Light Timers

[Darkside]

I am at the final phase of building my reef aquarium and decided on PCs for my lighting to start with. I want to of course have lighting timers turn on and of the daylight/Atinic/moon lights over a 24 hour cycle. I see powerstrips with timers available from coralife but have seen posted concerns on possible failures from these devices. Individual timers that you can buy at home depot/lowes etc. seem to bulky to add to a surge protector. I was hoping for suggestions on how to set up my lighting safely and effectively. I have wired a GFI plus I do plan on creating drip loops.

Thanks for your help

Rod

[Rob]

hey, i have use the coralife powerstrips, there pretty good.
i have had one die on me, but its not that big of a deal, when if they die you replace them, no problems are caused by the failure.. :)

other thing is that these fixture only have 2 sets of timers, so you will still need a third timer if you plan on using all three sets of lights

[Darkside]

Thanks Rob I appreciate the quick response. I guess I saw all the horror stories about fires, melting aquariums and general bad mouthing and just needed your expert opinion. I enjoy your podcast and your site has helped me considerably.

Thanks,

Rod

[graveyardworm]

There was a while back incidents of fires with the corallife timers as I recall. The first one I bought would constantly stick on. I returned it and got another which sticks on occasionally. Not something I would trust away on vacation, but since I'm home every night I've lived with it. The switching mechanism is a poor design IMO. Home depot has some really nice ones. They have the pins you insert, a very positive working switch. The white ones are cheap, and dont have a third hole for the ground. There are black ones with a closing lid, and the three prong plug. These are the best I've used.

[iglowce]

i personally prefer the digital timer. eventhough its more bulky but u have more options such as different programs set up. you spend a lil more and prolly waste a couple of plug due to big size of the timer. but im sure you like the option it gives you

[JustDavidP]

I use the simple lamp timers from Home Depot and have ever since I began reefing. I've had one just "stick" on. Other than that, they've been fine and you certainly couldn't get a cheaper option.

D

[NaClFinatic]

Rob, the dual timer coralife has one timer that controls the daylight bulbs and one that alternates between the actinic and moonlights. So you don't need any extra timer if your happy with moonlights on when actinics are not. At least that is the way mine is. Maybe a newer feature. Anyway I don't think it would matter if you were to just leave the moonlights on all the time. It's only a couple watts and sometimes you see the moon in the day too :D

[lanesreef]

I know this isn't specific to the timers but it is related so I am going to reply here. I have a 3 light system. one coralife t-5 unit with actinics, one with daylight 10k and a pair of night leds. 80 watts total for my 40 gallon reef. I currently have the following timing:

Actinics - on @ 7:30 off @ 2000
daylights - on @ 9:00 off @ 1800
Leds - on 24 hours

Does this sound like a good cycle? Good times to come on and off? Enough time with the daylights? I have several corals (mostly soft polyps) that seem to be fine.

Any suggestions/comments?

btw...I have these light set-up with simple home depot timers as well and they have always worked well for me.

[Rob]

I know this isn't specific to the timers but it is related so I am going to reply here. I have a 3 light system. one coralife t-5 unit with actinics, one with daylight 10k and a pair of night leds. 80 watts total for my 40 gallon reef. I currently have the following timing:

Actinics - on @ 7:30 off @ 2000
daylights - on @ 9:00 off @ 1800
Leds - on 24 hours

Does this sound like a good cycle? Good times to come on and off? Enough time with the daylights? I have several corals (mostly soft polyps) that seem to be fine.

Any suggestions/comments?

btw...I have these light set-up with simple home depot timers as well and they have always worked well for me.
looks fine to me.. :)
you dont need your moonlights on 24 hours, but im assuming thats because you dont have them on a timer.. ;)

[lanesreef]

thanks for the reply. I do indeed have them on 24 because it was a bit easier than a timer. I figure the leds will last forever and no need for a timer and the littlest bit of extra will not hurt.

[3vilPuffin]

is there anyway that someone could post alike to some homedepot times they have used, i need to get one cause i get up way early in the mourning for school at like 4:30 to catch a bus. id like to know what exactly i should look at cause the people at my local home depot suck.
Thanks

[lanesreef]

Ben,

I think this is what you were looking for?

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US/diy_main/pg_diy.jsp?CNTTYPE=PROD_META&CNTKEY=misc%2fsearchResults.jsp&BV_SessionID=@@@@0425754758.1169413217@@@@&BV_EngineID=cchjaddjmgkfiedcgelceffdfgidgln.0&MID=9876

These are the ones I have been using with good luck. I think Target, Lowes, or IKEA has them. They are usually under $10.00

[3vilPuffin]

cool i like the whole under $10 part.:up:

[firebirdbandit]

I have so many timers that I just ended up getting an x10 device and use my computer to controll it. It cost about $100 but it was worth it.