timers for lights

driftwoodhunter · 12-08-2012, 11:51 PM

Are all timers the same? My work schedule is such now that my lights are on nearly 12 hrs a day. I use a 48" shop light on my low tech 125, and I'm starting to see algae on the glass as well as some hair algae within the tank. I have a Coralife on my 29 & no algae so far, but still I'd like to use a timer on it.

I see timers at Petsmart made by aquarium companies, but I work at Walmart and we have a large selection of light timers - aren't they all basically the same?

Edub · 12-08-2012, 11:57 PM

I grabbed a few of those 3-5 dollar timers from wal-mart and have been using them for years on my tanks with no issues. I think sometime the more expensive timers have additional features, but a lot of times you end up paying for a brand name. I just want mine to turn my lights on and off, so the cheap guys work for me.

driftwoodhunter · 12-09-2012, 12:00 AM

Thanks, that's all I want, too - on & off!

m00se · 12-09-2012, 12:33 AM

I have had nothing good to say about those cheap crap Brinks timers. I have gone through probably 4 of them in a year. I just keep bringing them back and exchanging them. The leds go out, or they lose time, or if you unplug them for 2 minutes they lose settings.... If I were to do it again I would avoid them like the plague. I am talking about the $5, 6, 7 ones. Emailed the company - never heard back. YMMV

driftwoodhunter · 12-09-2012, 12:59 AM

We have other brands too - I'll look them over before Brinks...

**ngrubich** · 12-09-2012, 01:48 AM

I have the Brinks timers on my tank and they have been working great for almost a year with no issues. Yes, you'll have to spin the timer around if it gets unplugged for extended times/there is a power outage, but that takes maybe 5-10 seconds to adjust.

m00se · 12-09-2012, 01:52 AM

I'm sorry - I didn't specify. These are the digital units, not the mechanicals..

**GraphicGr8s** · 12-09-2012, 02:06 AM

I use a digital timer from Lowes and HD. It's a "heavy duty commercial" unit that runs about $17. Has 2 outlets on it but I have a strip plugged in and run about 6 off that.

secuono · 12-09-2012, 02:10 AM

I use the white and gray $10 timers. Never found a cheaper one and wouldn't use them anyway. Had my two for 2.5yrs, no issues with them.
Lowes, Walmart and Petsmart have them. Backs say "Marineland aquarium" or "aquarium" on them, depending on where you get them. Didn't realize they did until I just checked them to get a picture....

I also buy a three plug to put into the timer, since I have two fixtures on each tank.

**ngrubich** · 12-09-2012, 04:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by secuono

I use the white and gray $10 timers. Never found a cheaper one and wouldn't use them anyway. Had my two for 2.5yrs, no issues with them.
Lowes, Walmart and Petsmart have them. Backs say "Marineland aquarium" or "aquarium" on them, depending on where you get them. Didn't realize they did until I just checked them to get a picture....

I also buy a three plug to put into the timer, since I have two fixtures on each tank.

Those essentially use the same tech as the Brinks models, just not labeled as an aquarium brand. The nice thing about these timers is the plug is down from the dial, where the Brinks one has the plug on the side, making them difficult to use in the surge protectors that have the side-by-side plugs.

m00se · 12-09-2012, 05:57 AM

These are the POS I'm talking about:

Worthless

accordztech · 12-09-2012, 06:40 AM

target has good ones with 3 prongs. Its not digital so it wont reset in a power outage. They also have a button to over ride and turn on for servicing.

rcx_sk · 12-09-2012, 11:26 AM

I use the digital timer power strips that you can buy from Home Depot - http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...1#.UMSCovWPV8E

amazon also sells it for alittle cheaper - http://www.amazon.com/Globe-Electric...er+Strip+Timer

james1542 · 12-09-2012, 04:11 PM

The digital ones are the worst idea ever, they don't realize that maybe it will be a dark space behind the entertainment center that it is plugged in, and oh yea you have to crawl back there and hit 100 buttons to program it. And when the power flicks off, guess whos crawling back there again! Get the brinks mechanical "mini" timers. It's like $4 for the non grounded and $5 for the grounded and you get 15 min intervals. Found at a walmart.

m00se · 12-09-2012, 04:31 PM

I have to agree on that one. No backlight, and they're SUPPOSED to have battery backups that keep the settings for a short time WHEN THEY WORK. I'm inclined to bring these 3 back to Walmart and trade them for mechanicals. On my list of things I'll probably never get around to doing :-)

12-08-2012, 11:51 PM	#1
driftwoodhunter Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (23/100%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Christiansburg, Va Posts: 2,758	timers for lights Are all timers the same? My work schedule is such now that my lights are on nearly 12 hrs a day. I use a 48" shop light on my low tech 125, and I'm starting to see algae on the glass as well as some hair algae within the tank. I have a Coralife on my 29 & no algae so far, but still I'd like to use a timer on it. I see timers at Petsmart made by aquarium companies, but I work at Walmart and we have a large selection of light timers - aren't they all basically the same? __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt # 7* **- Daughter of the Dirt - Canon Club #018 Twin 29g Dirt Tanks on an Iron Stand - DIY 3D Backgrounds http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...stand-pic.html The Behemoth - 125 dirt tank** http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=199772

