20k radium: how blue

A. grandis · Mar 11, 2020

Reef Brite fixtures should to be used with the same brand ballasts and bulbs for optimal performance. That is what the owner, Tullio Dell Aquila suggested years ago when I spoke with him. Great person and very knowledgeable in regards to light. He said he doesn't suggest any modifications (wiring, etc.). Other brand bulbs will be able to be used, but the ballast should be a Reef Brite ballast with the fixture to keep it cool and safe. It features a special ballast and fixture that is cool to the touch.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/250w...VCrisldgCN6RUKZQeSCLfzWthHaiL_dxoCKwkQAvD_BwE

15" SE Metal Halide Pendant

Reef Brite Metal Halide Fixtures are easy to mount and provide great coverage with their reflectors. The fanless design allows for passive cooling and produces up to 25% more light than other compact metal halide reflectors available. Available In: 250 Watt Single Ended 400 Watt Single Ended...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

LadyTang2 · Mar 11, 2020

A. grandis said:
Reef Brite fixtures should to be used with the same brand ballasts and bulbs for optimal performance. That is what the owner, Tullio Dell Aquila suggested years ago when I spoke with him. Great person and very knowledgeable in regards to light. He said he doesn't suggest any modifications (wiring, etc.). Other brand bulbs will be able to be used, but the ballast should be a Reef Brite ballast with the fixture to keep it cool and safe. It features a special ballast and fixture that is cool to the touch.
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/250w-metal-halide-ballast-reef-brite.html?utm_term=reef brite metal halide&utm_campaign=Search>Brand>Reef-Brite>Exact+(MAP)&utm_source=adwords&utm_medium=ppc&hsa_acc=7373341438&hsa_cam=1035682986&hsa_grp=52615105164&hsa_ad=323967827034&hsa_src=g&hsa_tgt=aud-345314144574:kwd-373827509737&hsa_kw=reef brite metal halide&hsa_mt=e&hsa_net=adwords&hsa_ver=3&gclid=CjwKCAjwmKLzBRBeEiwACCVihog_NpQZh_UHCUBEO0JWFfVCrisldgCN6RUKZQeSCLfzWthHaiL_dxoCKwkQAvD_BwE

15" SE Metal Halide Pendant

Reef Brite Metal Halide Fixtures are easy to mount and provide great coverage with their reflectors. The fanless design allows for passive cooling and produces up to 25% more light than other compact metal halide reflectors available. Available In: 250 Watt Single Ended 400 Watt Single Ended...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

and you like these better than the hamilton fixtures like the cayman or cozumel sun?

So for the MH T5 combo you'd choose hamilton, for the mh fixture only you'd choose reefbrite, right? Maybe im splitting hairs here

A. grandis · Mar 11, 2020

LadyTang2 said:
Thanks @A. grandis , Why does it say 4x54, when its 4 on each side. I see 8 but on the site it does not say 8 anywhere, weird.

Also, if you were to go MH only no T5s which unit then? Reefbrite? Hamilton? Other?

LOL! That is the reflection of the bulbs on the reflctors. The 2 inward bulbs on each side of the fixture are real bulbs.
Hamilton.

A. grandis · Mar 11, 2020

LadyTang2 said:
and you like these better than the hamilton fixtures like the cayman or cozumel sun?

So for the MH T5 combo you'd choose hamilton, for the mh fixture only you'd choose reefbrite, right? Maybe im splitting hairs here

If metal halide/T5 I would choose Hamilton Cebu or Giesemann Spectra.
If metal halide only I would choose Hamilton Cozumel.
You need to apply the right fixture to the system you will have, in terms of size of individual halide reflectors.
I gotta go work! ;Wideyed
Have a great day.

Bpb · Mar 11, 2020

I’d personally use 2 - 400 watt lumen bright large pendants with lumatek or Hamilton adjustable ballasts on a tank that size and put them 12” off the water. I don’t like how small and tight the reef brite reflectors are.

Also. That Hamilton cebu sun only has 2 bulbs on each side. You’re seeing reflections.

yeldarbj · Mar 11, 2020

Hamilton Cozumel Sun with an IceCap adjustable electronic ballast. I can't stand the hum that magnetic ballasts emit. The hqi electronic ballasts will run Radium bulbs just fine and are silent.

LadyTang2 · Mar 11, 2020

How can you dim a ballast, is it just switching it from say 400-250 manually?

I have only heard of the reefbrite ballast being able to dim via apex, it must be plugged into the powerbar for this right? Or just into the controller?

Are there any other ballast that can be automated to dim?

Bpb · Mar 11, 2020

LadyTang2 said:
How can you dim a ballast, is it just switching it from say 400-250 manually?

I have only heard of the reefbrite ballast being able to dim via apex, it must be plugged into the powerbar for this right? Or just into the controller?

Are there any other ballast that can be automated to dim?

They’re switchable via a knob

LadyTang2 · Mar 11, 2020

With this one you dont need to turn knob. Reefbrite...

It's the only one I have seen that isnt just a "turn the knob"

A. grandis · Mar 11, 2020

I got carried away with explanations of the fixtures, etc and forgot this is the 400W thread... You could follow what Bpb said on post # 25. That's a great set up using 400W bulbs.

greekspec2 · Mar 11, 2020

yeldarbj said:
Hamilton Cozumel Sun with an IceCap adjustable electronic ballast. I can't stand the hum that magnetic ballasts emit. The hqi electronic ballasts will run Radium bulbs just fine and are silent.

got a no hum M80 ballast

LadyTang2 · Mar 11, 2020

greekspec2 said:
got a no hum M80 ballast

Which ballast is that?

A. grandis · Mar 12, 2020

M80 is used for 250W Radium SE bulbs, not for the 400W.
We normally use electronic ballast for 400W bulbs.

LadyTang2 · Mar 12, 2020

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?

A. grandis · Mar 12, 2020

I'm not sure how bad that would really be (if anyone know about any studies please post here), but we know that every dimming will "work out the bulbs" and it will most likely shorten the bulbs' life somehow. In reality there is no need to dim any bulb for aquarium purposes. All the wattage available can pretty much be adapted to any type of set up balancing between photoperiod and distance, according to what you want to keep, dimensions of the tank and trype of reflector you will use.

LadyTang2 · Mar 12, 2020

Does the cebu come with a clear splash guard that covers the entire area of its dimensions protecting the Mh and T5s right? How is this removed, does it just slide off?

greekspec2 · Mar 12, 2020

LadyTang2 said:
Does the cebu come with a clear splash guard that covers the entire area of its dimensions protecting the Mh and T5s right? How is this removed, does it just slide off?

why would you purchase a Cebu over a Giesemann Infiniti or Spectra for the same cost roughly?

LadyTang2 · Mar 12, 2020

Cebu has a larger compartment with a cooling fan, so I imagine it will stay cooler than the giesemann, since T5s dont perform as well when really hot I like the cebu for cooling. I worry that 72 giesemann will be really hot with Mh and T5 on.

Cebu is a few hundred cheaper and they will include ballast and bulbs so its even cheaper after that. Gieseman only includes ballast for euro customers I heard.

I dont care how the fixtures look. Convince me otherwise/help me think it through