Dimmer Switch/Timer (T8s): or Alternatives [my first post]

[Eugine Thomas]

Hello.

I would like to install a dimmer switch/timer to my T8s so that I can transition more smoothly from lights-on to lights-off: is there a quick and easy way to this? I don't really want to buy new ballasts: I just know it'll be a nightmare trying to find ones that'll fit underneath my hood; and I don't want to spend more than £20. Is there such a thing as an in-line dimmer switch/timer for my situation? Are there any alternatives? I suppose that I could add an additional light-source: I'm sort of thinking of — wait for it (don't laugh at me!) — a water-proof battery-operated "moonlight"-LED-thing that I can place at the bottom of my tank, behind a rock; where it dims on and off for a couple of hours in-between the T8's almighty "Big Bang"...just to "soften" things up a little. I would love any suggestion from you guys: I bet there's an easier, simpler, solution.

Regards,

Eugine

 

[ian_m]

No you cant use conventional dimmers with fluorescent tubes, doing so will damage the dimmer and/or ballast.

If you want to dim fluorescent tubes you need a dimming ballast/starter, usually about £30 but not too sure if you will get one for T8 either as most of the modern developments are for T5 technology.

 

[humdingerx]

If you do get a dimmable ballast what else is needed? Just wire in a normal dimmer switch?

 

[roadmaster]

My concern for fishes,was/is light transistion from light's off to light's on not from light's on to off.
With this in mind,I placed a standing floor lamp near the tanks and placed the lamp on a timer to turn the lamp on one hour before light's over the tanks come on.
In this way,,the fishes don't suddenly begin darting about when light's over the tank come on after ten hours of darkness.
Not sure why the concern over transistion from light to dark?
More than a few folks seem to love the dimming capabilities of the newer LED's but they often get in trouble comparing the over all brightness that say full power brings ,over the dimmer light especially in NON CO2 tanks.
They see the dimmer light as somehow less appealing than running the light's at 100% and this leads them to more is better for the plant's approach.
Depending on CO2 level's/distribution, the more is better approach is what trips them up.

 

[Eugine Thomas]

I guess another reason that I was considering buying a dimmer switch is probably related to the fact that I've not entirely grasped how people increase and decrease their light levels in slow enough a manner to prevent algae blooms: say, when setting up a high-tech tank or transitioning from a high-tech tank to a low-tech tank. I mean, how did people do this in the days before dimmer switches? Have I got this right? If I have dosed EI properly and my carbon dioxide is stable at 30 ppm, then I can just switch on my bulbs full blast (that is, provided it doesn't exceed the maximum amount of energy my plants can use); so if I were to start a new tank, and I've done the groundwork, I can, at least, in principle, take my bulb up to the known high range without fear of an algae bloom (of course, in practice, as one approaches the maximum level of energy that the plants can make use of, the risks become higher, and furthermore, as, in practice, we have too many variables, and in my situation, lack of experience, we are somewhat removed from the ideal circumstances that would give one the confidence to “hit 'em full-blast”), and so we are slow and careful. In other words, we add light slowly, not because the plants need a long time to adjust to higher nutrients, light, and carbon dioxide, but because we don't have the tools to measure the exact variables well enough to have the confidence not to "over-shoot" the light and trigger an algae bloom by mistake. Right? Wrong?

On the other hand, when I reduce the lights, I have to do so slowly to give the plants time to produce the enzyme Rubisco: in practice, if I want to reduce my photoperiod, can I do this by manually changing the increments on my digital timer so that my second bulb slowly fades by ten minutes (what would be a good time?) each side of the photoperiod's beginning and end, until I reach my desired level of output (maybe even completely switched off)?

 

[ian_m]

I mean, how did people do this in the days before dimmer switches? Have I got this right?

Millions of ways all not requiring a dimmer. If you have reflectors, rotate them round to deflect light away from the tank, that's what I did with my T8's when I went high tech. Then slowly rotated back over a period of months, no algae at all. Done.

