Radium vs Reef Brite MH

SaracensRugby · Nov 23, 2023

So I have a Giesmann Spectra 72" fixture, that has 3 MH slots. I put 1 radium bulb in, and 2 reef brites (all 20k). Boy oh boy, is there a real visual difference in the blue each light gives off. The Reef Brites are white to the eye, where the radiums actually give off much more visual blue. I didn't know it was that drastic, now I wish I had a few years supply of radiums...

rtparty · Nov 23, 2023

Yes. The Reef Brite 20k is much more 14k and doesn’t come close to the Radium look. I still have 3 250w Radium bulbs with less than a months use on them if you need some

SaracensRugby · Nov 23, 2023

I would be open to that for sure!

YOYOYOReefer · Dec 4, 2023

I would take a look gieseman megachrome bulbs.. if you have 400 hqi ballasts they seem to like being overdriven like older radium’s did. The newer radiums are not very friendly to being overdriven imo, But I’m sure glad I stocked up bulbs I like while everyone was switching to leds lol.

jda · Dec 4, 2023

Did the RB settle into something that you like OK. The color can shift a bit in the first week, but they will not look like Radiums.

They are good bulbs and might pop some colors better than the Radiums did, but some folks still might not like them as much. They should be OK until Hamilton 20k is back in stock, or new Radiums.

SaracensRugby · Dec 5, 2023

They are ok, I have one radium in the center and a RB on each side. Strikingly different. If it wasn’t such a pain in the butt to swap them out of the spectra fixture, I would (I have an extra RB and 2 radium’s). Looking forward to trying the Hamiltons. It’s crazy how this fixture literally heats up my entire basement (1000 sq ft).