400W 20,000k Ushio

[Just2Bad]

Some1 knows where I can find Par value and things like that on this bulb. I want to see test value to compare with radium bulb.....

[Delphinus]

The last time I cruised on over to www.ushio.com I did not see any reference to a 20000K bulb made by Ushio. I believe that there isn't one. There IS, however, a blue bulb. They have these coloured halide bulbs and I think they come in red, green. and blue or something like that. I wonder if the blue bulb is the 20000K bulb but it's been given the "20000K" label to try to sell some to us aquarium folk who jump all over products with certain keywords.

Here is the product info
http://www.ushio.com/files/Colorlite%20Spec%20Sheet%200502.pdf

Notice that (with the exception of the double ended 150W sized bulb which uses a M81 pulse start ballast) that they use the standard probe start ballasts. This means this could be maybe used on the standard ballasts but I'm kind of thinking that their usefulness is as a supplementation light for aesthetics but not really effective as a coral growout light or anything like that. Just my $0.02 though.

At any rate I don't have the info that you're looking for in answer to your specific questions about PAR and whatnot, but I wouldsuspect someone has looked at them. Try perhaps a search on RC and see if you can uncover anything. Let us know if you find anything out.

[Just2Bad]

I didn't find much on RC... nobody seems to use this bulb.... This is a Ushio 400w blue blub like you said and like radium that are blue bulb also. They run on a standard probe stard M59 ballast. So if the radium blue bulb is good for coral growth why the ushio could not.... I must say that the ushio is a bit bluer than the radium.. I tested both side by side on someone tank. And the ushio wasnt overdriven like the radium are....

[StirCrazy]

with the exception of the double ended 150W sized bulb which uses a M81 pulse start ballast

the M81 is a Hqi ballast for 150 watt.

I think from what I recall they are nothing more than colored glass. I will see if I can find out anything for ya.

If you read down they also list a recomended starting voltage, which means you need to put a starter on your ballast also.

another thing I have noticed is that they are listed as having a wave length of 465nm so I am trying to find out if this is a Peek value or a average.

Steve

[Delphinus]

the M81 is a Hqi ballast for 150 watt.


err yeah um you passed my little test, I "purposely" said it wrong to see if anyone was paying attention. Uh-huh. Yup, yippers, yes indeed yup yup yup.

( :redface: Ok, apparently I really AM as tired as I feel today, what you said is what I really meant. I better go find me some more coffee ...... )

I didn't notice the bit about the starters. But thats interesting. Ultimately though I am not really convinced these are good replacements for Radiums I think they're just useful for aesthetics. But nevertheless maybe they're not useless either someone just needs to do a PPFD/PAR analysis or something.

[Just2Bad]

On which infos are you refering for telling it's just for aesthetic.. why a ushio blue bulb wouldn't be as good as a radium blue bulb the two are the mostly the same a blue bulb not ment for aquarium use ????

the only difference I saw is that the Ushio is a 400w blue bulb on a 400w ballast and the radium is a 385w blue bulb on a 430w ballast so it's burning a little whiter and a little bit more intense since it's overdriven.

I really need to find a PPFD/PAR analysis. I think maybe I'll leave an email to Sanjay to see if he as already tested one of those...

[Aquattro]

The difference is the radium burns that color and the Ushio with the blue glass is just filtered that color. I thought I recalled a real 20k from Ushio, at the time only available overseas somewhere. 2 different Ushio bulbs me thinks!

[Just2Bad]

The one I have is all clear glass, not blue so I doubt it is a white bulb with a blue filter...

[Just2Bad]

by the way here is a pics of a brand new bulb on my tank

http://www.aquaquebec.net/gallery/albums/userpics/normal_comparaison2.jpg

[Aquattro]

Right. I think the bulb originally became available in Australia. Keep searching at RC, you're sure to find the info.

[Just2Bad]

I found those numbers on differents sites so maybe the setup and technique for mesuring wasnt exactly the same but it gives an idea

USHIO 400w 20000k
Ballast - Power - Input Volts - Input Amp - PPFD
Standard (M59) - 451 - 118.3 - 4.13 - 109.9
Pulse Start - 445 - 118.5 - 4.20 - 102
PFO-HQI - 486 - 119.5 - 5.75 - 112.0
HQI-Taiwan - 450 - 120.1 - 4.05 - 106.5


Radium 400w 20000k
Ballast Voltage (V) Input Current (A) (Watts) Lamp Voltage PPFD
Magnetic 120 - 3.75 - 398 - 124.6 - 90.63
PFO-HQI 120 - 4.53 - 439 - 128.0 - 110.2
Blueline 120 - 3.67 - 408 - 124.7 - 114.4

[StirCrazy]

does that state what the PPFD was bassed on? Ie. distance ans what medium it was measured through?

Steve

[Just2Bad]

The numbers for the Ushio bulb came from an article fromAdvanced Aquarist Magazine and are based on Sanjay Joshi spectral analysis... And for the Radium they also came form an analysis from Sanjai Joshi so the circumstance of the analysis should be similar ?????

[Just2Bad]

I have the setup and both bulb to do the test, but d'ont have the instrumentation to do it :cry: :evil:

[Aquattro]

I see some people claim that the Radium and Ushio 20k are the same bulb..

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=234520

[stephane]

they are both blue bulb and not 20 k but people in the industry call them 20k butt no they are not the same bulb and look totaly different inside and outside

I try a radium 20k on a agro ballast beside a hushio 20k on a m59 ballast on my reef they both look very nice

the radium is brighter and less blue but is give less fluorescence to coral

I have to admit I have found the hushio very very nice color even nicer than the radium

for the intensity I found the hushio more dim with the eye but have not tested with any meter

By the way the hushio dont have a blue glass

[EmilyB]

Ushio?
:razz:

[Delphinus]

Maybe Hushio is the "whisper quiet" model..