RADIUMs?

[BigBadZoaDaddy]

OK I have 2 400watt SE on a PFO ballast, I am thinking and tryint to sell them + 2 150 watt HQI 14K phnks!

What I am thinking of doing is going to 2 250 watt HQI DE on a track system?


NOW I am hearing a ton of good about these Radiums?

Would it be just a s good to run them on standard ballast as apposed to an HQI ballast?

ANd why do you run them on HQI ballast anyway?

 

[surfn]

radiums will look completely different depending on what ballast you run them on.

they have a 20k or higher look to them when run on a true electronic ballast (like icecap).

if you run them on an HQI ballast, it will overdrive the bulb (kinda of like how a magnetic ballast overdrives), and it will look more like a 14k. but it will severely decrease the life of the bulb.

for instance, a 250w electronic ballast when measured on a amp meter, registers right around 250w. a magnetic 250w ballast actually measures around 270-280w.

a 250w HQI ballast runs closer to around 330w.

so the higher in wattage you go, the more "umph" you are putting through that bulb, which burns off that blue pigment they put inside the bulb, and makes it look more like 14k. and if the wattage you are running on the ballast is higher than that rated for the bulb, you are going to reduce the life of the bulb.

for an HQI ballast, i wouldnt run a radium bulb any longer than 6months. at 6months (on 8hrs a day), its gonna look much less brighter, and closer to 10k by then with a HUGE drop off in PAR.

so the huge downside to these bulbs is the cost ($90), and you have to replace them every 6months.

so unless you have deep pockets and dont remind replacing expensive bulbs twice a year, if you want a 20k look you are better off to stick with XM 20k's or something else that is cheaper and will last longer.


the reason why i use a 250w radium on an HQI ballast, is b/c it has the highest PAR possible in a blue bulb in that wattage. its way higher than an XM20k, thus i can get better color and more growth out of it. and since i only have a single light over a cube tank, i only need to replace 1 bulb so its not that bad of an expense every 6 months.

 

[surfn]

btw, they only make radiums for 250w and 400w SE. (although i think i saw somewhere about a 150w DE version, but i doubt its anything like the SE counterparts in color or performance)

 

[da6d2003]

radiums will look completely different depending on what ballast you run them on.

they have a 20k or higher look to them when run on a true electronic ballast (like icecap).

if you run them /............................quote]


Wow, thanks the info I've been looking for.

 

[surfn]

radiums will look completely different depending on what ballast you run them on.

they have a 20k or higher look to them when run on a true electronic ballast (like icecap).

if you run them /............................quote]


Wow, thanks the info I've been looking for.

read this thread, its kinda long, but there is great info in it about radium bulbs and ballasts

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=828056

 

[EliteReefs]

the info above tells you all you need to know but i thought i would chime in and say that i LOVE radium bulbs. I have been running them for 6 years now and have always been one of the ones trying to make these more popular. I LOVE that i get killer color and still great growth out of my sps. IMO they are one of the best looking bulbs around. the video of the tank below is mine taken a few months ago and it is run on three 400 watt radiums IMO not to blue at all which you get from XM's. to me it is a VERY strong and crisp color.

http://media.putfile.com/Reef-video-8-27-06-Pre-stormjust-in-case

 

[BigBadZoaDaddy]

SO are your on a PFO type ballast, and what do you think your PAR is on those?

Here is the deal I am elimintanting some light to save $$ on energy, SO I guess where I am at now will be either runnin the 400s with Radiums on PFO ballast on the light mover or 2 250 watt HQIs with a Phenoiks 14K on th emover?

ANyone got any suggestions?

 

[BigBadZoaDaddy]

OK what I have Read is......

400watt SE Radiums on HQI ballast
+ side =
Better color

- side =
replaced every 6 months and cost $90
slow growth

Where would I be at + and - if I ran 400 Radium on a regular PFO ballast?

 

[surfn]

i dont think i get slow growth, maybe i do when compared to a 10k bulb, but i'm more about better color than better growth. whats the point if your corals grow fast, but look like crap? lol

if you ran radiums on a regular ballast, you would get even slower growth, probably worse color as everything would be VERY blue (so you'll lose alot of pinks and reds that wont come out very well). but you'll be able to extend your bulb life longer. IMO if you do that, you may as well get XM20k's as they are cheaper, and probably put out more PAR

 

[BigBadZoaDaddy]

thanks for all you input surfn,

I loked over Sanjays reeflight pages and I am just guessing that my PFO is MAG and the only MAG ballast he test was the MAgnetek (m59) would it be safe to say that that is close to my MAG 400watt PFO Ballast? If so yes it is crazy a 20 K XM yeild a PPFD (I am guessing that is what we are going on) of

PPFD of 128 for 400 watt 20 K XM
and PPFD of
108 on a 15K XM as For radiums they are about 80-90 PPFD on that ballast?


