Age old question 250 watt or 400 watt

[SeargentSlice]

Don't run a 250w Radium on an M58 ballast. Ever. You can run it on an M80, S50, or any electronic ballast (although one with HQI or super lumens is best).

Is there any danger associated with running them on the M 58? I have a friend doing it it for over a year if there is I'd like to let him know.

 

[stancfii]

Is there any danger associated with running them on the M 58? I have a friend doing it it for over a year if there is I'd like to let him know.

Are you positive it is an M58? If so, he's lucky to get them to fire. You seriously risk damaging the bulb and drastically shortening its life by running it on the m58 (if you can at all).

 

[SeargentSlice]

Are you positive it is an M58? If so, he's lucky to get them to fire. You seriously risk damaging the bulb and drastically shortening its life by running it on the m58 (if you can at all).

I'm not absolutely positive but I would assume being that's what comes factory with the Cebu sun. I see the difference between the puls and probe start I'll have to let him know never crossed my mind. I planned on getting electronic for my metal halide's so I never researched Magnetic thx again.

 

[Zacktosterone]

So you guys are positive a 250 watt is the right move over 120gallon? It wouldn't be better to go to something like an ati led power module?

 

[scrapz]

Ati pm would be better coverage than mh for your tank. My vote goes to ati. Covering my 36x36 required 400w, no way could it cover 48" properly with just 1 mh.

 

[reefmutt]

i thought you were running two?
one isn't enough..
if you are doing one then t5 would be better imo..

 

[Zacktosterone]

i thought you were running two?
one isn't enough..
if you are doing one then t5 would be better imo..

Guys... I'm talking about running 2 250 watts over a tank ... Not a single. When I said "a" I was talking about the bulb type, not the amount of bulbs

 

[reefmutt]

ok.. personally, the ultimate would be the 2 250w mh and 2 or 4 t5..
you get the shimmer and the warm luv of mh and the fill of t5.
But you cannot go wrong with full t5.. your corals will thrive under either..

 

[M007]

^+1:thumbsup:

 

[scrapz]

ok.. personally, the ultimate would be the 2 250w mh and 2 or 4 t5..
you get the shimmer and the warm luv of mh and the fill of t5.
But you cannot go wrong with full t5.. your corals will thrive under either..

That or 2x400w if you can hande the heat. Qattage is going to be the samw. Going to say it again, 400w radium color is just nice and crisp.

 

[Zacktosterone]

pretty dang even results at 13-13 lol.

NEW FACTOR!! i have a 72x36x27 reef tank that I'm going to be adding 2X metal halides to along with 3 radion g3 pros.

-which reflector thats big enough to cover that spread while still being able to add the 3 radions?
-which radium? 250 or 400
what ballast????

 

[scrapz]

pretty dang even results at 13-13 lol.

NEW FACTOR!! i have a 72x36x27 reef tank that I'm going to be adding 2X metal halides to along with 3 radion g3 pros.

-which reflector thats big enough to cover that spread while still being able to add the 3 radions?
-which radium? 250 or 400
what ballast????

Choosing your reflectors depends on how high you need to mount your radions.

I use a lumenbright large over 36x36 @ 16" from bottom of reflector to water line. t's enough coverage but you will get a /-\ type of coverage that is pretty apparent unless you mount it higher. With this reflector it's really hard to fit anymore supplement lighting besides maybe 2 t5s in the front and back.

For your setup, I'd recommend finding someone with the old Lumenmax 2 reflectors. They are small in footprint and provide fairly good coverage when mounted lower.

400w all the way for color/growth but you're supplementing with 3 radions so maybe 250w may be a better fit.

For ballast - From blueuest to whitest IME.
Hamilton - Icecap - Lumatek - Galaxy. I've use the galaxy selectable at the highest setting for my 400w setup, it's given me the best growth and color.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Choosing your reflectors depends on how high you need to mount your radions.

I use a lumenbright large over 36x36 @ 16" from bottom of reflector to water line. t's enough coverage but you will get a /-\ type of coverage that is pretty apparent unless you mount it higher. With this reflector it's really hard to fit anymore supplement lighting besides maybe 2 t5s in the front and back.

For your setup, I'd recommend finding someone with the old Lumenmax 2 reflectors. They are small in footprint and provide fairly good coverage when mounted lower.

400w all the way for color/growth but you're supplementing with 3 radions so maybe 250w may be a better fit.

For ballast - From blueuest to whitest IME.
Hamilton - Icecap - Lumatek - Galaxy. I've use the galaxy selectable at the highest setting for my 400w setup, it's given me the best growth and color.

Great info!!! What about a Lumen bright mini reflector or something from hamilton, for reflectors.

Why galaxy and not the m80 like mentioned? Unless going 400 watt then it will be different

 

[scrapz]

Convenience I guess. Getting a true m80 is much harder to find then a Galaxy. It runs at about 450-470w so it gives me that crisper white look I like. Bulb color shift does occur faster and bulb life is reduced but growth is worth it to me.