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| I'm using two bulbs in my skimmer and I've lost track of which one is newer and even how long since I've changed either of them. I was told by AZ pond guy that you can't tell by looking at them if they are good and that you should have new ones every season. They're pretty expensive but I can't think of anything to do but bite the bullet and start over. My water was crystal a month ago but is now getting murky. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| Sooo...just to be clear...you were told by a 'pond guy' to cough up your hard-earned $ for a bulb that may or may not need replacing? Stop & think about that for a bit... QUOTE: My water was crystal a month ago but is now getting murky. Lots of experienced ponders here willing to share their knowledge but you're not likely to get any [accurate] reponses sans details. What's your water:plant:fish ratio? What type of filter do you have? And don't forget the pump. What zone are you in? Are you just starting up your pond or has it been in operation for a while? And last but not least, define *murky*. Is your water cloudy, brown, green? In the meantime, hold on to your wallet.
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- Posted by waterbug_guy Phoenix AZ (My Page) on Tue, May 29, 12 at 0:33
| Ditto on the murky thing. UV only fixes green. There is equipment to test UV rays, but I've never heard of any pond store ever having one. They can be tested by looking at them for a long period, if you go blind the bulb is working. You could shuffle the bulbs until a combination worked, but that doesn't sound like much fun. |
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- Posted by sleeplessinftwayne z4-5 IND (My Page) on Tue, May 29, 12 at 9:11
| An older bulb may have a black smug at the ends near the contacts. Don't look at a lit bulb. I agree we need more info. |
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- Posted by nancym1956 (My Page) on Tue, May 29, 12 at 9:18
| While the unit is plugged in, pull the intake or output hose off one end of the UV. Do not look directly at the bulb, but looking into the unit at an angle, you should be able to see a bluish or purplish glow. If it's dark, the bulb needs replacing. |
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- Posted by groundbeef (My Page) on Tue, May 29, 12 at 13:38
| Could you quantify "pretty expensive" as to the cost of the bulbs? I use the 11w bulbs that mail order were around $20-25 each. Went to Lowes, and they sell them for $10.95 all the time. I replace them in the spring every year, if for nothing else peace of mind. And my water is looking good. |
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| Coxy, I would guess that you have a Savio standard skimmer. I am guessing that you have 2 50 watt UV's. The thing that I can not know is if you have Savio UV's or Emperor Aquatics UV's. If they are Emperor you may be able to find someone besides Al Zimmer to sell them cheaper. Al is the brother of the owner of Emperor and everyone watches that he is not selling Emperor products cheaper than MAP pricing. You may find someone else that won't advertise any cheaper than MAP but will sell them cheaper if you contact them. |
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| Mike, I am using 2 Emperor Aquatics 50 w bulbs and to Groundbeef, they are $60+ each. So, it sounds like replacing them every year is the deal. That clears (sorry) things up considerably. |
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