Lighting pulsing

[Gietz]

Just got my bulbs in, put them in the unit and the lights are pulsing!! Could this mean I need a new ballast?? Any thoughts??

 

[imarock]

Sometimes brand new bulbs will flicker up to 15 minutes after being in use for the first time.

 

[Gietz]

Really?? I've never had that with my freshwater tanks.  I took the unit apart, and everything seems ok to me.  I'll put them in and run it for 20 mins and see.  Then I'll post back here tomorrow

 

[xxmurrxx]

Are they for sure the right bulb for the fixture?

 

[Blob-79]

ive never even heard of t5ho bulbs pulsing unless there was something wrong

 

[crazybizzle]

ive had used bulbs pulse before, and i thought the bulb was new because condition and box were mint? dunno either that or like u said ballast, or a loose wire

 

[Gietz]

Got the bulbs from incredible aquarium in London so I hope there new, the light fixture i bought used so I'm going to have to fiddle with it and see.  But just as a plan B does anyone know when I can get a good ballast?? It be for a 48 inch 54wat HO 4 bulbs with 2 switches.  Thus just sucks to now cause I've got my tank kicking really nicely just working on lowering the nitrates. It's funny but with thus tank it always seems like when I fix one thing I find two more lol

 

[shayneh]

Buying used can sometimes cost you a bit more than anticipated  ;D. What kind of fixture is it? Fulham Workhorse ballasts are commercially available, relatively inexpensive, are good and reliable, and are/were used in the TEK brand fixtures. Odds are you have more than one ballast in the fixture but from what you describe it does sound like the ballast is toast.

 

[Gietz]

It's a finnex make, and I have two ballast in the fixture, been doing some more reading and it says if the outlet isn't strong enough it will pulsate.  I'm just taking shots in the dark before I actually consider buy a new ballast.

 

[Krazykarl]

I bought a used finnex fixture off fishit before and it do the exact same thing the day I got it home. I found that if you twisted the bulbs ever so slightly the flicker went away. Then a week later the LEDs stopped working an then two bulbs stopped working. So it's the ballasts my friend. And as I recal he had two of these finnex fixtures and sold one to me and one to London.... Kinda weird. It's the older ones with clear plastic legs and 8 blue crap LEDs. Worst purchase I ever made he saw me coming. Wouldn't gimme my money back either... But u might as well toss it out and buy a new fixture or spend 100 on two new ballasts. Either way. They suck. Post a picture I'm curious to see....

 

[Gietz]

Ha ha ha that's who I got the fixture and the tank off of!!!! The LED lights are fine one was alittle dim so he gave me a new.  But I'm kinda pissed now!!! Well I'm still going to look into fixing it.  I can't believe he sold us the same thing like that.  Well what ate some good makes I should look into!!

 

[shayneh]

Tek are a good affordable fixture with high quality reflectors, quiet operation and reliable ballasts. If you want to go LED there is a guy on AP selling what "seems" like a decent buy 2 LED fixtures with CREE bulbs for $325. I will allow the experienced "LED heads" to chime in on that! 

 

[Gietz]

I'm looking to go with T5 lights and im looking at the ATI sunpower units but, I want something that is had moonlights built on like my fixture I have now.  Any ideas??

 

[Gietz]

Also would the ATI setup be to much for LPS?? And does anyone know of fixtures that come with lunar light?? Like LED moon lights

 

[phi delt reefer]

i have an ati sunpower 8*39w.

awesome light

fans are a little loud for me

moonlights are cheap to retro into any fixture or buy as an add-on. lot of shitty t5ho fixtures with shotty moon lights built in

 

[Blob-79]

If I were in the market for a t5ho fixture, i would probally go with one of the tek fixtures. I agree with phi on the moonlights..dont buy a fixture just because it has moonlights..majority of them imo are junk. Moonlights are easy and cheep to add in

 

[phi delt reefer]

buy a used tek light

add a fan to it - nice quiet ones  ;D

add some royal blue leds and some true violet - 4 of each.

good to go!

 

[Gietz]

After gettin a used light and it doing this to me I'm going new. I'm liking the tek or ATI sunpower

ATI doesn't have legs tho but comes wit a cover for the bulbs

Tek legs are expensive and I can only find a cover for 6 bulbs and i want a 4 bulb unit

 

[Gietz]

I heard that the tek have ballast issues?? Can anyone clarify? Bulbs don't last as long either. And from above tek are LESS expensive but with adding in the purchase of the legs it's a 20 dollar difference.

My tank is going to be LPS dominated so 4 bulb fixture is the most I'll get.

 

[phi delt reefer]

they dont have a ballast issue - there is some talk that the fulham ballasts arent the greatest for they hard start the bulbs and are not t5ho specific (they can run various types of florescent bulbs)

hard start is rumored to lower bulb life - the thing is we only turn our lights on and off once a day so i dont see the big issue. In warehouse applications where they have motion sensors that automatically trigger the lights multiple times a day is where bulb degredation could be an issue.

fulham ballasts run hot - cooling them seems to increase par. Same goes for the bulbs themselves. I believe optimimum operating temp is 95-100 degrees - cant remember for sure.

if you have the skill and some tools just build your own retrofit light and add a fan. Build a hood too to match ur stand and i can help with the design if needed. You can mimic the ATI unit easily without paying through the nose for it. Hell you could salvage half the parts from your old finnix lights (switches, wiring,l end caps, reflectors) just need ballasts, hood and fans.