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02/28/2017, 09:23 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Sunny USA
Posts: 196
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Metal Halide Troubleshooting
I bought a metal halide fixture off of Craigslist over 3 mons ago. He claimed the XM (150w DE) bulbs were approximately a year old. It has been running fine. When I bought it I cleaned it out and made sure everything was running good. Cooling fans push a ton of air. Today I was watching my reef tank and then boom, one of my lights goes off. I have no experience with bulb failure on MH lighting. Could the bulb be bad or is it the ballast? Anyone with experience with this? I know most people underestimate how old their bulbs are, just wondering if it's a tired bulb?
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Keep your tank visitor ready. If you are not giving your tank the attention it needs, there is a 100% chance it will show. Cut through the data and figure out what are the critical key performance in Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef tank, 2x250w Radion 20k, chaeto tumbler |
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02/28/2017, 10:33 PM
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#2 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 434
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when you brought it home did you wipe off the bulbs with a dry cloth, skin oils will make them explode, zsu
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Full zeovit 24x24 starfire ati t5 radions ecotech and sicce pumps tunze skimmer apex gold yeah its nuts |
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03/01/2017, 07:38 AM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Sunny USA
Posts: 196
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Yeah they were clean. I saw the precautions about that. I am going to switch the bulbs around in the fixture and see if the on/off happens to the same bulb or does it happen to the same ballast.
__________________
Keep your tank visitor ready. If you are not giving your tank the attention it needs, there is a 100% chance it will show. Cut through the data and figure out what are the critical key performance in Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef tank, 2x250w Radion 20k, chaeto tumbler |
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03/01/2017, 07:42 AM
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#4 |
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Grizzled & Cynical
 Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Stamford, CT
Posts: 17,319
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Problem is probably the bulb, but it may also be the ballast.
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Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs |
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03/01/2017, 07:43 AM
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#5 |
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Recovering Detritophobe
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 7,443
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When you say boom... do you mean there was a boom, or did the light just shut off?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles |
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03/01/2017, 07:52 AM
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#6 |
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Grizzled & Cynical
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Stamford, CT
Posts: 17,319
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hyperbole?
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Simon Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones! Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs |
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03/01/2017, 08:48 AM
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#7 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Sunny USA
Posts: 196
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Sorry. I meant it turned off instantly. No explosion. So it sounds like a bulb? Should I just order new bulbs? I still want to make sure my ballast is ok. I am going to switch the bulbs and see if the problem persists with either the bulb or ballast.
__________________
Keep your tank visitor ready. If you are not giving your tank the attention it needs, there is a 100% chance it will show. Cut through the data and figure out what are the critical key performance in Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef tank, 2x250w Radion 20k, chaeto tumbler |
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03/01/2017, 10:49 AM
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#8 |
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Dogmatic Dinosaur
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 6,256
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You need a new bulb anyway, so that is a good place to start.
Time on fixtures and bulbs are like miles an cars - always highway miles... so don't trust what anybody tells you. |
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03/01/2017, 10:19 PM
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#9 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Sunny USA
Posts: 196
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Thanks for all the help. I switched the bulbs around today and the fixture worked perfectly. Go figure. I think the one bulb might have wiggled loose a bit from the contacts. Either way I will be getting new bulbs. Phoenix 14k's for sure!!
__________________
Keep your tank visitor ready. If you are not giving your tank the attention it needs, there is a 100% chance it will show. Cut through the data and figure out what are the critical key performance in Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef tank, 2x250w Radion 20k, chaeto tumbler |
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03/03/2017, 06:59 PM
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#10 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Sunny USA
Posts: 196
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Well today I said f*ck it. Ordered dual 250w SE Radions, cayman sun pendants, luxcore e-ballast with the 250w super lumen kick! Go big or go home.
__________________
Keep your tank visitor ready. If you are not giving your tank the attention it needs, there is a 100% chance it will show. Cut through the data and figure out what are the critical key performance in Current Tank Info: 70 gallon mixed reef tank, 2x250w Radion 20k, chaeto tumbler |
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