| TCMAS Twin Cities Marine Aquarium Society Club Forum |
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05-27-2005, 05:44 AM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Bloomington, Minnesota
Posts: 261
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Timers
What kind/brand of timers do people use for thier lights and where do they get them?
I have had 2 cheaper ones from target go out on me lately and I am not going to be around this weekend so I can't take any chances.
Thanks
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05-27-2005, 05:49 AM
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#2
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300 Pound Gorilla
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Hudson, WI / Hong Kong
Posts: 2,640
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I use the Digital Aquatics ReefKeeper. Before I got the controller, I had about 5-6 timers, Bought them at Menards, I think the heavy duty appliance timers. Never had luck with the digital ones.
Note: I do still have one digital timer for the pump on my Kalk Reactor. Runs 1 minute, every 6 hours. The DA ReefKeeper does not handle this.
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JP
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Currently between tanks......And countries!!!!
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05-27-2005, 06:10 AM
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#3
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I've got the REEF rash!
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 24,770
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I have 6 cheap HomeDepot($4.99) and they work pretty good time changes + or -27 seconds
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05-27-2005, 06:39 AM
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#4
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MMMM Acros
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Richland, MN
Posts: 1,260
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Before the Aqua controller I use to use the cheap digitals from walmart. I think they were like 14.99 each.
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05-27-2005, 07:56 AM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: St Louis Park
Posts: 117
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Heavey duty timers
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BJ 
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05-27-2005, 08:35 AM
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#6
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Bloomington, Minnesota
Posts: 261
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thanks that is what I have been using and the second one quite on me now. I think it may be time to try something new.
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05-27-2005, 10:09 AM
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#7
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Nothing to See Here
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Savage, MN
Posts: 2,176
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I have used these before I got my ACII and I really liked them. You can get them from Menards but the electrical department hast to special order them ( free shipping and only took a couple days.)
They are Intermatic HB88RC . Detail are on catalog page 99 here : http://www.intermatic.com/images/ca...TS89_HPC-HA.pdf |
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05-27-2005, 10:22 AM
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#8
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TCMAS Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN
Posts: 5,665
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From the Intermec PDF Frogbone attached.
The one I liked to use and never had any problems where Part #HB35R ( 10amp ) and the HB31R ( 15 amp ). I know Home Depot carried the 15amp around $20. and the 10amp goes is a little cheaper and can be found at Menards for sure. It a nice feature that you has a standard 3 prong power cord vs. some models that you have to directly plug the unit to the socket where it can block some of the other outlets.
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05-27-2005, 12:24 PM
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#9
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Nothing to See Here
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Savage, MN
Posts: 2,176
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That's what I liked about the HB88R ( 3prong). It also has two outlets instead of just one.
Also, it keeps it's settings if teh power goes out. It has a backup battery installed.
You can manually turn it on, off or set to auto and it never misses a beat  |
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05-27-2005, 01:16 PM
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#10
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TCMAS Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN
Posts: 5,665
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That's one of the little things I really miss with the DA reefkeeper ( Not that it's a big deal ). No way to manually override the light schedule without changing the times. Was nice to just turn the knob. Since I don't have any space constraints where the electrical is setup ( currently located on the other side of the wall from the tank ) and may go back to the timers for the lighting just for that reason.
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05-27-2005, 01:26 PM
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#11
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Lost in Reeeeef
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: The Reeeeef
Posts: 2,401
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I got some power strips from Menards. I belive they are 12bucks. 4 plugs on the timer, 4 regular plugs. Good deal IMO
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05-27-2005, 01:54 PM
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#12
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There is no kryptonite!
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern Twin Cities, MN.
Posts: 1,541
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HFG, they actuall have a timer built into the power strip? I have to check this out, got any pics of this power strip? would be a lot cheaper than the aquarium specific one that I have seen that has a similar set up of the power strip you described.
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DRILL IT!!
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05-27-2005, 02:18 PM
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#13
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TCMAS Used 'Ta Be
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Anoka, MN
Posts: 2,120
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Dave, What I do is just turn it off by changing it to always off. It saves your light schedule if you switch it back later. For my kalkwasser reactor it mixes like every 20 seconds, but I have the stirrer to low. I set it to powerhead then cycle C. |
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05-27-2005, 02:49 PM
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#14
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TCMAS Member
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN
Posts: 5,665
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Jake, usually in my case the lights are out and I want to turn them back on. I think I tried to set to always on, I don't recall what happens to the timer settings. I'll try again. Even though mine is version 1.5 and the problem was supposed to be fixed, the battery backup for the timer doesn't work. I will have to send the brains back in when they get more in stock. If only effects the lights as the time is set back to 12:00am. All the temp and powerhead cycle settings get saved...
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05-27-2005, 03:17 PM
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#15
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Burnsville, Mn
Posts: 241
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I use the digital timer DT17C (page 4 of the pdf Frogbone posted). Mine work flawlessly for controlling my lights. If the lights are off they can be turned on with one button push. Backup battery for the memory so settings are not lost when power goes out.
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