Need help Metal Halide Masters

dwair · Sep 5, 2020

I just scored a good deal on a 60 cube 24x24x24 that I'm going to get tomorrow. He has a Hydra 26 over it now, but i'm going to sell that and I want to get MH/T5 or MH/LED combo. Plan on going full blown SPS on this build and I've only heard good things about old school MH. My issue is, I have no idea what fixture I need, ballast. I've heard 14k phoenix bulb is the one to run. But 250w, 400w? No idea. Any help?

Had thought about something like this https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/15-se-led-mh-pendant-with-reef-brite.html

Katrina71 · Sep 5, 2020

Imo Giesemann are the best.

X-37B · Sep 5, 2020

250 watt de 14k phoenix in a lumen bright mini reflector mounted 14" off the surface running on an m80 ballast.

jda · Sep 6, 2020

I run a single 14k 250w Phoenix on m80 ballast and it is really good. Mine is in an older AquaMedic Oceanlight fixture, but there are many others that would work. There is a link in my signature to this tank with photos.

Any 250w with the correct ballast will make that tank shine and cover every square inch with good light. That ReefBrite pendant is good if you want the blue LEDs for after hours viewing.

Semisonyx · Sep 7, 2020

The Phoenix 250w is a double-ended bulb and will require a double-ended fixture. It requires an M80 ballast to run at spec, but will be totally fine with an electronic ballast that can run a 250w “super lumen” setting.

The Radium 250w is a single ended bulb that also requires an M80 ballast to run as close to spec as possible. It will also be fine running on a 250w electronic ballast set to the “super lumen” setting.

However, most 250w bulbs single ended bulbs are only designed to run on an M58 ballast or electronic ballast set to the regular 250w setting.

Having been there and done that, my recommendation would be the 250w single-ended bulb (Radium) with an electronic ballast. People can get charged in this debate, but I’ve never seen a difference between a Radium driven on 250SL or an M80 ballast either visibly or life span wise (12-18months on both). This would also allow you to try other 250w single ended bulbs (Hamilton, Ushio, Giesemann, Plusrite

) if you get bored and choose to do so. However, purists will tell you 250w Radium and M80 ballast. It is set and forget, and if you can’t grow coral In a 60 cube with it, the problem dang sure isn’t the lighting. Good luck!

X-37B · Sep 7, 2020

Finally switched from my 8 T5's to 2-250 watt 14k phoenix on m80's in lumen bright reflectors!
Just got them hung and will take a pic when they come on.
All in all the t-slot frame came out well.
I removed my tri color and its in my frag system to make room for something else.
I rewired the plug so its attatched directly to the reflector, so no splicing.
It will be interesting to see the difference as tank is 14 months old now.
Was, Now!

Lights on! It will take a week or so to show the real color.
Very white with a hint of blue in person on startup.

A. grandis · Sep 8, 2020

Hang them from the ceiling.. would have a much cleaner look.

A. grandis · Sep 8, 2020

Semisonyx said:
The Phoenix 250w is a double-ended bulb and will require a double-ended fixture. It requires an M80 ballast to run at spec, but will be totally fine with an electronic ballast that can run a 250w “super lumen” setting.

The Radium 250w is a single ended bulb that also requires an M80 ballast to run as close to spec as possible. It will also be fine running on a 250w electronic ballast set to the “super lumen” setting.

However, most 250w bulbs single ended bulbs are only designed to run on an M58 ballast or electronic ballast set to the regular 250w setting.

Having been there and done that, my recommendation would be the 250w single-ended bulb (Radium) with an electronic ballast. People can get charged in this debate, but I’ve never seen a difference between a Radium driven on 250SL or an M80 ballast either visibly or life span wise (12-18months on both). This would also allow you to try other 250w single ended bulbs (Hamilton, Ushio, Giesemann, Plusrite ) if you get bored and choose to do so. However, purists will tell you 250w Radium and M80 ballast. It is set and forget, and if you can’t grow coral In a 60 cube with it, the problem dang sure isn’t the lighting. Good luck!

