Halide Hoarders unite!

[five.five-six]

I’ve started hoarding lamps several years ago. Lots of new but I’m a sucker for “barely used” radium’s. I’ll take a chance on those. I setup a test box with a light meter and sorted them by output. warn ones go in the trash and 90% or better sorted in “matched sets of 3”

Here’s my stock of 400’s

250 radium’s

3 more Newish radium’s and my random other 250’s and a ballast for testing

I’m not pulling the box down but I have a set of 3 galaxy HQI selectawatt ballasts

 

[kfisc]

That's really cool and how weird is it to remember how plentiful those things used to be?
I remember how much fun it was to build my first set of 175's out of a pair of Advance ballasts and other parts from the hardware store. I put the ballasts in a breaker box.

Doooon't drop 'em!

 

[five.five-six]

Somebody buy these before I do!!!!!

Radium 250 Watt 20K Blue Metal Halide Light Bulb - Brand New!!! | eBay

German made 250 watt HQI lamp by Radium. - Must be used with a 250 watt HQI M80 ballast or 250 watt electronic ballast - cannot be used with a probe start 250 watt M58 ballast. - Brings out fluorescence in fish and corals.

www.ebay.com

 

[Reefing102]

I don’t have pics but I have 20 250w SPS brand 10k halide bulbs. 2 additonal Hamilton cayman suns, 6 CoralVue spider reflectors for retrofit, 2 spare off brand ballasts, as well as a 2x150w DE with T5s fixture with ballasts.

 

[griss]

Here’s my stash of 175w bulbs.
8 Iwasaki Aquas
6 AquaConnect 11K
10 PlusRite 10K
8 Reeflux 12K

 

[mellotang]

I have a full Case of brand new 250 watt iwasaki 65k

 

[griss]

I have a full Case of brand new 250 watt iwasaki 65k

When I had my 200 running many years ago, I used (3) 250w 6.5K Iwasaki and (2) 400w 20K Radiums. The growth and color of the SPS were amazing.

 

[five.five-six]

When I had my 200 running many years ago, I used (3) 250w 6.5K Iwasaki and (2) 400w 20K Radiums. The growth and color of the SPS were amazing.

I’m looking at those 400W radium’s in the MP. The thing is this, my SPS are already growing faster than I want to deal with. It seems like every month I have to spend 1/2 day cutting them back and then disposing of the clippings. With 400’s I expect it will be worse.

 

[five.five-six]

So, I've been running my 250 radiums for over 2 years (possibly 3) 5.5 hrs a day on galaxy selectawatt set to HQI the inside envelop still looks good I'm wondering if I really need to replace them. I know in the old days, it was supposed to be every 9 months but my growth is still very good. then again I have a few corals which were more yellow or gold which are greener. that could be chemistry or spectrum or both. Tank still looks amazing It's not so much the $300 to buy new lamps, it's more that you just can't find them. I did just buy 3 new ones on eBay. there's 1 left for $100 +S&H

Radium 250 Watt 20K Blue Metal Halide Light Bulb - Brand New!!! | eBay

German made 250 watt HQI lamp by Radium. - Must be used with a 250 watt HQI M80 ballast or 250 watt electronic ballast - cannot be used with a probe start 250 watt M58 ballast. - Brings out fluorescence in fish and corals.

www.ebay.com

 

[Shigure]

I used to always say as long as you dont mind the heat and power consumption, halides were the way. How do you feel the modern LEDs stack up if you have experience with both?

 

[Reefing102]

So, I've been running my 250 radiums for over 2 years (possibly 3) 5.5 hrs a day on galaxy selectawatt set to HQI the inside envelop still looks good I'm wondering if I really need to replace them. I know in the old days, it was supposed to be every 9 months but my growth is still very good. then again I have a few corals which were more yellow or gold which are greener. that could be chemistry or spectrum or both. Tank still looks amazing It's not so much the $300 to buy new lamps, it's more that you just can't find them. I did just buy 3 new ones on eBay. there's 1 left for $100 +S&H

Radium 250 Watt 20K Blue Metal Halide Light Bulb - Brand New!!! | eBay

German made 250 watt HQI lamp by Radium. - Must be used with a 250 watt HQI M80 ballast or 250 watt electronic ballast - cannot be used with a probe start 250 watt M58 ballast. - Brings out fluorescence in fish and corals.

www.ebay.com

Aquabright has them in stock. It’s apparently owned by Dave and couple others who used to work at Hamilton.

Radium 250 Watt 20,000K bulb - IN STOCK

RADIUM Metal Halide 250W 20000K Bulb German made 250 watt HQI lamp by Radium Deep blue appearance Brings out fluorescence in fish and corals Provides the aquarium with an attractive, actinic look Must be used with a 250 watt HQI M80 ballast or 250 watt electronic ballast - cannot be used with a...

aquabrightsolutions.com

Edit to add: also Aquarium Specialty

Radium 250 Watt Mogul 20,000K Lamp

Radium enjoys a reputation globally as one of the most experienced brand name manufacturers of the lamp industry exporting lamps to some 60 different countries. Locally in Germany the company is recognized for its know-how, innovation and quality. For 100 years Radium’s success has been based on...

www.aquariumspecialty.com

 

[griss]

I used to always say as long as you dont mind the heat and power consumption, halides were the way. How do you feel the modern LEDs stack up if you have experience with both?

