Age old question 250 watt or 400 watt

[Zacktosterone]

I'm going to be running a 90% sps tank. It's 120 gallons 48x25x24

What should I do? 250 watt radiums or 400 watt radiums. There's a chance I'm going to upgrade to a larger tank in the future that will be 60x36x24 but for at least a year or more I will be running the 120.

Chances are, this is going to go in a giesemann spectra.
Please leave opinions on ballasts. My opinion right now is m80 or m135. Depending on the wattage. Dave at Hamilton tech is always a big help and awesome to deal with (since he puts up with me). He measured the power expenditures of both ballasts for me today, so really my concern for power consumption isn't too pressing. I'm more interested in what is better for my corals. I don't want to torch anything and this will be hung 14" off the water, not that spread is an issue. I just don't want to cook anything.

Radium 250 Watt on M80 ballast "“ 304 watts

Radium 400 Watt on M135 ballast "“ 392 watts

 

[Andrew D]

at 24 inches, I think 400W's would be too strong. Size of tank doesn't matter, depth does.

 

[Zacktosterone]

So great, none thinks I should be using 400 watt. Is there any reason why?

 

[C.Eymann]

If heat won't be an issue, go with the 400w

 

[scrapz]

If you acclimate properly, you could even do 1000w. Its crazy how much brighter a 400w over 250w though. 400w radiums color is ao much better than 250.

 

[Zacktosterone]

If you acclimate properly, you could even do 1000w. Its crazy how much brighter a 400w over 250w though. 400w radiums color is ao much better than 250.

This is what I'm worried about. I don't want to miss out on something

 

[toothman]

I have had 250 watt radiums on my tank for years, they just were not strong enough. Currently have 400 watt radiums, color is better and sps look better. Most of my acroporas are with in 24 inches of top of water, my tank is 30 inches deep. I think the question should who has tried both 400 watt and 250 watt. So strong vote for 400 watt.

 

[scrapz]

This is what I'm worried about. I don't want to miss out on something

If you can handle the heat, 400w is the way to go. I also modify the light schedule depending on the weather. 400W in winter, 250w during the hot summer.

 

[toothman]

they do run hot, I have two 120 cfm fans on each of my fixtures, with a total of 6 halides and 4 fans. The fans are a bit louder than I would want but work well. My chiller really does not run for more than a few hours each day. But you will need a chiller most likely with either 250 or 400. I keep my tank at 77-78, bit cooler than most. You could always go t5.

 

[C.Eymann]

I ran two 250 Watt radiums on a 58 gallon with a thermo controlled fan on the sump, never had any issues until my homes HVAC system conked out mid summer while I was on vacation.

I don't think a chiller would be needed as long as he employs some agreesive evap cooling.

 

[Zacktosterone]

No t5s for me. It's starting to look like 250 watts is the better option. See, my wife and I made a deal
If the halides don't hear up the basement then we're good. If they do. She's out. What's the heat difference between bulbs?

 

[joshky]

You seem to be going through a lot of lighting options? Sorry I haven't ran MH before so I can't comment.

What do you mean that your wife is "out" if the basement heats up? Maybe I'm reading into it too much but I'd probably not go MH if your wife is implying things such as leaving? My 8 bulb ATI fixture heats up my bedroom, I can only imagine what MH's would do.

Sorry for butting in.

 

[Zacktosterone]

You seem to be going through a lot of lighting options? Sorry I haven't ran MH before so I can't comment.

What do you mean that your wife is "out" if the basement heats up? Maybe I'm reading into it too much but I'd probably not go MH if your wife is implying things such as leaving? My 8 bulb ATI fixture heats up my bedroom, I can only imagine what MH's would do.

Sorry for butting in.

I think your reading into it a lot. She doesnt want to sit in a hot basement. So she would rather I sick with led. Is what I mean by out. If she was going to leave over a light fixture I would show her the door

 

[joshky]

I think your reading into it a lot. She doesnt want to sit in a hot basement. So she would rather I sick with led. Is what I mean by out. If she was going to leave over a light fixture I would show her the door

Okay well I apologize, just didn't understand what you were trying to say. I really don't think she'll appreciate the heat output of either bulb, 250w is obviously your best bet to keep her happy.

 

[Zacktosterone]

Okay well I apologize, just didn't understand what you were trying to say. I really don't think she'll appreciate the heat output of either bulb, 250w is obviously your best bet to keep her happy.

Probably....

 

[Realposition]

I think it depends a lot on reflectors. I ran both 400w radiums and 400w 14k ushios in lumenmax elites and I think it was to much for a 24" deep tank. Those reflectors really focus the light without as much spread. I later switched to a Hamilton Cebu when I got rid of the canopy and that has a lot less focused reflector, for that I didn't think the 400w was to much. I have no idea what the spectra reflector is like, just something to think about.

 

[reefmutt]

I run 2x 250 radium and a 150 in the middle and it's plenty imo..
My tank is 26 inches high. I'm even considering just going with 3 150w to save some $..
I also run 5 t5 and some led supplements..
Personally I think the 400 are not necessary...

 

[Zacktosterone]

250 watt it is!!

What's the best ballast if I can't mod the giesemann to run on m80 ballasts

 

[reefmutt]

From what I understand, you can use the m80 ballasts but you will probably need starters as well..

 

[Zacktosterone]

From what I understand, you can use the m80 ballasts but you will probably need starters as well..

I don't understand what a starter is