# Best timer/controller for lights and CO2?



## Danielle (Jan 26, 2008)

I've seen the grasslin timers that Dr F&S sells... and the cheap ones at the local hardware stores (which don't work for crap... I know via experience)

What are people using and where are you getting them then?

Thanks!!!


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

I use the timers which have little blades of plastic you push into the rim of a wheel that is driven by a clock motor - one blade hits the on switch and the other hits the off switch. They are pretty reliable, if not as accurate as better quality timers are.


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## Danielle (Jan 26, 2008)

Thats the kind that I have... and it would be off by more than half an hour sometimes because the motor could not overcome the resistance of the switch.


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## hoppycalif (Apr 7, 2005)

Yes, mine are sometimes off by 30 minutes. That doesn't bother me, compared to having the digital timers self destruct after a week of use. I have used many, many of the Intermatic digital timers, and only rarely does one last beyond a week. This got to be such a problem my local hardware store took all of them off the shelf and quit selling them.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

I have used the Coralife, both mechanical and digital and I like them both.
I was also able to buy the ones that look like the Coralife digital, but don't have two night timers on them, really cheap at Target ($5 each on clearance, but have since seen them there) and I love them. They are a little tricky to set up for some, but I have never had a problem.
I like them VERY much.
I also use the ones Hoppy lists for Co2 or a 2nd light when using the Co2 1 hour before the lights come in and turn it off 1 hour before the light go off and for added lights on a mid day blast.


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## cs_gardener (Apr 28, 2006)

I use mostly Coralife digital timer/outlet strips now. I've had 3 of the mechanical ones stop keeping time - they'd get stuck either on or off and the dial just wouldn't turn on it's own. I'm not completely happy with what I have because the Coralife digital doesn't give you enough room if you have an odd-sized plug (like for the lunar lights on a satellite fixture, or a digital heater with a massive fixture at the plug) without blocking other outlets. It's also a hassle if you want to stagger your lights, I use a couple cheap mechanical timers on the one tank where I do that, PLUS I steal some space on the digital timer from the tank next to it. Well, that's the bad, the good is I've only had one digital timer stop working on me out of six over the past 3(?) years and I like that I don't have to go around and modify everything after a power failure. I'm still looking at other options for timers but nothing really jumps out at me as being ideal. So far the Coralife digital is the most useful for my purposes. Oh, I usually get them at Drs Foster & Smith when they have them on sale. Then I hunt around online for one of the $5 off coupon codes to get the shipping costs down.


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## captain_bu (Dec 13, 2007)

hoppycalif said:


> That doesn't bother me, compared to having the digital timers self destruct after a week of use. I have used many, many of the Intermatic digital timers, and only rarely does one last beyond a week.


Bummer reading this... I just bought one of the Intermatic timers yesterday... keeping the receipt handy. If it takes a dive I guess I will go back to the type with the little plastic blades.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

I've got Intermatic digital timers and the Coralife in both digital and mechanical. The only one I absolutely hate is the Coralife digital. The other two have worked flawlessly for as long as I can remember. I've had them all quite awhile. The problem with the Coralife digital is that it keeps resetting itself if I unplug too many things at once. I have to go back and reset either the time or the programs. One or the other always gets messed up. Anytime you change program settings you have to wait a full cycle (24 hrs) for the change to take affect. Next time I'll stick with the Coralife mechanical timer.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Maybe you got a bunk one.
I have never had any of those issues at all.


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## mikenas102 (Feb 8, 2006)

I've always thought the same thing. I even tried changing out the little battery that is supposed to hold the time in a power outage. Still doesn't work right. I don't use it as a timer anymore anyway. It's basically just an overpriced power strip now.


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## goalcreas (Nov 20, 2006)

Lol


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

I like this Aqualight Dual Timer Power Center


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## YellowSno (Apr 2, 2008)

if your looking for cheap go to target in the home improvement area or ask a sales person for surge protectors... i actually just went there to day they got cheap ones for 4.99 that is like a clock that spins and hits the switch to shut off and they got digital ones for 12.99... i bought 3 of the digital ones cuz i got 3 different lights that i have shut at different intervals ... if u need it for more then 1 and u want them all to shut off at the same time u can always get 1 of the digital ones and get a surge protector and there u go


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## niget2002 (Apr 15, 2008)

I go to Lowe's and get the Heavy Duty outdoor "sprinkler" digital timer by Intermatic.

It's worked great on my tanks for the last 5 years... only needing a battery change once. The one thing I didn't know when I bought it is you can't run the two outlets independently.

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=86473-251-HB88RCL&lpage=none


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## animal chin (Sep 11, 2007)

I long for someone to make a digital timer built into a power strip that lets you set the times for individual outlets separately. The Coralife digital one lets you set two (the yellow ones), then another two (the blue ones) which have to be on the opposite schedule as the yellow ones. 

It doesn't seem to me that it should be so hard to make one that lets you set 6 or 8 outlets individually, but I have yet to find one. Perhaps there's no market for it aside from people like me who want to stagger the on/off times of co2 and two sets of lights.

Until then, it's three of the little circle doo-hickeys for me.

ac


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## Danielle (Jan 26, 2008)

I did not know that about the coralife outlets. Well scratch those then. Looks like I'll be getting a couple of the grasslin timers or something similar. 

I did find the digital version of the intermatic lamp timer at Ace after a late trip to the coast meant the lights were on 12 hours!!. So far it's worked great.... its just really big and takes up all the room on the power strip lol.


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

yup i agree that the digital timers are perfected yet i have had nothing but problems with them I like the old fashioned ones on a wheel that you can turn maybe they will get a little of after prolonged use but you can correct this just by the spin of a dial. digital and water rarely mix and if timers are concerned this is still the case


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## jazzlvr123 (Apr 29, 2007)

Left C said:


> I like this Aqualight Dual Timer Power Center


we used to have those when I worked at exotic aquarium and we ended up pulling half of them out after they stopped working for beans


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