Radium ballasts and bulb combos

[Bdial]

I have joined the radium mh club. I have 2x250 radiums running off of hamilton m80s ballasts. For t5s I am using hamilton 420 and 460 bulbs. Two of each. I want more blue. I'm going to replace the hamilton t5s with ati in the next couple weeks. So what should I get? Coral plus? Super blue? No idea.
Also the hamilton m80s are super bulky and seem to get excessively hot. Is there a more efficient ballast for the radiums or is the m80 the beeze neeze. I'm already using a couple small fans between my lights and water and on my mh ballasts. Temps don't go above 79.4.

 

[thi7b]

I'm running the radium on a galaxy ballast with ati blue plus T5.

 

[Arkayology]

Get some blue+ and actinic bulbs imo. The coral plus will provide more white with a slightly pinkish color.

 

[Bdial]

The color with just the radiums is a very crisp white with some blue. The t5s now add just a bit extra of blue but two of the bulbs look almost pink when lit. I think I may just replace the 420 bulbs with two blue+ and go from there.
How's the bulbs with the galaxy ballast? I know the m80s are supposed to overdrive the bulbs. I have a 31" tall tank and I need that extra mmpphh.

 

[SPotter]

I'm running my radiums on galaxy ballasts and use blue + and giesemann super actinics.

 

[Jeremy B.]

The M80 ballast is the spec ballast for the 250w Radium, it does not overdrive them. If you want them to be a bit more blue then run them on an electronic ballast such as the Galaxy like SPotter is, or on the standard 250w setting of an electronic select-a-watt ballast. You could also run them on an M153 pulse start magnetic ballast for the same effect.

Having said all of that, is this a retrofit setup with the T5's, or is all of this in a fixture?

 

[vette.tech]

I run 2x250 radiums on coralvue ballasts and the color to me is perfect

 

[Bdial]

I bought a Hamilton Cebu sun and had it upgraded to radiums and m80 ballasts. Will I lose strength from the bulb switching to an electronic ballast?

 

[Jeremy B.]

I bought a Hamilton Cebu sun and had it upgraded to radiums and m80 ballasts. Will I lose strength from the bulb switching to an electronic ballast?

An electronic ballast will not run the bulb as hard as what the M80 will, and it will also run a little more "blue" to the naked, which to some is more preferable anyways.

 

[Tweaked]

Cebu Sun M80 ballasts here and love the crisp magic of these bulbs on the m80 ballasts. Driving them a bit over 300w from what I understand off these ballasts.

 

[MIKE NY]

running 250 Radiums on Hamilton M80 HQI ballasts with ATI T5 actinics...still bright with a hint of blue

 

[BrentH]

imrunning 400watt radiums on lumatek ballast onthe 400 settiing

 

[Jettareefer]

I'm currently 2x250 radiums on a Blue wave 7 with 2 vho white actinic works well.

 

[Bdial]

I haven't changed ballast yet but I did change my bulbs. I am using two ati blue plus with my two Hamilton460s . My ati actinic and Geisemann aquablue keep getting broke in shipping.

 

[Bdial]

Here's a pic. I adjusted the contrast and warmth to bring the colors closer to natural. I'm happy with it.

 

[Peter Eichler]

Lumatek on the 20w "hqi" setting. They drive them pretty much like an M80. If you want a touch more blue go with Blue+ for supplements. Otherwise, coral+ for more of a similar spectrum to the radiums.