HQI Bulb Blown After 6 Months

[Salamander]

A 250 Watt HQI bulb blew after 6 months of use. I think I should've gotten a bit more use out of it.....

A few days before it blew (I mean literally cracked) I had noticed the ballast humming a bit louder than normal.

I'm a bit worried about getting another $80+ bulb to have it potentially break and I'm also scared to try my other working bulb on this ballast.

The fixture is the Aquamedic Oceanlight with 2X54w T5's and 2X250w DE HQI MH's. I'm not too sure what brand the bulb is. The pair was sent to me free from AM for some problems I had with them. I'll look for the package but I'm pretty sure it wasn't high dollar.

Any ideas or Suggestions on how to proceed?

[SlowCobra]

Sounds like a heat issue with the fixture. Do you have any fans blowing on it?

If not you may want to consider getting some air circulation on the unit. That is a lot of light and heat in a small space.

Or it could have just been a fluke thing. Look for some used bulbs on here and try one of those to see what happens.

[Salamander]

I thought of the heat issue, but I don't think that's it.

Its not in a canopy and is a suspended one piece unit. It comes with no fans and supposedly doesn't need one...... And I haven't come across any others with this fixture with this problem.

I guess a used bulb is the way to go before an expensive experiment.

Thanks

[Noobie99]

wow. an HQI and T5 fixture with no fans? does it have a glass lens?

[Salamander]

Yes it has glass. I kinda wondered about the fanless approach prior to buying but saw so many good review of this product and company, but I have been anything but pleased with either.

[OliverM3]

Do you have any fans blowing directly on it?
My Aquamedic Oceanlight documentation said not to direct any fans at the lights because it would shorten the bulb life.

I have two single 250w pendants running on mine so far so good. But they are still pretty new.