Radium ballasts help

Radium ballasts help

  • Lumatek 250/400W Electronic ballast

    Votes: 5 83.3%

  • Galaxy 250/400W Electronic ballast

    Votes: 1 16.7%
  • Total voters
    6
  • Poll closed .
NikeLV

NikeLV

New member
Hey reefers! I have decided to switch to Metal Halides but I have no experience with them at all. I have been doing research here and there but can't find the answers I am looking for.
I like the better coral color 20000k Radiums give off so I might as well give it a shot, rather than 14000k Phoenix.
I was going to do 2x 250w Radiums on my 100 gallon SPS/LPS reef with Lumatek ballasts but I found a thread somewhere saying Galaxy ballasts distribute better light through overriding. Will using Galaxy ballasts on a German Radium bulb decrease its life span?
Do you prefer Galaxy ballasts? Are Lumatek ballasts good?
Also, are Galaxy ballasts "m80 ballasts"?
Thanks!

P.S. aside from those questions, if you have had experience with either of the ballasts, please participate in the poll! Thanks alot! :)
 
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Those are both the wrong ballast for radiums. You need an m80 ballast to run radiums the way they were made to be.
 
So should I get the Reeflex Cube HQI m80 Ballast to power my Radium bulbs instead of the electronic ballasts?

Thanks!
 
Is there any better m80 ballast than the Reeflex Cube HQI for Radiums?
and is there any multi-wattage m80 ballast?-250/400w
Thanks!!
 
If you are already running double end Phoenix bulbs chances are you already have hqi/m-80 ballasts.

Having said that, I have a dual m-80 ballast and a gallaxy 250/400 watt ballast and the Lumatek 250/400 ballast and in my experience the Lumatek and Gallaxy are pretty much the same ballast. I can also tell you that I personally don't see any difference in coral growth or color or bulb life whether I use my blueline dual m80 ballast or the lumatek/gallaxy on HQI. There are a few people here who get all worked up over this issue, but many of us are using this combo and are quite happy with it. RokelM changed out his bulbs at 10-11 months and measured less than 10% difference in par so the rumors of these ballasts decreasing the lifespan are largely over blown imo.
 
NikeLV said:
Is there any better m80 ballast than the Reeflex Cube HQI for Radiums?
and is there any multi-wattage m80 ballast?-250/400w
Thanks!!
Click to expand...

Use a blue wave ballast. Those select a watt ballast aren't better. I don't know whats makes you think there any less. Look, radiums are one of the best possible bulbs to get for growth and color. They need that ballast. So if the best bulb needs that ballast what makes it any less then the ballast that runs the mediocre bulbs?
 
i don't think the multiwattage ballasts are better, just more convenient. but of course, I would choose color and growth over convenience any day.

ahem, one of you says blue wave and another says reeflex cube ballast. does anybody else have anything to say about either one of these?

Thanks!!
 
The old sunlight supply blue wave ballast has been discontinued for quite a while now. The Reeflex Cube is still available, Hamilton used to make a decent one as well but I don't know if they still do. Finding an M80 ballast other than the Reeflex is getting very hard.
 
M80 ballast do not meet the new energy savings, so are not used in the commercial industry. On my tank using Radium lamps on coralvue ballast with lumen brite pendants, one dropped 10% at a year and was replaced. At 15 months a second lamp is was down to 8% drop from new and I have not replaced it. The third at 16 months has only dropped 5% and still has a PAR level of 250 on the sand. I know a radium lamp has more PAR run on a M80 ballast than a Electronic but waste so much more energy to get it. With the newer electronic ballast some are 95%+ efficient versus the 80% and less on an old M80.
 
A radium 250w on m80 puts out roughly the same amount of light as a 400w bulb. If 30 watts 8 hours a day is a big deal then your in the wrong hobby. I have run radiums on electronics for 5 years. They grow coral just fine. Energy savings are nice but let's be real about it. 30 watts is nothing compared to getting one of the best lighting setups available.

When you have 1000 bulbs to light over people stacking boxes its a different story. Were talking about what your corals use for energy. I'll pay $2 more a month for 30% more par.
 
tkeracer619 said:
A radium 250w on m80 puts out roughly the same amount of light as a 400w bulb. If 30 watts 8 hours a day is a big deal then your in the wrong hobby. I have run radiums on electronics for 5 years. They grow coral just fine. Energy savings are nice but let's be real about it. 30 watts is nothing compared to getting one of the best lighting setups available.

When you have 1000 bulbs to light over people stacking boxes its a different story. Were talking about what your corals use for energy. I'll pay $2 more a month for 30% more par.
Click to expand...
I think what he meant is that the real performance difference is negligible for some. The power consumption is more than 30w (more like 60w-90w). Also trying to save energy/money (not talking about using low quality stuff) does not mean you are in wrong hobby...tell that to all the LED aficionados.
IME using radiums on e-ballast does more that "grow corals just fine", it grows coral just as good as on a M80 ballast. Check out rigleautomotive's tank, has been growing corals like weeds using radiums on ARO ballasts, and I believe he uses them for 1 - 1.5 years before replacing them.

I would use whatever ballast I have or is cheaper to get.
 
I will most likely be going with the Reeflex Cube because that is the only m80 ballast available on the website i'm buying my MH set-up.

But can someone please tell me, how big is the difference between running Radiums on a m80 ballast and a Lumatek ballast? - Pro's & Con's

Thanks!!
 
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Try is for an assignment, go find out how many bulbs were manufactured for electronic ballasts. Start with Radium and ask them what they recommend to run their bulbs or which electronic ballast runs the bulb to the specification required by the designers of the bulb. It isn't old technology, it is the correct technology for the bulb you want to run.
 
I do not need to look at someones tank. I have been using these very setups for years on my own tanks and on other peoples tanks that I maintained which all grew corals like weeds. I have used the galaxy select a watts, the lumetecs, coralvues, aro, reeflex cubes, ocean lights, and PFO on radiums. I first setup my radiums on a m80 6 months ago. Boy do I feel stupid for waiting 5 years.

The m80 is a clear winner for par. In the end it doesn't really matter. The op can buy any of the ballasts and be happy.

The m80 ballast IS the correct ballast for radium 250w. Call radium and ask.
 
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