Old halide ballast killing sps?

[Ron Popeil]

I have a PFO dual 400w magnetic ballast. The ballast has been in use for some ten years now.

Within the last month I have been losing my SPS for no discernable reason. I thought it was the ecobak i was running or stray electrical current, but now am considering my halides. They appear more dim than I imagine they should be.

Has anyone had their corals die off due to lighting issues on old ballasts? how did your corals appear to decline? Could the dying ballasts change the spectrum of the bulbs dramatically enough to kill off sps?

I have access to a par meter, would this be a good means of testing if my ballasts are going out?

 

[flyyyguy]

The only tie I have ever lost anything due to lighting like that was when I cracked a SE bulb without knowing it

I think poorly operating ballasts could result in less than ideal colors, but I dont *think* death

If you have access as you said I would throw the meter on them for sure to see what they are reading in any case

good luck figuring it out. doesnt sound like fun

 

[CleveYank]

It's probably something else.
Some fluctuation or nutrient levels or a water parameter (like alk or Mg) are out of whack.
I'd yank out the test kits and check everything.
As far as PAR testing, if you know what it was before and you can account for bulb life then it's a worthwhile step. If you do not know the baselines or what it should be at it's not really going to help that much. I guess if you get outputs that = a 175 in comparable spectrum then it might help. But I'd think water issues are what's in play.

 

[Ron Popeil]

thats what i was thinking.

parameters are all where i would want them to be.

perhaps using the ecobak has stripped the water too much. ugh. this is so frustrating.