Radium and Ballast Question(s)

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

About 4 weeks ago I put Radium’s in my fixtures. I’m newer to MH. I’m currently running the gold Reefbrite ballasts. I’m reading on here about radium’s should be on HQI ballasts but will work on non-HQI ballasts.
- am I causing an issue?
- can someone share a link to a ballasts should run with Radium’s to get the most out of my lights?

 

[five.five-six]

Radiums will fire on prob start ballasts but will fail to fire after 4-9 months YMMV. HQI is for double ended lamps predominantly but the radiums are SE and HQI. The old standby is a magnetic M80 ballets but because of environmental laws, really hard to find in USA. Champion lighting may have some. Also, a HQI ballets is more like 310 watts as opposed to the 250 watts you are getting from probe start M58 ANSI ballests. If you want to run radiums, I’d get electronic HQI ballasts

EDIT: I went looking for some for you and they seem to have evaporated off the planet. I many have a few, let me look.

 

[Yazannreef]

I have used the reefbrite gold ballasts with Radium bulbs with no issues for 2 years when I used to run halides

 

[Rocks reef]

The reefbrite ballasts are fine to use, plenty of halide users do. They will fire the Radiums, albeit not as optimally as a M80 ballast. The one downfall is the M80 ballasts are very hard to find.

 

[five.five-six]

The reefbrite ballasts are fine to use, plenty of halide users do. They will fire the Radiums, albeit not as optimally as a M80 ballast. The one downfall is the M80 ballasts are very hard to find.

Another downfall is they are heavy AF. Another is that they make a lot of heat and another downfall is they eat more powerful than electronic ballasts.


I use Galaxy select-a-watt 250/HQI/400/400 superlumens. They are out of production for over 10 years and have this bad habit of just breaking for no reason. I have 2 spares. (Had 3 spares) but now I 2 spares and a boat anchor. It seems that they are not repairable.

 

[Reefering1]

The radium will be dim and relatively blue on anything less than m80(330w), "super lumens" is 275w, m58 is 250w. M80 is the only correct ballast. Electronic ballasts may flicker but should fire it, there are no serviceable parts. Magnetic can be repaired and last many years. Get m80 if you can find them used. I remember seeing someone using horticulture 600w e ballast, with the knob turned to 300w. Genius. And you can redily get them new/ cheap. That's what I would do if I had to use electronic ballast. Or use 320w m132(i currently have a pile of these for backup)...

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I’ve noticed that my Radium’s are for sure a little dim and noticeably blue, I have never run them, so I don’t have comparison, except for the other halides I have and have run. My par didn’t drop but it also didn’t go up with the radium’s when compared to other bulbs. I’m still 600-650 on the same and 900ish on the top layer of my rocks. I was pushing a little more par with my Ushio’s, but I have also turned up my Radions a little bit since pulling those out. I know par is only part of the story. I’ve just read that while the bulbs “work” in my configuration, under driving them like I am is likely impacting the UV range. I’d like to put the proper ballasts. Sounds like the 3 I should see if are available are:
- electronic HQI
- m80
- Horticulture 600w e ballast with selection to 300w

(Guessing here)

Something I read above. I’m starting a second tank that will also be powered by halides. Don’t ask me about my electric bill. I have 4 cayman DE fixtures and about 25 Hamilton phoenix 14k bulbs. I had planned to use the reefbrite gold ballasts on this too. I’ve used this combo in the past on smaller frag tanks and didn’t notice any issues. But this is also the only DE setup I have ever owned. Thoughts?

 

[Reefering1]

It should be a ultra crisp white light with a hint of blue. Almost like a sky blue. Pheonix 14k should be on m80 also, that's what I run.

 

[rtparty]

On an electronic ballast, the Radium will be noticeably more blue and lose a lot of PAR compared to an M80 ballast. The bulbs will also tend to fail prematurely.

Finding M80 ballasts is ridiculously hard. I got super lucky that @PaulErik found me the bare bones kits so I could build my own.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Hmmmmmm. Sounds like I have some headwinds to work through.

 

[rtparty]

Hmmmmmm. Sounds like I have some headwinds to work through.

If you’re going to run Radiums I would make sure you have E40 mogul sockets and M80 ballasts

If you have E39 sockets and electronic ballasts, I would look into the Aqua Bright bulbs

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

If you’re going to run Radiums I would make sure you have E40 mogul sockets and M80 ballasts

If you have E39 sockets and electronic ballasts, I would look into the Aqua Bright bulbs

So I found a mother load of Ushio 10K 250s. I’m going to switch back for a while. I’m not wanting to burn out $400 in bulbs. I’m also not getting out of them what their spec is. So, I’m on a hunt for M80 or the HQI.

But, now I’m lost. I didn’t realize I could use the gold reef brites for my Cayman DE 250s to run 14k DE 250s. Now I’m in a bind. Now I need to find ballasts for those two. It also looks like I have 6 spare gold ballasts for my non Radium needs.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

Hmmm. Now am thinking $25. Bulb may not have been the best deal if I can’t find HQI ballasts, lol. I’m going to need 4 to start, prefer 6 so I have backups.

 

[WhatCouldGoWrong71]

I’m new to the halide game. I’m looking on eBay at used I simply don’t know what’s compatible and what isn’t.

 

[euphlife]

Ordered quantum ballast. Like the Cadillac of the horticultural world.

Refuse to pay a reef tax for 250w when you get the marijuana growers please buy our product discount on 400’s.