20k radium on fishneedit ballast

[Mr. D]

I have a 150 watt fixture and ballast straight from fishneedit.com. It's an hqi ballast I believe. I like the blue look of actinic in my tank, so I'm not too worried about that.

From everyone's experience, will I like this using this bulb in your opinion? I'll he coming from leds. Originally a t5 guy before that. Thanks!

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[Reefing Madness]

20k Radium is an awesome color. I use 22k over my tank, very true blue, but the 20k is a fantastic color.

 

[Mr. D]

Thanks. Anyone else?

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[CoryC]

an expensive but very popular bulbs with great results. seased's tank uses them.

 

[ritter6788]

The 150w Radium is horrible for growth (was for me and my setup anyways). The color is outstanding though. Works great for softies and LPS but if you're growing SPS then they need to be really high up and even then you won't get the growth that another 150w bulb will provide.

My favorite 150w bulb was the Phoenix 14k. Very blue but great color and growth.

 

[NeveSSL]

If you like blue, you will like the 20k Radium. Very popular bulb, especially the 250w.

Brandon

 

[Mr. D]

Thanks for the replies. I've considered the 14k pheonix, but in person they do not look as blue as advertised. Hard choice. For me.

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[ritter6788]

I've got pics of my tank with 150w radiums and 150w Phoenix. I'll put comparisons up for you tomorrow when I'm not on my phone. The 150w Phoenix was way more blue than the radium with my ballast.

 

[Mr. D]

Cool. Look forward to them!

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[mcarroll]

The gold standard for pre-LED reef lighting. Still what most reefers are trying to emulated with their LED's.

Since any bulb is only a 6-month "commitment" you should definitely try them.

I will, however, add that on an HQI ballast, the 150's and 250's run extra bright - about 180 watts for the 150 version. This makes them burn a little whiter compared with a US standard magnetic ballast or electronic ballast.

Coming from years of Radium bulbs, LED's are the only other thing I'd run.

Home this helps!

-Matt

 

[Mr. D]

Thanks for the input Matt. So from what you said, since I have an electronic ballast, I'll be a 150 watt bulb more on the blue side?

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[ritter6788]

The advice you are getting is from users of 250w Radiums, (which is a great bulb). The 150w version is not IMO. My corals completely stopped growing when I switched to the Radium.

Here are my pics of 150w MHs over my 75 years ago.

These are on HQI Coralife ballasts,

Phoenix 14k

Radium 20k

I liked the color more with the Radium but the Phoenix was far better for growth.

You may have better results than I did but I would skip the 150w Radium if I had to do it again.

 

[Mr. D]

Thank you for the pictures. The radium does look more crisp in the pics, but I will be going with the pheonix 14k. Try it out and see what happens for me.

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[NeveSSL]

Personally, I think the Phoenix 14k is where its at for 150w fixtures. Loved the one I had.

Brandon

 

[mcarroll]

Just for clarity, I ran two 150-watt Radiums off of Coralife HQI ballasts - not the 250's. Was just saying the 150's and 250's are built similarly to run at higher than their nominal wattage when on an HQI ballast, which also cuts the blue a little relative to a non-HQI ballast that runs them at the nominal wattage. Their 400-watt bulb is very different from either.

FWIW, growth was always very good with the dual 150-watt Radium setup. If my growth was any better I'm not sure what I would have done. LOL.

Honestly, since Radiums were so expensive I tried a few other 20kK bulbs, including Coralife, XM and I think one or two others. I didn't have growth issues with any of them....just color. From my recollection, the XM was probably my second favorite. Certainly lots of folks have been happy with the Phoenix (which I never tried), and for the price I can understand it. Depends on your eye and how much "perfect" color is worth I suppose.

Good luck!

-Matt

 

[Mr. D]

Thanks for the input. I will more than likely try the radium later on, but I'm sure the wife would be happier if I went the cheaper route for once with my tank.

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[jedimasterben]

Here, the term 'HQI' for 150w and 250w designates an M81 and M80 magnetic ballast, respectively. The 150w Radium was designed to be pushed to 160w on an M81 pulse start ballast and will not run properly on any other.

Facts of Light – Part 5: Everything You Need to Know About Metal Halide Lamps and Ballasts by Sanjay Joshi - Reefkeeping.com


EDIT: But, it looks like the FNI ballast is electronic, not magnetic.

 

[mcarroll]

It'll run on an American ballast, but at the lower power it's bluer. An electronic ballast is a toss-up as some now come with an "HQI mode" for just such an occasion.

-Matt