Best MH bulb besides radium? HELP!

[cplatts32]

Wondering what all of you think the best bulb is besides the radium 20k? I do not have a M80 ballast and don't want to sacrifice the PAR loss from running on my electronic ballast. I have a Hamilton set- watt ballast. 250s single end bulbs. I hate the bulb I have now (Hamilton 10k) and want to change (too yellow/white). I like a bluer look.

I have done so much research, I am more at a loss now than I was when I first began research!!! Please help with any suggestions what you're running. I realize there are many differences/components with what ballast and bulb you run, which is why included my ballast type.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

 

[Akida17th]

Giesemann and Phoenix, Giesemann was my favorite 17k & 12k (great par) was awesome and the Phoenix was also a favorite of mine. The Radium bulb was too blue for my liking.

 

[cplatts32]

Giesemann and Phoenix, Giesemann was my favorite 17k & 12k (great par) was awesome and the Phoenix was also a favorite of mine. The Radium bulb was too blue for my liking.

Forgot to add, running mogul system. Thanks for the input. Hoping to get something a little cheaper than $100 bulbs through giesemann and Phoenix doesn't make SE bulbs right?

 

[hybridazn]

There is a SE phoenix 14k bulb

 

[cplatts32]

There is a SE phoenix 14k bulb

Tough to find though correct? From what I've read it has been discontinued.

 

[Akida17th]

Giesemann makes SE bulbs sold now from coralvue I believe but you pay for quality my friend. Not saying there aren't bulbs that are good and cheaper but usually you get what you pay for.

 

[cplatts32]

Giesemann makes SE bulbs sold now from coralvue I believe but you pay for quality my friend. Not saying there aren't bulbs that are good and cheaper but usually you get what you pay for.

I am a total believer in you get what you pay for! Just was hoping for more in the 60-80 range lol

What about the reeflux?

 

[cplatts32]

The reeflux 20k and XM20k is kind of what I've narrowed it down to. The problem is that I can't find any PAR research with my ballast and those bulbs. I know they all drastically vary.

 

[hybridazn]

Tough to find though correct? From what I've read it has been discontinued.

Ugh, yes. I know they brought back the de bulb but I guess not the se bulb. Oh well I guess

 

[reefrider777]

I run 14K Hamiltons and I am satisfied with the color

 

[Howard1234a]

Wondering what all of you think the best bulb is besides the radium 20k? I do not have a M80 ballast and don't want to sacrifice the PAR loss from running on my electronic ballast. I have a Hamilton set- watt ballast. 250s single end bulbs. I hate the bulb I have now (Hamilton 10k) and want to change (too yellow/white). I like a bluer look.

I have done so much research, I am more at a loss now than I was when I first began research!!! Please help with any suggestions what you're running. I realize there are many differences/components with what ballast and bulb you run, which is why included my ballast type.

Any input is greatly appreciated!

Run the Radiums with that Hamilton electronic ballast. It is true that you do lose some par. You also produce the most blue with this combo (which makes the best coral color). I have the same light (Cebu Sun) and called Hamilton directly before changing from my 14k's.

 

[cplatts32]

Run the Radiums with that Hamilton electronic ballast. It is true that you do lose some par. You also produce the most blue with this combo (which makes the best coral color). I have the same light (Cebu Sun) and called Hamilton directly before changing from my 14k's.

See, I thought about doing this but the PAR differences are tremendous between the M80 ballast and standard electronic. Even the HQI or super lumens settings would be better, unfortunately my ballast is set at 250 watts.

Howard, do you have the new ballast where you can use "select a watt" ?

 

[cplatts32]

I think I'll call Hamilton as well

 

[cplatts32]

I run 14K Hamiltons and I am satisfied with the color

Do you have any pics of your tank?

 

[Howard1234a]

See, I thought about doing this but the PAR differences are tremendous between the M80 ballast and standard electronic. Even the HQI or super lumens settings would be better, unfortunately my ballast is set at 250 watts.

Howard, do you have the new ballast where you can use "select a watt" ?

I do not. No par meter either. My tank is mostly SPS with some Acan's and a few polyps. What I can tell you is that the corals really love the light. They are growing faster than with the 14k's and are coloring up even better. You are running halides, you can keep anything. I also switched my t-5's for a bluer light. I like it (not a rediculous blue like with LED's, but very blue). I do plan to switch two of my 4 t-5's for 10k's to get a little more white. My Wife prefers the whiter light. The radiums will stay long term. Without the blue from the t-5's; you would be surprised how white Radiums actually are.

