I want to set up a live underwater web cam.

[trickson]

I need some help , I have an Idea (Not sure it's a good one) about setting up a live underwater video of my Koi pond.
It is roughly 45 feet from the pond to the computer for hard wiring a cam and Wifi as well.
I have no idea what I am doing. I have an Idea and haven't a clue as to what I need to make it reality.
This is why I am asking you all.
Example of my Idea.
My pond is HUGE I need to cover 3,000 Gallons 20'x8.5'x2.75'
I also have a bridge spanning my pond and I would like to install a cam facing the waterfall and top of the water for feeding time.
Any ideas as to the hardware / software I will need. I mean I know I need a set of cam's but what kind and well GO....

Thank you all in advance.

 

[the54thvoid]

Frankly, it sounds cool. But with a 20' x 8' area. how would the clarity be underwater? I'm not a specialist at all on this (sounds quite niche, to be honest) but it's certainly doable. I'd make sure you figure out good, underwater cams. Things designed specifically to filter the wavelength properly under water.

Good luck to you on the project and when it's up and running, you've got to share the link.

 

[dorsetknob]

wireless IP Cams
Make a waterproof Sealed Tank
fit cam inside tank
Run Areil and power through waterproof connections (MICC comes to mind)
weigh tank down with weights

GHETTO IT
for software use your Browser

 

[flmatter]

Maybe this ? But it looks expensive. Or if you are handy at building stuff, like @dorsetknob said
Or These ?

 

[Bill_Bright]

Many of these ponds have underwater lights where the lights and electronics for the lights are sealed behind glass, but accessable from a dry access point on the ground surface. It seems the camera could easily go in one of those. I would, however, look for a camera that has a detachable antenna so you could raise the antenna above the ground/water level - otherwise I think reception of the RF signal may be a problem.

 

[Bones]

If it's setup shallow in depth it should work but water does tend to interfere with RF signals. However since it's probrably going to be a really shallow setup I don't believe it would matter (Much if at all).

Lighting underwater is another thing and even the clarity of the water itself could be an issue at times but those are things you'll have to work with, figure out and resolve as time goes, dorset's suggestion is probrably the best way to go with it.

 

[JC316]

Water clairty is going to be a huge problem. I'm a scuba diver and I've filmed in fresh and salt water with visibility ranging from 20ft to 200ft. Here is some of my footage.

30-40ft vis, filmed from about 10 feet away.

Diving with gar in Blue Spring Florida

10-15 foot vis, filmed from about 5 feet away.

Clear Spring Scuba Park

 

[Deleted member 24505]

Wifi enabled action cam? maybe

 

[trickson]

I love all the feedback thank you all.
Water clarity is not really an issue, What I mean to say is I can see the bottom of the pond just fine, Very little alge at all ( I run a 35watt UV filter light. I have a 3 stage skimmer filter and a 8 stage waterfall filter. As for the amount of viewable area, Now that is the hard part.
Can I setup multiple WiFi action cams?
WiFi Action cams is what I was looking at they are cheep too.
I think I want to forgo making boxes and things and just have cams that are able to live underwater for there life. 2 would be nice then one on the bridge to show surface water and fish feedings.

Does this sound like something you would watch? I could post up a video of the fish there are Koi and goldfish, All are getting HUGE!

Water clairty is going to be a huge problem. I'm a scuba diver and I've filmed in fresh and salt water with visibility ranging from 20ft to 200ft. Here is some of my footage.

30-40ft vis, filmed from about 10 feet away.

Diving with gar in Blue Spring Florida

10-15 foot vis, filmed from about 5 feet away.

Clear Spring Scuba Park

I love the video's! AWESOME, But you are summing around in fresh water it is not filtered out not skimmed off so that natural water you are in is going to have more crap floating around. My water for the most part is clear as tap water. you can even see the food on top of the water.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Does this sound like something you would watch? I could post up a video of the fish there are Koi and goldfish, All are getting HUGE!

They don't do anything. What are you going to watch......them grow?

 

[trickson]

They don't do anything. What are you going to watch......them grow?

Well Yes that is one thing you can do. And no they swim around and are really peaceful to watch. I mean "they do nothing" is a relatively hollow comment.
They look really cool colorful and some times they chase one another around so fast through the pond makes your head spin.

 

[dorsetknob]

My Brother Raise's Coy
Apparently it can Be Very Profitable ( Big Coy go for big money)
You should also Net the pond to keep out predators

 

[Bill_Bright]

I mean "they do nothing" is a relatively hollow comment.

Agreed. Why would aquariums in homes and offices be so entertaining if nothing to watch?

I don't know about the wifi action cams but I do know my auto-sensing security lights work by sensing motion as well as heat. Fish often just stay stationary or move about very slowly so not sure how they would be triggered by motion - especially with smaller fish. And of course fish are cold-blooded so detecting heat would not work. So it might just have to be on full time.