You think I will get just Blues and purples from the 20 K?

 

[surfn]

a standard magnetic ballast will not be able to fire a radium bulb.

if your ballast, is a PFO HQI ballast, then you are fine to run a radium bulb, as the PPFD will be higher than that of the XM 20k.

as for the 80-90 ppfd on a standard ballast for the radium, i would believe it, as its VERY blue.

 

[JGoslee]

the info above tells you all you need to know but i thought i would chime in and say that i LOVE radium bulbs. I have been running them for 6 years now and have always been one of the ones trying to make these more popular. I LOVE that i get killer color and still great growth out of my sps. IMO they are one of the best looking bulbs around. the video of the tank below is mine taken a few months ago and it is run on three 400 watt radiums IMO not to blue at all which you get from XM's. to me it is a VERY strong and crisp color.

http://media.putfile.com/Reef-video-8-27-06-Pre-stormjust-in-case

You have some nice looking fish! Great aquascaping too.

 

[BigBadZoaDaddy]

a standard magnetic ballast will not be able to fire a radium bulb.

if your ballast, is a PFO HQI ballast, then you are fine to run a radium bulb, as the PPFD will be higher than that of the XM 20k.

as for the 80-90 ppfd on a standard ballast for the radium, i would believe it, as its VERY blue.

SO radium bulb was made for HQI ballast? Wern't they around before HQIs?



OK so NEW IDEA!!.............................

If I want the blues and pinks what if I ran the 20K XM and the 10 K XM back to back under the same reflector, then put them on a mover, If I was about 12"-14" off the water (the water is 12" deep) the tank is 4'x4' if they ran down the middle of the tank I would be able to do SPS in the MID 2' and then some sps frags on the sides?

How does that sound?

 

[surfn]

SO radium bulb was made for HQI ballast? Wern't they around before HQIs?



OK so NEW IDEA!!.............................

If I want the blues and pinks what if I ran the 20K XM and the 10 K XM back to back under the same reflector, then put them on a mover, If I was about 12"-14" off the water (the water is 12" deep) the tank is 4'x4' if they ran down the middle of the tank I would be able to do SPS in the MID 2' and then some sps frags on the sides?

How does that sound?

the radium bulb is made in europe, so it was never meant to be run on an HQI ballast (hence the 4-6month life span). HQI ballasts were introduced in the US after radium bulbs had been available for quite some time . HQI ballasts are normally required to run DE bulbs, not SE bulbs.

the radium bulb, run on a proper electronic ballast or pulse start magnetic ballast, is meant to run like a normal bulb for 1 year, and it is meant to be 20k if not higher than 20k.

when run on an HQI ballast, more energy is pumped into the bulb, which gives it a 14k look, and a higher PPFD, thus a shorter life span b/c you are getting more PPFD.

but you cannot run a radium bulb on a probe start magnetic ballast (standard magnetic ballast).

(someone please correct me if i got the probe vs. pulse start ballasts backwards...i can never remember)

as far as mixing 20k and 10k bulbs, thats personal preference. but pinks are better brought out by 10k and 14k.

 

[reefermadness]

So any HQI ballast will run the radium bulb. It just pumps more juice through it, causing a depletion in the bulbs lifespan. I am in the same predicament, what type of reflector did you use for your SE bulb? Also which ballast do you run your radium on? Thanks...

 

[BigBadZoaDaddy]

Yeah SUrfin this is you HOW TO THread NOW LOL,

THanks for all the good info!

 

[surfn]

So any HQI ballast will run the radium bulb. It just pumps more juice through it, causing a depletion in the bulbs lifespan. I am in the same predicament, what type of reflector did you use for your SE bulb? Also which ballast do you run your radium on? Thanks...

yes, pretty sure any brand of HQI ballast will run a radium bulb. as far as i know, there is only 1 type of HQI ballast, which is your standard HQI ballast.

the most popular brand name is PFO (same one i have), but i've also heard of people running Blue Wave HQI ballasts also.

yes, more power is thrusted through the bulb with an HQI ballast, which thus decreases the life, but gives you better PPFD. thus the bulb runs BRIGHTER and WHITER on an HQI ballast, and DIMMER and BLUER on an electronic ballast but with longer life.



as far as reflectors for SE bulbs, there are only 2 that i would ever use. the PFO parralel reflector (which has cut outs for actinic supplements. or a full size lumenarc reflector.

 

[reefermadness]

Awesome, that made my decision much easier. Thanks for the info.