best timer?

Charlie97L · 05-24-2006, 09:41 AM

i'm looking for the best timer solution you guys have... i'd like to have my actinics come on, then halide, the halide off, then actinics off and moonlights on. any suggestions? I think that's a little beyond the coralife digital power center.

Witfull · 05-24-2006, 09:43 AM

the CL timer is junk,,,sad to say,,,best bet is 3 separate digital timers. they are accurate 2 the minute and allow you great flexibility.

Charlie97L · 05-24-2006, 10:07 AM

best place to get those? the ones i saw at home depot last night were dooky huge and blocked like 3 outlets on the power strip i took to test because of the way they were oriented.

morbius18 · 05-24-2006, 11:06 AM

I had to get one of the heavy duty timers made for appliances for my halides, the smaller ones heated up and made me uncomfortable. I have 2 timers, a Lowes/Home Depot Appliance timer for the Halides, a Walmart Cheapo Timer for the Actinics and a photo/light sensor for the moons (comes on when the lights go off)

Witfull · 05-24-2006, 11:08 AM

i personally dont like the dial timers,,they are not accurqte at all. i think icecap has good digi timers.

Charlie97L · 05-24-2006, 11:39 AM

aww heck, i should just get a freakin controller! :-D

Vanquish · 05-24-2006, 01:58 PM

I'm using a Diehl brand digital timer... very very good IMHO.... it can withstand my MH's power surge when the lights come on... tested for 500W with no problems at all, have been using for a year now, still going strong...

RazerCorals · 05-24-2006, 02:15 PM

I'd recommend a controller, I use a digital aquatics reefkeeper and it's been excellent!

pmac90 · 05-24-2006, 02:25 PM

X10 outlets in a seperate box wired with a cord. That's my plan ... friends do it and it seems to be perfect!

Charlie97L · 05-24-2006, 02:28 PM

i love how i've gone in about 3 hours from not wanting to pay 40.00 for two digi timers to now considering a controller. YARGH! what a hobby.

billyr98 · 05-24-2006, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmac90

X10 outlets in a seperate box wired with a cord. That's my plan ... friends do it and it seems to be perfect!

As long as there is no interference on your electrical wiring, X10 works soo soo good - no resetting (battery backup) , computer connection.. So fun!

pmac90 · 05-24-2006, 03:05 PM

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he would be one of the friends... would also be one of the ones helping me wire mine when i get them!

KMP · 05-24-2006, 04:37 PM

Witfull has already mentioned Coral Life timers, and I have one, so here's what I learned when researching/since.

There are three Coral Life timers - single, dual, and single ditigal. On all three, the sockets are close together so if you need to plug something up that has the big "box" plug [whatever the heck you call them] then you are going to loose the socket next to it.

I really wanted the dual timer, however, found a couple reviews and none of them were good. So I didn't buy the dual timer and got the single digital timer instead. Due to bad instructions, it took me a week to figure it out [not ever having messed with a timer before - that was most of the problem] and it's working great.

So right now I have 8 sockets on the Coral Life single digital timer. 4 constant, 2 day, and 2 night [which I consider to be constant since they always have power except when the "timed" day lights are on]. The pump and heater are in the constant. The actinic are in the day, and the moon lights are in the night. I have the regular lighting on a separte timer. You could run all this on the Coral Life's dual timer but again, bad reviews.

Since I got the timer, we saw some at the LFS [$70 and you can get them on Dr. Foster and Smith for $33] and were asking about them. They acknowledged the dual timer had issues and say they have since been redesigned and work fine now. Based on that 12gDude [co-worker and new to RS also] ordered one and just set it up this weekend so the press is still out on those.

If you have any other questions, fire away.

Kenny

TNT_Tile · 02-25-2007, 06:09 PM

Went to target and they had digital timers rated to 1800 watts with 4switched, 4 usnswitched outlets for $5. Tag said 20 on sale for 10 and rung up 5.

burning2nd · 02-25-2007, 08:43 PM

pictures worth 1billion dollars+a few words

i set the time on this one liek 5 years back..

moved it from several difffrent outlets/ never retimed it, (meny diffrent programs)

this is the best timer in the world IMO

05-24-2006, 09:41 AM	#1 (permalink)
Charlie97L Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,288 View Gallery Karma Komment	best timer? i'm looking for the best timer solution you guys have... i'd like to have my actinics come on, then halide, the halide off, then actinics off and moonlights on. any suggestions? I think that's a little beyond the coralife digital power center. __________________ 40 Breeder, 20H Frag Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea

05-24-2006, 10:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
Charlie97L Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,288 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? best place to get those? the ones i saw at home depot last night were dooky huge and blocked like 3 outlets on the power strip i took to test because of the way they were oriented. __________________ 40 Breeder, 20H Frag Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea

