RobR Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 Hi ARC, So last night I was testing my water and noticed that my ALK was 5.6 and Ca was 330. So I started to investigate and low and behold the digital timers I use to control my dosing pumps are not working. I have tried them on multiple other lights in the house and they just ain't workin anymore. They are the digital GE ones from Home Depot and of course when I called GE tech support the things are now out of warranty. So can anyone recommend a good/reliable programable timer that is available locally? I know the best option would be an APEX or RK, but that is not an option right now. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+brian.srock Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 What about making your own? http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/25659-lets-make-a-controller-and-other-fun-uses-for-arduino/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted September 6, 2013 Share Posted September 6, 2013 I used the brinks timers from Wal-Mart. But with dosers not pulling very much juice, sometimes they don't turn them off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 Thanks for the responses Brian and Juiceman!! Will take a look into both.... It just seems like there has to be something better/relaible out there, the not turning off part about the Brinks is a little scary, did you have that happen to you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haze152 Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Now might be a good time to look at a reef controller you can get a basic reef keeper light or apex. I would never want to hook up something as important as dosing pumps to a cheap timer for the exact reason of what happened to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 Now might be a good time to look at a reef controller you can get a basic reef keeper light or apex. I would never want to hook up something as important as dosing pumps to a cheap timer for the exact reason of what happened to you. Yeah someday, a controller will def be in the plans.... Just not right now:( I did find some hydrofarm timers that got really good reviews at a garden store, so far they seem to be working pretty well. Guess we'll see how they hold up in the long run... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 If you do an apex, not sure if a reef keeper is the same, but make sure to run it on the solenoid switches (4 and 8) and not the solid state switches. Same issue is that the pumps draw so little current it's a coin toss whether they properly turn off and on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Grog Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Don't know if this is what you were using.... But I'm using this kind on one of my tanks and it seems to be fine for my lights. So far... LOL Same situation as you. Will get a controller but not right now. I'm going to build an Arduino controller but too many projects on my plate today. Maybe January.... Programming on this GE strip is a bit fiddly. Read the instructions or it drive you nuts. LOL http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TQUF1W/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juiceman Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Thanks for the responses Brian and Juiceman!! Will take a look into both.... It just seems like there has to be something better/relaible out there, the not turning off part about the Brinks is a little scary, did you have that happen to you? Yep, happened to my 90 twice! Dosed a gallon of alk buffer in one night. Didn't lose anything since I was home when it happened and did water changes, but just imagine if I hadn't been. I've had an apex ever since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobR Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 Don't know if this is what you were using.... But I'm using this kind on one of my tanks and it seems to be fine for my lights. So far... LOL Same situation as you. Will get a controller but not right now. I'm going to build an Arduino controller but too many projects on my plate today. Maybe January.... Programming on this GE strip is a bit fiddly. Read the instructions or it drive you nuts. LOL Sweet let me know how the controller build goes I would be interested to see how complicated it really is... As for the GE no I did not have the power strip kind just the small squarish ones... They worked fine for a little over a year then both of the crapped out... Guess something else could have happened that caused them to both fail but I'm not sure what? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002TQUF1W/ref=oh_details_o08_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Thanks for the responses Brian and Juiceman!! Will take a look into both.... It just seems like there has to be something better/relaible out there, the not turning off part about the Brinks is a little scary, did you have that happen to you? Yep, happened to my 90 twice! Dosed a gallon of alk buffer in one night. Didn't lose anything since I was home when it happened and did water changes, but just imagine if I hadn't been. I've had an apex ever since Man that sucks glad that you caught it before a major crash, wish I had the $$$ for an apex they are def sweet.... Someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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