12-09-2012, 12:00 AM	#3
driftwoodhunter Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (23/100%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Christiansburg, Va Posts: 2,758	Thanks, that's all I want, too - on & off! __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt # 7* **- Daughter of the Dirt - Canon Club #018 Twin 29g Dirt Tanks on an Iron Stand - DIY 3D Backgrounds http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...stand-pic.html The Behemoth - 125 dirt tank** http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=199772

12-09-2012, 12:59 AM	#5
driftwoodhunter Planted Tank Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (23/100%) Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Christiansburg, Va Posts: 2,758	We have other brands too - I'll look them over before Brinks... __________________ *The Fraternity of Dirt # 7* **- Daughter of the Dirt - Canon Club #018 Twin 29g Dirt Tanks on an Iron Stand - DIY 3D Backgrounds http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/ta...stand-pic.html The Behemoth - 125 dirt tank** http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=199772

12-09-2012, 02:06 AM	#8
GraphicGr8s Banned (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Land O Lakes, FL Posts: 1,534	I use a digital timer from Lowes and HD. It's a "heavy duty commercial" unit that runs about $17. Has 2 outlets on it but I have a strip plugged in and run about 6 off that. __________________ Quote me as saying I was misquoted. The problem is you don't know what you don't know. Life is simple…People complicate it. On the west coast of the east coast of North America Here's to our wives and sweethearts - may they never meet. I can't live life at 140 characters

12-09-2012, 02:10 AM	#9
secuono Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (15/94%) Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Culpeper, VA Posts: 663	I use the white and gray $10 timers. Never found a cheaper one and wouldn't use them anyway. Had my two for 2.5yrs, no issues with them. Lowes, Walmart and Petsmart have them. Backs say "Marineland aquarium" or "aquarium" on them, depending on where you get them. Didn't realize they did until I just checked them to get a picture.... I also buy a three plug to put into the timer, since I have two fixtures on each tank. __________________ ~Arikun Plant lady

12-08-2012, 11:57 PM	#2
Edub Planted Member (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0/0%) Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Missouri Posts: 190	I grabbed a few of those 3-5 dollar timers from wal-mart and have been using them for years on my tanks with no issues. I think sometime the more expensive timers have additional features, but a lot of times you end up paying for a brand name. I just want mine to turn my lights on and off, so the cheap guys work for me.

12-09-2012, 12:33 AM	#4
m00se Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 1,282	I have had nothing good to say about those cheap crap Brinks timers. I have gone through probably 4 of them in a year. I just keep bringing them back and exchanging them. The leds go out, or they lose time, or if you unplug them for 2 minutes they lose settings.... If I were to do it again I would avoid them like the plague. I am talking about the $5, 6, 7 ones. Emailed the company - never heard back. YMMV

12-09-2012, 01:48 AM	#6
ngrubich Planted Tank Obsessed (View User Tanks) PTrader: (20/100%) Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 463	I have the Brinks timers on my tank and they have been working great for almost a year with no issues. Yes, you'll have to spin the timer around if it gets unplugged for extended times/there is a power outage, but that takes maybe 5-10 seconds to adjust.

12-09-2012, 01:52 AM	#7
m00se Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 1,282	I'm sorry - I didn't specify. These are the digital units, not the mechanicals..

12-09-2012, 05:57 AM	#11
m00se Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 1,282	These are the POS I'm talking about: Worthless

12-09-2012, 06:40 AM	#12
accordztech Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,764	target has good ones with 3 prongs. Its not digital so it wont reset in a power outage. They also have a button to over ride and turn on for servicing. __________________ My 55g Planted Tank My 12g shrimptank My amano breeding Journey ...DIY co2 sucks ...ricca sucks

12-09-2012, 11:26 AM	#13
rcx_sk Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (5/100%) Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Aiea, Hawaii Posts: 59	I use the digital timer power strips that you can buy from Home Depot - http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1...1#.UMSCovWPV8E amazon also sells it for alittle cheaper - http://www.amazon.com/Globe-Electric...er+Strip+Timer

12-09-2012, 04:11 PM	#14
james1542 Planted Tank Enthusiast (View User Tanks) PTrader: (9/100%) Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: WA Posts: 506	The digital ones are the worst idea ever, they don't realize that maybe it will be a dark space behind the entertainment center that it is plugged in, and oh yea you have to crawl back there and hit 100 buttons to program it. And when the power flicks off, guess whos crawling back there again! Get the brinks mechanical "mini" timers. It's like $4 for the non grounded and $5 for the grounded and you get 15 min intervals. Found at a walmart. __________________ Biocube 14 Shrimp Rimless 20 Apistos and more Retrocube

12-09-2012, 04:31 PM	#15
m00se Wannabe Guru (View User Tanks) PTrader: (4/100%) Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Syracuse, NY Posts: 1,282	I have to agree on that one. No backlight, and they're SUPPOSED to have battery backups that keep the settings for a short time WHEN THEY WORK. I'm inclined to bring these 3 back to Walmart and trade them for mechanicals. On my list of things I'll probably never get around to doing :-)

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