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[richard schmidt]

Hope there is an answer out there:

Let me start from the beginning; I have a 180 gallon reef tank. I have been running it with X-10 for 10+ years.
 
I use 3 (400 watt M.H.) lights, which X-10 handles quite nicely, it also runs all my chemical injectors and ancillary components.

I used to have a 75 gallon that used florescent lights, it's ballast (icecap for those who know what this is) had an automatic dimmer function, which I used for two of the bulbs (black-Light equivalent). The dimmer would start at a set time and dim (automatically) from 100% to 0%.

Wife and I both miss seeing the fluorescing corals after the main lights go off.

I am now considering buying 6 compact florescent bulbs (24 watts each) and tying them together into one line.

NOW THE QUESTION:

Is there any way I can program a X-10 (dimmer) module to do the same thing? Start at 100% and go to 0% (off) automatically (pre-programed)?

Yes I could use 6 controllers and turn each off at a different time, but I'm hoping someone has a better (read cheaper) option to this.

If anyone has an answer to this please chime in, I'm looking to save some money (wife says we could have bought another house with what I have in this tank), 6 controllers do to one function 

Thanks for any input:
Rick

[richard schmidt]

Not sure why my member usage says newbie, I posted picture of my tank several years ago and was given a gift certificate for free modules. Question remains the same. Any ideas?

[Brian H]

I believe the newbie is based strictly the number of posts you have made and not time since you became a member here.

CFLs on a lamp module could be a problem. If they are the ones rated as dimmable ;most are not; they should work. Most are not linear so they dim down to a point and go off or start flickering.  Six in parallel may all not go to the same brightness level together.

Two wire dimming wall switches will not work at all since they steal power through the load.

Do you have a controller that could control them. Like AHP and a CM15A Interface? The modules could not be programmed to do it all by themselves.

[richard schmidt]

Have a CM15A, not sure what a AHP is.

[Brian H]

Active Home Pro. The software that comes with the CM15A interface.
Do you have any of the add ons, like Smart Macros?