See: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-live-underwater-webcam-fish-cam.246664/

 

[trickson]

Agreed. Why would aquariums in homes and offices be so entertaining if nothing to watch?

I don't know about the wifi action cams but I do know my auto-sensing security lights work by sensing motion as well as heat. Fish often just stay stationary or move about very slowly so not sure how they would be triggered by motion - especially with smaller fish. And of course fish are cold-blooded so detecting heat would not work. So it might just have to be on full time.

See: https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/how-to-live-underwater-webcam-fish-cam.246664/

This will be a 100% up all the time thing. No need for any motion detection or things like that.
My Koi pond is covered with a 20'x20' canopy sail. no worries about any thing getting at my koi or other fish the pond is lined with various sized bolder and rocks and is deep at the deep end it is 3 foot deep and at the shallowest end it is 2.5 feet deep. very hard for any predator to get at my fish.

 

[Wavetrex]

Umm, doesn't GoPro have a HDMI output ?

https://gopro.com/help/articles/How_To/Best-Ways-to-Achieve-Video-Out-Signal-via-HDMI

Beginner's Guide to GoPro for Underwater Video

GoPro video cameras have become incredibly popular with divers over the last couple years, set up in a variety of ways to capture fleeting moments underwater. Pole cams, selfie poles, housing mounts, handles, trigger grips, dome ports, filters, tray/arm setups, mask mounts, spear gun mounts and...

www.uwphotographyguide.com

Just plug the cables, add silicon over the connectors and dunk it.

Then do whatever you need to do outside the pool with the other end of the HDMI cable.

 

[trickson]

Umm, doesn't GoPro have a HDMI output ?

https://gopro.com/help/articles/How_To/Best-Ways-to-Achieve-Video-Out-Signal-via-HDMI

Beginner's Guide to GoPro for Underwater Video

GoPro video cameras have become incredibly popular with divers over the last couple years, set up in a variety of ways to capture fleeting moments underwater. Pole cams, selfie poles, housing mounts, handles, trigger grips, dome ports, filters, tray/arm setups, mask mounts, spear gun mounts and...

www.uwphotographyguide.com

Just plug the cables, add silicon over the connectors and dunk it.

Then do whatever you need to do outside the pool with the other end of the HDMI cable.

That sounds like what I want. Plug and play would be so cool.
And contrary to what some may say, My fish are very active nothing boring going on in my pond.
I don't mean to boast but everything you are about to see I have done myself.

 

[Mr.Scott]

Agreed. Why would aquariums in homes and offices be so entertaining if nothing to watch?

Because aquariums house odd, colorful fish usually.
Koi and Goldfish are just Carp basically. A garbage fish.

I do like the pond construction tough. It's very nice. Would rather see water lilly's in it, but that's just personal preference.

 

[Chomiq]

If it's on teh internetz, somebody will watch it.

 

[Bill_Bright]

Koi and Goldfish are just Carp basically. A garbage fish.

Yeah right.

Let me Google that for you: koi

 

[Mr.Scott]

Yeah right.

Let me Google that for you: koi

3 1/2 years stationed in Japan tells me Koi = Carp in Japanese.
Don't be a dick Bill. It's not necessary.

 

[trickson]

3 1/2 years stationed in Japan tells me Koi = Carp in Japanese.

LOL yes Carp and also Koi (carp) can live a very long life 80+ years and get very big as well.

As for Wifi underwater web cams go any one know about these?
Wifi cams.
Wouls getting 2 of these do the job?

 

[95Viper]

Stay on topic and no calling names.
Be civil or be gone.
Thank you and have a nice discussion.

 

[trickson]

Oh also would I need to setup a "server"? And / or a dedicated system for the web cams at all times?

 

[flmatter]

You will need something that has constant power to it. GoPro and the other action camera's have about a 3-4 hour use on battery and the housings are not normally waterproof for any external cables to be plugged in.Unless you want to go switch batteries every couple of hours. I ran one like what you linked from ebay as a dash cam for a year and acouple of months. One battery died after 4 months and then the lcd screen shorted out and wiped it out.
Being submerged and running 24/7 is the issue, I know the ones I linked earlier are a bit pricey but will do the submerged part fine. If you were just streaming from above the water(dry ground) then 2 gopro's and a dedicated system to stream would be good.


EDIT: This A much cheaper version and it should work fine.

 

[moproblems99]

I think the major problem you will run into with action cameras will be a constant power source and the fact they aren't designed to live in the water. Only spend some time in it. I think you will need to find hardware built for this purpose. I like to tinker with shit and what I constantly find out is that you can make stuff do things they aren't designed for...but for only a time.

Does this sound like something you would watch?

Considering some recent movies put out that people flock to, you could probably charge for it. Just put a Godzilla suit on one and a shark suit on another.