20K Radium Life Span

[RockyMtnReef]

How many months are you guys getting out of your Radiums?

I bought mine back in early June and am starting to think they might need replaceing.

I run them 8 hrs per day along with actinic VHO 12 hrs.

Thx

[ServantSoldier]

what kind of ballast are you using?

[kdblove_99]

Are they 250W or 400W?

The 250W i would have no problems using them for 12-18months

[ssbreef]

I always used mine for 12 months

[RockyMtnReef]

I use the Coralview electronic ballasts, 400W.

I run three MH along with two 72" actinic VHO over my 260gal (70x28x30). A cool combination by the way if you have not tried it.

[hahnmeister]

The '400s' are not really 400's... even an e-ballast is overdriving them, since they are really 360 watt bulbs.

As you can see from here, the Aqua Star is really just a 360watt bulb:
http://www.radium.de/e/produkte_over...1855,2498,2569

So they tend to burn out rather fast. Radium has a special ballast for them, but has approved their use on M135/155 ballasts (lower current pulse-start ballasts).

If you want something that doesnt burn out so fast, get a 430 watt HPS (AKA a 400wattHQI) ballast and run Aquaconnect 14,000Ks... more blue and actinic than a Radium, and hella brighter too. They will give you a good year or more in life as well.

[RockyMtnReef]

Wow, great info.

I am not going to cook my SPS if I were to jump ship to the Aquaconnects will I?

I used to run the Reeflux 10K's and I felt they were a bit overkill. The colors of my SPS were a bit on the pastel side but got much darker and richer once I shifted to the Radiums?

[hahnmeister]

the Aquaconnects are alot brighter, yes. You can see on Sanjay's info site:

[Fiziksgeek]

Is is safe to assume then, that if you use the radiums on an HQI ballast, their lifespan will be reduced even more..?

According to Sanjay's data, on the same HQI ballast the radium has a ppfd of 147 and draws 471 watts, the aqua connect has a ppfd of 170 but draws 536 watts. So their "efficiencies" are nearly identical. And the aqua connect costs almost twice as much...So even if the radium last at least half as long, your still ahead a bit using them.

But if you run the aqua connects on Ice caps...hmmmm Long life...high output...good color..

(read between the lines...I am trying to talk myself out of buying the aqua connects, and not having much success)

[kdblove_99]

This is just me there isn't a bulb worth $115 in my opinion.

The Radiums are very nice bulbs but i have the 250W and will use them for over a yr, unlike the 400W.

But, I guess if you are willing to spend $89.99 every 6 months for a Radium it would be worth it just to get a Aquaconnect.

I have never seen the AC 14K so if you get it reply back here and let us know how you like it compared to the Radium

[RockyMtnReef]

More great info.

I guess you can always raise your lights and/or run them through some egg crate for a while to acclimate the corals.

I would love to have some feedback from people who have actually used these bulbs. I would hate to blow (as kdblove_99 states) over $300 big ones only to end up going back to Radiums (another $270).

Anyone?

Coral health, growth, tank color, heat, etc....?

[NewSchool04]

have you thought about the Reeflux 12K bulb? I'm using the same ballasts as you and using the Reeflux 10K bulb but I'm going to switch it to the 12K next month. I've seen the 12K's on this ballast and the look is great! Much cheaper option also.

[RockyMtnReef]

Thanks for the reply. I had given the Reeflux 12K some thought but read somewhere that SPS growth is super slow with them for some reason. I may be totally off base here but that is what I have in my head right now. :-)

[NewSchool04]

The PAR readings from the 12K bulb are almost identical for the 10K bulb so I'm not sure why people would not get growth. I know the TOTM either last month or the month before runs them and swears by them.

Here is the breakdown with 400W Coralvue E ballast:

http://www.reeflightinginfo.arvixe.c...&Submit=Submit