400 Radiums & Blue Wave ballasts.

[myinfo]

Hi:

I am new to this hobby. This may be a dumb question, under what scenerio you need a 400w MH. I currently have 1 90G with 4X48" VHO. I am thinking of upgrading it to MH. Should I use 2x250 or 2x400?
Currently I have no SPS. I plan to keep some SPS after the upgrade.

Thanks

[Aquattro]

Myinfo, probably start a new thread with that question with a "wish list" of future corals. Clams in the picture? Lots of rock or not? People run all kinds of lights on 2 foot tanks for all kinds of reasons. We need a better idea of what you want to keep.

[myinfo]

Thanks, I will copy this to a new post.

[Dez]

Doug, I just purchased the dual Blue Wave ballast from Jason, should be here next week. Can you tell me if you're running any other supplemental lighting with your radium bulbs? Is there a need for actinic lighting to supplement them? Do you use any other lighting for sun up/sun down? Thanks. I'm just planning to make my new canopy and wondering if I should include other lighting.

Thanks

Des

[Doug]

Hi Des;
I sold them, so I am speaking from the couple days I was running them.

First, I assume you ordered the 400,s plus 20K Radium bulbs. If so, you will love it. Man, its nice. As much as I like my 700 watts of vho, I just sit and stare at my friends 120, where my lights are.

No actinic supplements are needed. The tank colour is just a perfect bright blue/white. So you save on bulbs there, which help pay for the 20K,s.

In my friends tank, we put a pair of 40 watt Philips actinic bulbs, in his hood. Driven by one of those $50 electronic ballasts/with endcaps.

He uses it for evening viewing, after the halides are off. Run them until they calf, as they are only for you. His dont even come on, until just before the halides go off.

First, they are not needed in the morning, as
1. The halides are a softer start to light up, than actinics coming on full impact.
2. No sense running the extra wattage during the halide period, as you cant see them anyways.

Good luck with your new system. Let us know how you like it, or if you have anymore questions.

[Dez]

Hey, I never thought of that....that's a great idea to run the "supplemental-viewing pleasure-night lighting" to come on just before the halides come off. How long is your friend running the halides though? I only run my halides for about 6 hours a day and my other supplemental lighting is on for 12 hours. So I like to give my tank 12 total hours... Any thoughts?

Thanks Doug.

Des

[Delphinus]

Dez, if I could just jump in here for a second ... as far as I'm concerned, you may as well be getting yourself the holy grail of mogul socket halides. Unless heat or electricity costs are really running against you, my suggestion to you is run them for at least 10 hours. Give your tank an hour on each side for dusk and dawn if you want, and there's your 12 hours. Done deal. Or run them the full 12 hours. Your corals will LOVE you for it.

Seriously. You'll be amazed the results you get (unless you start overheating your tank, but, it sounds like you're well on your way to keeping that under control too).

I'm never going back to a 6 hour halide photoperiod (I ran mine that way for the first year I had halides). When I discovered an issue with my wiring with my fluorescents (the insulation had corroded off), I simply discontinued the fluorescents altogether and switched the halides to a full 12 hours. I originally fully intended to replace the wiring and go back to the way things were, except, that, things were so much happier under the halides for 12 hours that I simply kept things that way. As you know, my 50g and my 20g don't even have fluorescents, I just use the halides. I can only imagine how awesome things would be if I could afford the bluewave ballasts and the 400W radiums. That will be an upgrade for next year maybe, once I've gotten a fair shaked out of my iwasaki's.

Just my $0.02 ....

[Dez]

Thanks for the suggestion Tony. I might try that. I just sold all the lighting on top of my tank instead of taking apart the hamilton fixture and trying to fit it in a new canopy. That's what is affording my radiums and ballasts. I'm actually making money on this lighting switch...which will in turn buy my fans, and calcium reactor (I wish...he he)...it all goes back into the hobby anyway. Well, I guess I'll put it toward my electric bill eh? Thanks Tony.. by the way, I'm in Calgary now (again) for a wedding. I'll be hitting Wai's whenever they open...wanna join?

Des

[TimT]

I thought I would put in my two bits worth. I have several 400watt 20KK Radiums that I will be running with the Blueline E-Ballasts. They will be supplemental lighting in the greenhouse. Kinda like people using actinics for twilight :D

I will post some pics once they have burned in.

Cheers,
Tim

[Troy F]

Tim, is your greenhouse here in the Pacific Northwest? If so your radiums will be required to be more than actinics this winter.