Also, put a sheet of grey plastic between lights and tank, wrap foil rings around the tubes (my mate runs his T5 like this), lift the light further away from tank, wrap tubes in ladies tights, use insulation tape, put plastic strips across top of tank, loads and loads of ways to lower the light level, what ever is easiest for you.

As for transitioning on and off....KISS. Keep It Simple S**pid. (sorry I keep saying this, people are just making all this plant growing far too complicated and hard). 99.99% of fish owners use a simple time clock to turn lights on and off and you don't hear about mass fish deaths, plants dying etc etc. If your LED controller supports gradual changes, why not, not going to cause an issue.

 

[Eugine Thomas]

Millions of ways all not requiring a dimmer. If you have reflectors, rotate them round to deflect light away from the tank, that's what I did with my T8's when I went high tech. Then slowly rotated back over a period of months, no algae at all. Done.

Also, put a sheet of grey plastic between lights and tank, wrap foil rings around the tubes (my mate runs his T5 like this), lift the light further away from tank, wrap tubes in ladies tights, use insulation tape, put plastic strips across top of tank, loads and loads of ways to lower the light level, what ever is easiest for you.

As for transitioning on and off....KISS. Keep It Simple S**pid. (sorry I keep saying this, people are just making all this plant growing far too complicated and hard). 99.99% of fish owners use a simple time clock to turn lights on and off and you don't hear about mass fish deaths, plants dying etc etc. If your LED controller supports gradual changes, why not, not going to cause an issue.

Sure, but does fluctuation in light-intensity distribution cause a problem?

 

[roadmaster]

My feelings/expierience's for new tanks is that it is best to start with lower/dimmer, and slowly increase the light as plant's transistion to suddenly less CO2 than when they were growing immersed and were able to gather considerably more CO2 from the atmosphere.
Perhaps the plant's suddenly find themselves anchored completely under water with little in the way of available nutrient's from substrates at least until such time as the biological activity render's nutrient's more readily available by process's that are still a wonderment to me,or some form of water columns dosing is adopted with some degree of consistency/content.
Perhaps the temperature is much warmer /cooler which might affect the plant's metabolisim or mechanisim's by which they produce enzymes,sugar's.
For these reason's,, I might not be too keen in blasting the plant's initially with what may be too much light under the afore mentioned circumstances.
Once plant mass begins to increase and perform better, and CO2 is dialed in ,consistent nutrient delivery is made available, then increasing the light a little at a time might give one more wiggle room and time,to observe new growth .
Suddenly deciding to go big with light increase,might not give very good result's unless one is also capable of increasing the CO2 even more.
What was once enough might not be any longer, and if one cannot increase the CO2 without gassing their fishes/invert's then reducing the light may be only option. Could perhaps increase surface agitation which would allow more Gas to be injected/used.
I do not use CO2 in my tanks but I do use the light as a tool.
If I increase the intensity of the lighting, I also decrease photo period by one hour for a couple week's(not day's)
If no alage appear's and plant's do not appear to be suffering,then I might increase the light to original duration.(works for me)
I know that the CO2 content in my tanks is what it is as by product of fish respiration and afore mentioned biological process's.
I also know I am adding enough of all macro/micro nutient's via EI dosing for low tech or non CO2 tank once a week.
So long as I don't use too much light for available CO2, my plant's (many other folks too) perform well with little to no algae.
My tanks get eight straight hours of light each day,and I believe less energy is wasted ramping up or down their metabolisim's than with siesta type photoperiod but it is only my opinion.
I have what would/could be considered high light and the ability to increase or decrease the intensity by lowering or raising the fixture over the tank.
My plant's over a couple year's are used to consistency which produces best result's for me.

 

[ian_m]

Sure, but does fluctuation in light-intensity distribution cause a problem?

KISS.

 

[Eugine Thomas]

KISS.

I've as scientific mind.

 

[ian_m]

I've as scientific mind.

Well you need to do an experiment (like Tom Barr did & still does) then. Set two identical tanks up, one with fluctuating light levels and other not and tell us the results.....