Lighting thoughts 3x250 or 3x400 ?

[dakar]

Okay here we go, getting ready to order in the components to build our new lighting system.

Going with the 6500K Iwasaki's, no questions there... did a bunch of researching before and again this morning, and I'm pretty set on them.

The question is this; given the tank is 72"x24"x24" (180g), price difference between the 250's and 400's bulbs is like zero. Just the ballasts run about $20 more each for the upgrade to 400w. In my mind that equates to almost double the effective light for $60 (plus the 'lectricity costs to run them). And of course the added heat that'll need to be disapated from the canopy, 4 120mm fans should make short work of any problems there.

(chase away the yellow tint with 4 65w PC Actinic 03's for now then later change them to 6x65w either stay with the actinic or maybe straight blue)

Right now we have mostly softies and LPS, but will want to add a few SPS eventually, it's been said there is no such thing as too much light, but would 1200w be overkill? Angel would kick me if all her shrooms and stuff got a sunburn :D

Any and all thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[tileman]

I think that you should go the extra mile and get the 400 w lights. In the long run you wont want to upgrade again for more. like everyone always want to do later on. You know like bigger boat ,bigger house, more toys, it never ends.

[Reptoreef]

I agree... just acclimate gradually.

[jerryc]

Yea me to most rooms do OK under hi lighting after Thea get used to it.
the only ones i have that don't is the common purple ones and wish someone
Elsi had the ones i have lift

[Reef_Angel]

My feelings exactly. If we buy the lower watt ones, we're only going to want the higher ones within a couple weeks. I know us! We'll automatically say, "hmmm....I wonder what it would be like with the 400's?" Instant regret! I think Dakar just needed you all to say the same thing! lol I don't think I would have let him buy less when the bulbs cost the same!!!!! We're getting our lights guys!!! Yippee!!!! Happy Angel and Dakar dance!!

[frags]

Get the HQI's. The power of the 400, the electricity of the 250, and better reflectors taboot.

[Reptoreef]

Frags, this could work and very well... tell me... are you refering to running the DE's on an eballast or a mag ballest for that overdrive? Personally, I run my DE on a Mag HQI and the diff is awesome(extremely hot, too). BTW, glad to see you posting... really hits the "mark". lol

[frags]

I'd go HQI [drives the bulbs harder, more like they're designed to ... though at higher wattage] - but IMO the biggest difference is in the reflector, where the HQI/DE can really shine. [so to speak]

I dunno about HQI with a more `standard ballast' - I guess I've mostly seen HQI ballasts + the nice reflector setups and been very impressed with that every time. If lacking the reflector + HQI ballast ... I'd probably just go SE as IMO the benefits are not as significant.

Lots of opinion ... but seems like an awful lot of folks have gone 400w SE -> 250w DE [with success] ... and saving a little power doesn't seem like a bad idea.

Heck, you hear a fair bit in the last year or so of people running MH's for only a few hours, with daylight VHO's to suppliment [once the coral has photosynthesis start, takes a LOT less energy for it to continue]

[dakar]

Well I changed things up a little here.... Still staying with the Iwasaki's.... but going with a 400w in the center and running 250's on each side. All of my readings suggest that the sakis are second only to the HQI's, but for the deals I'm stumbled on for ballasts and such it's far too good to pass up on. This should give me a fair amount of lighting diversity (think I've coined a new phrase) across the whole tank, but at least this way I can save a little on the electric bill and still maintain an excellent quality of lighting. Once I've acclimated the reef to the new lights we should be able to provide a suiable environment for even the most light demanding critters and still be able to keep the softies and LPS we enjoy so much.

[Reptoreef]

OK... give it a try. I run 2 10k se and 1 20k de and the growth, color, and overall appearance is truly amazing!!! I also use pc supplimentation, but only for the dusk and dawn effects and to help suppliment the yellow tinge when running the 10k's.