What Light Timer is Everyone Using?

[MelodyCorals]

What lighting timer (if any) is everyone using to control their different lighting setups? I just went through 2 different timers, and I am thinking I must be on the wrong track. For me, I have tried to use the CoraLife Power Center timers, but so far they have not lasted very long and my corals and fish seem the worse for it (I just cant remember to manually switch it all the time).

What is everyone else using? Are you using digitial timers, or no timers at all where you somehow manage to remember to turn things on yourself - something I could never remember to do consistantly. What are your recommendations?

Thanks,
Josh

 

[TotalKhaos]

I picked up 2 digital timers at Ace Hardware for about $15 each. I use one timer for my actinics and one for my halides.

Easy to program, Once I set them up I never had to reset them or mess with them again, in fact they even have a battery to save your settings and keep its clock running if the power goes out.

before I got them I was in the same boat as you and often times the lights would stay on too long or not long enough because I had to turn them out before I went out otherwise they'd stay on all night.

 

[MelodyCorals]

Are these the ones you got for $15?

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1276994

$15 soundes like a really good deal. Looks like its time to go hit Ace.

Thanks,
Josh

 

[Fragmented]

I just use the cheap heavy duty dial type from Home Depot. I had one start to make noise after 2-3 years of use and they exchanged it. The others are all still fine.

 

[Reefugee]

I have something similiar to this. Bought it from Walmart. I think it was only $15-$20 . It sounds very similiar to the one that totalkhaos is referring to:

 

[TotalKhaos]

Yes Those are the ones.

Are these the ones you got for $15?

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1276994

$15 soundes like a really good deal. Looks like its time to go hit Ace.

Thanks,
Josh

 

[edteach]

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=9868&inm=1&N=2004+113174+113565

Digital is the way to go! You won't have to reset after power outages.

 

[Elim]

Here's the one I bought from homedepot. I did quite a few searches here on RC and intermatic seemed to be the one mentioned the most..

If that link doesn't work just search for intermatic at homedepot and its 19.99.

The link didn't work but its the digital model DT17C.

Json

 

[edteach]

I also have intermatic which has worked just fine. But the Grasslin has plug on front, not side, which IMO is more convienent and is not very bulky.

 

[BoomerD]

I use the intermatic timers that are made for outside lighting and pool pumps. Heavy duty, (1800 watts) and while they're analog, they have worked very well for me. You get a remote mounted box with the timer in it, and a cord to plug in to your system. Kind of like these ones at Lowes:
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=72208-251-HB31RL&lpage=none

 

[Justin74]

I dont have any timers either and it sux. You guys would not believe the great lengths and countless visits cut short because I dont have any timers. Ive managed to stay within a range of an hour or so give or take a few days throughout this year. Pretty embarrassing now that Im thinking about it, my priorities are jaxed, what can I say. Im gettin better though.:rolleye1:

-Justin

 

[MelodyCorals]

Thanks all for the great advice. I am really liking the idea of the digital ones, because it seems that the mechanical versions I have now break down on the mechanical parts - perhaps I just abuse them.

BoomerD - that might be a really good option as well with the "Heavy Duty" aspect of it..... more to think about.

-- Josh

 

[Marc Daniels]

Josh-

I hear terrible things about those Corallife timers. Ever person I know that has used them experienced a failure within 6 months.

Marc

 

[orientalexpress]

i use this http://www.neptunesys.com/ ,the best investment i ever make.its does everything u ask.,gl,lapsan

 

[CaptiveReefSystems]

I currently use X10 controllers on my tanks. They work very well for me. I also use the digital battery backup timers from Lowe's of Home Depot. Set it and forget it. If you really want to go first class, try the reefkeeper from Digital Aquatics. You can find them here on RC. I have it on one of my clients aquariums and it work very well.

 

[GreshamH]

i use this http://www.neptunesys.com/ .its does everything u ask.

Oh no it doesn't Them things are garbage IMO, nothing but problems and horriable software to boot. I just got a Siemen's S7 226 PLC, now that'll do anything I asked, and more Now if I can just get around to reading the 800pg manual

 

[tfp]

over the last 2.5yrs i've gone thru at least 5-6 intermatic brand timers most of the failures were when they would not turn off devices. thats a lot of money i've wasted! i've also had their digital timers fail on me where they would not power on.

i've been using these and have been very satisfied:

Ezhydrokit Digital Timers

 

[GreshamH]

One really nice things about those timers (that TFP just listed) is their poles are solid core + really beefy, so they can take pretty high amperage.

 

[sales weasel]

Hi guys, I want to revive this thread (sorry I'm not from CA). I didn't see any mention of the IceCap digital timer. I'm currently running PC lighting and I use one of those outdoor timers with a lid. It works great for the PC lights. However, I'm going to T5 and MH and want to be sure my MH will start. I'm sure the current outdoor timer from Home Depot will work fine with the T5 but I'm not sure about the MH. Does anyone have any thoughts about the IceCap timer?

For the record, I had one of the $19 Intermatic digital timers on a NanoCube and it worked fine for about a month. It would turn the lights on and off just fine. The problems occurred when the lights were supposed to be off. It kept firing the bulbs for a split second. It was intermittant and would happen every few minutes. That had to be stressful on the two fish that were in there.

 

[Reefugee]

One of my Intermatic went out a few months ago. It sometimes would not work and lose all of it's setting. I finally junked it and bought a manual one - which has worked great.