Have i been ripped off

[kipreefer]

Well at lfs about in June i bought a JBJ 55watt times 4. I bought it for 25 percent off and got it for around 280 i think not sure. Well i got it 25 % off because there was a cosmetic crack on black casing which did not affect perfomance. Well about a month ago one of blue acentics started going out. So i called JBJ and i took it back to to LFS where i go thte light. Thjey replaced it no problem but when i put new one in the new bulb was quite brilant to the other older one still in fixture. But over last month i have had a small problem with a red slime algae on sand which grows during the day when lights are on. So i am thinking htat all the bulbs are just old and someone returned it broken after using it for a while. Or it oculd be that the JBJ lights just suck adn the bulbs lose the color spectrum easily. It si just that i got 25% of the light and if i bought a brand new one it would have been 20% offf because i am in their club. SO now i will have to pay 160 bulbs for new lights which i should have used in the first place.

Also i dont use R/o water or dionized water. COuld this be it my phospates are at 0.5 pmm and nitrates at .7ppm but ar lower now becaus eof water change. It is just in previous reefs with same water have had no problem with nussaince algaes.

Any advice would help satisfy my. PLEASE WAHT SHOULD I DO GO BACK TO LFS?

 

[wasabi]

it has been my experience that pc actinics dont hold their color more than two or three months and dont do much for actinic lighting anyway jmo.

 

[TxReefer]

Kipreefer,
I have light setup like yours. IMO you are experienceing an algae bloom from the new light and it will clear itself just a quick as it appeared. Keep using the light though you might cut down and hour or so a day. Good lighting will cause these blooms and they clear up, has been my experience.
Good luck.