There was a time that I only ran Iwasaki's which are 6500k's and provide even higher par (was using Icecap Iwasaki electronic ballast). I really don't think it matters. The 6500's had great growth, and produced ugly color (aside from my clams which looked awesome under 6500's). That tank was only 16 inches deep while the tank I have now is about 26 inches deep. Both tanks were 250 watt halides. Pick up some radium bulbs from Hamilton. You will be happy with them.

 

[mcarroll]

The reeflux 20k and XM20k is kind of what I've narrowed it down to. The problem is that I can't find any PAR research with my ballast and those bulbs. I know they all drastically vary.

It's been a while for me, can you define drastic?

Without knowing that answer I would suggest that both of your options would be very worthy for you to try for one go around.

 

[cplatts32]

It's been a while for me, can you define drastic?

Without knowing that answer I would suggest that both of your options would be very worthy for you to try for one go around.

What I mean is that each bulb carries a different PAR with different ballast's. So there are a ton of different variables. Even on studies I've seen, different bulbs on different electronic ballast can be quite a bit different. But I think I've made up my mind. I'm going to go with the radiums [emoji23]

 

[cplatts32]

I do not. No par meter either. My tank is mostly SPS with some Acan's and a few polyps. What I can tell you is that the corals really love the light. They are growing faster than with the 14k's and are coloring up even better. You are running halides, you can keep anything. I also switched my t-5's for a bluer light. I like it (not a rediculous blue like with LED's, but very blue). I do plan to switch two of my 4 t-5's for 10k's to get a little more white. My Wife prefers the whiter light. The radiums will stay long term. Without the blue from the t-5's; you would be surprised how white Radiums actually are.

There was a time that I only ran Iwasaki's which are 6500k's and provide even higher par (was using Icecap Iwasaki electronic ballast). I really don't think it matters. The 6500's had great growth, and produced ugly color (aside from my clams which looked awesome under 6500's). That tank was only 16 inches deep while the tank I have now is about 26 inches deep. Both tanks were 250 watt halides. Pick up some radium bulbs from Hamilton. You will be happy with them.

Thank you! I think this is what I'll do, I appreciate it

 

[mcarroll]

What I mean is that each bulb carries a different PAR with different ballast's. So there are a ton of different variables. Even on studies I've seen, different bulbs on different electronic ballast can be quite a bit different. But I think I've made up my mind. I'm going to go with the radiums [emoji23]

I was a pretty die-hard Radium customer in my MH days - expensive, but good choice!

IIRC, with "standard" electronic ballasts they're going to run at the nominal power (250w, in your case?) rather than the design power (270w, I think) and they will be a bit bluer that way. (To make things confusing, some electronic ballasts have something like a "270 mode" to emulate a magnetic ballast's output, so keep that in mind.)

The reason I asked about the "drastic" you had in mind is that I don't remember the differences being actually all that drastic in the scheme of things.

 

[cplatts32]

I was a pretty die-hard Radium customer in my MH days - expensive, but good choice!

IIRC, with "standard" electronic ballasts they're going to run at the nominal power (250w, in your case?) rather than the design power (270w, I think) and they will be a bit bluer that way. (To make things confusing, some electronic ballasts have something like a "270 mode" to emulate a magnetic ballast's output, so keep that in mind.)

The reason I asked about the "drastic" you had in mind is that I don't remember the differences being actually all that drastic in the scheme of things.

Yeah this is what I've heard as well. But what I've researched is actually that the radium bulb is designed to go with the M80 magnetic ballast which overrides the bulb wattage to 330 W which pushes more white through the bulb. This setup shows PAR at at least 400. I think the select watt or super lumens (new ballast's) is where the the wattage runs at 270 and PAR is high 300s. Standard electronic ballast range with PAR from low 200s to mid 300s.

I may have over exaggerated the word "drastic", because even with the lowest reading on electronic ballast's, that's still plenty of photosynthesis occurring to make any coral survive or thrive.

I'm just over researching this because I'm impatient and like fast coral growth [emoji13].

Eventually I'll upgrade to HQI ballast's and run them with the radiums but I think they'll do just fine. Just trying to get the best bang for my buck.

Thanks everyone for the input.

On a different note, you said "in your halide days"? Have you switched lighting? LED or T5? Or out of the hobby?