Coralife Dual Timers

[Magickiwi]

Has anyone else used these? I bought two through Pets and Ponds and they both don't work worth a damn. One or both of the dials lose time some how and then my one of my light cycles doesn't start and I get no daylight or actinic.

These things would be golden if they actually worked because I'd love to remove one more timer power bar from the tangle that is my power cords. I paid around $45 each instead of the $70-$80 I've seen them for at Pieces or Al's. Which is one blessing.

Currently I need to use one of the single digital timers for one cycle and another for the other cycle.

Anyone else had similar experiences?

http://www.jlaquatics.com/images/wavemakers/esu-power2.jpg

[Coasting]

I have one of their digital power bars, doesn't keep time worth a damn.
I also have 2 of their single analog power bars, and those work really well, haven't had an issue, but never used the dual analog powerbar like you show. But it seems fairly common that their products don't work as well as their should.

[Sunee]

I used one of the dual timers that you have pictured for five years. The only issue I had was a couple of the "on" tabs on the dial I used for the actinic stopped working in the last year (the light would go out until the time got past the tab). I've packed it away as I shut down the biocube it was used for.

[Jakegr]

They don't keep accurate time (my lights kept turning on/off later and later in the day), and one of the dials failed to turn my lights off after about 8 months of use. I can't recommend using one.

[Sunee]

I must have got the one "good" one they produced. Too bad they can't make them better, the design is great for a small aquarium.

[Delphinus]

I bought one of those so I could stagger my light cycle over my planted FW.

But the one light timer more or less only works when it feels like it, which as it turns out is "not very often."

[Magickiwi]

Why are reputable companies still selling this piece of garbage? I can't believe that J&L, Pets and ponds, reefsupplies.ca etc haven't heard of the ongoing issues with this product.

Well looks like they were the last Coralife product I'll buy. I talked to their customer service line and they offered to replace them for me if I sent them to them (Shipping costs on me...). The shipping alone would be worth more than these POCs.

[Treebeard]

i have two of them. One of them works OK and the other one is a pos.

[Magickiwi]

Well to hell with Coralife and their products. I bought an APEX Jr. from Reefsupplies.ca and I'm going to use the four outlets to controll my lights. Comes with a temperature probe too which will live in my sump for no other reason than to use it. My JBJ heater came with a controller but at least I can use the APEX one to graph my temperatures.

I'll eventually pick up the pH and salinity probe modules but as I already have devices to monitor them I'm in no hurry. I don't anticipate using the APEX to control anything as I don't have pH issues and I mostly use powdered supplements anyway. My ozone gen has a built in ORP controller which is probably a better idea since the APEX would only control an on/off state vs. amount of ozone, ORP set point etc.

I'm done with timers on power bars, it's very weird that there aren't more choices available on the market.

[kewi]

I have had no issues with them. I used them for from Dec/2005 till Oct 2012, when I switched to AI LEDS.
May be separate inividual timers will help, which you can get at Home Depot.
They will be on sale now that the Holiday Season is approaching.

[Magickiwi]

I have had no issues with them. I used them for from Dec/2005 till Oct 2012, when I switched to AI LEDS.
May be separate inividual timers will help, which you can get at Home Depot.
They will be on sale now that the Holiday Season is approaching.

No need, the APEX is going to be here middle of next week anyway. In the meantime I'll just control my lights with what I have that's working. The digital ones have worked better for me than the analog ones so they will do OK in the meantime.

[Jakegr]

Why are reputable companies still selling this piece of garbage? I can't believe that J&L, Pets and ponds, reefsupplies.ca etc haven't heard of the ongoing issues with this product.

Well looks like they were the last Coralife product I'll buy. I talked to their customer service line and they offered to replace them for me if I sent them to them (Shipping costs on me...). The shipping alone would be worth more than these POCs.

They probably carry it because it sells well to beginners. It is shameful how much money new hobbyists often end up wasting on Coralife. The products aren't even that cheap.

[Ginu]

After trying one of those bars and always failing I went to a proper aquarium controller and never looked back...
Started with the Reefkeeper Lite at 119.99$ which is a steal for what you get and then upgraded to a Apex Lite just because I wanted the net/cellphone/tablet control capability and needed extra outlets...

Now my Apex runs two dossers(Alk and Ca), Temp, Ph, fan, return pump, heater, skimmer, ATO, sump light and currently controls my vortechs(12 different programs during the day/night) and soon it will control my radion leds as well. I also added the advanced leak module which saved my rear end a few times as well.

[Magickiwi]

Yeah I bought the Neptune Apex JR and it has been functioning flawlessly. Last night I was even able to turn off a power head when I noticed my spiny cucumber was getting too close. I didn't even have to get my fat butt off the couch, I did it all from my iPad.