400W Halide lamp suggestions for Reefbrite Pendant and Ballast

ace007

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
18
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I currently have a 20k/20k twinarc reef brite lamp 400w in a reef brite housing with reefbrite ballast. I am finding the lamps a bit unreliable - latest has stopped working after just 5 months. Being based in the UK I would have to import the hamilton lamps but can get access to radium and BLV lamps. I also have as well as the two reefbrite pendants, 3 x radion G5 on AB+ over my 8ft tank. The LEDS provide the blue to make the corals pop so was thinking of switching to 10k lamps for coral growth. I would be interested in halide users in the US/ outside UK opinion on this idea and which brands of lamp you would recommend with my ballast and pendant? Thanks in advance.
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Assuming that the MH system you have is the "best for your application"...
I've never used ReefBrite equipment at all. Almost tried once, but had to choose between Giesemann Spectra and the ReefBrite, so I chose the Spectra. I've heard of people complaining about the same issues you are having with those TwinArc bulbs, but when they contacted ReefBrite their problems were apparently solved. Perhaps you should do the same. They will probably send you new bulbs and tell you what's wrong. Bottom line is if you have all ReefBrite equipment it should be working perfectly, right? Tullio recommends using all ReefBrite equipment, but also said that we can use any bulb with the ReefBrite system. He does not recommend changing the ballast to be used with the fixture though, because of the connections. If you fix the problem with the bulb you won't need to spend any additional money. Done deal!

IMO there is nothing wrong in using any LED as a supplemental light when using halides for the so called "POP". I personally prefer T5s.

Hamilton bulbs will work great with electronic ballasts and should work with ReefBrite ballasts and fixtures as well.

BLV is one of the best bulbs there is! German quality and great colors. Yes, use a 10K or a 14K with your LEDs, if you want. They also have 16K and 20K. Why not? That bulb alone will give you the best results you can achieve with halides.
I can't tell you that you will achieve the best results using the ReefBrite ballasts with the 400W BLV bulb though, cause I've never used Reefbrite. All I know is that the BLV 400W is a pulse start bulb and it's recommended to be used with HQI ballast, European style, by the manufacturer.
If you can find some good EU HQI ballasts go for it! They might have available at the place you will get the bulbs from. Make sure you will be able to use it with the ReefBite pendant though! Like I've said above, Tullio does not recommend changing ballast with the pendant because of the changes you need to make for the connections, voiding warranty.
The 400W Radium also needs an EU pulse start HQI ballast for the best performance, if you can find there. Again, not sure the ReefBrite ballast will be able to give you that!
Most electronic ballast "will work", but won't be better than the actual EU ballast. That has to do with keeping the right spectrum and also the life time of the bulb. If you have access to the EU stuff you should get the best IMO.

Maybe some ReefBrite users could chime in for their suggestions and experiences using those bulbs with ReefBrite ballasts and fixtures...
 

Bpb

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 27, 2014
Messages
4,516
Reaction score
6,344
Location
College Station
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That 10,000K blv bulb will be a winner. I’d go that route. While the reef brite pendants and ballasts look fantastic I will corroborate every reef brite t5 bulb I’ve used has gone kaput within a couple months. Never had any issues with GE, ATI, or Giesemann t5 lamps in the same fixture so I will blame the reef brite brand bulbs. Those pendants do look terrific though
 
OP
OP
A

ace007

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
18
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
All I know is that the BLV 400W is a pulse start bulb and it's recommended to be used with HQI ballast, European style, by the manufacturer.
So the BLV will work with the reefbrite ballast but not optimally?
That 10,000K blv bulb will be a winner. I’d go that route.
Will they work with my ballast though?
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So the BLV will work with the reefbrite ballast but not optimally?

Will they work with my ballast though?
Like I've said, I've never used Reefbrite yet, so I didn't test anything myself, so I'm sorry I can't say much about that brand.
I do know that, generally speaking, using select-a-watt type of electronic ballasts, we CAN run the German bulbs on "super lumens".
All the German bulbs I've used with any of my electronic ballasts had acceptable performances, but were much better when used with the proper manufacturer's recommendations. The 250W Radium, for example, will be bluer when used with the electronic ballasts on "super lumens" and much brighter/whiter when using with the HQI, which is the recommended for that bulb.
The Ushio can be used with e-ballasts as well, but will perform better with their recommended ballasts. It will also depend on the quality of the electronic ballast.
I have to tell you that if you find the proper HQI ballast for your 400W in EU you will be ahead of many people! That will be the best choice for proper use and long life of those bulbs.
You CAN use electronic tough.
And yes, Tullio have said we can use ANY bulb with his equipment.
I wish some ReefBrite users could contribute here.
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
This is a thread I've opened in 2017:
 

minus9

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 13, 2017
Messages
5,358
Reaction score
6,383
Location
Los Angeles (SFV)
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
FYI: I contacted RB about recommendations for my setup and inquired about the twin-arc bulbs and they are no longer making the 10/20 twin-arc bulbs (probably too many issues?). I'm not sure about the other twin-arc bulbs, maybe they're going to phase them out? Pure speculation on my part.
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
FYI: I contacted RB about recommendations for my setup and inquired about the twin-arc bulbs and they are no longer making the 10/20 twin-arc bulbs (probably too many issues?). I'm not sure about the other twin-arc bulbs, maybe they're going to phase them out? Pure speculation on my part.
Tullio said the 10/20 Twin-Arc was discontinued due to the lack of demand.
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I asked Tullio if the ReefBrite ballast, using German bulbs, that are supposed to be used with EU HQI ballasts, would run offering the exact same results as they would with the HQI ballast. I asked if there was a difference, what would that be: intensity, spectrum, life expectancy? Would all the results be the same?
He answered: "The ballast should be perfectly fine driving them."
 

djf91

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 12, 2019
Messages
849
Reaction score
676
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Tullio would make a killing if he could make a 400w radium that lasts 1+ year
 
OP
OP
A

ace007

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
18
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have purchased a blv 10k, a radium 20k and a 14k reeflux. Currently trying out the 10k BLV which combined with the G5 radions is giving a very good white light, much brighter than the 20k reef brite on the other pendant.
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have purchased a blv 10k, a radium 20k and a 14k reeflux. Currently trying out the 10k BLV which combined with the G5 radions is giving a very good white light, much brighter than the 20k reef brite on the other pendant.
Can you post pictures, please?
Where did you get them from?
Thanks in advance!!!
 
OP
OP
A

ace007

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 4, 2017
Messages
18
Reaction score
6
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes will post tomorrow when lights come on. I am in the UK so got them from a UK supplier.

I have just swapped the twinarc 20k for a radium 20k to see the difference tomorrow. I also measured the par above the jump net to monitor bulb degradation - BLV 10k was 1118 par, 24592 pur, twin arcs 20k was 940 par, 20274 pur. Radion G5 on AB+ 707 Par and 15005 pur
 

A. grandis

2500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 15, 2012
Messages
4,654
Reaction score
3,370
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What PAR meter did you use?
Thanks! How did you measure PUR?
 

oreo54

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
5,532
Reaction score
3,411
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I use a seneye reef - measures PAR and PUR
Something doesn't add up.
PUR is a sub-set of PAR and seneye measures that in % of PAR.

SO 1118 PAR and something like 75% PUR.
IF one did the math so to speak that would give you a PUR # of 838.5

Your PUR numbers are odd.
LUX numbers?
 
Back
Top