Can someone tell me how much light to have?

[dukey787]

I want to do sps soon, and i have a 200 gallon tank about 20 inches deep or so with 520 watts on it currently of power compact. If i did 3 x 250 watt metal halides, would I be able to do sps?

[jjjimmy]

With (3) 250 halides you could keep anything that you would desire in a 20" deep tank. Be sure to research spectrum of bulbs before you decide if you want to supplement with actinic lighting or not.

[dukey787]

well is that too much light? and the set up I would get includes 3 10,000 K bulbs. Would I need actinics with these guys? thanks

[dukey787]

okay i might have made a mistake....the depth is somewhere between 2 and 3 feet...is 750 watts still fine to reach that depth?

[saleenpwr88]

You might want to go with 400's for that depth. I guess it really depends on what you want to keep. You could stay with 250's but probably would have to keep your SPS in the upper 2/3 of the tank. LPS Softies Zoos would probably all be good in the bottom 1/3.

[dukey787]

3 x 400's? or can i supplement the 3 x250's with some actinics?

[canar]

The more the better!

[hebygb]

I'd go with the 400s... lol... based on your name... you must be with Duke power and light...

[Rod Buehler]

depending on the type of ballast/bulb combo, you can sometimes get more PAR (light) from a 250 than you can a 400 but only when comparing apples to oranges

An XM 10KK on a 250 HQI ballast (M-80) (apple) will produce a PAR in the 180s

wheras

An XM 10KK on a 400 standard ballast (M-59) (orange) will produce a PAR in the 170s