XM lights

[alexwolf]

I just set up my 135 (finally!!!!) and i fired up my 3 400 watt XM 20,000K lights, and it smells like something is burning. Is this normal? I checked and it doesnt look like any wires are melting......

[captexas]

Alex -
If it smells like something is burning, that is not a good sign. I doubt that it is the bulbs, more like wiring or the ballast. Also, the bulbs get very hot and if they are close to something that is not very tolerant of the heat, it could melt/burn. You need to find out what the problem is as soon as possible and definately don't want to leave the lights on while you are not there until you figure it out. You definately don't want to come home to a house fire!

[Tim Marvin]

Is it a smell like wires or electrical? They do have a really faint smell of burning when they are brand new. I freaked a little the first time I fired a 400. If it is a strong smell though check everything out, make sure nothing is too close to the bulb. Plastic, wood, and stuff like that should be at the very least 12 inches away.

[Tim Marvin]

Good point Josh! I forgot all about mentioning that.....

[alexwolf]

See Josh? No wonder we keep you around...... ;)

[alexwolf]

although i must defend myself.....the film was clear with a very slight yellow tint, not blue, so it was VERY hard to see

[Tim Marvin]

So that was it then? Way to go Joshua!!!!!

[alexwolf]

i turned them back on, waiting to see if they smell again!!!!

[Tim Marvin]

That was it..... I'd be surprised if it is something else. You may get a slight smell still since the plastic melted a little. Was it hard to get off?

[alexwolf]

it was hard to get off around where the sockets are screwed in, im sure that part will burn away though. Other than that the hardest part was getting a grip on the film. Hey, how long until I can put in some hermits to help with the diatoms? I cant figure out how to hook up my RODI, so i flled with tap water.

[Tim Marvin]

Did you dechlorinize? How much rock do you have? Is it cured? Lots of variables. You could add them now if you want but may lose some if your tank isn't cycled.

[Tim Marvin]

I always add hermits and snails to my rock curing tank, they help to clean off the dead matter and clean up the rock faster. Of course I have to keep adding them when I get new rock.

[alexwolf]

i used chlor out on the water, i have 100 lbs of live rock, some rather white. used aragonite sugar sized sand, and running a AquaC EV90 skimmer. Someone said to leave the skimmer off, is this true?

[Tim Marvin]

Hermits are very tough, you'd be surprised at what they live through. Go with Joshua's advice on the skimmer.

[Sherri]

Hermits are prob like roaches...they would prob survive a nuclear bomb! 8)

Sherri

[Tim Marvin]

:lol2: some times they can be problematic, but they are easy to catch later.

[matt]

The hermits will definitely help clean the rocks, but they won't do anything about the diatoms, I imagine. Besides, if you're using tap water, you're likely to have an algae bloom that will overwhelm any clean-up crew. I'd consider changing most of your water, or all of it if you can, after the rock has had a chance to cycle. As far as your skimmer goes, probably it'll go nuts when the rock starts to cycle. If you're in San Antonio, there's serious phosphates in tap water. Between this and the dying stuff on the rock, you've got a high efficiency algae farm!

Alex, between the film on your reflectors and not waiting for having your filter figured out before filling your tank, it kind of sounds like you're hurrying through the initial stages of setting up a reef. This could really come back to haunt you. I don't mean to criticize you and we're all prone to impatience, but maybe you should think about taking more time and making sure you're not cutting corners to save a few days.

Oh yeah, about the film, didn't the manufacturers mark them with a sharpie? On my PFO reflectors they did; you couldn't miss it.

[alexwolf]

Matt,
As I said before, the film was almost clear, and it took three of us to find it. And, I have had my filter figured out the whole time, unless you are talking about the RODI that i perviously mentioned. I do not feel comfortable breaking in to my water line, nor drilling my drain. I do not feel that I have rushed anything to "save a few days".

[matt]

Alex;

Like I said, I'm not trying to be critical. Sorry if I came off that way. Doesn't your filter have a faucet adapter? If not, I bet you can get one at HD. That way you can just screw the input onto a faucet, just like a hose, and run the output into a container, and the waste water just out the window or leave the waste hose in the sink or whatever. I think you'll find that using your R.O./D.I. water will make a huge difference in how your tank matures. I remember it took a few days to fill my tank with R.O. water (I have a 35 gpd filter and a 100 gallon tank) and it was a pain. But, I also have had no algae blooms. If you have a canister filter or can borrow one, you might try running a high quantity of carbon, like a lb or 2, under some pressure. That will help to get some of the stuff out of your tap water.

Also, once your rock has cured fully, you might try a diadema urchin for algae control. It should eat a lot more of different kinds of algae than hermits. It will munch on coralline, but not like tuxedo urchins will. If I'm not mistaken, in nature urchins and herbivorous fish, not hermits and snails, are the primary controls on filament algae.

Once again, I apologize if I offended you. Good luck with your new tank.

[alexwolf]

i went to lowes and they didnt carry a faucet adapter. I wish i could find one locally that i didnt have to mail order, but i dont see that as being possible. I have a friend who might be able to hook it up for me, but it will be a while.

[Tim Marvin]

Check Culligan or other filtering companies. They will sell you parts.

[captexas]

Alex - I find it hard to believe you couldn't find something at Lowe's, but you should also look at Home Depot. There are many adapters and perhaps you are thinking of the wrong thing.
I know when I was using a Python to do water changes on my freshwater tank I had to find an adapter to work with my kitchen sink faucet. When you unscrew the round end of your faucet, the remaining part is threaded. All you have to do is match the threads to find the right adapter to go from that to a garden hose fitting. Then you can find all kinds of fittings to hook to that or even change over to 1/4in. tubing like water filters use. I suggest taking the faucet end to Home Depot where they have a display of the different faucet threads. Just find the one that it screws on to and that is what you need to try to match.

Hope that helps.

[manny]

Hey man,
I got one of those adaptor things that captexas is talking about. It's sitting here at my apartment brand new and unused. Sell it to you for whatever it is on the net. I also hooked up my rodi filter this weekend with no prob. Hardest part was tryin to find a replacement for that needle valve they forgot to send me :evil: Come by and you can check out how I installed it. If you still wanna do the temporary connection thing after seein what I got set up I could probly help you out with that too.

[R.Allard]

alex im a contractor and was a plumber for 5 yrs. i would be glad to help you set up your RO/DI unit
Robert