need help choosing a MH set up

[m88a2]

I want to start a 30g shallow tank (12"high) and use 250w radium bulb. I dont have any experience with MH so i'm looking for some input. I read somewhere that radiums work best with certain ballasts (i believe they said HQI?). Is this true or can i get the Lumatek 250/400 ballast from BRS and still run it the way it's supposed to? also do I have to cool the bulb/pendant if i have an open top floating canopy? do i need to cool the ballast? thanks for any input

 

[SaltedReefer]

I run a aquatic life 150w metal halide over my 27 cube. Just some input

 

[jordan banks]

I run a fishneedit 250 watt on my 29 gallon solana. Inexpensive and does the job. My coral growth is amazing.

 

[jordan banks]

I've never heard of radiums working well w certain ballast. Any ballast will do as far as I know. Radiums are expensive bulbs. Do u have a mogul or double ended? You'll have to find the appropriate fixture to fit the bulb.

 

[jordan banks]

Remember to match your light wattage with your ballast wattage capacity. No mixing!

 

[jordan banks]

What do u mean by top floating canopy? Anytime u tinker around with the light fixture you have to let it cool down or you will burn yourself. These halides get as hot as your stove top, no kidding. They can break glass if they are set too close to it just by the heat alone.

 

[buckroe07]

Radiums will give a strong blue hue when used with an electronic ballast in my experience. I have never tried one but an internet search revealed magnetic pulse start or HQI ballasts running the radium bulbs with more of a whitish blue hue. I've tried different bulbs and with my electronic ballast, XM 15k bulbs gives me the whitish blue look similar to Radiums that made them popular.

I use a Hamilton fixture with 1x250w mogul halide and 4x24w T5 HO lamps. My 15k XM buld is supplemented with 3 ATI blue plus bulbs and 1 KZ fiji purple.

The ballasts have fins on them to help dissipate the heat so you dont nead to cool them.

Hope this helps! Keep us posted on your progress!

 

[ThaBeast]

Hqi is the correct ballast for radiums

 

[hybridazn]

The radium was originally designed to run on an m80 ballast. But since they are no longer available an hqi ballast will run it very close to spec of the m80.

 

[m88a2]

by "open top floating canopy" i meant a canopy that is suspended above the tank rather than sitting directly on top and w/o top piece covering the canopy. So basically it is just the frame to hold the lighting and some siding for aesthetics

 

[m88a2]

i'll def keep the XM bulbs in mind but can anyone recommend a quality 250w HQI ballast? i've also notice the only systems offered by some of the larger venders that have HQI ballasts are DE, havent spotted any SE. Any reason for that?

 

[stiky]

Radiums are the best. I like a blue tint and the 20k's are amazing. Really pops on the reds and pink corals. They run best on electronic ballast but any will do. Electronic ballast gives even more blue tint. Can't beat em. I get mine on ebay.