# Help with co2 timer...



## AzerNavarro (Oct 27, 2014)

I will be on vacation for a few days and I want to run my co2 on a timer, but I have no idea what kind of timer to get or how to do it. I also want to run my light on a timer.

I have an aquatek co2 regulator mini. Does anybody else use a timer for this? If so, what kind?


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## TeamTeal (Mar 31, 2010)

you can only run the co2 on a timer if you have a solenoid. i am not familiar with the aquatek mini so if it does have a solenoid you just plug it into a timer plug. 

Any plug in timer will do just make sure to turn it on


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## Joshism (Nov 26, 2015)

Just get a mechanical timer from Walmart for $7.00. It looks like you do have a solenoid on that regulator, so you can plug it in, along with everything else on that timer. Make sure you get the one that fits 3 prongs on the left and the right.

https://i5.walmartimages.com/asr/87....jpeg?odnHeight=450&odnWidth=450&odnBg=FFFFFF


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## Tiger15 (Jan 7, 2018)

I prefer mechanical timer to electronic timer. Programming electronic timer is not straightforward. I hate to read instructions, and each brand has its idiosyncratic instructions and distraction of too many unneeded options. Programming mechanical timers is as straigthforward as simply turning the wheel and changing the pin locations. With easy programming, I can tolerate slow gain or loss time in all mechanical, simply turn the wheel to match the correct clock times. 

I prefer the old style Intematic mechanical to the newer style mechanical timers from Walmart. The pins in the newer style mechanical can easily and accidentally be bumped, changing he programmed schedule without noticing it. Also, the override on/off button in the newer mechanical do not automatically resume programmed schedule and be forgotten. Old style Intermatic works best for me.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Intermatic...ee-Shipping-/252015216265?hash=item3aad470689 

I have timers in all my fish tanks, as fish and plants need regular cycle of lighting. It's bad to forget turning off light all night long or no light during one's vacation as fish/plants need to regular sleep and awake cycles.

At one time I have all electronic timers. Now I replaced them all back to Intermatic mechanical. Regretfully, big box stores today stock only electronic and Walmart style mechanical.


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## Hootie (Oct 7, 2016)

You should probably turn on your co2 regulator an hour or so before the light goes on. This way co2 concentrations are where you want them to be when the light goes on. I even turn mine off an 30 minutes before the lights go off to save co2. You can gague the time you want your co2 to turn on by recording the time it takes for the drop checker to go from blue to light green and set the timer that way.


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## Tiger15 (Jan 7, 2018)

Plants turn off photosynthesis after about 8 hours, so I understand why you want to turn off CO2 1 hour before the end of 8 hour photo period. But I never understand why you need to turn on CO2 one hour before. One hour pre photo CO2 period is not going to make a difference in growth in an 8 hour photo period. If there is concern of not getting saturated CO2 at start, why not extend the photo and CO2 period simultaneously to 9 hour. 

I run split photo periods for my tanks, 4 hour in the morning and 4 hour in the afternoon to fit my life style. So the 1 hour early on and off thing for CO2 is not relevant. Theoretically, you can have two 8 hour photo periods with siesta in between to double effective growing time.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Tiger15 said:


> ...But I never understand why you need to turn on CO2 one hour before. One hour pre photo CO2 period is not going to make a difference in growth in an 8 hour photo period....


I think the idea here is algae prevention. If the lights aren't programmable you have the intense light running without co2. I guess it can't hurt, but I usually don't have the space for an extra timer so I usually don't do it.


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## charlie 1 (Oct 22, 2006)

Tiger15 said:


> Plants turn off photosynthesis after about 8 hours, so I understand why you want to turn off CO2 1 hour before the end of 8 hour photo period. But I never understand why you need to turn on CO2 one hour before. One hour pre photo CO2 period is not going to make a difference in growth in an 8 hour photo period. If there is concern of not getting saturated CO2 at start, why not extend the photo and CO2 period simultaneously to 9 hour.
> 
> I run split photo periods for my tanks, 4 hour in the morning and 4 hour in the afternoon to fit my life style. So the 1 hour early on and off thing for CO2 is not relevant. Theoretically, you can have two 8 hour photo periods with siesta in between to double effective growing time.


The goal is to get your CO2 saturation at optimal levels when light come on, it is believed the first few hours of light is when most of photosynthesis occur.
The pre light turn on of co2 is highly dependent on the efficiency of your method of dissolving CO2 into the water column , hence each tank will require a different turn on time.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

A point on choosing timers is when new, do it simple! Do not sweat over which is exactly best for when to turn the CO2 on/ off, just go simple. Also when choosing the timer, if it is a problem to fit several things on the timer, don't spend extra to get two outlets when it is very simple to add an extention cord with multiple outlets. Stick the cord into the timer or outlet and then you often have three outlets on the cord where most any two or more timers or cords can be used. 
When new and uncertain, go simple.


