Help! Lights not working!

Somebody please help. I have a 12g NanoCube DX. My lights are not coming on. The fan and pump are still on so I know it’s not the ballast, and the night light will come on. I have checked the fuse and it looks good. When I take the fuse out and put it back in the lights will come on for about 10 seconds, then they go off again, so I know it’s not the bulbs. I really don't want to lose my fish and coral!

 

Odds are the lights are putting out electricity and is blowing the fuse. Your fish don't need light, and most corals will be fine without light for a few days.

What coral do you have?

 

I think they are called star polyps? They look like grass and they close up at night. I also have two bubble tip anonomes, two clown fish, a peppermint shrimp and some crabs and snails. Do you think a new fuse will fix it then?

**Oh, and a tuxedo urchin. Trying to upload a photo of my tank.

 

No, I would put my money on the ballast popping the fuse each time you turn the lights on. The lights themselves have ballasts that run the bulbs, the pump and fan do not. The GSP will be fine for a even a week without light. the BTAs are another story. Do you have access to a voltage meter?

 

I am pretty sure my husband has one but he won't be home for about 3 hours.

 

Ok, I found one, but I will have to wait til he gets home to show me how to use it I think. After thinking about electricity and the ballasts I unplugged everything, got out my canned air, loosened the cover over the lights and blew all the dust out thinking that might help. I could not believe all the crap that came out of there (good thing I covered the water with plastic wrap first), but it's still doing the exact same thing. What am I looking for with the voltage meter?

I would be really sad to lose my BTA's. They started as one, split, and both have spawned in the last month. The bigger one in the back looks like it might be getting ready to split again.

 

Test to see if there is any stray voltage in general that could be popping the fuse. I would just go ahead and replace the ballasts.

 

as for your corals, they will be fine for at least 4-7 days, even the anemone, but when you do get your lights working, if they have been off for a few days, be sure to kinda acclimate then again,

i would run them a few hours shorter than normal, and gradually go back to the normal photo period

 

Thank you so much. I bought a new ballast and everything is good now. I used a desk lamp with a flourescent bulb directly above the water for the days I was waiting for the ballast to get here and it worked great.