aqualine bulbs won't fire...

[raymond4133]

I just got some 175 watt MH Aqua Medic 10,000K bulbs and well I put them it and all and they don't work...

So i called aqua medic and asked them what's wrong...The tech there pointed out to me that these bulbs are designed to run off of a M130 something ballast...And not a m57 ballast that I have put them on right now...My m57 ballast works fine and all with the Hamilton's and Catalina but out of thre three ballast only one is able to fire up the Aqua Medic Bulbs....

So what is this special ballast they are talking about ...

Or more specifically has anyone ever tried putting a aqua medic bulb on a m57 ballast...The tech says that if i put it on this m57 ballast it will fry my expensive bulbs...(Darn)

-any imput would be great...

So now it's either sell these brand new bulbs to somebody who has the right ballast or, send it back to the company, or buy the right ballast...


Is there a website that I can go to that shows a list of what bulbs work on a m57 ballast...that 175 watt mogul base pulse start...So perhaps next time i dont make the same mistake...

 

[DarkDevil]

I think it should be M137, that's the HQI ballast for the 175W. some of the bulbs need HQI ballast or electronic ballast to fire up, like the aqua media u have or Radium, AB, and couple more. I dont' remember if there's ever a list of bulb and ballast compability. but from reading all around, u just remember some certain ones. and stick with one if you know your ballast is gonna fire it up or just ask the manufacture first. if u have a regular M57, u can try coralvue, hamilton, etc, thye have good bulbs. Good luck.

 

[raymond4133]

I feel so stupid for buying the bulbs without even looking at what kind of ballast...

I think perhaps the best thing for me now to do would to try and sell the bulbs or just save them for later...There goes $200 down the drain...And I can't even use them...

And for sure I can't buy or upgrade my ballast to m137 since I just spent it on these aqualine bulbs...three of them...

Shoot...I wonder if I can trade them perhaps...Maybe some other reefer that is not to happy with the color of their bulbs woudl like to trade...(Hey you never know)

But, Iam still so upset with buying the wrong bulb for the type of ballast I have...

 

[Unarce]

Since they're new, just offer them up in the trading forum at close to retail, but free shipping (you still have the shipping supplies they came in, right). I'm sure someone would buy it. That way, you can recoup most of what you spent.

 

[raymond4133]

that's what I think I will do now and keep using my backup Hamilton bulbs until I get a solution...

Unless someone in Sacramento might have something they want to trade...(But they need to work on a m57 ballast..)

Darn you m57 ballast...all i can do is cry...

:sad2: :sad2:

 

[raymond4133]

I may also consider some other trades like tunze pumps or lights, ballasts, no livestock right now, osmolator from tunze...Pratically drygoods used or new... depending on what it is...

 

[Justin74]

m57= probe start=Most all american made bulbs

m137=pulse start=Most euro bulbs
Sorry for your troubles.
Hopefully the tech wasnt right and it doesnt alter the life of the bulb. In some cases Ive heard of similar situations although it might be with the m137 that they were trying to fire an american bulb on, whatever the scenario it worked but effected color and life of the bulb big time. Sounds like your trying to get the best of the best, have you seriously considered XM?Or Radium, although im not sure what ballast they require but both bulbs produce nothing short of quality from what Ive heard mentioned.Like Ive said before Im getting great results and color from my cheap 40 dollar M57 Advance ballast and my 40 dollar Coralvue nockoffs called ReefMax. Just cuz you save a buck doesnt always mean you scimp out on quality

-Justin

 

[raymond4133]

Yeah...Now I know what everyone is talking about (pulse start, probe start, european, american, etc.)

I always had the notion that all 175 watt MH bulbs were the same til now...I guess in any hobby you have to learn the hard way

Besides I don't want to send them back now...I have to pay a 15% restocking fee for sending them back...and I already opened them from the box trying to question myself why it didn't fire up...


So the best thing now is hoping that somebody might have something to trade...may it be another MH bulb that can run on a m57 ballast instead of a m137