20k radium: how blue

[greekspec2]

These are correct ballast and ignitors to correctly operate the 250w single or double ended German pulse start........Radium, Ushio, BLV, Giesemann, Osram, Philips, Narva, Aqualine Burske, Aqua Connect, Arcadia it's exactly what they use in Europe to operate the bulbs now are you confused.

 

[LadyTang2]

Is that greek, I am feeling methismenos

 

[greekspec2]

lol no German made

 

[A. grandis]

About this supposed m80 superiority for 250w radiums, is this still better than the hqi or 275w settings on electronic ballasts? Is there something more about the magnetic, aside from the watts that makes it better than the electronic?

When 400w radium come up there less of an insistence on using magnetic ballasts, more people say they the electronic is just as good although I've only read so many reviews. Why?

The Radium is the only SE 250W bulb that needs a M80 ballast because it was designed for that ballast. So if you want to get the best out of the Radium bulbs you will need to use the M80. It runs about 328 - 330W.
You can run the electronic on "Super lumens" setting, but it's not quite the same. But you "can".
Luxcore electronic runs about 275W on "250W regular setting".
Those are for 250W bulbs.

 

[LadyTang2]

Thanks Grandis, do you know if its also true for the 400s? That the best out of them is the m155 over the m135 and inferior to both of these would be electronic?

 

[A. grandis]

Thanks Grandis, do you know if its also true for the 400s? That the best out of them is the m155 over the m135 and inferior to both of these would be electronic?

Radium 400W bulb is made for M135 ballast. But you can use electronic because it's not a HQI type of bulb, like the Radium 250W. Most people just use electronic for all 400W bulbs.

 

[A. grandis]

You can follow what Bpb said on post #25 without a problem using 400W bulbs and an electronic ballast.
Lumen Bright reflectors:

 

[A. grandis]

Where is jda? Hope he is doing great!

 

[greekspec2]

The Radium is the only SE 250W bulb that needs a M80 ballast because it was designed for that ballast. So if you want to get the best out of the Radium bulbs you will need to use the M80. It runs about 328 - 330W.
You can run the electronic on "Super lumens" setting, but it's not quite the same. But you "can".
Luxcore electronic runs about 275W on "250W regular setting".
Those are for 250W bulbs.

dude your info is off all the bulbs I listed above which are all mfg by BLV except the Radium , Philips and Osram which they no longer make aquatic HID bulbs and regardless of DE or SE are ment for a standard Euro pulse start or M80 NA ballast.

Fact BLV/Ushio never endorsed electronic ballast for there bulbs because none of the mfg's could or would supply them with spec's from there ballast.

 

[A. grandis]

dude your info is off all the bulbs I listed above which are all mfg by BLV except the Radium , Philips and Osram no longer make aquatic HID bulbs and regardless of DE or SE are ment for a standard Euro pulse start or M80 NA ballast.

Fact BLV/Ushio never endorsed electronic ballast for there bulbs because none of the mfg's could or would supply them with spec's from there ballast.

We don't use BLV, Phillips, Osram and HID in US, dude.
Edit: Where did you see the names of the bulbs? Link the reference, please. Each of those bulbs have different ballast recommendation.

 

[greekspec2]

We don't use BLV, Phillips, Osram and HID in US, dude.
Edit: Where did you see the names of the bulbs? Link the reference, please.

if you ever used a Ushio,Giesemann,Aqualine Burske, Aqua Connect, Arcadia then it's a BLV mfg bulb.

 

[A. grandis]

Ballast recommendation for the SE 250W bulbs used in US:
Radium is M80.
Ushio is M58.
Giesemann is M80 (yes, I forgot this one was actually a M80, sorry).
Hamilton is M58.
Ballast recommendation for the SE 250W bulbs we normally don't use in US today:
BLV is M80.
Aquaconnect is M80.
Aqualine Buschke is M138/M153, better used on M80

 

[LadyTang2]

OK maybe it would be easiest if someone could answer me in this format and just say more blue or more white or something
250w radium on M80:
250w radium 250 hqi electronic:
400w radium on M135:
400w radium on electronic 400w:
(I heard over-driving the 400 is a bad idea from an old @jda post so I'll leave that one out)

 

[A. grandis]

OK maybe it would be easiest if someone could answer me in this format and just say more blue or more white or something
250w radium on M80:
250w radium 250 hqi electronic:
400w radium on M135:
400w radium on electronic 400w:
(I heard over-driving the 400 is a bad idea from an old @jda post so I'll leave that one out)

In regards to this white/blue deal you are talking about it's totally relative. The difference between the ballasts you will use is little in that regard.
With the 400W bulbs for the 30" deep tank (post number 6) you can just get the electronic ballast and use the Radium or a Hamilton 20000K. You are making a big deal out of nothing.

 

[Bpb]

If it were me. Big 20” pendants. 400 watt adjustable ballasts. Buy radiums if you want them. Or if you want to pay a little less try out some Hamilton 20k or 14k

 

[A. grandis]

If it were me. Big 20” pendants. 400 watt adjustable ballasts. Buy radiums if you want them. Or if you want to pay a little less try out some Hamilton 20k or 14k

And call it a great day.

 

[Jeeperz]

Is dimming by switching the knob from 400 to 250 or 250 to 175 in order to dim it bad for the bulb or the system in any way?

I read someone saying this was not a good idea but did not give an explanation, true or false?

I know overdriving or using super lumens on mh/HPS bulbs drastically shortens their useable life, lumen depreciation excelerates. Not sure about reduced wattage but I bet spectral output shifts significantly since the bulbs are designed to work at a certain wattage

 

[JoshH]

Sorry, I meant it as a joke. I have the same switchable ballast but an Icecap. I run 14k Phoenix bulbs and love them.

So you're really liking your 14k Phoenix bulbs with the Icecap ballast? This was the setup I was looking at using and haven't been able to find someone that has it to see what they think

 

[Jeeperz]

The Radium is the only SE 250W bulb that needs a M80 ballast because it was designed for that ballast. So if you want to get the best out of the Radium bulbs you will need to use the M80. It runs about 328 - 330W.
You can run the electronic on "Super lumens" setting, but it's not quite the same. But you "can".
Luxcore electronic runs about 275W on "250W regular setting".
Those are for 250W bulbs.

I agree, the best performance will be from whatever ballast the bulbs were engineered for. Some bulbs have a shorter life or different spectral output when run on digital ballasts, some bulbs work better on digital vs cap/core ballasts. If the bulb was designed for digital it's best to use a digital. If a bulb was engineered for a m80 ballast, that's the best to use, not saying others won't work though.

Digital ballasts do make a high pitch noise, all of them. Whether or not some can hear it is another issue. They can also interfere with tv/radio, I know mine did.

 

[RCS82]

So you're really liking your 14k Phoenix bulbs with the Icecap ballast? This was the setup I was looking at using and haven't been able to find someone that has it to see what they think

I dont have much experience other then the Phoenix bulb but it is great. And being in Canada it's not like I can just go to the LFS and pick up a different bulb to try.