250w vs. 400w opinions needed

[Peter Fernandes]

I'm in the planning stages of a tank upgrade and I'd like some opinions. What lighting configuration should I go with. It will be mostly SPS/LPS and the new tank dimensions will be 60"L X 24"w X 29" T.

I'm planning on using full size lumenarcs at the moment but nothing is final.

What configuration would you use

3X 250w
2X 400w would that be enough coverage for a tank of that size and depth?

probably be using 10k's and
I'll be supplementing actinics with either VHO or T5

Thanks

Peter

 

[chew*]

I think a factor would be what type and how many braces the tank will have across the top of the tank....

 

[Peter Fernandes]

I think a factor would be what type and how many braces the tank will have across the top of the tank....

Yeah that would help! One brace across top of tank.

I guess my question should be would 2x250 be enough for a 29" tall tank to grow SPS or would I be limited to the top half of the tank for SPS.

Peter

 

[chew*]

My guess is that would be dependant on depth of sand bed, however 2 400's would work if theres only 1 brace, 3 250's would give better coverage.....but would be somewhat difficult with the brace in the center ( i'm guessing thats where it will be...)

 

[MikeG]

I would suggest 2 400's in full size luminarcs. This will give you good spread over the 60" and not limit what can be on the sand. I am running 1 400 on a 36x36x25 tank and I have decent par measurement of about 200 if I recall about 8" of the sandbed around the perimeter of the tank.

 

[delta]

60"L X 24"w X 29" T.

I'm planning on using full size lumenarcs at the moment but nothing is final.

IMO No need for more than 2 lights with lumenarcs. Also I would stick with 250's why waste the extra electricity. Unless you going 100% SPS that need alot of light.

 

[Peter Fernandes]

IMO No need for more than 2 lights with lumenarcs. Also I would stick with 250's why waste the extra electricity. Unless you going 100% SPS that need alot of light.

Cost of electricity is defiantly a factor. It will be a mix SPS/LPS....

Anyone using the lumenbright reflectors?

 

[jrmx635]

lights

I had two 400's on a 75,now I run two 250's on my 240.
I run them with very flat reflectors on the 8 foot 240 and you can't even tell there are only two bulbs.
I keep the sps under the bulbs and the only thing I noticed is that they aren't showing as much growth.
The blue tip stag actually seems to have more color in it but definately less growth.
I don't keep them very high,maybe 8 inches of the bottom of the tank
moral of the story is even with crapy reflectors 250's will be fine
so anyway,save the electricity and go with 250's and lumens for the coverage.

 

[MikeG]

Thye 250 in luminarc reflector was noticably dim on the edges of my 36" wide tank. I raised the 400 up a little higher which is I believe about 10" off the water and I get good coverage.

 

[Peter Fernandes]

Mike do you by chance have any comparison pics?

 

[MarkO]

Personally, I think just two 250's are more than enough if you put high light demanding corals high in the water column.

 

[jacqur]

I would elect to use (2) 250W on a tank of that size. 29" isn't all that deep, especially if you have a 3"-4" deep sand bed. Put in perspective, I have a 22" tall tank with (3) 175W MH in Lumenarc minis and the light is fine to grow SPS anywhere in the tank. The only other factor is if you were going to try and run 20k bulbs like Radiums. Then I would elect to use 400s. But if you plan on 10k bulbs, 250 seem like they would be plenty. My $0.02.

 

[MikeG]

Mike do you by chance have any comparison pics?

Unfortunately no, I can't get any good pics of the tank that show the light acurately. What I do have is PAR readings using the clubs PAR meter at various places throughout the tank with the 250 and the 400.

 

[Liam]

Unfortunately no, I can't get any good pics of the tank that show the light acurately. What I do have is PAR readings using the clubs PAR meter at various places throughout the tank with the 250 and the 400.

any chance of letting us see the difference in your tank as far as par differences between the Mike,thanks

 

[MikeG]

any chance of letting us see the difference in your tank as far as par differences between the Mike,thanks

I will have to wait till I get home (at work right now) to dig out the results but definately.

 

[smcnally]

I too would go with the 250W bulbs. IMO, going with 400W would limit what else you can put in the tank. You would have to build ledges and caves to shade your LPS.

 

[Behrmon]

Very happy w/ my 2 x 250 10K on a 30" Tall tank, although only 4' Wide.

 

[MarkO]

FWIW, I only have 175's over my 150 (30" deep tank). Corals that need lots of light (SPS for color) are placed high in the WC. They still could grow near the bottom, but they just lack the coloring they get higher up.

Cost wise, twin 400W bulbs @ 12 hours a day (+ ballast) will run you about $60 a month National Grid rates.