How to tell a Radium is Caput?

[jlehigh]

I am looking for feedback from people who have experience running Radiums. My 400W Radium bulb has been running for several months driven by an HQI ballast and I SWEAR it shifted to a whiter spectrum 3 days ago, but it could be my eyes playing tricks on me..

How do you know when a Radium is done?

 

[daytondb]

when someone responds to this could you also explain what a radium is? thanks.

 

[jlehigh]

when someone responds to this could you also explain what a radium is? thanks.

LOL A Radium is simply a brand of Metal Halide bulb

 

[Ed Hahn]

Hello John,
I have been running a 400 watt Radium on a PFO HQI Ballast. It is very blue, still no change on mine.

 

[big t]

They say the radiums are good for about 6 months. I would change it when you notice more algea growing then normal.

 

[VINA DEL MAR]

I change my Radiums every 7 months.I never noticed any change in color neither
any algae growing after 7 months of use but my corals will start to lose that electric blue coloration on the tips .Radiums are known to decrease PAR quick after that.

Vina Del Mar.

 

[jlehigh]

Man that's a pretty lame lifespan... I am going to try a 12K reeflux next for my center bulb.

 

[reedman]

I just started running the 14K hamiltons and I have to say I like them....not cheap, but very nice color so far.

 

[CarlaW]

I change my radiums after 7 months also. I did hear one thing tho, the company that distributes these bulbs is not guaranteeing them anymore. Has anyone else heard this.

 

[szidls]

I just started running the 14K hamiltons and I have to say I like them....not cheap, but very nice color so far.

Hey Reed are you using any actinic supplement? I am using 10k XM 250s and thinking of going to the hamiltons at bulb change time.The xm's are very white
and I would like it a bit bluer.
Thanks, Scott

 

[reedman]

I think you'd be happy with the 14Ks then. I was running the XM 10Ks with my VHO Actinics and it was nice...good growth...yada yada yada. But I wanted more blue. The 14Ks did just that. A cooler look (temperature wise) and more blue. I still run the VHO actinics, but I don't notice much difference with or without them.