What are the best Metal Halide Ballasts?

Western_reefer · 09/02/2009, 01:55 PM

What are the best 250 watt Metal Halide Ballasts for Double Ended bulbs?

Western_reefer · 09/02/2009, 04:25 PM

Bump.

skanderson · 09/02/2009, 04:36 PM

the best ballast will depend on what bulb you are planning on using. figure out what color and brand of bulb you will use and then ask what ballast will run it best.

Western_reefer · 09/02/2009, 05:51 PM

I'm planning on using 250 watt Double Ended 14K Phoenix Bulbs.

cobbobby · 09/02/2009, 07:26 PM

Magnetic HQI ballast like a blue wave 3 or 7.

Reefer08 · 09/02/2009, 07:40 PM

Magnetic and Electronic are both different. Magnetic will overdrive your bulbs and draw more electricity and also it will be much more white. Only an HQI Magnetic will fire a DE bulb.

Electronic is more blue usually and will be more efficient and actually give 250w to the bulb. They can fire any bulb.

For electronic,
I believe Sanjay did a test and the the Galaxy ballast was #1 on all tests. But the difference between all the ballasts tested was 2-3% so no big difference.

cobbobby · 09/02/2009, 08:23 PM

True reefer but the HQI ballasts (m80) were designed for the hqi bulb's. Much more par than any eballast. They only shorten the life of a SE bulb. Like he said though, if you go with an eballast the galaxy is a good one.

coral_lagoon · 09/02/2009, 09:03 PM

Go Ice Cap..

Western_reefer · 09/04/2009, 03:09 PM

TTT

railroader46 · 09/04/2009, 05:12 PM

I have the same bulbs and will be running galaxy balasts by Sunlight supply

cerobbins · 09/04/2009, 06:03 PM

I run that bulb on a galaxy ballast. Never had a problem

grigsy · 09/04/2009, 07:13 PM

I prefer using magnetic ballasts over electronic ballasts - especially when running HQI bulbs.

The M80 250 watt HQI ballast is the proper ballast for a DE HQI 250 watt bulb and give the bulb much higher PAR than an electronic ballast. Electronic ballasts will under drive that bulb and tend to be more finicky.

As for the best M80 HQI ballast - I would go either Hamilton Technology or PFO. Both are well built IMO and last.

Darkstar22 · 09/04/2009, 07:18 PM

I run a Phoenix 14k on a Lumatek digital ballast, and love it!

jayk198030 · 09/04/2009, 08:40 PM

use a m80 magnetic ballast

Ebob954 · 09/05/2009, 12:05 AM

Im setting up a frag tank 48x20x14x. Im going with a lumen black pendant 250w. I want to run 14k or 20 k radium mh. I went with the 250w galaxy balllast has any one used this setup.

09/02/2009, 04:25 PM	#2
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	Bump. __________________ -Moses, the reef/azoox nut. Food comes with it's own flavor. Anything that has to steal flavor from other food just so it can have flavor is not a food. That is Current Tank Info: 120 gallon Mixed Reef, mostly SPS dominated

09/02/2009, 05:51 PM	#4
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	I'm planning on using 250 watt Double Ended 14K Phoenix Bulbs. __________________ -Moses, the reef/azoox nut. Food comes with it's own flavor. Anything that has to steal flavor from other food just so it can have flavor is not a food. That is Current Tank Info: 120 gallon Mixed Reef, mostly SPS dominated

09/04/2009, 03:09 PM	#9
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	TTT __________________ -Moses, the reef/azoox nut. Food comes with it's own flavor. Anything that has to steal flavor from other food just so it can have flavor is not a food. That is Current Tank Info: 120 gallon Mixed Reef, mostly SPS dominated

09/04/2009, 06:03 PM	#11
cerobbins Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NC Posts: 351	I run that bulb on a galaxy ballast. Never had a problem __________________ ~ Chris Current Tank Info: 34g Solana

09/04/2009, 08:40 PM	#14
jayk198030 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Tag, your it! Posts: 783	use a m80 magnetic ballast __________________ I feel like 1.025 and i look like skimmate. I eat crap and throw up! What am I? Current Tank Info: I need help!!

09/02/2009, 01:55 PM	#1
Western_reefer Reef keeper Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: 70° 17' 59.176"/-83° 6' 27.2768" Posts: 5,734	What are the best Metal Halide Ballasts? What are the best 250 watt Metal Halide Ballasts for Double Ended bulbs? __________________ -Moses, the reef/azoox nut. Food comes with it's own flavor. Anything that has to steal flavor from other food just so it can have flavor is not a food. That is Current Tank Info: 120 gallon Mixed Reef, mostly SPS dominated

09/02/2009, 04:36 PM	#3
skanderson Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: baraboo,wi Posts: 428	the best ballast will depend on what bulb you are planning on using. figure out what color and brand of bulb you will use and then ask what ballast will run it best.

09/02/2009, 07:26 PM	#5
cobbobby Moved On Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: At a Tea Party Posts: 393	Magnetic HQI ballast like a blue wave 3 or 7.

09/02/2009, 07:40 PM	#6
Reefer08 Moved On Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 2,812	Magnetic and Electronic are both different. Magnetic will overdrive your bulbs and draw more electricity and also it will be much more white. Only an HQI Magnetic will fire a DE bulb. Electronic is more blue usually and will be more efficient and actually give 250w to the bulb. They can fire any bulb. For electronic, I believe Sanjay did a test and the the Galaxy ballast was #1 on all tests. But the difference between all the ballasts tested was 2-3% so no big difference.

09/02/2009, 08:23 PM	#7
cobbobby Moved On Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: At a Tea Party Posts: 393	True reefer but the HQI ballasts (m80) were designed for the hqi bulb's. Much more par than any eballast. They only shorten the life of a SE bulb. Like he said though, if you go with an eballast the galaxy is a good one.

09/02/2009, 09:03 PM	#8
coral_lagoon Pushrod Powered Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Down The Corkscrew , CA Posts: 1,263	Go Ice Cap..

09/04/2009, 05:12 PM	#10
railroader46 Moved On Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: kentucky Posts: 40	I have the same bulbs and will be running galaxy balasts by Sunlight supply

09/04/2009, 07:13 PM	#12
grigsy Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Santa Cruz, CA Posts: 2,307	I prefer using magnetic ballasts over electronic ballasts - especially when running HQI bulbs. The M80 250 watt HQI ballast is the proper ballast for a DE HQI 250 watt bulb and give the bulb much higher PAR than an electronic ballast. Electronic ballasts will under drive that bulb and tend to be more finicky. As for the best M80 HQI ballast - I would go either Hamilton Technology or PFO. Both are well built IMO and last.

09/04/2009, 07:18 PM	#13
Darkstar22 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Denver Posts: 718	I run a Phoenix 14k on a Lumatek digital ballast, and love it!

09/05/2009, 12:05 AM	#15
Ebob954 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 76	Im setting up a frag tank 48x20x14x. Im going with a lumen black pendant 250w. I want to run 14k or 20 k radium mh. I went with the 250w galaxy balllast has any one used this setup.