400 watts on a 60 gallon cube Overkill?

[maxfischer]

Im thinking about using a 400 watt mh over a 60 g cube 24" x 24" x 24". The light would be 12"s off the water. The tank will be SPS and a few LPS, is this overkill. I have a 250 hqi right now, 4.16 watts per gallon, the 400 is only 6.66. I know a bunch of you are using 400's whats the water depth that your using them at & how high off the water?

 

[MikeG]

I think the 250 is perfect. I am using a 400 but the tank is 36x36x24 tall.

 

[NateHanson]

Spend your money on a great reflector.

 

[Richard]

I just downgraded from 2 x 175MH to one 250DE. In my 29gal so I would say go for the 400W if you can keep the tank cool.

 

[Ray]

I ran 2x400 on a 75 gallon, I did have some heat issues in the summer but nothing big. I would do it again!

 

[APISTOBORELLI]

I have a SE 400W over my 58 gallon.

 

[maxfischer]

Spend your money on a great reflector.

what do you think???

 

[wrassefan]

I think it is overkill....250 DE is plenty...and I think you will have a heat issue with 400s

 

[NateHanson]

what do you think???

Sorry, didn't mean to be ambiguous. I think you should stick with the 250 that you have, and get a nice big lumenarc-type reflector for it. It'll light up that cube beautifully.

BTW, I loooove those tank dimensions. I keep meaning to build something like that myself.

 

[maxfischer]

Sorry, didn't mean to be ambiguous. I think you should stick with the 250 that you have, and get a nice big lumenarc-type reflector for it. It'll light up that cube beautifully.

BTW, I loooove those tank dimensions. I keep meaning to build something like that myself.

Is it worth spending the $$$ on the brand name? or will a coral vue work?

 

[JayM]

just don't put the non-uv bulb in one if you buy it.

once you've seen the lights a lumenarc reflector can throw....you will be converted.

Still blown away by Mauro's tank and the light setup with the lumenarcs.....

 

[maxfischer]

just don't put the non-uv bulb in one if you buy it.

the hqi's ?

 

[NateHanson]

With the DE fixture you need to shield a normal bulb to block UV. Or you can buy DE bulbs that are UV shielded.

 

[Bitingthesun]

not to hijack, but I have a 4000w over my 92 and I wonder if it's UV protected.

how can one tell?

 

[reefsmurf]

Sorry but if you have 4000W, UV is the least of your concerns

 

[Bitingthesun]

lol, 400W 20K

 

[NateHanson]

Is it a DE bulb or single ended? SE bulbs are (as far as I know) all UV shielded.

edit, noticed that your sig says 400 w Pendant. I assume that's a DE pendant, and that the pendant has a sheet of glass under the bulb, yes? If so, that piece of tempered glass is your UV shield.

 

[chew*]

FYI i have a 250 de aquamedic fixture over the finnex 30g.
Its mounted 20" above the tank and what I like most about this particular setup is the par is very consistent.

The shift is very small with the bottom corners on the sand furthest from the light at 120 par and the dead center on the sandbed having 150 par.

This is with a 250w de aqualine 10000 in an aquamedic fixture.