# What timer do you use?



## DF bobo (Dec 26, 2007)

i just went to home depot and picked out the cheapest timer they had, and it's workedfin for me for the several months that i've been using it. they all have basically the same features. i just checked to make sure it could handle the wattage of my lights(i think it's rated up to 1200 watts while my fixture is 40 watts total).


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## robbob2112 (Oct 7, 2007)

cheepest timer with a ground on it works for me... seeing as how it is around water a grounded plug is kinda important. Also, I have it plugged into a GFI plug.


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## RamPuppy (Mar 15, 2006)

i havent got a lot of planted tank experience right now, but from the saltwater side, i can tell you i buy quality timers, usually digital.

nothing sucks more than a halide light sticking on while your working long hours and crisping a few grand in coral.

I would assume in a planted tank the worst it would cause is stress in the fish and perhaps an algae bloom.


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

I'm satisfied with the digital Timex ones from Target. Note that it's the single-setting ones I like, not the 7-day multiple settings ones; those are a pain to program and only have 30 minute increments. I also like the digital Intermatic timers from Lowes and Home Depot. Once again, the single-setting one is easier to program than the one with all the bells and whistles. All of the abovementioned products have some kind of battery backup in case the power goes out, and they probably drift less than the analog/mechanical ones.

If you need more than one timer, I recommend you get all the same kind so that it's easier to remember how to set them.


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## waterfaller1 (Jul 5, 2006)

I use Intermatic. For the fw tanks I use the heavy duty dial kind,for the sw tanks the digital. A timer is not going to burn your house down. With anything to do with water... fresh or salt, you should have a GFCI. The nice thing about the digital is they are much smaller than the dial kind.The dial type take up so much room on a power strip... at least two spots.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Speaking of GFCI, is that something I would need an electrician to do, or can a person with good general electric skills do it?


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

forddna said:


> Speaking of GFCI, is that something I would need an electrician to do, or can a person with good general electric skills do it?


Depends on your level of experience, of course. I have very little household electrical experience, but I consider myself pretty sharp, and I added one and nothing burned down. They come with instructions. You should be fine. Of course, there are GFCI pigtail powerstrip thingies that don't require any electrical wiring whatsoever. You just plug them in. They have them at Target and Home Depot and Lowes and stuff. Easy to find, easy to use.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Hmm..I might just do the powerstrip thing since I use them anyway.


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## swylie (May 10, 2007)

forddna said:


> Hmm..I might just do the powerstrip thing since I use them anyway.


Some are power strips, some are short, three foot extension cords, and some are little boxes about the size of a timer. I'm sure they all work the same, but they all have the advantage that they're portable.


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## forddna (Sep 12, 2007)

Awesome. Thanks!


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## loachlady5 (Dec 9, 2007)

I use heavy duty (3 prong) intermatic timers - analog. They're less than $15 at a hardware store: 
http://www.youdoitelectronics.com/id143.htm

I also use one dual timer that I plug both my light cords: http://www.sunleaves.com/detail.asp?sku=SSDT100.


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## mahoro (Dec 18, 2007)

brinks has a easy to use timer, a single setting one that cost around 4 bucks and a muti-setting one that cost 6 bucks at walmart, very easy to use, the muti setting one u can have as many on/off as u want...it has little pins on a dail wheel thingy, each pin is 15 mins, just push down the pin/time u want it to be on, so easy to use


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## outcast (Jul 4, 2007)

i am an electrician and i would say its easy enough to install one, if you dont have an ancient house that is... just be careful not to snap aluminum wiring if your house has it, its really brittle. Pretty much GFCI receptacles are dirt cheap. Start by turning off the room's breaker (should take within a half hour so dont worry about your tank). Newer homes should have the panel clearly labelled, and the best way to test, get a lamp you know works plug it in, and keep it on. switch off breakers until you find the right one, read the labels in the panel to alleviate the guess work.

They connect similar to a plug, in that they have a ground, hot and neutral. the difference you'll notice is that there is a LOAD side and a LINE side.
If your electrical was done right, you should only have 3 wires connecting to your old plug, if it is done wrong, it will have 5 wires. if you have 5 wires, dont bother continuing unless you know how to splice, otherwise you'll have more than one plug protected against ground faults and believe me, you dont want this. Because if you fault on another plug connected to the one you are using, your aquarium goes out too.

back to the Line and Load, Load should be taped off with a sticker, if not, simply dont use it anyways. your wires should connect to LINE only. Load is for protecting other outlets. 

Now my take on calling in an electrician, its not worth it to get one for this. Its simple, quick, and definatly not cost effective unless you do it yourself. An electrician will charge you an arm and a leg for not even 10 minutes of work. If you cant do it (search installing a GFCI on google for more info on the actual work, btw) use the power strip, just have it connected to a plug out of splash range, and have it on a drip loop if the strip is off the ground.


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## BiscuitSlayer (Apr 1, 2005)

outcast said:


> They connect similar to a plug, in that they have a ground, hot and neutral. the difference you'll notice is that there is a LOAD side and a LINE side.
> If your electrical was done right, you should only have 3 wires connecting to your old plug, if it is done wrong, it will have 5 wires. if you have 5 wires, dont bother continuing unless you know how to splice, otherwise you'll have more than one plug protected against ground faults and believe me, you dont want this. Because if you fault on another plug connected to the one you are using, your aquarium goes out too.


Is that such a bad thing though? On a floor that has an aquarium that contains a decent amount of water, I would prefer to have all down stream outlets protected just for safety reasons. Imagine a 100 gal tank leaks all of its water out onto the floor. You then plug a shop vac into one of the unprotected outlets to suck up some excess water (or worse, your barefooted signifigant other). You don't have shoes on and you aren't thinking of the danger of using an electrical outlet in the same room standing on wet carpet with no shoes. You're hand slips when you go to plug the shopvac in and you wind up touching both prongs on the cord on the shop vac as its going in. You are electricuted.

I know... It sounds far fetched and stupid... Ask yourself how many times this is going to happen this year in North America alone. I would hate for it to be my wife (who might not think it out or realize the consequences).


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## tropicalfish (Mar 29, 2007)

I use Intermatic Digital timers.


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## KDahlin (Mar 12, 2007)

*Intermatic digital timer recall*

I went to Home Depot to buy the digital Intermatic timers and was told they're being recalled. Are the Grasslin timers that Fosters and Smith sells any good?


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## Green Leaf Aquariums (Feb 26, 2007)

KDahlin said:


> I went to Home Depot to buy the digital Intermatic timers and was told they're being recalled. Are the Grasslin timers that Fosters and Smith sells any good?


Grasslin are good timers for sure.


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## Trace63 (Dec 23, 2007)

Psh, $6 Home depot timers ftw


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## Green Leaf Aquariums (Feb 26, 2007)

We use a few Grasslin timers and haven't had any problems with them.


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