- Compact Size, Big Potential - 5 pod hydroponic system fits comfortably in smaller kitchens while still giving you room for essential herbs. The extendable LED panel adapts to plant height, and reusable lids help maintain cleaner pods as your greens develop day by day.
Add a dosing pump cautiously
The datasheet identifies port 7 as a pump-oriented terminal block. Atlas describes the SGL‐PMP‐BX as the simplest pump add-on; a stand-alone EZO‐PMP is another option but requires additional configuration.
The example code includes pump constants and threshold-based dosing concepts. Do not copy thresholds blindly. Safe values depend on fish species and stocking density, system volume, buffering capacity, plant load, nutrient chemistry, pump flow, maximum dose, and whether a person must approve corrective action.
- Run monitoring-only mode first.
- Observe several normal operating cycles.
- Compare sensor values with an independent measurement.
- Test the pump with a harmless liquid and verify direction, volume, and polarity.
- Add a maximum dose, cooldown period, and manual override.
- Use fail-safe behavior for lost Wi‐Fi, invalid readings, reboots, and disconnected probes.
- Only then consider unattended dosing.
Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Likely cause | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| No power | Wrong or non-data cable, weak 5 V source, damaged connector | Confirm the connector, use a known-good cable, and verify stable 5 V power. |
| Display works but readings are absent | Disconnected probe, wrong port, disabled sensor, damaged probe | Match labeled ports, inspect connectors, and confirm expected devices in firmware. |
| Wi‐Fi will not connect | Wrong credentials, weak signal, unsupported network configuration | Re-enter credentials and test near the access point. |
| ThingSpeak is empty | Wrong Channel ID or Write API Key, bad field mapping, no internet access | Recheck credentials and field order, then verify network access. |
| pH jumps | Electrical noise, dirty or aging probe, insufficient stabilization | Separate noisy loads, inspect the probe, allow stabilization, clean, and recalibrate. |
| EC is implausible | Wrong K value, bubbles, wrong solution, failed dry step | Confirm K0.1/K1.0/K10 selection and repeat the matched calibration procedure. |
| DO is unstable | Probe preparation, air calibration, bubbles, temperature, water movement | Follow current DO instructions and inspect the probe or membrane. |
| Uploads stop during calibration | Expected legacy behavior after poll |
Send datalog when calibration is complete. |
| Firmware will not compile | Library or ESP32 board-package mismatch | Start from the Atlas example, use its linked libraries, and record working versions. |
| An added sensor is invisible | Still in UART mode or has an address conflict | Switch it to I2C and assign a unique address. |
| Pump doses unexpectedly | Wrong threshold, mapping, pump amount, or missing safeguards | Disable output, inspect constants and polarity, test safely, and add limits. |
Is this kit a good fit?
The kit is a strong fit when one installation needs six measurement types, remote ThingSpeak telemetry, an assembled enclosure, and room for engineering expansion. It is also better suited to research, education, commercial monitoring, and technically capable operators than to casual aquarium use.
Atlas listed the Wi‐Fi Aquaponics Kit at $1,214.99 USD on August 18, 2026, with volume prices shown for four, 10, and 25 or more units. Prices and availability can change. Users who already own probes or want to select fewer components may prefer the Bare-Bones Wi‐Fi Aquaponics Kit. The Industrial Monitoring Kit is positioned for broader industrial monitoring, while the Wi‐Fi Pool Kit is intended for pool-focused measurements rather than the full aquaponics sensor set.
It is a poor fit if you need only pH and temperature, want a consumer plug-and-play monitor, cannot maintain and recalibrate probes, lack stable Wi‐Fi or power, or require certified regulatory measurements without independent validation.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
