Best bulb if you cant run Radiums

TonyB · May 9, 2009

Hmmm, good suggestion. Why is it that some say the M80 will fire them and other say it wont? The ballast is a blue wave 7 if it makes a difference.

When you say the bulbs are the same do you mean spectrum and intensity wise or the bulb itself? Would be nice if it was the same exact bulb for $35

Have you tested it with a PAR meter side by side with a real Radium?

GSMguy · May 10, 2009

M-80 is spec from the manufacturer, all M-80 labeled ballasts will fire it, blue waves are a great choice. I've never seen the reefoptics in person so I can't comment.

M-80 is not a brand it's an industry standard designation all m-80 ballasts will perform similarly but of course there are differences as far as cooling and build quality maybe.

This info on bulb life comes from my uncle who has sold lightbulbs commercially for 17 years and the experience of myself and my friends.

TonyB · May 10, 2009

Very good. Getting ready to start switching things out right now. I will update with some info. I've got a PAR meter so I'll post my values with my current setup, radiums on coralvues and the radiums on the M80.

Thanks for all of the info. This place is great.

GSMguy · May 10, 2009

I'm interested to see how much the par increases, the bulbs run whiter to the eye on m-80.

Do you have a killawatt meter? The coralvue e-ballast is said to run slightly overdeiven at 260w

BHAMR6 · May 10, 2009

I think that i have read that the Radium bulb par levels are higher than any other 20k.. If i was going to get new ballast and wanted to go the
m-80 who makes a good one

Reef Pets · May 10, 2009

Ushio

GSMguy · May 11, 2009

BHAMR6 said:
I think that i have read that the Radium bulb par levels are higher than any other 20k.. If i was going to get new ballast and wanted to go the
m-80 who makes a good one

um i use aquamedic oceanlight ballasts but the SLS blue wave7 is a good one, the old PFO HQI ballast works well if you can find one it might be on clearance.