Show me SPS under 400w 20K Radiums (please)!

[PITSTOP]

I have the opportunity to upgrade my lighting system...


> Current equipment: PFO Dual 250w HQI ballast, 2 x PFO Mini Pendents, 2 x 10K 250w DE Ushio's, IceCap Ballast, 2 x 110w VHO URI Super Actinic


> Upgrade: PFO Dual 400w HQI, 2 x 24" PFO Reflectors, 2 x 400w 20K Radium, IceCap Ballast, 2 x 110w VHO URI Super Actinic


Comments welcome!


I just can't get my A. formosa (Fiji Blue Slimer to color up the way I received it - I need more intensity not more spread) - large blue tipped coral in upper left of pic


Current tank pic

 

[REEF-DADDY]

If you would like to borrow a couple 5 month old Radiums lmk. They have lost some of there luster but they'll give you the idea.
I think the pics taken on the ctars site were Radiums. Great blub but very short life. I talked myself into thinking I could 6-8 months out of them. Did not happen, I've since switched to Helios but still working out the kinks on that.....

 

[PITSTOP]

I run my halides only 6 hours per day...

I figure you should get 1,440 hours on a 400w 20K Radium bulb (assuming 8 hours per day @ 6 months use)

So, I figure 8 months use @ 6 hours per day...does this seem fair? Is it worth upgrading from the 250w DE's to 400w SE's?

 

[MammothReefer]

Re: Show me SPS under 400w 20K Radiums (please)!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8730157#post8730157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PITSTOP
I have the opportunity to upgrade my lighting system...


> Current equipment: PFO Dual 250w HQI ballast, 2 x PFO Mini Pendents, 2 x 10K 250w DE Ushio's, IceCap Ballast, 2 x 110w VHO URI Super Actinic


> Upgrade: PFO Dual 400w HQI, 2 x 24" PFO Reflectors, 2 x 400w 20K Radium, IceCap Ballast, 2 x 110w VHO URI Super Actinic


Comments welcome!


I just can't get my A. formosa (Fiji Blue Slimer to color up the way I received it - I need more intensity not more spread) - large blue tipped coral in upper left of pic


Current tank pic

uh your should proboly put your corals back in water.. that doesn't look safe what a clear pic!

 

[gasman059]

About 3 months ago I changed

About 3 months ago I changed

From 10-20 3 400w MH's My tank is relatively new / and I really noticed some diff. I believe the way to go is 14 k. I also have actinic supp. un my MH's about 6.5 hrs qd. Hope this helps for comparison sake. I now run xm's 20k

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20k
10k

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20k

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20k

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20k

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[Chaotic Reefer4u]

very nice fellow reef peeps...

 

[REEF-DADDY]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8730508#post8730508 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PITSTOP
I run my halides only 6 hours per day...

I figure you should get 1,440 hours on a 400w 20K Radium bulb (assuming 8 hours per day @ 6 months use)

So, I figure 8 months use @ 6 hours per day...does this seem fair? Is it worth upgrading from the 250w DE's to 400w SE's?

I ran the same math, and only run my halides 5 hours per day. I think 6 months is really on the long end, when they are really cooked. I only ran mine 5 hours per day.

I think its worth it, they combine color and growth both at a high level. IME you have to choose one or the other in the 250 arena.

 

[REEF-DADDY]

gasman059- Those pics look to be on a standard ballast. The Radiums run alot whiter on an hqi and provide better par as well.

 

[gasman059]

Idunno but really think that will go with 14k just for a change
I can't frikin read my ballasts and to be honest Iwas not home when my buddy put those in anyways, w/o getting to techy will be usin 14 k in the future my setup is about 6 months now

 

[onehundred20]

you sure its not just nutrient difficency from being BB, just from the look of some corals looks like BB syndrome, not enough nutrients

 

[the_anti_honda]

400 watt Radiums on PFO HQI ballasts, PFO reflectors, 3x 110 VHO super URI actinic

 

[icliao]

The below is an unedited photo taken from a section of my tank lit by 10,000K bulbs only. All corals are at least 1 - 2 years old. I feel 10,000K bulbs are brighter and have longer life span. I personaly would not use 20,000K bulb alone. This section of the reef is lit by 400W 10,000K bulb.

 

[RokleM]

My 180 is still under a year, so most of it contains frags. Here's a few shots though. You'll probably find that the supplementation isn't required anymore.

Dual 400w LumenMax2's, 14" above water, BlueWave7 (HQI) ballast.

Not an SPS, but shows the natural actinic pop of the Radium's

 

[Ceak]

Great looking tank RokleM.

What is that red coral in your last pic? It's awesome!!

 

[Jeremy B.]

Here you go, check out these past "Tank of the Month" links who were running Radiums....

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-10/totm/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-06/totm/index.php (Supplemented with 10k 175 Ushio's, but still amazing!)

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2002-04/totm/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-07/totm/index.php (I just realized a few days ago that Reefbum tore this tank down, but is now getting back into the hobby after being a way for a year or two)

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-06/totm/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/totm/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-02/totm/index.php

That will give you enough for now, there are more, but I didn't have time to go through all!


PS.... I can never just go through the past tank of the months without look at Tim Herman's (therman) 40 breeder from '01. Anyone who says you can't have amazing coloration with a 400w Iwasaki and VHO's needs to look at this!

http://www.reefcentral.com/totm/2001-10/index.php

 

[RokleM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8734412#post8734412 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ceak
Great looking tank RokleM.

What is that red coral in your last pic? It's awesome!!

Red Goniopora from phishybusiness

 

[rekn]

so whats the k rating on your rokle?

 

[stony_corals]

Re: Show me SPS under 400w 20K Radiums (please)!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8730157#post8730157 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PITSTOP

I just can't get my A. formosa (Fiji Blue Slimer to color up the way I received it - I need more intensity not more spread) - large blue tipped coral in upper left of pic

I think you are assuming that changing your lighting will simply make your corals more colorful. It's not that simple... that being said, Radiums on HQI ballast are amazing, I've just put two bulbs into a PFO dual HQI ballast in lumenarc 3s - amazing. I've move my sps from a 120 lit by 2 x 250 HQI, 10k DE hamiltons to this system, and the colors haven't changed all that much. I personally light the color of the light, it's bright blue-white light. The other tanks was also bright, but the DEs at 10K are crisp white (no yellow).

It's only been a few days, but I've not seen any color changes.... it's not that simple to isolate maximum colors to a single variable.

 

[RokleM]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8735113#post8735113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by rekn
so whats the k rating on your rokle?

Are you asking about the Radium's? They're only available in 20k at 400w as far as I'm aware.

 

[stony_corals]

They are available in 250watts as well, but they are 20k