250w vs 400w

[wakeboardgeek]

I'm very cautious of power usage on my tank and the following two scenarios differ by a few cents per month. What would you choose for a SPS dominated tank (T5 and LED supplementation), 24" deep.

250w on for 6 hours
400w on for 4 hours

 

[Frick]

I have a 400w Radium over my 40 for eight hours. A little over kill but everything looks great, couldn't be better. I had a Hamilton 14K 250 HQI, and stuff did well. If you are supplementing with florescent actinics I would stick with the 250w and run for around eight hour.

My 2c

 

[cjcmcheek]

This type of decision IMO is personal choice. I would base your decision on the amount of time you will be sitting around looking at the stuff inside your tank. If you are going to be around a lot go with the 250 so the lights stay on longer. Otherwise 400's will give u brighter colors, bigger polyps.

I have used both of these lights before( 250 hqi, and 400mh). They will both work. The only difference I could tell is I needed to have the250's on longer to make the corals do what the400's do with less time.