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## IntotheWRX (May 13, 2016)

AzerNavarro said:


> I will be on vacation for a few days and I want to run my co2 on a timer, but I have no idea what kind of timer to get or how to do it. I also want to run my light on a timer.
> 
> I have an aquatek co2 regulator mini. Does anybody else use a timer for this? If so, what kind?


i also have a aquatek co2 regulator.

i bought a power strip with half of the outlets are always on and the other half on timer. amazon.com

i plug my heater and filter on always on
i plug my light and co2 on the timer

i used mechanical timers and digital timers. the mechanical timers have a buzz or hum or ticking. digital is dead silent.


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## Tiger15 (Jan 7, 2018)

houseofcards said:


> I think the idea here is algae prevention. If the lights aren't programmable you have the intense light running without co2. I guess it can't hurt, but I usually don't have the space for an extra timer so I usually don't do it.


Well, you have to prove it by running controlled experiments that light without saturated CO2 for one hour can cause algae. Simply because majority do it doesn't make it true.

Yes, it won't hurt to provide extra CO2 period, but you need two timers. Synchronizing photo and CO2 period is easy with one timer. Synchronizing with two timers requires constant adjustment due to power outages, daylight saving or differential time gain and loss. There is also a tiny but huge risk that one timer fails, throwing photo and CO2 periods out of syn when you are out on vacation.

Digital timer has the advantages of being dead quiet and don't lose or gain time, even with power outages. But programming digital is not straightforward, and even revealing what has been programmed is not transparent. I threw away all my digitals as they only last a few years, either broken or out of battery. I replaced them all back with simple mechanical and can tolerate some noise by hiding them in the cabinat.


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## houseofcards (Mar 21, 2009)

Tiger15 said:


> Well, you have to prove it by running controlled experiments that light without saturated CO2 for one hour can cause algae. Simply because majority do it doesn't make it true.


I don't do it, just telling you the thought process of others. An experiment wouldn't prove anything, because every tank is different so you wouldn't know where the threshold is from one tank to the next, that's why people do it as a preventive measure since it won't hurt anything. 

If you have a light that has only one strong intensity instead of a ramp-up period and the threshold is very thin for algae to develop (hi-light, thin plant volume, etc.) it would make sense that you want as much photosynthesis as possible because of the thin margin. 

Most of my maintenance is done for preventative reasons, like 50% water change, running peak light period only for a few hours, etc. It doesn't mean I have to do it, but I do it because having a problem is much worse than not having it.


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## PlantedRich (Jul 21, 2010)

houseofcards said:


> I don't do it, just telling you the thought process of others. An experiment wouldn't prove anything, because every tank is different so you wouldn't know where the threshold is from one tank to the next, that's why people do it as a preventive measure since it won't hurt anything.
> 
> If you have a light that has only one strong intensity instead of a ramp-up period and the threshold is very thin for algae to develop (hi-light, thin plant volume, etc.) it would make sense that you want as much photosynthesis as possible because of the thin margin.
> 
> Most of my maintenance is done for preventative reasons, like 50% water change, running peak light period only for a few hours, etc. It doesn't mean I have to do it, but I do it because having a problem is much worse than not having it.


Got to agree with this. Doing anything to prove/disprove a theory in this game is going to take far more effort than any of us are doing. There are whole Ag departments devoted to ding that sort of work and they have not solved a lot of the questions. 
With me it gets into doing what I feel I need to do to prevent those problems because it is certainly true that preventing is far easier than curing. But most of my efforts go toward keeping fish and the plants kind of come along as part of my fishkeeping process so they often take a second place when it comes to time and effort spent.


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## Tiger15 (Jan 7, 2018)

I totally understand the rationale and why many are doing it, but it’s an assumption until proven with experimental trial. It’s comparable to the old assumption that high phosphate caused algae, until many tried and falsified it, including myself. An experimental trial can be as simple as changing the lighting and CO2 routine for couple weeks to see if algae pop up. It may be a trivial exercise because if everything is fine, why rock the boat. But I like to do thing simple and avoid unneeded complication, besides saving some CO2.


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## Hootie (Oct 7, 2016)

The only power strips with a programmable timers for each outlet are the netune systems which are crazy expensive.


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## Joshism (Nov 26, 2015)

Hootie said:


> The only power strips with a programmable timers for each outlet are the netune systems which are crazy expensive.


What about this one?
https://www.gardeners.com/buy/power-strip--with-timer/38-972.html


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## junior34pl (Mar 20, 2017)

If you have WiFi at home just buy this power strip. You can set timer or manually control the strip anywhere you have a internet connection using your phone.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074SFQDN5/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_ciMCAb8SYZG2G


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