Lighting upgrade 250w to 400w worth it?
- Thread starter 110galreef
- Start date
110galreef
New member
So:
Radium ~ $71 last ~9 mos Most ppfd of the 3 HQI setting on Lumatek
Ushio ~ $80 last 10 mos next ppfd of the 3
XM 20K ~ $65 last 12mos least ppfd of the 3
Should XM be ran on HQi setting or regular 400w? will they still get 12 mos that way? ppfd was basically the same for these on 400w electronic or HQI ballast.
Anyone know good sales on the Radiums or Ushio?
I will try to grab one of each around and see what they look like.
Any in here familiar with the Aquastar 14.5k and the deep blue sea 20k by Neuco
Radium ~ $71 last ~9 mos Most ppfd of the 3 HQI setting on Lumatek
Ushio ~ $80 last 10 mos next ppfd of the 3
XM 20K ~ $65 last 12mos least ppfd of the 3
Should XM be ran on HQi setting or regular 400w? will they still get 12 mos that way? ppfd was basically the same for these on 400w electronic or HQI ballast.
Anyone know good sales on the Radiums or Ushio?
I will try to grab one of each around and see what they look like.
Any in here familiar with the Aquastar 14.5k and the deep blue sea 20k by Neuco
alton
Well-known member
Nice tank ridetheducati, but this post is a prime example why people need to borrow or buy a PAR meter or at least a foot candle/lux meter. On my 300 I run 3 x 250w Radium lamps on coralvue ballast. I check them with a borrowed PAR and my own footcandle meter once a month and change them when they drop 10%.
Lamp 1 lasted 12 months before dropping off 10%
Lamp 2 lasted 18 months before dropping off 10%
Lamp 3 I changed after 20 months but it only dropped 6%
No one could ever tell which lamp was newer and no color difference,
I use Lumin Bright Reflectors definitely worth every penny
Lamp 1 lasted 12 months before dropping off 10%
Lamp 2 lasted 18 months before dropping off 10%
Lamp 3 I changed after 20 months but it only dropped 6%
No one could ever tell which lamp was newer and no color difference,
I use Lumin Bright Reflectors definitely worth every penny
110galreef
New member
Sorry to beat this but does this sound right...
XM 10k 250w SE has almost double the ppfd of 182ppfd
XM 20k 400w SE?? 98ppfd
and toss in the Radium 400w SE at 147ppfd....
Are these 400w 20k's gonna be brighter still, just less PAR and bluer/better color?
or is staying 250w XM and adding actinic the way? Or will it take ALOT of acctinic to wash out the XM 10k?
XM 10k 250w SE has almost double the ppfd of 182ppfd
XM 20k 400w SE?? 98ppfd
and toss in the Radium 400w SE at 147ppfd....
Are these 400w 20k's gonna be brighter still, just less PAR and bluer/better color?
or is staying 250w XM and adding actinic the way? Or will it take ALOT of acctinic to wash out the XM 10k?
Justdrew
Dad with Triplets!
My understanding is the 400 watt Radium is not an "HQI" bulb and is designed to be run more around 360 watts. It si completely opposite the 250 watt Radium which loves being overdriven on the HQI setting. For better life I used the 400 watt setting on the select a watt and not the HQI setting when using the 400 watt Radium.
reefriot13
New member
I run 3x400w over my 150 and have left and center running radiums on a PFO pulse start and the right I just put in a 20k Ushio on a PFO pulse start ballast. I can't tell the differance between them. My large rose nem could though. It split 1 day after I swapped bulbs. I was running XM 15k before and prefer thr radiums all the way as far as growth goes. I know the radiums run brightest on a HQI ballast . The 250 w does seem exceptionaly bright too. My buddie ran a single 250w radium on a electronoc ballast over a 40b and it was 20" above tank. Seemed like it lit it up very well. He had it in a nice reflector(lumen bright or something like that)
Sent from my MB611
Sent from my MB611
110galreef
New member
Do you think I would get better color and PAR going say
A nice 14K MH like: Hamilton 14K, Ushio 14K, AquaStar 14.5K (Nueco now sold thru coralvue) or even a reeflux 12k and go with a mix of 4 80w T-5 ...Blue+ and Acctinic Bulbs
Or The 20K and use the mix of 80w T-5 like Coral plus(2), Aqua Blue Special(1), and Blue+
A nice 14K MH like: Hamilton 14K, Ushio 14K, AquaStar 14.5K (Nueco now sold thru coralvue) or even a reeflux 12k and go with a mix of 4 80w T-5 ...Blue+ and Acctinic Bulbs
Or The 20K and use the mix of 80w T-5 like Coral plus(2), Aqua Blue Special(1), and Blue+
DogueDeBordeaux
Member
Did you decide on which 400w bulb?
I have a 300g DD tank that I plan to light with three 400w radiums.
I have 250w radiums with older IC ballasts on the ends with a 400w galaxy in the middle. All 3 blend well, but the 250w are not enough to reach the bottom for sps.
I have a 300g DD tank that I plan to light with three 400w radiums.
