M138 MH Ballast, please suggest bulb

Pacific Reefs · 08/20/2007, 02:36 PM

I know this is not the best ballast out there, but anyone suggest a bulb that will perform well on it. Its the Blue Wave2 Dual Pulse Start Ballast MH250 Watt M138. I would prefer to run MH only but I can supplement actinic with T5 if I need to. I was looking at the Radium 250W SE 20Ks. Thanks!

PaulErik · 08/20/2007, 02:48 PM

Not many aquarium lamps are designed for that ballast but some will work without problems.

The Radium lamp will work but will be under driven. The Radium is designed for an ANSI M80 type ballast and is rated at 270-watts. An ANSI M138 ballast will drive the Radium below 250-watts. You can check Sanjayâ€™s tests for PAR output. An M58 ballast drives this lamp to the same level as a M138 ballast.

Other lamps that would work are the BLV, Giesemann lamps. These lamps are designed to handle the high starting voltage produced by a pulse start ballast. These lamps will also be under driven.

The AB 10,000K lamp is the actually the only aquarium lamp recommended for an ANSI M138 ballast.

Some people have used the XM lamps on that ballast but they are not designed to handle the high starting/ignition voltage.

Pacific Reefs · 08/21/2007, 07:54 PM

How about any 14K bulbs?

08/20/2007, 02:36 PM	#1
Pacific Reefs Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,768	M138 MH Ballast, please suggest bulb I know this is not the best ballast out there, but anyone suggest a bulb that will perform well on it. Its the Blue Wave2 Dual Pulse Start Ballast MH250 Watt M138. I would prefer to run MH only but I can supplement actinic with T5 if I need to. I was looking at the Radium 250W SE 20Ks. Thanks!

08/20/2007, 02:48 PM	#2
PaulErik Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: North Charleston, SC Posts: 1,703	Not many aquarium lamps are designed for that ballast but some will work without problems. The Radium lamp will work but will be under driven. The Radium is designed for an ANSI M80 type ballast and is rated at 270-watts. An ANSI M138 ballast will drive the Radium below 250-watts. You can check Sanjayâ€™s tests for PAR output. An M58 ballast drives this lamp to the same level as a M138 ballast. Other lamps that would work are the BLV, Giesemann lamps. These lamps are designed to handle the high starting voltage produced by a pulse start ballast. These lamps will also be under driven. The AB 10,000K lamp is the actually the only aquarium lamp recommended for an ANSI M138 ballast. Some people have used the XM lamps on that ballast but they are not designed to handle the high starting/ignition voltage.

08/21/2007, 07:54 PM	#3
Pacific Reefs Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,768	How about any 14K bulbs?