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I will give you some good news. Those are the same ballasts I had in my T5 fixture while I did have a couple go they always replaced them so they stood behind them and the customer service was excellent. Now you know why they didn't put big gobs of the compound on.
I like Giessman pure actinic, ATI Blue Plus, UVL Aquasun, and one of the purple bulbs ...with six I would do first two over again with 8 would repeat sequence.
I checked mine when I got home finally and thankfully mine are not crispy. I don't know if it is due to a change they made or the time I have had them. I wonder if it was a particular batch of LEDs that they used even?
I was worried you caught it from your fish. Sorry for the cheap joke. As Mike said looks like you turned a horrible thing into a positive. Everything looks great so far.
I hear you on that one....I thought LEDs were finally the sweet spot between MH and T5 but in more than one way I miss my T5...wonder what the best 2 T5/LED combo is.
I hope I am cursed with a tank that lasts as well as yours. I think the fish get a little pissed at me but the coral love the junk that gets kicked up.