Burnt out balast

[Kryptonian]

I am a returning hobbiest and have a problem.  I used to have a salt water marine tank years ago and am only now getting back into it.  I find i have forgotten quite a bit of stuff.
I currently have a thirty gallon tank.

**my problem
The balast i got when i bought the tank (off kijiji) blew a few days after i got the tank.
Nowhere sells balasts for the wattage/voltage i need.  I know squat about lighting and balasts.  How do i replace it (ballast) without having to replace my whole lighting set up?  All three bulbs set up in my canopy.
In addition, since my main clear bulb went my two colored bulbs are still working fine, but the algae is growing like mad. Suggestions to fix either problem would be fab!  Thanks.

[ordi260]

Hi!

Can you describe your setup further (equipment)? Do you know how old the bulbs are? What are your parameters? What kind of livestock you have? For how long has the tank been running?

Looking forward to help you

[Kryptonian]

Tank has been up for about 11 weeks.
2 clowns, a mandarine goby, and a decorator crab.
38 gallons long tank.  Two tinted bulbs and a main bulb that looks like a giant light bulb 10K.  (with a burnt out balast, so it is not working currently) canister filter and underwater heater.  Tank itself seems really healthy otherwise.  Lots of thread algae green, red, brown color.  And burnt out balast.  All levels are within normal operating peramators

[JetJumper]

From the sounds of it its a MH setup with 2 T5's on the side or something like that.. Maybe PowerCompacts..

Is there a manufacture listed on the ballast?  Do you know the wattage?  Got a picture or 2?

[JetJumper]

Also, with MH (Metal Halide) systems.. if the bulb is defective as well it could make it seem like a burnt out ballast.  MH bulbs are ment to be replace usually at the 1YR mark.  sometimes less, sometimes a little more.. but that is the standard I would say.  If the bulb is dead, then it will sometimes looks like its trying to fire and will go out.. or it will not turn on at all.

but with out more details, thats about all I can help with.

[Kryptonian]

It definately is the ballast.  It was humming and getting hot when i first got it.  The light would turn on after being on for twenty minutes to an hour then it just stopped turning on completely.  The main bulb is a MH 175 watt 10,000K bulb.  I bought the tank on kijiji.  I had a salt water tank before, and wanted to get back into it.  Ha ha i am making tons of rookie mistakes.  Thanks for helping.

[redbelly]

Do you have a digital camera?
Can you post pics of what you have exactly?

I have a few spare used ballasts sitting around that I no longer am using. They may be plug and play to put one of these in OR with a pic we might be able to tell what type of ballast may be able to just plug in and replace it.

The bulb being toast can also sometimes act in this way too.

When buying a used setup you should never reuse the lamps unless the person provides a receipt to show how old they are.
Typically the bulbs are WAY older that the person realizes. Time just has a way of going by faster that most of us realize.

And based on the algae issues you are having I would say you have a few issues in need of resolving, one of which may be old lamps.

[redbelly]

You have a mandarin in a newly setup 38g tank???

[JetJumper]

You have a mandarin in a newly setup 38g tank???

Hopefully its an ORA one that eats prepared foods!!!!!!