400W metal halide ballast recommendation

jonnydilger · 12/27/2011, 11:56 AM

It would appear that my 8-year-old 400W MH ballast is kicking the can... looking for a recommendation on a new one. I honestly know nothing about these - dimmable, electronic/magnetic, etc, etc. Not really sure what additional ballast accessories I should look for or which company is the most preferred (IceCap, Lumatek, CoralVue, Blue Wave, Vertex, Galaxy)... Can someone educate me and supply recommendations? I'm most interested in performance.

Bulb is a 400W Hamilton 14k operated through a IceCap timer, with Ecoxotic supplemental LED Stunner strips (only for nighttime supplementation after halide is off).

Thanks!

jonnydilger · 12/27/2011, 03:45 PM

I think I'm leaning toward the Lumatek, multi-wattage, dimmable 250/400 ballast... anyone have experience with this? Any true advantage to the multi-wattage system when I'm already running a 400W bulb? Any real difference in wattage intake between these competitors?

Recommendations welcome...

jonnydilger · 12/28/2011, 07:56 AM

bump

ridetheducati · 12/28/2011, 12:12 PM

The Lumatek is a good ballast capable of running the Hamilton with no problems.

patekphilippe · 12/28/2011, 07:47 PM

lumatek or galaxy either one u can go 250 or 400

James404 · 12/28/2011, 08:50 PM

Love my lumateks, been running 3 of them with 0 problems for quite a while now. Definitely recommend them.

jonnydilger · 12/29/2011, 10:31 AM

Thanks for the recommendations... went with the Lumentek, Dimmable, Multi-wattage. A question, though... is the dimmable feature a turn knob on the ballast or is this only achieved by turning the ballast output from 400W down to 250W? Or, is the dimmable option just output wiring that I need to hook up to a dimmer switch?

ridetheducati · 12/29/2011, 10:50 AM

It will not dim your MH bulb.

jonnydilger · 12/29/2011, 11:22 AM

It won't? Then I suppose I'm confused what this feature does?

zigzag1 · 12/29/2011, 02:27 PM

I have the Lumatech 250/400 also and very happy with it. It lets you select one of either 250W, 275W, 400W, or 440W basically. It is a selectable switch type knob, not infinitely variable. So you can run your 400W bulb at 400W or a little brighter at 440W basically. Some would choose to run it at 400W for the first half of the bulb life and at the higher wattage for the second half of the bulb life. That's what I do anyway. JMTC & GL!

jonnydilger · 12/30/2011, 10:43 AM

Thanks a ton, zigzag - lumatek ballast has been ordered along with a Radium 20K bulb (thought I would give it a try)! Much appreciated!

ridetheducati · 12/30/2011, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonnydilger

Thanks a ton, zigzag - lumatek ballast has been ordered along with a Radium 20K bulb (thought I would give it a try)! Much appreciated!

Ensure that the nipple is up on the Radium, otherwise the color will be extremely blue.

BlueDartReefer · 12/30/2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jonnydilger

Thanks for the recommendations... went with the Lumentek, Dimmable, Multi-wattage. A question, though... is the dimmable feature a turn knob on the ballast or is this only achieved by turning the ballast output from 400W down to 250W? Or, is the dimmable option just output wiring that I need to hook up to a dimmer switch?

The ballast's are a select-a-watt. I ran my three 400W MH bulbs at 250W for two months to help the coral acclimate from the previous 175W MH's.

12/27/2011, 11:56 AM	#1
jonnydilger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	400W metal halide ballast recommendation It would appear that my 8-year-old 400W MH ballast is kicking the can... looking for a recommendation on a new one. I honestly know nothing about these - dimmable, electronic/magnetic, etc, etc. Not really sure what additional ballast accessories I should look for or which company is the most preferred (IceCap, Lumatek, CoralVue, Blue Wave, Vertex, Galaxy)... Can someone educate me and supply recommendations? I'm most interested in performance. Bulb is a 400W Hamilton 14k operated through a IceCap timer, with Ecoxotic supplemental LED Stunner strips (only for nighttime supplementation after halide is off). Thanks!

12/28/2011, 12:12 PM	#4
ridetheducati 20 and Over Club Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Bowie, MD Posts: 2,968	The Lumatek is a good ballast capable of running the Hamilton with no problems. __________________ "Send more paramedics" Current Tank Info: 300g DD, SPS dominated, Apex, Tunze 6125s, ATB 1050, 400w MH, and Geo 618 Ca Reactor

12/28/2011, 08:50 PM	#6
James404 I <3 Acros Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 2,523	Love my lumateks, been running 3 of them with 0 problems for quite a while now. Definitely recommend them. __________________ 80g Deep Blue Rimless - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2651295 225g Reef Savvy SPS Dominant - Retired http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1945361

12/29/2011, 10:50 AM	#8
ridetheducati 20 and Over Club Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Bowie, MD Posts: 2,968	It will not dim your MH bulb. __________________ "Send more paramedics" Current Tank Info: 300g DD, SPS dominated, Apex, Tunze 6125s, ATB 1050, 400w MH, and Geo 618 Ca Reactor

12/29/2011, 02:27 PM	#10
zigzag1 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Anderson, Indiana Posts: 1,276	I have the Lumatech 250/400 also and very happy with it. It lets you select one of either 250W, 275W, 400W, or 440W basically. It is a selectable switch type knob, not infinitely variable. So you can run your 400W bulb at 400W or a little brighter at 440W basically. Some would choose to run it at 400W for the first half of the bulb life and at the higher wattage for the second half of the bulb life. That's what I do anyway. JMTC & GL! __________________ :beer: Mixed Reef, started 10/2004: 6' BB 125g DT, 100lbs LR, 40g sump, Dual Ehiem 1000 returns, Eshopps dual overflow, JBJ ATO, Vertex IN-180, PM Ca reactor, 250w MH w/VHO Actinic, AC3 w/Aquasurf, Tunze 6105 pair & 40B frag tank 8 Fish, 20+ corals, shrimp, snails, worms, bugs, etc.

12/27/2011, 03:45 PM	#2
jonnydilger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	I think I'm leaning toward the Lumatek, multi-wattage, dimmable 250/400 ballast... anyone have experience with this? Any true advantage to the multi-wattage system when I'm already running a 400W bulb? Any real difference in wattage intake between these competitors? Recommendations welcome...

12/28/2011, 07:56 AM	#3
jonnydilger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	bump

12/28/2011, 07:47 PM	#5
patekphilippe Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: orange county Posts: 98	lumatek or galaxy either one u can go 250 or 400

12/29/2011, 10:31 AM	#7
jonnydilger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	Thanks for the recommendations... went with the Lumentek, Dimmable, Multi-wattage. A question, though... is the dimmable feature a turn knob on the ballast or is this only achieved by turning the ballast output from 400W down to 250W? Or, is the dimmable option just output wiring that I need to hook up to a dimmer switch?

12/29/2011, 11:22 AM	#9
jonnydilger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	It won't? Then I suppose I'm confused what this feature does?

12/30/2011, 10:43 AM	#11
jonnydilger Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 39	Thanks a ton, zigzag - lumatek ballast has been ordered along with a Radium 20K bulb (thought I would give it a try)! Much appreciated!