Hi.
Since it was like 7-8 years I did this I really can't remember how it all worked, but I used a IC called "4017" from some company, which did the exact thing you wanted. Except that if you want 30 lights you'll need to hook up several of them (3-4 I guess) in serial.. but that's really not any problems.
Watch out for static electricity as 4017 are really, really, sensitivt. Some kind of IC "holder" (sorry, don't have the words) which you solder and at last put your IC in would help a lot.. it's a great tool for sensitive IC's ;-)
Here is a techfile in english from a swedish distrubitor (ELFA AB):
https://www.elfa.se/pdf/73/735/07354996.pdf
And since the 4017 has a minimum main at +5V (think it can take up to 12V actually) hosting 1.5V neons are no problem, you'll just need to calculate your resistors in serial with the neons from output to ground right. No, don't ask me
I would _GUESS_ 470ohm would do it at +5V current, but if someone would show me an exact number and how it was calculated, noone would be happier than me
Good luck!
//Albert "thec" Sandberg
(no, "thec" is not at all like "tech", it just sounds like it, hehe)