Ok...so I am getting a Coralife 48" power compact light pretty cheap off craigslist. It has two 65W bulbs in it controlled by one switch. I was wondering is there a way to install a second switch/cord to make both bulbs work independently of each other?

Wanted to be able to turn one off or setup through a timer so lights come on more gradually rather than all at once. Just didn't know if this was a possibility or not. If it too difficult I was going to mount a smaller dim light into my canopy so that one will go on before the rest do so they can adjust to the light. Hope this makes sense.

Everything is possible, the guy i bought my tank from had his lights attached with USB to his computer.
The lights went from 5% gradually up to 100% t5 bulbs.
He had the daylights schemes from the tankajicka lake in him comp.
Now that's nice, but way over the top for me.


My LED spots and Blue Xmas LED start 15 min before the big lights go off.

yo, ikkie, if things don't make sense what i say, it's due to 2nd xmas morning.
woke up at 2.30am,
IN MY FR#%kin holiday......... :angry:

Thanks Noddy...hope you were able to get some more sleep! 2:30am wake up would be rough!

Yeah, I think wiring them into a USB would be cool but a little over my head as well! haha! I'll have to look and see if its even worth it to try and rewire it and run them independent. Just curious if anyone here has tried that...otherwise I'll just get a small additional light as more of an evening/morning bulb to go on before the big lights.

Refrigerator bulbs do a good job, and you can cover them of with some alluminum foil to even dim the light more.

ikkie78 wrote:



if you wanted to research it you could come up with it. 1 you would need another ballast, and 2 you would need a switch. simple and simpler. just put some thought into it and make sure you get some compatable components. a proper electrician might be somebody to ask about that. im sure they could give you a pretty solid answer better than i look in the phone book and call one up!

Well I'm not getting the light I was planning on...found a single tube 48" light that i'm gonna get instead since its only $5...liked that price alot better...then i'm just gonna design something to mount into my canopy with one main light...a low wattage bulb for morning/evening and then my lunar lights.

lol my plan for my lights since im using 7" wide 48" long dual flourescent shop fixtures, what im going to do is basically build a plywood box, and likely i will put some blue led christmas lights along the back inside wall, and then screw my fixtures to the bottom of the top piece. that way all the equipment is masked and out of sight and i get a clean look on the top... thats my plan anyways. was going to get some decorative trim and dress up the box maybe if needed.....

Win wrote:


That should look nice! Make sure and post a pic when you get it done! I'm trying to figure out the best way to get all the lights into my canopy...thinking I might use dual 36" light for the main light with a smaller dawn/dusk type light and then I have my two lunar moon lights coming in the mail. Just gotta get the timer setup so I have a pretty close 24 hours cycle then...pretty much will be similar to yours except I have to build everything into a canopy instead of the other way around.