Anyone tried the Radium HQI bulb?

[fishypets]

I switched back to my 10K reeflux after using the 12K's for a few months and have decided that I don't really like the color. I hope someone can share experiences with the Radium bulb. Also should I change out my 420 nm T5 actinic for some 10K bulbs? TIA

Clint

Gary I may have a brand new pair of the RF 10K for sale in the near future.

[brewercm]

I ran 400 watt radiums several years ago and couldn't really tell the difference between it and the 20K XM whenn they were run side by side.

[matt]

There was at one time a real cult of devotees to radiums, always with the HQI ballast. I remember reading that they only lasted 6 months, and measured pretty low PAR, but lots of people swore by them. Of course, that's going back a few years before the current crop of higher kelvin bulbs was available.

[TexasTodd]

Well, cult or not, the best colors I've ever seen on corals came from Radium on HQI. Many of the gurus still run them, but some have switched to the CVRF 10kk also and are happy.

I've only run the Radiums on a Pulse start ballast. The colors were VERY good, but growth sucked big time. But the PAR difference between the Pulse and an HQI is fairly large.

Todd

[TroyPham]

clint what brand t5's are you using.

[matt]

Well, cult or not, the best colors I've ever seen on corals came from Radium on HQI.

Yep, that's what John Moffet (arizona corals, used to live in SA) always said. Of course his other bulbs were iwasakis!

[fishypets]

clint what brand t5's are you using.

Coralvue

[fishypets]

Well I am about to order the new bulbs but I am still unclear on if I should switch out my 420 nm T5'S for some 10K. Any help would be much appreciated. TIA

Clint