I haven’t used a much LED but, got frags from a friend that was using Reef Breeders LEDs. Under my halides, the Acros are thriving, growing and coloring up. Under his LEDs, they were just hanging on…

 

[five.five-six]

Aquabright has them in stock. It’s apparently owned by Dave and couple others who used to work at Hamilton.

Radium 250 Watt 20,000K bulb - IN STOCK

RADIUM Metal Halide 250W 20000K Bulb German made 250 watt HQI lamp by Radium Deep blue appearance Brings out fluorescence in fish and corals Provides the aquarium with an attractive, actinic look Must be used with a 250 watt HQI M80 ballast or 250 watt electronic ballast - cannot be used with a...

aquabrightsolutions.com

Edit to add: also Aquarium Specialty

Radium 250 Watt Mogul 20,000K Lamp

Radium enjoys a reputation globally as one of the most experienced brand name manufacturers of the lamp industry exporting lamps to some 60 different countries. Locally in Germany the company is recognized for its know-how, innovation and quality. For 100 years Radium’s success has been based on...

www.aquariumspecialty.com

Aquarium Specialty Says “preorder only”. I might stock up 3 more from aqua bright.

 

[five.five-six]

I used to always say as long as you dont mind the heat and power consumption, halides were the way. How do you feel the modern LEDs stack up if you have experience with both?

I think that eventually LEDs have the potential to become better than Halide for growth and health and the are far superior at making corals look like a day glow electric daisy carnival exhibit but for the foreseeable future, nothing touches halide for replicating a natural reef lighting.


LED are great. They dost a bunch more upfront but you have no lamps to replace and they only use about 1/2 the pow and create about 1/3-1/2 the heat. LED are king of the hill making coral “pop”. Unnaturally so but a lot of people love that look.

 

[Hong Kong]

As my first aquarium had one of the best design pendant Metal Halide lamp from UK
so called Arcadia i purchased in 1995 one and all start growing incredible than before
with 2 neon blue T5.
Nothing can change pure natural daylight sun as MHi lamp.

This in 1990' was roys roys in MHI lights design

Arcadia Series 4 Pendant 110cm 2x150w 2x39w T5 AJ21BS1M Marine Lighting Coral | eBay

And mine 150 W also Arcadia in 1998 from Hi8 video tape shoot

Now the other best producer from Germany Giesemann purchased last year for new aquarium in progress.
250 W + 4 t5 Blue neon

 

[five.five-six]

So, I bought a par meter and was going to change out my radiums after 3 years, 6 hrs a day HQI setting on galaxy selectawatt ballasts, well, turns out the one brand new lamp was almost 2% brighter than the old one I tested. Let’s see if I get 4 years out of them.

Also, seems like Halide is gaining in popularity like vinyl records.

 

[Reefing102]

I think there will always be a niche market for halide. I can’t attribute my success to just halide, but I’ve had some of the best success I’ve ever had in the saltwater hobby since I’ve had them.

 

[griss]

I think there will always be a niche market for halide. I can’t attribute my success to just halide, but I’ve had some of the best success I’ve ever had in the saltwater hobby since I’ve had them.

Completely agree. That's why I've been a hold out. Yes, I know even with electronic ballasts they use more energy than LED. But, with the success I've had with them over the last 30+ years it's well worth it to me.

 

[Hong Kong]

First Arcadia 150 W in 1995 approved that only the direct sun can change high level of Mhi and can't forgot daughter friend from school in Italy asked us to share some green algae Caulerpa to their aquarium...as I need to prone cut it weekly how was growing...
Than mother of her say ah after a week in our aquarium all dies...I go one day we enter living room in Middle of day all dark inside she rise windows rollers and switch neon on aquarium...

Lol I asked what she is doing? Light need to be 10 h a day min. 8 to have proper photosynthesis ect...she replied : ah we get too much to pay electricity.

I never gave to her any animal or algae anymore...stingy people can't have hobby with live animals. Dot. Grrrr

 

[Hong Kong]

Anyway my new aquarium is just 1 m from direct sunlight windows special one and the best ever grow was with direct sunlight. MHi will be really on at morning and afternoon I think let's see how much light will be at midday.
Need to plan light timer properly as MHi don't like to be on off frequently as this destroying lamp very fast. Each start leaving marks inside bulb...
Algae and direct sun is bla bla had in 2005 and when water parameters are good no algae at all. Zebrasoma flavscent and some other cleaning well around.

Many LED lovers make panic to me wow you will have to pay lot of electricity ect ect...give me a break the same in 2006 in Slovenia when 90% of people purchasing tractor diesel cars I choose Petrol and enjoying

LED bigger size consume also a lot of energy especially producing nice heat.
And spectrum of luna park Disnyland on corals what is never natural but Monty Piton circus I don't like. Fuj awfully fluorescent colours...are you guys ever snorkeling in sea? This colours don't exist in sea.