I have 250w radiums with older IC ballasts on the ends with a 400w galaxy in the middle. All 3 blend well, but the 250w are not enough to reach the bottom for sps.
ReachTheSky
Active member
No offense but I'm curious as to why you would choose not to share it here. Do you plan on patenting the solution and making a profit?
The xm 20k bulbs are junk. I ran one of their 250 20k's for awhile, it lost over 40% of it's par output in 5 months. I run my 250 Radiums for 24 months and they lose less than 20% of their output. Remember too, the apogee par meter is off about 20% on that 400 Radium, so you are really looking almost 180 ppfd. I tested the 400 Radium on my Lumenmax reflector and Galaxy ballast and at 12" from the bulb it was putting out 2000ppfd in the center. I decided to keep the 250 Radiums as they put 1200ppfd on the surface (9" above the water) and last for a few years.
tkeracer619
New member
:lol:
Growth AND color?
Simple. Clean water, good husbandry, strong light.
If he says he came up with something new he is kidding himself. People have been doing this for a very long time. Color AND Growth DO go together. You can have one or the other but you aren't doing it right if thats the case.
Growth AND color?
Simple. Clean water, good husbandry, strong light.
If he says he came up with something new he is kidding himself. People have been doing this for a very long time. Color AND Growth DO go together. You can have one or the other but you aren't doing it right if thats the case.
110galreef
New member
I ended up starting with the XM20k for a baseline. Found a deal on 2 new bulbs for $32 each!
Tank is 66x36x24. (250g) So keep this in mind. Also I am using the Hamilton Cebu Sun system. I went this route so I can maximize spread with only 2 MH bulbs and make maintence easy with a slim light unit. Seems to have accomplished this. Individual pendants and or 3 bulbs PAR will for sure go up!
-(2) 400w SE XM 20k on lumatek select a watt at 400w setting pulls 430w bia killawatt.... 6 days old, 11" from water, NO splash sheild
-(4) t-5 80w ~ 2 weeks old. Hamilton 10k, ATI coral+, Hamilton Blue, and ATI purple+
red # all bulbs
orange # MH only
Next go around if I went from:
400w XM 20k SE unsheilded on electronic ~96ppfd....HQI 114ppfd
TO:
400w Radium SE unsheilded on electric ppfd is 123..... HQI-147ppfd
400w Reeflux 12k unsheilded on electric ppfd is 125....HQI-133ppfd
400w AquaConnect 14K SE unsheilded on electric ppfd is 143...(now neuco aquastar by coralvue)
Looks like all 3 of these will be atleast a 20% increase in output? And all should be similiar in color based on these plots. And can be easily tweaked to liking via some t-5's
Hopefully this helps!!
I think I will try the radium or reeflux next go and see how much more PAR I get. Reeflux is only like $66
110galreef
New member
well so far I am seeing great results with this new fixture and the 400w halides.
I found lowering the light about 1.5" gets me about 50 more PAR all around on avg. Suprising as I figured i would lose quite a bit around edges as the footprint is so large. Seems my thought is wrong.
I am looking to go to a 14k bulb next go get additional PAR, raise the light to reduce heat and also be able to pull my 10k t-5 and go with more acctinic or blue yet still have more PAR over the XM 20k.
I found lowering the light about 1.5" gets me about 50 more PAR all around on avg. Suprising as I figured i would lose quite a bit around edges as the footprint is so large. Seems my thought is wrong.
I am looking to go to a 14k bulb next go get additional PAR, raise the light to reduce heat and also be able to pull my 10k t-5 and go with more acctinic or blue yet still have more PAR over the XM 20k.
110galreef
New member
Just have to decide on what bulb:
400w Radium SE unsheilded on electric ppfd is 123..... HQI-147ppfd
400w Reeflux 12k unsheilded on electric ppfd is 125....HQI-133ppfd
400w AquaConnect 14K SE unsheilded on electric ppfd is 143...(now neuco aquastar by coralvue)
400w Ushio 14K
400w Radium SE unsheilded on electric ppfd is 123..... HQI-147ppfd
400w Reeflux 12k unsheilded on electric ppfd is 125....HQI-133ppfd
400w AquaConnect 14K SE unsheilded on electric ppfd is 143...(now neuco aquastar by coralvue)
400w Ushio 14K
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Ya supplement lighting with blue T5 & actinic VHO or reef bright LEDs goes a long way.
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Run the 400w radium on a HPS or ballast that overdriven it and bite the bullet for buying bulbs faster.
Otherwise a 250w 10k XM with VHO actinics & blue plus T5's. PAR monster (without added watts) & the supplement lighting helps. You will have a lot of 420nm!
There are other good bulbs out there, aqua connect, reeflux 12k, etc.
Check this out, 400w 10k XM actually increases as it ages, huh...http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/7/aafeature1
Otherwise a 250w 10k XM with VHO actinics & blue plus T5's. PAR monster (without added watts) & the supplement lighting helps. You will have a lot of 420nm!
There are other good bulbs out there, aqua connect, reeflux 12k, etc.
Check this out, 400w 10k XM actually increases as it ages, huh...http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/7/aafeature1
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