250 watt radium bulb running on 175 setting

[Rcollick]

I was checking the par on my lights over the weekend and I was less than impressed with the par I was getting out of this bulb. I just couldn't figure out why everyone raves about this bulb. I started looking at my luxcore select a watt ballast and noticed there were 2 more clicks to the right making it 250 hqi setting. So after 3 months I realized it was only running on 175 watts. What a difference it has made. I can't wait to check the par tomorrow. I will probably have to acclimate everything to the new settings. In case your wondering how I wouldn't notice it wasn't on the right setting. I bought the light and ballast used. It was set on 250 hqi but the marks don't line up right. Hopefully these acros will start to take off now. Do you think the bulb is ruined after under driving it for 3 months?

 

[A. grandis]

I would think that if you run a 250W bulb on a 400W setting would hurt more that what you did.
Change for the "normal setting", which is the 250W HQI for electronic ballasts, and let it run it's course.
It should be fine.
I would run less hours a day for the first week or so just to get the corals used to the regular wattage, but shouldn't be a huge deal.
The very best for the Radium is to use the M80 ballast it was designed for, but many people run them with electronic ballast like yours.

 

[jwshiver]

Being they are used bulbs and not knowing how many hours are on them I would buy new bulbs. If you do know how many hours are on them keep using them. I change my Radiums annually.

 

[jda]

Let us know what the PAR meter says. You should be near 800-1200 at the water line, with a good reflector and a good PAR meter. If less, then you might have toasted the bulbs a bit. They can burn out faster when underdriven that much. You also have no idea how old the bulbs are, for sure? MH bulbs are like buying used cars... the time on the bulbs that the seller gives you is like the car only being "highway miles."

Even the HQI setting on an electronic ballasts will not run the to full output like a m80, but it should be a lot better than before.

As for acros "taking off," that depends on a lot of things. You have one of the best lights in the world, so you can take that out of the equation. Tank maturity and water parameters are now in play. For me on the list of 10 most important things, 1-7 are lights, 8 maturity/stability, 9 water parameters, 10 flow (assuming a competent amount).