60g cube tank build

[jbishop]

Looks amazing Steve.

 

[SteveDola]

question:

with that Lumen bright reflector how should I acclimate my corals to from my 75's lighting which was 5x54w T5s overdriven with IC 660 ballast?? should I start out with an hour a day for a week then increase it to 2 hours a day for a week? what would you guys suggest?

 

[SteveDola]

OK its offically an issue. I cant explain why but my light wont come back on. Ive fired it up 3 times but tonight it wont fire on. The ballast is humming and connection is good but no light. its a brand new bulb that ive only run those 3 times and at a max of 2 hours. it doesnt look like the bulb is blown but what else could it be? anyone else have experience with a Blue wave 3 ballast? Ive heard theyre slow starters but 45 minutes and nothing? somethings wrong...any ideas?

 

[SteveDola]

btw, the bulb turned on within 5 minutes the first 2 times but last night it took nearly 20minutes to fully brighten up. now tonight, nothing. frustrating to say the least.

 

[sixspeed]

My icecap ballast does this sometimes, especially if i turn off the ballast then on within a few minutes. The ballast hums but there is no light just like you described. But if i wait for 10 minutes it will fire without a problem.

I do not really know what the problem is, but i have had a similar experience with a different ballast.

 

[SteveDola]

10 minutes would be fine but its going on 45 with out a glimmer. I did turn the ballast on then off within 5-10 mins of eachother...is that a problem? could it have damaged the ballast>?

 

[sixspeed]

45 minutes or more for it to fire isnt right. If that happens again maybe try unplugging the ballast and wait a few minutes and then try firing her up again. I am, by no means, an MH ballast expert. Turning a ballast on and off repeatedly probably isnt good for it. But when i encounter this problem, i have just waited 5-10 minutes before trying to fire it again, and it has been working.

Am i doing damage to the ballast? i really do not know. But i figure if it has a few minutes to cooldown and "reset" itself, there couldnt be that much damage done to it.

I hope someone else chimes in, cause i am shooting in the dark here really.

 

[SteveDola]

either way the manufacturers of radium and bluewave should stand by their products right?

 

[sixspeed]

yeah i completely agree, but to me it doesnt sound like it is a bulb failure. sounds like the ballast isnt supplying the power, if the bulbs wont light at all.

 

[maxfischer]

se or de?

 

[SteveDola]

SE

Ive been told it may be the compacitor, why would that die on a brand new ballast? and i thouhgt bluewave's were a good ballast.

 

[sciknen]

Could have just been a defect... are you in contact with the company?

 

[afboundguy]

Can't comment on the light but the tank looks awesome!!!

 

[SteveDola]

Could have just been a defect... are you in contact with the company?

ill be calling sun supply today.

 

[SteveDola]

i was just told by the manu that a blue wave 3 is not meant to fire 250 mogel based bulbs. i guess I received some bad info along the way. its my own fault for not questioning the member on RC that told me an hqi ballast should be used for this radium bulb...lesson learned, beware the info you receive.

 

[SteveDola]

figured out the lighting issue. socket wasnt making a good connection and bulb wouldnt fire due to that. I dont know how many times I tried to tighten it but it finally worked and fired up perfectly. these radium bulbs look really nice. how long does it take to fully burn in? a week?

 

[Reefried]

Steve glad you figured it out....and in the future if you have a power out or shut off the halide you should waiut at least 15-20 mins for the ballast to cool down.....and i was going to say check the bulb connection but yoy found the culpritt.......oh and whoever you talked to was wrong the bluewave 3 can fire either SE or De and you were right the radium should be run on a M80 ballast cause it needs the "pulse start"

 

[SteveDola]

it did it to me again today. it seems like the bulb isnt hitting the socket right; a little wiggle and bam, its on. Im thinking its the socket not the bulb since the bulb does fire after alittle twist.

has anyone else had issue with a LB socket? Im thinking I should contact the man I purchased the LB off.

 

[Ronnie]

The million dollar question does the wife approve?

 

[SteveDola]

yes she like this tank a lot actually. I dont know how she couldnt. The fish were transfered yesterday and mostly everything is doing better. I lost 2 of my fav milis, not sure of the name, I think one was a pink cottoncandy and the other was yellow/green with pinkie coralites.

otherwise everything is good. Im going to set of the kalk reactor today and then Im going to start planning an ATO setup.