MH se bulb recommendation.... needed

[kris2001]

It's been a year since i started MH.
i have 2 of these bulbs and they promoted nice growth in my corals. Running them 3hr daily, along with 2 t5 bulbs(8 hr)... in my 75g.


250W RADIUM 20K SINGLE END BULB

Will MH stay in market or shall i buy in bulk while they last?

Need to replace now, can i buy some cheaper bulbs? I don't mind lil more blue! How is HQI?


What happens when you don't replace MH?!

Thx....
Kris

 

[alten78]

Why only run the radiums for 3 hours a day? I ran mine on my 75 with 2 t5's for 8 hours each for many years, plan on going back to this same combo with my new 120. MH isn't going anywhere so i dont see a reason to buy them in bulk.

 

[kris2001]

Why only run the radiums for 3 hours a day? I ran mine on my 75 with 2 t5's for 8 hours each for many years, plan on going back to this same combo with my new 120. MH isn't going anywhere so i dont see a reason to buy them in bulk.

Just energy bills that's all lol. Still there was amazing pe, growth.

What t5 were you using. I use aqua blue, coral plus. Both ATI.

Someone said radium stopped making bulbs.... due to LED taking over competition.... is that true...?

 

[alten78]

ATI coral+ and blue+, I may be moving to a whiter bulb as I asked this same question a few days ago.

I don't see any mention of radium to stop making halides, I do recall a few years ago being unable to find Phoenix 14k bulbs because they stopped making them but they too came back.

 

[jda]

There is no risk of MH leaving the market with the trends that we are seeing now both with a flattening of LED advancement (the promise of direct MH replacement fading) and also with more people moving to MH. The suppliers in this hobby are seeing an increase in usage and there has been newly developed bulbs and technology for them. Demand was under estimated some things have been backordered for a while and they sell out quickly when they do get in stock - bulbs, m80 ballasts, reflectors. Both Hamilton and Giesemann have new bulb lines within the last few years. People have been promising their demise for a while, but some of the same people also promised the demise of VHOs and you can still buy those and they are still manufactured. Until LED truly are the equal in the eyes of the MH consumer, then I would not worry about MH going away.

If you are happy with the Radium 20k, then stick with it. Radium never stopped making bulbs. PEC stopped, but then started to make Phoenix 14k again. XM and Aquamedic are really the only losses who left the market too soon - shame, or they could be cashing in now... they made some nice bulbs too.

Older MH bulbs have spectrum shift and output lower. Eventually, they will burn out.

 

[kris2001]

Thx...

What's longest you've gone without replacing MH bulbs without adverse effects?

Trying to save money lol. Only run 3hr daily.

When i replace i think I'll cover DT with netting to filter out light....

I don't see any other se 250w 20k .... wondering if I can try.... those for change.

 

[Centerline]

Thx...

What's longest you've gone without replacing MH bulbs without adverse effects?

Trying to save money lol. Only run 3hr daily.

When i replace i think I'll cover DT with netting to filter out light....

I don't see any other se 250w 20k .... wondering if I can try.... those for change.

Using Radium 250s I've gone well over a year at 8 hours a day. You loose a little par over time but its not a big deal. A lux or par meter will help you estimate when its time to change bulbs.

 

[jda]

You can probably use those Radium for 3 years at 3 hours a day. I use them for a year at 10 hours a day.

 

[kris2001]

You can probably use those Radium for 3 years at 3 hours a day. I use them for a year at 10 hours a day.

Good to know phew!.... that it's the cumulative time it's in use and not time since initial use.

 

[vanpire]

This is an old thread, but it might be good to restart the conversation.

The bulb that I am really warming up to is the Megachrome 17.5K Crystal 250W. I usually use Radiums and still do, but I have one spot where I have one Megachrome I used as a temporary replacement for a broken Radium. That was 2 years ago (it might be older as I bought it used), but it is doing a really good job growing SPS. It is literally crystal white, even after two years of use. I had intended to change out the 17.5K bulb to new a Radium but because it is doing such a good job, I am keeping it for now. I have, however, changed out the Radiums recently. I will see how the new Radiums grow SPS, compared with the 2 year old Megachrome.

The Radiums and Megachrome are in the same tank (different sections) and driven by Lumatek ballasts on "HQI" mode.

I am curious to what others are using... and especially those using Megachromes as I rarely hear or see these bulbs.