Updated Radium Pictures

[MtnDewMan]

Here are some pictures updated with two 250W 20000k Radiums on the tank. Note that these pictures were taken with a white balance against a white piece of paper against the tank lit with radiums.







Time will tell how the coral does under these new lights




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MDM

[MtnDewMan]

Here is a shot with no white balance. But this is too blue for what it truly looks like, it is brighter than this for sure. At least white balance can pull out the true color of the coral inside

[Reefland]

Knowing that your good with your camera, could you try and get a picture for us that shows the tank the way it looks to you; as close as possible anyway?

Thanks,
Scott Z.

P.S. Merry Christmas!

[MtnDewMan]

Knowing that your good with your camera, could you try and get a picture for us that shows the tank the way it looks to you; as close as possible anyway?

Thanks,
Scott Z.

P.S. Merry Christmas!

Oh my ... that's a challenge that will be very difficult to meet I am afraid ...

Merry Christmas !!!

[corey0613]

Here is a shot with no white balance. But this is too blue for what it truly looks like, it is brighter than this for sure. At least white balance can pull out the true color of the coral inside

I HAVE A PROBLEM WHEN SHOOTING ON MY TANK THAT THE PIC ALWAYS COMES OUT TOO BLUE. WHAT DID YOU MEAN BY THE WHITE BALANCE WAS WITH A WHITE PIECE OF PAPER ON THE TANK?? I DONT HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE WITH SHOOTING MY TANK BUT YOUR TRICK SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT BE JUST WHAT I AM LOOKING FOR. I HAVE A SONY DSC-V1. A GREAT CAMERA AND WAS PRETTY PRICEY, BUT I STILL CANT GET A GOOD SHOT OF MY TANK. THE TANK IS IN THE WALL. THE CAMERA HAS DIFFERENT OPTIONS FOR WHITE BALANCE ON IT, BUT NONE OF THEM PRODUCE THE RESULTS THAT I AM LOOKING FOR. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY IDEAS. THANKS COREY

[MtnDewMan]

My camera comes with a feature to adjust to the lighting you are taking the shot in. Customizable white balance means that you can put a piece of white paper in the line of sight of your shot, and you calibrate the camera to that white spot. Then the final picture will filter out so to speak the lighting such that it calibrates the lighting based on that white balance calibration you made.

Okay, so I tried some shots that get it closer to what you may be seeing if using a Radium. This is a difficult task for sure. Any noticeable difference?





This next one is a bit on the darker side, but getting there

[Poseidon]

Big DIFERENCE from the shots that you took with a Manual "as I see it" VS the camera calibrated with teh white paper. My camera allows me to set teh white balance by color Temperture. in 100" increments I haven't played with it yet as teh "auto setting" works pretty good. I'll bet if I could take a shot of your tank with a 20K setting we might be able to post an "as I see it" a little easier that way!!

[MtnDewMan]

Yah, a setting like that sure would help. I will have to scour my camera documentation again to see if I have anything like that, but I don't think I do ... I guess if I stick with the 20000k, it is a pain I will have to bare ... or I will just take them with it filtered and still get good shots

[zhenya]

I don't know,Chuck,all of the pics look great to me. I really like that blue Maxima in your tank,it's spectacular blue in my opinion. Tank looks really GREAT,Chuck ;)

[MtnDewMan]

Yah, that maxima is a beauty. Keeps growing and growing. I hope it does well with this lighting.

[zhenya]

Yah, that maxima is a beauty. Keeps growing and growing. I hope it does well with this lighting.

Chuck,

I think it takes way too much valuable real estate in your tank and you need to send it to me
Seriously, I think it will be just great under those lights.

;)

[scubadude]

You never cease to amaze me.

Oh my ... that's a challenge that will be very difficult to meet I am afraid ...

Would you say that the pics with white paper adjustments come closer to what it looks like in real life versus the pics w/ more blue in them? Of course im talking about the coloration of the corals, maybe a medium in between somewhere?

[MtnDewMan]

The actual color of the corals are very close to what are in the shots with the white balance. The color you "see" in the radiums are closer to the bottom set of pictures. Hard to explain ... haha ... I guess I am a believer now that you have to see the radiums first hand to really understand how they look.

[scubadude]

I guess I am a believer now that you have to see the radiums first hand to really understand how they look.

I have seen them Chuck....I had 2 of them on my 220 along w/ 3 10k ushios...But the radiums themselves always seemed too blue for me, unless mixed some lower kelvin bulbs. I just wanted your opinion :P Im surprised you havent jumped on the XM fade ....but of course if it works for you dont change it right?

[MtnDewMan]

If I had a bigger tank, I would definately mix 10000k and 20000k bulbs together, that would be the perfect mix in my opinion.

[Papa Doug]

Man, those are some nice colours.

I always loved the colour from my 400w Radiums, but unless mixed with my 65K Iwasaki,s they were just not strong enough for my 30in. deep 225g tank. I no longer use them, but have said I would on a smaller tank. {I use pulse start ballasts only, not HQI}.

Well I,m now working on that. Building a smaller sps tank that will be lit with a single 400w Radium.

[MtnDewMan]

Yah, the Radiums do look different for sure. I will see how the colors change in the next week or so

Good luck with your new tank with the Radium. I may have said it before, I would probably not attempt radiums on anything but an HQI ballast.

[almostdiva]

Chuck,

Great pictures, especially this last set, IMO. I thought the white balance ones were probably too white for how the tank really looked. I'm betting this latest batch is more true to life??

And I agree w Gene -- the tank is looking fabulous!

[MtnDewMan]

Still thinking about this lighting here. Been reading ... and thinking ... haha ... dangerous combination here

I am thinking I will be going back to the 10000k AB bulbs with a standard ballast. I will get the best of the 10000k bulbs without too much light blasting at them from the HQI ballast ... I wish I could fit 3 bulbs and fit a Radium in there to be a nice combination.