best light timer
best light timer
I'm in the market for a simple light timer for my tank. Looking for a reliable brand that'll switch my lights on and off at set times - don't want to burden the pet sitter with that responsibility when I'm away.
Re: best light timer
I've switched to using a smart plug for my tank's lighting, and it's been a game-changer. Not only can I control it remotely through my Amazon Echo, but it also automatically adjusts for daylight savings time. I used to rely on a mechanical timer, but it was a hassle to reset every time the power went out or the clocks changed.
Smart plugs have become really affordable, and I think they're the way to go for aquarium lighting. You can set specific on and off times using your smartphone, which is super convenient. Plus, being able to control it with voice commands through my Echo is a nice bonus. I've got three tanks, and I use smart plugs for all of them - it's great to be able to just say "Alexa, turn on the fish tank lights" and have it all taken care of.
Smart plugs have become really affordable, and I think they're the way to go for aquarium lighting. You can set specific on and off times using your smartphone, which is super convenient. Plus, being able to control it with voice commands through my Echo is a nice bonus. I've got three tanks, and I use smart plugs for all of them - it's great to be able to just say "Alexa, turn on the fish tank lights" and have it all taken care of.
Re: best light timer
I'm a fan of keeping things simple, so I just use a basic timer plug from the hardware store. No fuss, no muss.
Re: best light timer
Fineman's idea seems perfect, but I'm not exactly tech-savvy. I'm old enough to remember when things were simpler.
When it comes to regular timers, I've found that digital ones are the way to go. They keep the time even when the power goes out, and they can do this for more than a day. During an outage, they won't keep the tank lights on, but they will maintain the current time. So, when the power comes back on, the lighting will resume as it should - whether it's supposed to be on or off at that time. The old manual timers would kick in if the power went out during an "on" period, which was a pain, especially if it happened in the middle of the night. I used to unplug them when the power went out, then plug them back in and reset them when it came back on. Digital timers save all that hassle.
When it comes to regular timers, I've found that digital ones are the way to go. They keep the time even when the power goes out, and they can do this for more than a day. During an outage, they won't keep the tank lights on, but they will maintain the current time. So, when the power comes back on, the lighting will resume as it should - whether it's supposed to be on or off at that time. The old manual timers would kick in if the power went out during an "on" period, which was a pain, especially if it happened in the middle of the night. I used to unplug them when the power went out, then plug them back in and reset them when it came back on. Digital timers save all that hassle.