To get the very best out of the bulbs in the long run we should get the ballast recommended by the manufacturer. It's perfectly fine to get electronic though, as we've been doing for decades... Difference isn't that much, and yes... they will grow and color up really, really nice anyway!!!
I'm using electronic with Hamilton bulbs right now.
When I was running Radium bulbs I used M80.
Radium with electronic ballast on Super Lumens is visibly bluer than with M80.
All good. Just a hobby!
So nice to see so many reefers going back to halides and/or T5s.

pdxmonkeyboy · Sep 8, 2020

Do NOT but an m80 ballast. Im sorry, but magnetic ballasts are COMPLETELY inferior to modern digital ballasts. They dont put out some magical voltage to these lights.. in fact, they actually are way harder on HPS bulbs because of their frequency.

I really don't want to get into some debate because the whole digital vs magnetic ballast debate was over like 15 years ago. Nobody, and i mean NOBODY buys magentic ballasts anymore. I doubt you could even find people making them now.

As someone said above, a 250 ballast with super lumen settings is ideal.

I run 20k radiums at 300 watts, hamilton were solid as well.

billwill · Sep 8, 2020

Semisonyx said:
The Phoenix 250w is a double-ended bulb and will require a double-ended fixture. It requires an M80 ballast to run at spec, but will be totally fine with an electronic ballast that can run a 250w “super lumen” setting.

The Radium 250w is a single ended bulb that also requires an M80 ballast to run as close to spec as possible. It will also be fine running on a 250w electronic ballast set to the “super lumen” setting.

However, most 250w bulbs single ended bulbs are only designed to run on an M58 ballast or electronic ballast set to the regular 250w setting.

Having been there and done that, my recommendation would be the 250w single-ended bulb (Radium) with an electronic ballast. People can get charged in this debate, but I’ve never seen a difference between a Radium driven on 250SL or an M80 ballast either visibly or life span wise (12-18months on both). This would also allow you to try other 250w single ended bulbs (Hamilton, Ushio, Giesemann, Plusrite ) if you get bored and choose to do so. However, purists will tell you 250w Radium and M80 ballast. It is set and forget, and if you can’t grow coral In a 60 cube with it, the problem dang sure isn’t the lighting. Good luck!

what he said. Radium 250W bulb is THE bulb to grow SPS. Be careful though because on the 250HQI ballast these put out mad PAR. And mad heat. But I've never had SPS growth and color like the years I ran Radium MH with my old school VHO actinic bulbs

X-37B · Sep 8, 2020

A. grandis said:
Hang them from the ceiling.. would have a much cleaner look.

Ceiling is slanted 10-20'.
This is the look I wanted.

X-37B · Sep 8, 2020

pdxmonkeyboy said:
Do NOT but an m80 ballast. Im sorry, but magnetic ballasts are COMPLETELY inferior to modern digital ballasts. They dont put out some magical voltage to these lights.. in fact, they actually are way harder on HPS bulbs because of their frequency.

I really don't want to get into some debate because the whole digital vs magnetic ballast debate was over like 15 years ago. Nobody, and i mean NOBODY buys magentic ballasts anymore. I doubt you could even find people making them now.

As someone said above, a 250 ballast with super lumen settings is ideal.

I run 20k radiums at 300 watts, hamilton were solid as well.

No debate needed just run what you want.
I prefer magnetic with de bulbs.
I have many electronic ballasts from horticulure that have died in a short time.
I also have electronic ballasts that have lasted 5+ years before they stopped working.
Magnetic ballasts are still made.
I have 25 year old magnetic ballasts that still power hps bulbs and I still use them every year.
I run electronic too.
M80 ballast are bulb type specific and are not to be used for hps.

jda · Sep 8, 2020

Every electronic ballast that I have tried with HQI bulbs, even on "HQI" or "Super Lumens," will only get to about 80% of what output that I can get on m80. This goes for Radium SE and Phoenix DE which I use and have tested. It is not un useful and if you don't need the output, then use an electronic ballast, but I cover larger areas and need the power.

I can get the same output out of a 250w Radium on m80 at 330-340w that I can get out of a 400w Radium (this is not an HQI bulb and can be run on any ballast that will fire it) on magnetic or electronic ballasts... this is a massive savings to me.

HeyJay · Sep 8, 2020

I swore by Radiums in my MH days. Some good info here:

Understanding Radium Metal Halide Lamps | Premium Aquatics

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