Tropical Fish tank light problem

[masona]

I've been given a tropical fish tank (model: DEN GPS 440, Den Marketing Ltd) which I understand is made by AA Aquariums. In the tank head, when the light is switched on, it's very bright until 10 sec later it goes very dimmed. Is it the transformer packed up on the circuit board (KE - BW - 12V) I'm not having much joy unless I replace the whole fish tank! Dirty connection maybe?

 

[Spark123]

Is it a grow-lux fluoro or a normal lamp?

 

[Steve]

What does the bulb say on it? What does it look like? Is it a standard fluorescent lamp?

 

[masona]

Freshwater Lamp 8W 300mm length, 16mm dia, Arcadia (High light output)

This is the only information I can see.

 

[Spark123]

It sounds like a fluoro tube, do you have another tube you can try? If the other tube does exactly the same it is likely the electronic circuit is goosed. I take it its a small tank?

 

[markie]

Get rid of fish prob solved,

 

[masona]

It sounds like a fluoro tube, do you have another tube you can try? If the other tube does exactly the same it is likely the electronic circuit is goosed. I take it its a small tank?

Yes it did the same with a new tube, the tank size aproximately 18" x 18" x 6", I'm now e-mailing aa-aquarium company at Hong Hong unless I can get the pcb repair instead, I don't know where to start though.

 

[Spark123]

I just brought a ballast for mine the other day, cost £14 (my original one was a rubishy 15w pigmy lamp.) All it is is a box containing a fluoro ballast and starter which sits outside the tank and two cables which go one to each end of the tube. It just plugs into the mains and isn't as likely to go wrong, I wouldn't attempt to use one without a condensation trap though.
Info off the box; Arcadia Standard 4W - 6W - 8W.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARCADIA-T8-SI...ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

 

[Steve]

I just brought a ballast for mine the other day, cost £14 (my original one was a rubishy 15w pigmy lamp.) All it is is a box containing a fluoro ballast and starter which sits outside the tank and two cables which go one to each end of the tube. It just plugs into the mains and isn't as likely to go wrong, I wouldn't attempt to use one without a condensation trap though.
Info off the box; Arcadia Standard 4W - 6W - 8W.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ARCADIA-T8-SI...QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting[/QUOTE]
I have one of those. cant remember the rating, but its going spare. any offers welcome. Email me for details. Think it can power a tube 300mm long.