new reflectors or raium bulbs

[bamastunter]

ok I'm about to buy one or the other I have spider reflectors now what I was wondering was would you get better reflectors 1st like lumenark or the radium bulbs your input is always greatly appreciated

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

How old are your current bulbs?

 

[bamastunter]

2 months but they are ebay bulbs same ones tomoko (sp) uses so I've got 30 bucks in them shipped

 

[BHAMR6]

Dont listen to Rev he didnt even make it to our first frag swap... And he owes me some casino cash !!! :bigsmile:

If your happy w/th the bulbs you have for now then i would get the reflectors and next time you replace the bulb get the Radiums..

I would do what ever i had to just end up w/th Radiums and good reflectors you will never look back

 

[JR's Reef]

Reflectors will help out alot to get more light in the tank but there not going to change the color of the bulb. If you want to do Radiums make sure you have a ballast that will fire them

 

[bamastunter]

I picked a galaxy dual 250 when i thought my old one was on the blink so i should be good to go there

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I hear that a lot of people are switching to Radium bulbs. But, every 250W Radium bulbs that I saw on electronic ballasts look rather dim to me. They look a lot dimmer and bluer than 20K XM bulbs. I understand that a 400W Raidum on HQI ballast (M80) is very bright and white with a nice blue tint, but I cannot stand the noise that an M80 ballast puts out.

What ballast are you using, Joey08?

 

[JR's Reef]

What ballast are you using, Joey08?

When I was running Radiums I used the galaxy but I changed over to a ATI T5 fixture. I got tired of fighting to keep my tank cool. Now I have to use a heater just to keep it at 76. On the nano I use a current E ballast with a phoenix

 

[BHAMR6]

I bought joey08 galaxy ballast and reflectors and radium bulbs and love it..
He also sent me with some xm20k and there was no comparison in the 2

 

[Tomoko Schum]

I believe that those Radium bulbs that I saw were fired by Ice Cap electronic ballasts. I understand that ballast and bulb combination makes a big difference. I have to take a look at radium bulbs on other ballasts. The radium bulbs that I saw recently on one of H@rry's tanks looks bluer and dimmer than my 20K XM bulbs did on my Ice Cap ballasts. My cheap ebay 14K bulbs are holding up well after 6 months - still looking pretty bright with nice blue tint. I'd like to compare them to Phoenix SE bulbs when the Phoenix bulbs come down in price some more.

 

[BHAMR6]

Tomoko,

I would like to see the phoenix se bulbs in person i bet they would look good.. I see alot of people talking about those ebay bulbs but I haven't had a chance to see any on a tank