Do I need a new ballast?

[t5Nitro]

Ok, well I posted before and someone said change out the bulb on my pendant. I had a somewhat new bulb sitting around so I switched it out of the pendant that kept going off and sure enough it came back on. That only lasted about a day. It turns on when the other light kicks in (dual ballast) and runs for maybe an hour and then it shuts one of the lights off. I even switched the lights around on the ballast and it must be one of the plugs that won't work.

Ballast is shot?

Also my Euro-Reef (100% junk) skimmer has always seemed to act up. When I shut it off it's a struggle to get it to come back on and work. Right now I think it's at the point where it won't come back on I don't think. Normally if I turn it on it'll act like it's going to run and then the pump just fizzles out and you get a hum. Then maybe after the 4th try and switching it off and back on it starts. My skimmer now probably hasn't been on for 1-2 weeks. Do I need a new skimmer also?

I'll have to just do more frequent water changes until I can afford one. As far as the light, any ideas?

 

[125G Reefer]

As far as the light. Yes, sounds shot. You have done the trouble shooting correctly. Swapped out bulbs and bulbs back and forth. Ballast shot. One step left, when the wiring gets hot, its possible you are losing contact somehwhere in the line. Possbile. Check out all the connections to that lamp.