new mh bulb stays on but flickers

[ballistic.reefer]

so like the topic says, i just bought a brand new mh setup. the bulb stays on but flickers and it kinda gets annoying. ive been reading and things say that there is a break in period of some sort. is this true? has anyone else experienced this? is it my bulb? or maybe the electronic ballast? blahh its killing me. any help would be appreciated.

[jestep]

Sounds like the ballast to me, but if it is lighting up at all, then it's more than likely the bulb. If you have the old bulb still, I would swap it back in and see if it works without flickering. Break-in usually describes the bulb color output. Bulbs shouldn't flicker especially if they are new.

[+dapettit]

+1 I have never had a bulb flicker during burn in. Also back off your lighting schedule to allow your corals to become adjusted to the new bulbs.

What brand are the bulbs?

Dave-

[ballistic.reefer]

1x de pheonix 14k. 150w. yeah so what happens is that it will turn on and it stays lite and all but what will happen is that when it gets to its whitest point it flickers and changes between yellow and white. its not like it flickers on and off or anything. brand new setup. i dont have an old bulb and yeah i have it set up for a light schedule to get my coral used to it. do yall really think its the bulb?

[+dapettit]

I have used those bulbs before with no flicker that I saw. One last question. Ballast make and model?

Dave-

[ballistic.reefer]

blueline e-ballast. i think its the bulb i just took a look at it and remembered last night when i was assembling it that there was this weird spot on it already and when i took a look at it now it just got bigger. im gonna go and see if i can grab a pheonix 14k bulb somewhere in town and see if i can get this taken care of. blahh or if anyone has a spare 14k bulb that they wouldnt mind lending me to make sure that it is in fact the bulb id greatly appreciate it.