20k radium: how blue

[A. grandis]

Reef Brite fixtures should to be used with the same brand ballasts and bulbs for optimal performance. That is what the owner, Tullio Dell Aquila suggested years ago when I spoke with him. Great person and very knowledgeable in regards to light. He said he doesn't suggest any modifications (wiring, etc.). Other brand bulbs will be able to be used, but the ballast should be a Reef Brite ballast with the fixture to keep it cool and safe. It features a special ballast and fixture that is cool to the touch.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/250w...VCrisldgCN6RUKZQeSCLfzWthHaiL_dxoCKwkQAvD_BwE

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/15-se-metal-halide-pendant-with-ballast-reef-brite.html

 

[LadyTang2]

Reef Brite fixtures should to be used with the same brand ballasts and bulbs for optimal performance. That is what the owner, Tullio Dell Aquila suggested years ago when I spoke with him. Great person and very knowledgeable in regards to light. He said he doesn't suggest any modifications (wiring, etc.). Other brand bulbs will be able to be used, but the ballast should be a Reef Brite ballast with the fixture to keep it cool and safe. It features a special ballast and fixture that is cool to the touch.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/250w-metal-halide-ballast-reef-brite.html?utm_term=reef brite metal halide&utm_campaign=Search>Brand>Reef-Brite>Exact+(MAP)&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7373341438&hsa_cam=1035682986&hsa_grp=52615105164&hsa_ad=323967827034&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=aud-345314144574:kwd-373827509737&hsa_kw=reef brite metal halide&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjwmKLzBRBeEiwACCVihog_NpQZh_UHCUBEO0JWFfVCrisldgCN6RUKZQeSCLfzWthHaiL_dxoCKwkQAvD_BwE

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/15-se-metal-halide-pendant-with-ballast-reef-brite.html

and you like these better than the hamilton fixtures like the cayman or cozumel sun?

So for the MH T5 combo you'd choose hamilton, for the mh fixture only you'd choose reefbrite, right? Maybe im splitting hairs here

 

[A. grandis]

Thanks @A. grandis , Why does it say 4x54, when its 4 on each side. I see 8 but on the site it does not say 8 anywhere, weird.

Also, if you were to go MH only no T5s which unit then? Reefbrite? Hamilton? Other?

LOL! That is the reflection of the bulbs on the reflctors. The 2 inward bulbs on each side of the fixture are real bulbs.
Hamilton.

 

[A. grandis]

and you like these better than the hamilton fixtures like the cayman or cozumel sun?

So for the MH T5 combo you'd choose hamilton, for the mh fixture only you'd choose reefbrite, right? Maybe im splitting hairs here

If metal halide/T5 I would choose Hamilton Cebu or Giesemann Spectra.
If metal halide only I would choose Hamilton Cozumel.
You need to apply the right fixture to the system you will have, in terms of size of individual halide reflectors.
I gotta go work! ;Wideyed
Have a great day.

 

[Bpb]

I’d personally use 2 - 400 watt lumen bright large pendants with lumatek or Hamilton adjustable ballasts on a tank that size and put them 12” off the water. I don’t like how small and tight the reef brite reflectors are.

Also. That Hamilton cebu sun only has 2 bulbs on each side. You’re seeing reflections.

 

[yeldarbj]

Hamilton Cozumel Sun with an IceCap adjustable electronic ballast. I can't stand the hum that magnetic ballasts emit. The hqi electronic ballasts will run Radium bulbs just fine and are silent.

 

[LadyTang2]

How can you dim a ballast, is it just switching it from say 400-250 manually?

I have only heard of the reefbrite ballast being able to dim via apex, it must be plugged into the powerbar for this right? Or just into the controller?

Are there any other ballast that can be automated to dim?

 

[Bpb]

How can you dim a ballast, is it just switching it from say 400-250 manually?

I have only heard of the reefbrite ballast being able to dim via apex, it must be plugged into the powerbar for this right? Or just into the controller?

Are there any other ballast that can be automated to dim?

They’re switchable via a knob

 

[LadyTang2]

With this one you dont need to turn knob. Reefbrite...

It's the only one I have seen that isnt just a "turn the knob"

 

[A. grandis]

I got carried away with explanations of the fixtures, etc and forgot this is the 400W thread... You could follow what Bpb said on post # 25. That's a great set up using 400W bulbs.

 

[greekspec2]

Hamilton Cozumel Sun with an IceCap adjustable electronic ballast. I can't stand the hum that magnetic ballasts emit. The hqi electronic ballasts will run Radium bulbs just fine and are silent.

got a no hum M80 ballast

 

[LadyTang2]

got a no hum M80 ballast

Which ballast is that?

 

[A. grandis]

M80 is used for 250W Radium SE bulbs, not for the 400W.
We normally use electronic ballast for 400W bulbs.

 

[LadyTang2]

Is dimming by switching the knob from 400 to 250 or 250 to 175 in order to dim it bad for the bulb or the system in any way?

I read someone saying this was not a good idea but did not give an explanation, true or false?

 

[A. grandis]

I'm not sure how bad that would really be (if anyone know about any studies please post here), but we know that every dimming will "work out the bulbs" and it will most likely shorten the bulbs' life somehow. In reality there is no need to dim any bulb for aquarium purposes. All the wattage available can pretty much be adapted to any type of set up balancing between photoperiod and distance, according to what you want to keep, dimensions of the tank and trype of reflector you will use.

 

[LadyTang2]

Does the cebu come with a clear splash guard that covers the entire area of its dimensions protecting the Mh and T5s right? How is this removed, does it just slide off?

 

[greekspec2]

Does the cebu come with a clear splash guard that covers the entire area of its dimensions protecting the Mh and T5s right? How is this removed, does it just slide off?

why would you purchase a Cebu over a Giesemann Infiniti or Spectra for the same cost roughly?

 

[LadyTang2]

Cebu has a larger compartment with a cooling fan, so I imagine it will stay cooler than the giesemann, since T5s dont perform as well when really hot I like the cebu for cooling. I worry that 72 giesemann will be really hot with Mh and T5 on.

Cebu is a few hundred cheaper and they will include ballast and bulbs so its even cheaper after that. Gieseman only includes ballast for euro customers I heard.

I dont care how the fixtures look. Convince me otherwise/help me think it through :-)

 

[greekspec2]

Giesemann is all aluminum but if looks don't seem to matter like most than go to HomeDepot save money.

 

[Bpb]

Giesemann is all aluminum but if looks don't seem to matter like most than go to HomeDepot save money.

I go to Home Depot a lot, and I’ve never seen a metal halide pendant there capable of producing the reflective quality we need