Radium 20k question

[tmc1313]

Who supplements their radium 20k's with actinics? I'm switching to them and need to decide if I should buy a fixture with or without supplemental T5's. I don't like too blue, if that helps. Thanks

[Mark Bianco]

Lets me ask a question first What lighting are you use to and did you like the look?

[tmc1313]

Two hamilton 14k's 400 watt DE

[MarcWeaver]

I supplemented 3 400W 20k radiums with 36 royal blue LEDs on my 220 gallon. I was driving the bulbs at around 420 watts. I have dimmable ballasts and when dimmed closer to their specs (360 watts I believe) they looked cold and too blue to me, but when overdriven or even driven at 400 watts they look nice and white. I recently replaced them with Reeflux 20k's and all of the colors in the tank have much more pop that they used to.

Anyway, actinics make coral look cool when used alone and are good to kind of simulate dawn and dusk, so I would go with the actinics.

[Mark Bianco]

I went from 10 to 14 to 20's but I like a lot of blue so I used two dual attinic as well. That was mearly just what I liked the 20's will add a slight tint of bule to the tank and give any coral the light it needs. So as long as you are good with that then leave it at that. That being said. There are some corals that will pop (floerese better) when supplemented with some attinic lighting.

Hope that helps and does not confuse...
Good Luck
Mark

[Lorenz725]

Just using 3 250 W radium and love the color I get from them. Just depends if you like the look.

[tmc1313]

OK, so given these two options, which would you choose?
I've narrowed it down to two lighting fixtures made by Hamilton Technology
1) Two 400 watt cayman sun pendants with Radium 20k bulbs
http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/it...cs-system-1987 or this one
2) One fixture that has two 400 watt Radiums 20k's in addition to 4 actinic T5's
http://www.hamiltontechnology.com/it...nt-system-2081

[mc-cro]

funny, I just went with 2x250w Radiums driven by a lumatek dimmable ballast. I am only 1 week in, but I am trying to figure out a way to supplement with VHO to get the blue out. they are just a tad too blue for my liking.

I wonder if they will "whiten" as they burn in?

[tmc1313]

I'm not familiar with that ballast, but I have heard the Radiums run best on an HQI magnetic ballast. If not, they will run "bluer" and give less par. Only a week in though, they still haven't burned in yet, give them some time. I called the company about the hamilton's I'm running and they said 144 hours for burn in time.

[mc-cro]

thanks, that is what I am hoping is that burn in will give a slightly less blue look.

supposedly, the select a watt or "dimmable" lumatek ballast runs them at the same wattage as a magnetic HQI. I almost bought a HQI cube, but went with the lumateks for this exact reason after researching ballast for a couple weeks.

Everything I read noted the difference between normal eballast and true magnetic HQI ballast, but that the electronic lumateks HQI setting was extremely close, if not the same spec output as the magnetic.

I dunno, so far I am a tad disappointed with how blue they really are. I cant imagine them getting much bluer.

[mc-cro]

btw, I would go with the fixture that has the T5's. Its much better to have the option to do different things, be it sunrise/sunset, supplementation, or whatever. If you just go with the single MH pendant, well, you only have 1 light setting. on or off, and hope you like the color spectrum that comes out.

[tinkerman]

I would do the cayman sun. The reflecter is much better design. The other is basicly a spider reflecter and you won't get the same par out of it.

[kmu]

Here is a Hamilton pendant with a 20k Radium 250 watt bulb the coverage is very good on a 48x48x24 tank with the single large pendant

[Toddrtrex]

I use 2 96 watt dual actinic PCs with my 2 250 Radiums over my 65. I don't feel that they need it, I just like them for the dawn/dusk affect and for being able to see the tank when the MHs are off.

Granted pictures aren't perfect, but here are 2 old ones I took (( back when I had the 58, same lights as described above )), flash was used, in one picture was with supplements, the other without.

[tmc1313]

Originally Posted by Toddrtrex

I use 2 96 watt dual actinic PCs with my 2 250 Radiums over my 65. I don't feel that they need it, I just like them for the dawn/dusk affect and for being able to see the tank when the MHs are off.

Granted pictures aren't perfect, but here are 2 old ones I took (( back when I had the 58, same lights as described above )), flash was used, in one picture was with supplements, the other without.

Very nice tank. I agree, I'm going to go ahead and order the fixture with the supplemental T5's just for that very reason. Even if I don't think I need them, at least I'll have that option if I want. I can also use them for the dawn and dusk effect too, like you stated.