Magnetic or electronic ballast ?

[jessejames213]

I have a jbj viper and coralife hang on halide fixture just like the one that comes on the 28g coralife nano cube both are 150 watt HQI DE bulbs . Both fixtures have magnetic ballasts . I'm just wondering if it's worth buying a duel 150 watt electronic ballast to replace the magnetic ballasts do they reall save that much power . I have friend that is selling a used dual 150 watt galaxy electronic ballast it's in perfect working condition and looks new for 50$ I just want to see if this is a good brand or is there better ones that are better quality or that will save more power I run LEDs on all my tanks but I want a sps frag tank and think sps looks better under halides I just hate my electricity bill they bring haha thanks for any recommendations

 

[Panta rhei]

As far as I know, not only electronic are more efficient (waste less power) but the bulb will last longer too.

 

[moondoggy4]

You should pick the bulb you want to use and then match the ballast to the bulb.

 

[hobbzz]

Sanjay Joshi has a lot of info on bulb and ballast combos on the Manhattan reef clubs site. You'll have to Google it.

 

[grigsy]

$50 is a steal for a dual 150 watt galaxy mh electronic ballast even if it is used. The one thing though - those two lights you have likely wont plug directly into the galaxy ballast as the connectors are probably not the same so you will likely have to hard wire it. May be worth the $50 even if you just have it as a back up ballast.

 

[jessejames213]

Ya I will have to hard wire it and I am normally running Phoenix 14k 150de bulbs but on one of the fixtures I did buy came with a new aquamaxx 14k bulb and a AB20k but one I use up the other bulbs I'll go back to Phoenix 14 k bulbs . Anyone have experience with switching from magnetic to electric ?

 

[alton]

When I started out with MH I went with Magnetic, switched to electronic and never looked back. Most of the newer magnetic ballast are now pulse start which helps because you need to match pulse start lamps with pulse start ballast.

 

[jessejames213]

How do you know if it's a pulse start bulb like Phoenix 14k and aquamaxx 14k are they pulse start and do u know anything about galaxy electronic ballasts ? Do the really save much power ?

 

[alton]

Phoenix and Radium are Pulse, XM is probe start. Ushio I think has both? All that heat that comes off a ballast is wasted energy. Savings are about $37 in 5 years for one 250w ballast @ 10cents a KWH.

 

[jessejames213]

Wow so for 2 150 watt it would probably only save me like 40$ in 5 years! Doesn't really sound worth it unless it really drive the bulbs that much harder and makes them last a lot longer? Is it only like a little more drive on the bulbs and like a month more life in the bulb?

 

[moondoggy4]

What are the Giesemann 14k 150 watt DE bubs?

 

[jessejames213]

It is a aqualine buschki 20k bulb