250 watt radium 20k

[tgriffin]

I really like the look of a 400 watt radium 20k bulb. I'm going to be going with a 250/400 selectable watt ballast and was going to try a 250 watt bulb first. I'd like to hear some opinions on the 250 watt 20k radiums. I'm assuming you get the same look just not as much wattage???

Thanks

 

[jaustin]

If your going to ren the 250 w radium make sure your running it on an hqi ballast.

 

[tgriffin]

I'm going with a ballast that will do 250, 250 HQI, 400, and Super Lumen (whatever that is). So why does the 250 radium need to be run by an HQI ballast when it is a mogul bulb? Never had a radium, so I'm just wondering why this is.

 

[fish scales2]

Requires a stronger ignighter than the typical mag ballast. I will be running multiple brands and wattages of bulbs over the Aquaculture tables. You are welcome to come see the difference for yourself.

 

[acroholic]

If you overdrive your Radium with an HQI ballast, plan on replacing it every 6 months or so. A 250 watt radium is fine to be run at 250 watts on an e-ballast, in my case a CoralVue.

A 250 watt Radium 20K bulb run at 250 watts is whiter in rendition than a Radium 400 watt 20K bulb run at 400 watts. I own both. There is a visible difference.

 

[tgriffin]

Dave

If I dim the 250 radium down a bit will it be more blue?

 

[acroholic]

tgriffin;505554 wrote: Dave

If I dim the 250 radium down a bit will it be more blue?

It should be. Mine gets bluer the more I dim it. That goes for both the 400 and 250 watt CV ballasts. I would think any dimmable e-ballast would be similar.

 

[tgriffin]

OK.. Cool. I'm going to try going with the 250 watt radium and if I don't get what I'm looking for I'll switch over to the 400 and all I'll have to buy will be a bulb. Thanks for the responses guys. Stand by for a build thread!

 

[jaustin]

Radium 250w bulbs should be ran on hqi. They are designed torun at 330w not overdriven and will last a year that way. In fact running the bulb at 250w will shorten it's life span. This information is from Radium, check with them if you don't believe me. And they last even shorter if you put them in the microwave or use them underwater. Jk.

 

[acroholic]

JAustin;505560 wrote: Radium 250w bulbs should be ran on hqi. They are designed torun at 330w not overdriven and will last a year that way. In fact running the bulb at 250w will shorten it's life span. This information is from Radium, check with them if you don't believe me. And they last even shorter if you put them in the microwave or use them underwater. Jk.

Are you sure on that 330 watt figure....seems high to me at about 1/3 more wattage than 250. Here is the info on the Radium 250 20 K bulb from the Radium Website. States it runs at 295 watts with ballast.

http://www.radium.de/e/produkt_details.html?pcon_list=1854,1855,2498,2569,7557&pcon_s_pe_id=3889">http://www.radium.de/e/produkt_details.html?pcon_list=1854,1855,2498,2569,7557&pcon_s_pe_id=3889</a>

The problem is we are talking eballasts anyways, and not magnetic. If an eballast runs the same wattage as a magnetic, does that mean the light is the same rendition and that the same conclusions about bulb life can be drawn? I don't know.

General Radium Aquarium Halide product specs page:

[IMG]http://www.radium.de/e/produkt_details.html?pcon_list=1854,1855,2498,2569,7557&pcon_s_pe_id=3889">http://www.radium.de/e/produkt_details.html?pcon_list=1854,1855,2498,2569,7557&pcon_s_pe_id=3889</a>