MH blues, need serious help(please)

[Gdbyrd]

OK, long story short. I bought a used 250w coralife MH ballast with pendant fixture. I ordered a 14K Ushio bulb. The bulb was straight up yellow. So I emailed reefgeek and was given a 25% discount on the purchase of another bulb because I was unsatisfied with the product. I wasn't sure what bulb to get, so I spoke with Greg. We couldn't figure out what type of ballast I had. It is labeled as an HQI ballast..but other than that, there are NO OTHER markings on it. I emailed him a picture of it, as well as a link to a website that has my ballast for sale(there are no details for it). So he suggested a Radium 20K bulb.

I got it, loved it. 5 days after using it, it would no longer fire. I pulled it out, Ushio works fine, Radium back, nada...Ushio back, it's golden. So I call Greg and he offers to check the bulb. I mail it to him and it works perfectly fine at his facility. Now he wants more information on my ballast. I can't find anything on it. He's pretty certain it's an m58 ballast and that the Radium will not work on it.

But why the heck would it work for a little while then stop? I called the company selling my ballast and they told me it was an electronic ballast. But Greg doesn't agree with that. Now I've spent almost 200$ on bulbs, I have one that won't work and one that looks like someone peed in my tank. Greg's not really saying what he's going to do for me....

I'm getting pissed/frustrated though.

He told me to take the case off my ballast twice now, and both times I've said I don't feel comfortable doing it. The damn thing is riveted down. I don't want to drill the case, and I don't have a riveting tool.

He's a picture of my ballast/light.

Here's the link to the website where I found my ballast for sale.
Coralife 250 Watt HQI Replacement Ballast

What can I do? Do they make HQI ballasts that are m58? If my ballast is an m58, would it fire that bulb?

I'm trying really hard to give them the benefit of a doubt, but this is really starting to bother me. What should I expect them to do for me? This is Greg of reefgeek.

 

[Gdbyrd]

Well, I went ahead and took apart my ballast. Cut my thumb up on those damn rivets and now I have to buy a stupid rivet gun to get it all sealed back up....But at least now I know what I have.

It's an m58 from what I gather. There's a label on it somewhere that says 250watt M58. So that's what I'm assuming. So now I have a bulb that won't work and a bulb that looks like crap. I emailed Greg to tell him. See what he says.

Still don't get it. It's labeled on the bottom as being an HQI ballast, and that's how it's sold. But I don't think they make m58 HQI ballasts.

 

[dcantucson]

I feel your frustration. Hopefully he will get things worked out for you.
:frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat::frustrat:

 

[ccCapt]

I see with that pendant the bulb must be vertical. Not all bulbs will fire in the vertical position. Did you try laying the pendant horizontally to see if it will fire up?

 

[Gdbyrd]

I see with that pendant the bulb must be vertical. Not all bulbs will fire in the vertical position. Did you try laying the pendant horizontally to see if it will fire up?

Yeah, I wondered about that too and tried that. But no go : / Ballast is an m58 and reefgeek says it won't fire that Radium.