MH Light for 60g Tank

[iVgOnMaD]

Is a Single 400w MH too much for a 60g Tank? I have it from a past project and was thinking in rigging it up in my new reef tank the tank is 20" deep and 48" long and 15" wide.

Your opinions please?

[dakar]

Think you'll find that it's not enough, but in a different way, the average coverage area be somewhere in the area of 24" across the top of the tank... if you were to center a 400w over the center of a 48" tank at lets say 12" over the water surface the center of the tank would be rather bright and the sides quite dimly lit. A pair of halidies would serve your and your critters far better...

[lReef lKeeper]

i voted BAD, as Dakar stated and the manufacturer recommends, you will be MUCH better off with 2 400w halides, or you could sell the 400w and buy 2 250w halides. manufacturers recommend 1 halide for every 2' of tank length.

[seahorsedreams]

A single 400w MH light is too much over a 21" tank. I would personally go with a 175 mogul or a 150 HQI..... two of them.

[perpetual98]

Personally, I'd go with two 175W halides. It'll save you electricity in the long run as well as cost less and be cheaper to maintain. It should give you enough light too. You could go with a 150W setup too. The only reason I'm slightly against HQI is the whole "need UV glass" thing.

Eric