10K & Blue on the same system? Dawn/Dusk timers?

[SeaMountain]

Received my PC retro light from PetSupplyLiquidator.com, you can check it out here - http://www.petsupplyliquidator.com/htm/apr...od_retrofit.htm

 

I ordered a 10K and a Blue bulb along with it and did want to use a timer like I've read others doing. Having the blue come on one hour early- dawn - and stay on one hour longer - dusk, than the 10K bulb.

 

Wiring from both bulbs to the one ballast is very accessible. My initial intentions were to run a timer on the whole shebang. Now I need to split the bulbs on separate timers apparently. Any advice?

 

Not having much electronic experience I really don't know what is available for this. Two bulky timers split into the wiring? Is this pretty much the only option? Should I purchase an additional smaller light, blue, in addition to the 2x36 I originally bought?

 

Damn... Hit a roadblock right outta 'da blocks! X)

[Satchmo]

If that setup only has one ballast, you will not be able to operate the bulbs independantly. Dusk/dawn is a cool effect, but IMO it's for the benefit of the hobbyist, not the livestock. My lights come on all at once in one glorious and blinding instant, and all my corals are as happy as clams. Except the clams, which are happy as corals.

[Crakeur]

agreed, the dawn dusk thing is more for the viewer. my mh is on a separate ballast than the pc so I get the blue light for a few hours longer than the halide. The best thing about that, imo, is that I can reduce the halide photoperiod to help reduce algae growth.

 

oh, and the zoos and shrooms look insane under the stoner light.

[SeaMountain]

If it's a 'viewer thing', think I'll go ahead as originally planned. Just toss a 24hr timer on the whole thing. Already I can see this is going to get ugly (i.e. read 'expensive'!). With not even having the tank put together yet I am already planning on how to improve it and/or the NEXT one!

 

Somebody SLAP ME! X)