解:$(1)$∵$(\sqrt {30-x}+ \sqrt {9-x})(\sqrt {30-x}- \sqrt {9-x})=(\sqrt {30-x})²-(\sqrt {9-x})²=30-x-9+x=21$
且$ \sqrt {30-x}+ \sqrt {9-x}=7$
∴$\sqrt {30-x}- \sqrt {9-x}=3$
$(2)$由$(1)$及题意得$ \sqrt {30-x}- \sqrt {9-x}=3$,$\sqrt {30-x}+ \sqrt {9-x}= 7$
∴两式相加得$2 \sqrt {30-x}=10$,即$ \sqrt {30-x}=5$
∴$30-x=25$,解得$x=5$
则$x$的值为$5$