Need lighting help
 

Here is a pic of my tank. See if you can notice something funny...

http://www.islandreef.ca/post/green.jpg


Accepting ideas on why this is like this. It isn't the bulb, it isn't the ballast. I changed the socket and wiring from the ballast. The only thing I haven't changed is the reflector.
I tried this bulb over a different tank and it was fine. I'm out of ideas.... :cry:

Exactly what tests have you done? How did you determine that ballast was good.

I would start from scratch and swap all the gear from one side to the other and work backwards from there.

Apart from the trial and error the only other thing that I can think of is maybe trying to run the offending light of another outlet and see if it's one of those voodoo power issues.

Ron, I tried 2 new bulbs on that side. If I switch bulbs left to right, same thing. I ran this side on 3 different ballasts. I borrowed a new PFO ballast and tried that. Same thing. I took the bulb to the tank belonging to that PFO ballast, it looked fine. That part really messes my head up!!! The PFO was plugged into a different outlet than my regular ballasts. I've checked and tightened or replaced all the wiring, no difference. I'm so confused.

http://216.40.249.192/mysmilies/cont...spacecraft.gif

:lol: Sorry....

Could it be the timer is defective in some way. Possibly the timer has corrosion built up on it's contacts causing resistance in the line dropping the voltage slightly

Bryan, same timer for both sides. And I checked all the contacts for corrosion. They're all fine!

Hi,

How about temperature at the bulbs ? Could one of the hood fans be broken ?

Also, what type of lamps are these ? Radiums ?

- Victor.

:shock: If they were radiums I would realy suspect something is wrong with both bulbs LOL,, they are Ushio 10000K 400 watt

Steve

Victor, these are Ushio 4oow/10k bulbs. No fans. Both bulbs should be the same

Brad, just a Idea.. that I never thought of looking at befor...

Is the Nipple UP on both bulbs? :wink:

Steve

Yes

thats really odd

Yes, it certainly is...

So let me get this straight. No matter what you do, you get that yellow light on the right hand side of the tank?

Simon

Exactly...

Ugh, using a lens of any sort between the bulbs and the tank that could be filtering out different wavelengths?

Any protective film left on the reflector?

Ron, no to both of those.....

Um ... Ok, so you've swapped the bulbs left to right. So we know it's not the bulbs. You said you're certain it is not the ballasts, or the timers, or any contact points. So what's left? Hmmmm, either it is the wiring itself, the sockets, or the reflectors (or did you already say it was not the reflectors? I can't remember). Or .... perhaps there is some feature to the tank itself that leads us to see more yellow on the right hand side.

Just a really wild, unpractical idea, but it's something I might try if I was in your position: Can you temporarily put your canopy on backwards? If the yellow side becomes the left hand side, then we know it's electrical hardware (wiring, ballasts, bulb, socket, etc.) If the yellow side remains on the right, then you've exonerated your lighting and the problem is elsewhere (impurities in the glass, algae, water currents somehow creating some kind of weird refraction, I dunno ....)

Tony, I did replace wiring and the socket. I dug up a picture from Nov 2 that has both sides being the same, so I know I'm not imagining this!! (thought I might be going nuts!)
My lights are on a suspended rack, so I think I can take the entire assembly out and turn it around. I hope the green follows, because if it isn't the lights, I have no idea what it could be. I made sure all the glass is clean, reflector is clean, and any other obviuos thing I could think of. I'll switch the rack around tonight and see what happens!

One last longshot that I can think of: have the ballasts always been in the same location? Magnetic field problem?

Ron, the ballasts are and have been on top of the stand. I think before I hurt my head anymore, I'll try turning the rack around. That will determine that it is/isn't the light. I'm ready to order a whole new setup just so I can throw this stuff off my balcony!! :D

It has to be the lighting I think. There must be something we're overlooking here .... What guage wiring are you using?

Tony, I'm using 14ga wire. Same as the side that works fine :roll: I'd like this to be something I'm overlooking!!!

Okay, I think I got it. On the yellow side you have a fan that is either drawing or blowing air over or near the bulb. this is causing the bulb to cool and change it's color temperature.

Bryan, I am not 100% sure but I am 99.9999999% sure Brad hasn't put his fans in this one yet.. no door so no need for fans :D

Steve

Do you supplement with any actinics Brad? If so try changing them left to right. They seem to have a hugh colour variance from old to new.

His actinics are two 4' URI VHO that are aprox 1month old.. theyspan the whole lenge so that isn't it either. :cry:

Steve

Hey Steve, you're fillin' in great!! Just got back from a movie

It is just swamp gas reflecting off venus and creating an optic illusion in your retina causing a refraction of the color rendering optivs in your synapic nerves creating an involuntary loss of color projectionary respose in the cerebral cortex causing you to see this pshycological phenomonononmonoom................. :D

The only thing I suggested to Brad is that Ushio changed their bulb design slightly.. Apparently this is not true.. From the looks of things, the bulb is getting more and more green/yellow too, so I guess the mystery goes on.

I think Fishgeek is on to soemthing! lol :lol:

hehe, either that or he has trained the phytoplankton to hang out on the right hand side of the tank :shock:

Steve

I do feed the phyto on that side of the tank....hmm

Have you turned that assembly around yet? Just curious to the results of that ....

Tony, not yet. Maybe tonight....