250w Radium SE PAR graphs

aandfsoccr04 · 07/23/2012, 09:05 PM

Hey I was curious about the radiums PAR in my tank at different levels so I took some readings tonight. I have the bluewave 3 magnetic HQI ballasts that properly drives the radiums and use the lumenmax elite reflectors in my canopy. The bulbs are 14.5 inches off the water surface. The tank is a 120 gallon tank 4 feet long x 2 feet deep x 2 feet tall.

The PAR meter that I used was the Apogee MQ-200 PAR Meter, which can be seen here:
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/apo...-200-par-meter

The first picture shows the arrangements of the lights in my tank. I also noticed a significant change in the color of the bulbs. The 1 year old bulbs were fairly yellowish whereas the brand new bulbs were a really nice crisp white with a tiny bit of blue hue which I prefer greatly to the 1 year old bulbs.

The next picture shows my tank with 1 year old bulbs and the PAR readings:

This picture is the brand new bulbs with PAR readings:

Lastly, the bulbs side by side, the old ones on the right and new ones on the left:

rsg4 · 07/23/2012, 10:52 PM

Are all four of those bulbs suppose to be the same?

PaulErik · 07/23/2012, 10:59 PM

The 1 year lamps in the picture are Aqua Connect 14,000K made by Narva-Neuco in Germany. Changing over to Radium 20,000K will be a significant change in color when using an ANSI M80 magnetic ballast.

alton · 07/24/2012, 08:39 AM

See if you can borrow an electronic ballast and try taking the PAR levels as a side by side comparison with the mag ballast?

aandfsoccr04 · 07/24/2012, 09:30 AM

Are you guys sure that the bulbs are not the same? I could have sworn that they are both radiums. I have so many bulbs laying around sometimes I get confused though. I could be wrong.

karsseboom · 07/24/2012, 09:43 AM

Those are pretty low readings from radiums on that ballast. I posted my par readings and things were a lot different.

Jeremy B. · 07/24/2012, 10:22 AM

As Paul mentioned above, the lamps on the right are definitely 14k Aquaconnects, while the two on the left are Radiums.

aandfsoccr04 · 07/24/2012, 04:52 PM

yeah thank you for that correction. I just noticed that when I got home and read the label on the bulb. What's the quality difference between the two bulbs?

ashish · 04/03/2013, 10:40 PM

Those numbers are scary....We can't tell but your PAR more than doubled. I need to buy a PAR meter asap I think it's a very wise piece of equipment when you have Acros

Ron Reefman · 04/04/2013, 04:42 AM

I'll steal ashish's thunder. He posted this link in a different thread:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/jb/

Just look at the different PAR values based on the different bulbs! And different ballasts made a smaller difference, but still significant. I never knew MH bulbs could have such wide ranging PAR values! These are as crazy wide in PAR as leds can be.

Michigan Mike · 04/04/2013, 05:34 AM

Looks as though the 14k Aquaconnect bulbs lost their blue thunder over a year or so.

Like your purple/yellow tip torch.

07/23/2012, 09:05 PM	#1
aandfsoccr04 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 3,561	250w Radium SE PAR graphs Hey I was curious about the radiums PAR in my tank at different levels so I took some readings tonight. I have the bluewave 3 magnetic HQI ballasts that properly drives the radiums and use the lumenmax elite reflectors in my canopy. The bulbs are 14.5 inches off the water surface. The tank is a 120 gallon tank 4 feet long x 2 feet deep x 2 feet tall. The PAR meter that I used was the Apogee MQ-200 PAR Meter, which can be seen here: http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/apo...-200-par-meter The first picture shows the arrangements of the lights in my tank. I also noticed a significant change in the color of the bulbs. The 1 year old bulbs were fairly yellowish whereas the brand new bulbs were a really nice crisp white with a tiny bit of blue hue which I prefer greatly to the 1 year old bulbs. The next picture shows my tank with 1 year old bulbs and the PAR readings: This picture is the brand new bulbs with PAR readings: Lastly, the bulbs side by side, the old ones on the right and new ones on the left: __________________ 120 gallon mixed reef

07/24/2012, 09:30 AM	#5
aandfsoccr04 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 3,561	Are you guys sure that the bulbs are not the same? I could have sworn that they are both radiums. I have so many bulbs laying around sometimes I get confused though. I could be wrong. __________________ 120 gallon mixed reef

07/24/2012, 04:52 PM	#8
aandfsoccr04 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 3,561	yeah thank you for that correction. I just noticed that when I got home and read the label on the bulb. What's the quality difference between the two bulbs? __________________ 120 gallon mixed reef

04/04/2013, 04:42 AM	#10
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	I'll steal ashish's thunder. He posted this link in a different thread: http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2007-04/jb/ Just look at the different PAR values based on the different bulbs! And different ballasts made a smaller difference, but still significant. I never knew MH bulbs could have such wide ranging PAR values! These are as crazy wide in PAR as leds can be. __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

07/23/2012, 10:52 PM	#2
rsg4 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: georgia Posts: 65	Are all four of those bulbs suppose to be the same?

07/23/2012, 10:59 PM	#3
PaulErik Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: North Charleston, SC Posts: 1,703	The 1 year lamps in the picture are Aqua Connect 14,000K made by Narva-Neuco in Germany. Changing over to Radium 20,000K will be a significant change in color when using an ANSI M80 magnetic ballast.

07/24/2012, 08:39 AM	#4
alton Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Zuehl, Texas Posts: 4,460	See if you can borrow an electronic ballast and try taking the PAR levels as a side by side comparison with the mag ballast?

07/24/2012, 09:43 AM	#6
karsseboom Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 2,183	Those are pretty low readings from radiums on that ballast. I posted my par readings and things were a lot different.

07/24/2012, 10:22 AM	#7
Jeremy B. Registered Member Join Date: May 2001 Location: Indianapolis, IN / Muncie, IN Posts: 8,219	As Paul mentioned above, the lamps on the right are definitely 14k Aquaconnects, while the two on the left are Radiums.

04/03/2013, 10:40 PM	#9
ashish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Bridgewater NJ Posts: 500	Those numbers are scary....We can't tell but your PAR more than doubled. I need to buy a PAR meter asap I think it's a very wise piece of equipment when you have Acros

04/04/2013, 05:34 AM	#11
Michigan Mike Freedom costs a buckofive Join Date: May 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,002	Looks as though the 14k Aquaconnect bulbs lost their blue thunder over a year or so. Like your purple/yellow tip torch.