05-24-2006, 11:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
morbius18 Tunicate Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Fairbanks Alaska Posts: 20 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? I had to get one of the heavy duty timers made for appliances for my halides, the smaller ones heated up and made me uncomfortable. I have 2 timers, a Lowes/Home Depot Appliance timer for the Halides, a Walmart Cheapo Timer for the Actinics and a photo/light sensor for the moons (comes on when the lights go off)

05-24-2006, 11:39 AM	#6 (permalink)
Charlie97L Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,288 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? aww heck, i should just get a freakin controller! :-D __________________ 40 Breeder, 20H Frag Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea

05-24-2006, 01:58 PM	#7 (permalink)
Vanquish Neon dottyback Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Singapore Posts: 645 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? I'm using a Diehl brand digital timer... very very good IMHO.... it can withstand my MH's power surge when the lights come on... tested for 500W with no problems at all, have been using for a year now, still going strong... __________________ *Member "Crabs Are Evil" Society* My love affair with reef-gardening...

05-24-2006, 02:15 PM	#8 (permalink)
RazerCorals Midas Blenny Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anoka, MN Posts: 113 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? I'd recommend a controller, I use a digital aquatics reefkeeper and it's been excellent! __________________ Jake - Sponsor since Jan. 2006 http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y14...ogo2006sig.jpg www.RazerCorals.com

05-24-2006, 02:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
pmac90 Cabbage Leather Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bristol, PA Posts: 371 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: best timer? X10 outlets in a seperate box wired with a cord. That's my plan ... friends do it and it seems to be perfect!

05-24-2006, 02:28 PM	#10 (permalink)
Charlie97L Reef Lobster Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: North Bethesda, MD Posts: 1,288 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? i love how i've gone in about 3 hours from not wanting to pay 40.00 for two digi timers to now considering a controller. YARGH! what a hobby. __________________ 40 Breeder, 20H Frag Aquactinics T5s, CPR Fuge, Deltec AP600, AC Jr, WavySea

05-24-2006, 03:05 PM	#12 (permalink)
pmac90 Cabbage Leather Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Bristol, PA Posts: 371 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: best timer? /\ \| \| he would be one of the friends... would also be one of the ones helping me wire mine when i get them!

05-24-2006, 04:37 PM	#13 (permalink)
KMP Torch coral Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Woodland, CA Posts: 583 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? Witfull has already mentioned Coral Life timers, and I have one, so here's what I learned when researching/since. There are three Coral Life timers - single, dual, and single ditigal. On all three, the sockets are close together so if you need to plug something up that has the big "box" plug [whatever the heck you call them] then you are going to loose the socket next to it. I really wanted the dual timer, however, found a couple reviews and none of them were good. So I didn't buy the dual timer and got the single digital timer instead. Due to bad instructions, it took me a week to figure it out [not ever having messed with a timer before - that was most of the problem] and it's working great. So right now I have 8 sockets on the Coral Life single digital timer. 4 constant, 2 day, and 2 night [which I consider to be constant since they always have power except when the "timed" day lights are on]. The pump and heater are in the constant. The actinic are in the day, and the moon lights are in the night. I have the regular lighting on a separte timer. You could run all this on the Coral Life's dual timer but again, bad reviews. Since I got the timer, we saw some at the LFS [$70 and you can get them on Dr. Foster and Smith for $33] and were asking about them. They acknowledged the dual timer had issues and say they have since been redesigned and work fine now. Based on that 12gDude [co-worker and new to RS also] ordered one and just set it up this weekend so the press is still out on those. If you have any other questions, fire away. Kenny

02-25-2007, 06:09 PM	#14 (permalink)
TNT_Tile Midas Blenny Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 89 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? Went to target and they had digital timers rated to 1800 watts with 4switched, 4 usnswitched outlets for $5. Tag said 20 on sale for 10 and rung up 5.

02-25-2007, 08:43 PM	#15 (permalink)
burning2nd Acropora Join Date: May 2006 Location: Pocono PA Posts: 1,802 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: best timer? pictures worth 1billion dollars+a few words i set the time on this one liek 5 years back.. moved it from several difffrent outlets/ never retimed it, (meny diffrent programs) this is the best timer in the world IMO __________________ ________________________________________________ 30g, 10g DIY sump w/ mag7 Csr90 over flow. 36" sunpod 2x150 2 Tunze 6020 40 Lb's Live Rock 20 lb's of Ls Aqua C REmora mIxed reef, softies, pora's, clams, 1 Amphiprion ocellaris (hosting GTA) 2 cromies and one dragon jake the jedi sexy shrimp, and brown bob

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