MH lighting questions

[nos68]

Got a couple of questions for the group here....

First, I've had what seems to be a rash of bleached corals lately. Haven't added or changed much (most, if not all of the corals damaged/lost are new or fairly new and all SPS).

I am wondering if two of my MH bulbs that I bought used are too old and need replacing. Could they have shifted in the specturm and put out uv light? I have no idea if this is happening but talked to the guy I got them from and he was experiencing a similar problem.

Next, got two Radiums. They are different ballasts (one tar & coil and one electronic). One bulb is quite blue and the other is fairly while. I can flip them around and get a fairly similar output. Again, time to replace the very blue bulb??? Unfortunately, I can't find my notes on what bulb was purchased when, but both were last year...

thanks,
Chris

[Joel]

I would replace all of them. They are relatively inexpensive compared to the corals you could potentially damage if that is indeed the problem.

[thefatman]

i'd err on the safe side and replace them all as well.

you might want to look into a few different programs too for aquarium management.

one is called aqualog, the otehr is aquaman.

both have good and bad points.

aqualog, has more detailed parameters in it, and reminders for when to do what (that are user specifiable) such as : feed fish evey third day, change bulbs every 365 days etc.. whatever you want it to remind you of but its all a spreadsheet basically.

aquaman doesnt have reminders, but does have graphs for your tests, as well as explanations on each test performed. and what that test is for, and what optimal results would be. and warns you if a test is out of whack on the numbers.

i cant remember the links to either. but both are small and both are shareware. if you like i can send either or both.

sorry to get off topic, but not knowing when your bulbs were bought or needed to be replaced, made me think of it.

anyway just in case you didnt know, its best to replace bulbs once a year.

[Geoff]

Originally posted by nos68
Next, got two Radiums. They are different ballasts (one tar & coil and one electronic). One bulb is quite blue and the other is fairly while. I can flip them around and get a fairly similar output.

ballast types can cause bulbs to burn a slightly different hue. i have also seen slightly different spectrums coming from the same kind of bulbs.

i am a little confused here. when you flip them around does the blue bulb still burn blue or does it shift to the white. just trying to figure out if the bulbs are burning diferent or if it is the ballast.

G~

[Mkelly]

Check your water first? I hadda ask.

[nos68]

Geoff, the bulbs didn't 100% follow the ballasts. When I switched them the real blue one was not as blue, but still more blue regardless of what ballasts it was in.

MKelly - yep - I thought the water would be a problem, but it was OK. It just seemed to be the corals under or near the two 10Ks that are now off.... Sounds obvious, but the bulbs weren't supposed to be that old.

In any case, one will arrive tomorrow and then next paycheck I'll get the other replaced and it back on, then replace the real blue Radium, then lastly the other.

I've got some s/w somewhere to track stuff like this, but when I switched PCs, I never installed it on the new one. Better start now...

thanks!