29" deep SPS tank 250vs400W

[Covey]

I've been back and forth about this and i am looking for some input. I've a 150G AGA RR tank its 29" deep. I am trying to decide on what wattage of MH to run. This tank will be the full blown acro tank and I want to keep them happy. So for SPS keeper with tanks this deep what wattage MH do you run?

I was planning on getting lumniarch minis to at least get the most out what ever I choose.

Has anybody got 250W and regreted it because a crumby growth or color deeper in the tank?

 

[Fat sTony]

400 W ... your corals won't grow at the bottom of your tank and they maybe get brown or lose their colors ...

 

[twon8]

anything over 24" should be 400w, but a lot depends on bulbs, ballasts, reflectors and the combination of them. what color temp are you planning to have?

 

[xtrstangx]

400w probably.

 

[Covey]

I don't have it nailed down let but I like
10K XM: Good PAR decent color
10K or 12KReeflux: Decent par, IMO better color
14K EVC Decent PAR, better color

I was thinking of going bluer if I go 400W.

Do you have any reeflux pics stang?

 

[Covey]

I was hoping for more input from SPS keeper with deep tanks?
Does anyone think that the 250W would be enough giving good equipment?

 

[93Foxstang]

I run 250 watts hqi on a 29 inch tall tank but I keep all sps half way up or higher. Go with 400 watts if you want your sps low in the tank.

 

[Snausages01]

Sure, you could do 250s especially with HQIs, but I'd go with the 400 SEs. I have a 24" deep tank and I had the 250s with 15K bulbs and things did fine, but the tank just wasn't real bright. I changed out to the 400 watt Iwasakis on a PFO standard ballast and am MUCH happier now. I say definitely go with the 400s.

 

[trueblackpercula]

I have 150watts vho of 50/50 bulbs and 1- 250watt se bulb 13k megachrome. looks very bright to me and my tank is 31 inches deep but I have 1/2 starboard on the bottom if that makes a difference.
so all in all i have 400watts total.

 

[DRZL-sauras]

nice cube, but is it just the pic or is it extremely off center :eek1:

 

[trueblackpercula]

that is the side of the tank. it is going inside of a wall. click here to see the whole project.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=746233&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

 

[Sparkss]

The TOTM two months ago was 28" or 30" deep, and he only used 250W MHs, and also had crocea clams on the bottom of the tank.

 

[trueblackpercula]

I truely belive that actincs play a huge roll in sps color. the more actinic suplement the better they are off.

 

[Travis]

I can already guarantee that the majority of people are going to tell you that you need 400 watters (but have any of those people tried 250 watters on a tank deeper than 24" or are they just repeating what they have read?). That is really one of the most common "myths" in this hobby. I used to assume the same thing until I decided to go against the grain and try for myself. Somewhere along the line, somebody posted that you need 400 watters in any tank over 24". And the community seemed to accept that as fact for some unknown reason. I can tell you that it truely is a myth. If you buy the right equipment and use the right husbandry practices to ensure that you have very clean and clear water you can make 250 watters go a long way. IMO, 400 watters are only necessary if you are wanting to run 20k bulbs.

Here is my 280 (72x30x30) lit by 3 x 250w XM 10k's in spider light reflectors and supplemented with 320w actinic VHO. BTW the MH's are 15" off the water too.

<img src=http://www.notlehs.com/travis/3-12-06%20full%20tank%20pics/full%20tank%203-12-06.jpg>

I have no problem growing acros or keeping them colored up on the bottom. I do however try to save the lower areas for the less light-demanding sps such as montiporas, seriatoporas, and pocilloporas just because I don't want to waste the higher light areas on them but I have no problems with acros on the bottom.

I truely feel that you are just wasting extra heat and electricity by running 400 watt bulbs unless you are running 20k's and possible 14 or 15k's.

 

[Travis]

Here are a couple more shots:
<img src=http://www.notlehs.com/travis/3-12-06%20full%20tank%20pics/141_4136.JPG>
<img src=http://www.notlehs.com/travis/3-12-06%20full%20tank%20pics/141_4137.JPG>

 

[trueblackpercula]

spider light reflectors and supplemented with 320w actinic VHO

see what i have been talking about
very nice tank and very well said

 

[Shawnts106]

Who makes the spider light reflectors>?

 

[Travis]

trueblackpercula, Actually, I don't think my actinics do much in terms of coral coloration. They are mounted over the top of my 1" thick eurobracing (rarely cleaned) so they have a lot of acrylic to penetrate. They are also about 6" above the surface of the water. They are also only changed out every 18 months. I added them just for aesthetic reasons to help balance out the XM10k's because I'm not a fan of the "white" look. They may help with the coloration and they may not, but that is not why I run them. The XM10k's already have a huge spike in the actinic spectrum.

 

[E-A-G-L-E-S]

travis...good to hear. i just set-up my new 210g.(29"H0 and am going with 3x250's

 

[fkadir]

I have been using 250W DEs on Magnetics in a 30" deep tank without complains.