20,000k MH Bulbs

[Lostreefin]

I just switched from 8 T5's to 2 250 watt de phoenix 14k's running on m80 ballasts in lumen bright mini's.
Been almost 1 month.
Coral growth is noticable and colors getting better every day.
White with a hint of blue.
They are much whiter in person. This cell pic makes it look bluer than it is.

I freaking love those pendants! Beautiful, just don't see those anymore. I had some that burned the bulb vertical and sent all the light straight down and deep.

 

[KevinC]

I'm going to take a look into XHO.

You are on Manhattan reefs too right? I saw your post before about a new tank before! You should check out TUSI tank, he got a pretty big tank running on radium t5 and led

 

[X-37B]

I freaking love those pendants! Beautiful, just don't see those anymore. I had some that burned the bulb vertical and sent all the light straight down and deep.

They are still for sale just not many people running them, lol.

 

[Lostreefin]

I run those 20k 250w Hamilton bulbs, but I thought it was a little too blue as well. I tried 10k's first with my 4 t-5's, 2 Actinic, 2 blue+, that was just a little too yellow, but the par was strong, running the 20k's now, and 14k is next, hopefully its just right.

 

[Pntbll687]

i had considered running a multi tank system with identical setups all plumbed together and have the only variable being the lighting. This was like 15 yrs ago when LEDs were just starting to come around in the hobby. I wanted to compare MHs, LEDs, and T5s. See what grew the best, see what had the best color, etc.

Experts - EcoTech Marine

ecotechmarine.com

Scroll down to spectrum and par. They compared g3 radion, halide, and t5

 

[Pntbll687]

I run those 20k 250w Hamilton bulbs, but I thought it was a little too blue as well. I tried 10k's first with my 4 t-5's, 2 Actinic, 2 blue+, that was just a little too yellow, but the par was strong, running the 20k's now, and 14k is next, hopefully its just right.

I run 14k with some actinic strips added in. The 14k is just the right amount of blue in my opinion.

 

[brick-brothers]

You are on Manhattan reefs too right? I saw your post before about a new tank before! You should check out TUSI tank, he got a pretty big tank running on radium t5 and led

Yes I'm on both. I'll check out his thread.

 

[Derek4real]

What ballast are you using for the 250w ? with 400w radiums any electronic ballast will generally be fine, but with 250w radiums you want to use pulse start magnetic M80 ballasts to get the best performance.
E ballasts will fire them and run them, but you wont get that radium "magic" that everyone raves about.

Where did you get this information? I was under the impression that HQI or Electronic ballasts were always preferred over magnetic ballasts.

 

[rc1626]

Where did you get this information? I was under the impression that HQI or Electronic ballasts were always preferred over magnetic ballasts.

I believe an HQI ballast is a magnetic ballast no? And certainly not for a 250watt Radium. M80 magnetic is always the preferred ballast. Not sure about 250watt Phoenix though. I believe those also though as they are double ended bulbs I believe.

 

[C. Eymann]

Where did you get this information? I was under the impression that HQI or Electronic ballasts were always preferred over magnetic ballasts.

Sanjay joshi did a study eons ago before LEDs in reef aquariums were a thing in which he compared output with different ballast/bulb combinations.

He taught us that ballast and bulb combo is everything, some bulbs run better on standard magnetic ballasts than they do electronic ballasts and vice versa.

HQI ballasts aren't always electronic, for instance the best ballast to run a 250w radium is a magnetic M80 pulse start "hqi" ballast. Where as a M58 magnetic probe start ballast generally wont even fire up a radium bulb.

I tried to track down Sanjays original piece that was in Reefkeeping magazine, but having trouble finding it.
Here is one that gives some of the info-

Spectral Analysis of MH Lamps:

Hope this helps

 

[delusions]

I think this is the one you were referring to Sanjay Joshi spectral analysis (there are 3 parts) or this one about reflectors Sanjay Joshi from 2012?