anyone had recent bleaching issues from older XM 10k bulbs?

[shelburn61]

It seems like everything in my tank lightens up to very blah colors after a while (SPS and LPS).

I'm not talking about bleaching new frags with intense lighting or switching out bulbs. This is a slow gradual process where corals lose their color. I doubt I am blasting them with too much light with 175w XM 10k and 190w vho actinic on a 16" deep tank.
Water quality is good, but I don't run BB so the tank shouldn't be nutrient deficient? I'm starting to wonder whether the bulb has gone bad over the past 6 months? I run it on a M-58 ballast.

 

[twon8]

I had the same thing with an xm 10k. after five months it started to look really yellow, and the colors were not as vibrant. I switched to a reeflux 12k, which is in the mail.

 

[shelburn61]

It hasn't turned yellow yet that I can tell, but I'm thinking stray current or the bulb at this point?

 

[twon8]

i didn't realize how yellow it was until i put in my old 15k. I was getting some algea also, which went away soon after. I think it shifted spectrums over time, and the same thing I would think could bleach corals.

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

YES

Just switched out my year old XM 10K 250w for 10K reeflux a few days ago. I have been having problems with my tank:http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=741269

I am not nessecarily blaming my lights, but I was using an old XM and having problems.

 

[Kent E]

Bulbs should be switches at least yearly. I have xm 250 10k and the results are phenominal! I had a friend however that had bad luck with 175 xms.

 

[shelburn61]

What kind of bad luck?
My bulb has only been used 6 months.