Suggested Timer?

[JsQuid]

Any suggestions on a good timer? I purchased a dual outlet Brinks timer from Walmart, however, it's not functioning the way I intended. My T5 fixture has 3 different plugs. I was thinking maybe the Coralife?

 

[Droneshooter]

I just bought a cheap one outlet timer and plugged a power strip into it haven't given me any problems yet

 

[JsQuid]

Can you elaborate? I'm little confused as to how you managed to have all of your plugs functioning...

 

[Droneshooter]

We'll there's two outlets on a normal wall outlet one has a power strip which runs my pump heaters power heads
The other one has my timer plugged into it and I have a power strip plugged into that for my lights

 

[JsQuid]

I'm sorry. There must something I don't understand. If I were to plug my power strip into the timer outlet, it still wouldn't be able to turn on my lights at different times. There's 4 total lights, each is connected to 2 different sets of plugs, the white + blue and the blue +blue. I don't see how it would work the way your describing.

 

[Droneshooter]

Oh lol my bad I just have two t5 fixtures and they both come on and go off at the same time

 

[JsQuid]

Yeah I understand that! Mine is just different. So I need two separate and individually timed outlets. I'm just going to have to buy a Coralife power center I suppose.

 

[Dav3]

I've heard a lot of bad reviews with those timed powerstrips. How many total plugs do you need on timers and of those how many do you need on different times?

The mechanical wall timers are the most reliable. I use two. One for blue and one for white. 2 cables for blues go into one and 2 white cables go into the other. If you have more plugs than fit on the timer just plug lights into powerstrip and then powerstrip into timer.

 

[bshenanagins]

I've been using the reptile timer strips for a while now, as well as your typical plug in light timer. I hate them both. Sometimes the time decides to not work and throws off the schedule. That's the least of my issues, my BIGGEST complaint is the incessant plastic grinding noises they make while operating. All of my systems are completely silent, and the timers ruin that tranquility. I'm seriously considering shelling out the dough for the digital timers just to avoid the audio irritation.

 

[Dav3]

My mechanical timers are silent. I only hear them when they click on . Got mine at lowes.

 

[JsQuid]

I'm interested in the digital one from Coralife. Anyone have experience with newer version? I need 1 to control Whites, 1 for blues, & moonlights...

 

[Dav3]

I'm interested in the digital one from Coralife. Anyone have experience with newer version? I need 1 to control Whites, 1 for blues, & moonlights...

I never bought one but I looked into them when deciding on a timer for my lights. Based on what I've read they don't work like you would think. Single timer. Blue and white alternates at the time set. Meaning whites are on and then at designated time whites turn off and blues turn on. Not on independent times for blue/white sockets. You would need to get the one with a mechanical timer on each end to control the lights independently.

 

[JsQuid]

Yup! I know that now, didn't get a chance to view your response before I made the purchase. Thinking about just repurchasing the Brinks one I returned and run the Blues on that one, and the whites off the power center. That will work I hope!

 

[Dav3]

Can't cancel the order or return it when you get it? Another brinks is probably more cost effective. Unless you put the alternate light plugs for fuge lighting. that you would actually want on an opposite light schedule.

 

[JsQuid]

So should I just get to Brinks timers? Will that work?

 

[Dav3]

I don't see why not. But only if you can return the coralife.

 

[Animal-Chin]

If you're willing to drop $120 digital aquatics has a great reefkeeper lite system that can control each cord by itself so you could turn on one light at a time and turn them off that way. It also has random storms that can come trough where it fashes your lights. You can expand it too and it can controle your power heads, heater, pumps, whatever you want. I just got one for my dosing pumps and i'm impressed on what this thing can do for a relatively inexpensive peice....

 

[Gregcoyote]

If you're willing to drop $120 digital aquatics has a great reefkeeper lite system that can control each cord by itself so you could turn on one light at a time and turn them off that way. It also has random storms that can come trough where it fashes your lights. You can expand it too and it can controle your power heads, heater, pumps, whatever you want. I just got one for my dosing pumps and i'm impressed on what this thing can do for a relatively inexpensive peice....

That's a good option, but to get anything but on and off controls for the lighting channels requires lights that can accept the voltage commands that ramp the lights up and down, and the lighting module for the Reefkeeper. In its simplest form, it will dependably switch the whites and blues on independently.

 

[JsQuid]

Yeah I'm just now sure exactly how it would work. My T5 fixture has 4 bulbs. There's is two separate cords, 1 controls White +Blue, and the other blue + blue. My light schedule is 10:00-12:00 blue. Then 12:00-6:00 white +blue. Then 6:00-8:00 blue +blue. So how would I make this work?

 

[JsQuid]

Barring catastrophe, I'm not looking to invest anymore in hardware. I'm a college student and it's challenging. I don't mind purchasing the Brinks outlets, they are relatively inexpensive.