problem with light

[ebola]

A while ago I bought this light:http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_viewitem.aspx?idproduct=CU01124&child=CU01124&utm_source=mdcsegooglebase&utm_medium=cse&utm_term=CU01124&utm_content=24inchCurrentUSANovaExtreme2x24wattT5H O10K460nm&utm_campaign=mdcse&site=google_base

I don't have any coral yet, but I'd like to add some soon.

Within a week, the atinic bulb was dead. I called, and they were very nice and agreed to send a replacement bulb (this one: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~UVL_T5_V_HO_Super_Actinic_Bul b_420NM_V_HO~vendor~UV_Lighting_Company_(URI)~Sear chStr~~action~view~idProduct~UF5225~idCategory~FIL TBUT5VH.html) for no charge. The replacement never worked. It's either very dim, almost impossible to detect, or flickers on and off. It's behaves the same in either socket, while the white bulb works fine in each. Because I'm on a bit of a budget, I'm not willing to rush out and buy another atinic until I'm sure it's not the lamp itself that's problem. Has anyone ever experienced a similiar problem?

[Nolapete]

So the white bulb works in either socket and the actinic behaves the same way in both as well?

[ebola]

Yeah. It would seem to indicate that the atinic is defective I guess... I don't understand why I've had two DOA atinics from one vendor.

[Nolapete]

Could be from the same batch of bulbs. What did they say when you called them to say that bulb isn't working either?

[Ace25]

Oh man, thank you!! I have had the same problem with the exact same bulbs.. dim or burning out in a week, and I just assumed it was my ballast causing it. Now I see others have the exact same problem, and ordered the exact same bulb from the same place I will now give them a call. Last order a few weeks ago I ordered 4 of those bulbs and 3 didn't work, 2 were real dim and 1 blew up in less than a week.