Reef Central Online Community

Home Forum Here you can view your subscribed threads, work with private messages and edit your profile and preferences View New Posts View Today's Posts

Find other members Frequently Asked Questions Search Reefkeeping ...an online magazine for marine aquarists Support our sponsors and mention Reef Central

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community Archives > General Interest Forums > Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment

 
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11/30/2007, 06:21 PM
reef rico reef rico is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 80
Question 400 Watt Metal Halide On 40 Gallon Tank!

Would i 400 watt metal halide with a 14k bulb be enough for a 40 gallon tank (sps, clams light loving coral) which is 37 inches long 12 inches wide 1nd 18 inches tall.
  #2  
Old 11/30/2007, 06:43 PM
BurntOutReefer BurntOutReefer is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Granada Hills
Posts: 2,920
..yes...IMO...more then enough (overkill?)...hope you have a chiller......
__________________
A wasted weekend is not a weekend wasted!
  #3  
Old 11/30/2007, 07:19 PM
oct2274 oct2274 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ
Posts: 2,156
At 18 inches deep you can keep pretty much anything on the bottom of a tank with a good 150 DE bulb/reflector combo. Now since the tank is that long I would go with two 150's or maybe two iwasaki 175 SE 15k's if you really wanted to keep the most demanding corals on the bottom. A 400 is just rediculous for a tank that small. Personally on a tank that size i would run a 4 36" T5HO over it with good individual reflectors and call it good. If you want a bit extra power use an icecap ballast to overdrive the bulbs. That would save you a ton of money and electricity and be plenty to keep anything you wanted.
  #4  
Old 11/30/2007, 07:44 PM
doonan75 doonan75 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: North Palm Beach FL
Posts: 25
My LFS has a 20 gal tank with a 400 watt MH. The growth and colors on his SPS are amazing!! He uses a calcium reactor, chiller and refugium also.
  #5  
Old 11/30/2007, 08:35 PM
Fishbulb2 Fishbulb2 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: San Diego
Posts: 986
completely unnecessary. Go with a good 250W and light will not be the limiting factor. I have a 40 now. I use a Hamilton 14K and it works great. I used to use a 10K EVC close to the water and all of my corals would turn a very pale white and bleach out. Not worth it. There is definitely such a thing as too much light. You will also want to consider a chiller with the 400W. A better alternative, as mentioned above, may be T5's. Because 40s are so long, T5's can provide you with better coverage.
__________________
hello
  #6  
Old 12/01/2007, 10:06 PM
reef rico reef rico is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 80
Man i cant get a chiller because it cost like 500-1000 dollars and im only 15 years old lol. Ill probably use some pc fans. The 400 watt is only like $20 more expensive than the 250 watt and thats why im considering the 400 watt. Say i do get the 400 watt would it be able to light up the left and right of the tank as well or just manly the centre.
  #7  
Old 12/01/2007, 10:07 PM
reef rico reef rico is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 80
I just want a hektic reef with the best lighting possible for my corals. Just say what u guys would do if you had my tank.
  #8  
Old 12/01/2007, 10:09 PM
saltycreefer saltycreefer is offline
Dismembered
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Fairfield,CT
Posts: 1,527
Just get T-5's.
__________________
I love being a turtle!!!
  #9  
Old 12/01/2007, 10:12 PM
oct2274 oct2274 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ
Posts: 2,156
T5HO lots of bulb choices, less heat, less energy usage will give you the best lighting coverage......won't fry corals like the 400 over that tank lol.....well depending on the bulbs you use........Again 400 is going to be to much you typically don't need 400 watt bulbs unless you have a 30 inch deep tank. You are going to have a super hotspot under a 400 in a tank that small where corals are going to get fried. If you have to have halides...........2 -175's max. you've had more then one person say that a 400 is overkill
  #10  
Old 12/01/2007, 11:02 PM
mandm25254 mandm25254 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: pine hill
Posts: 210
im just saying i have a 75g with the same lights you are going to be getting i think
http://www.hellolights.com/browsepro...DE-SYSTEM.html
well i have one over my DEEPER tank and i still have it 10 inches from the surface thats somthing ealse you need to think youll need about 17 from surface and that will look kinda weird that hight up. the only reasion i got the 400w is because im a little deeper then you and the 400w will alow me to get a little more par out of a higher K bulb
  #11  
Old 12/02/2007, 01:02 AM
reef rico reef rico is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 80
I just want to ask one more thing would a 400 watt really bleach out my corals?
  #12  
Old 12/02/2007, 01:07 AM
oct2274 oct2274 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ
Posts: 2,156
this post must be a joke - is it april already?
  #13  
Old 12/02/2007, 01:15 AM
humbugy humbugy is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: bloomington, il
Posts: 352
i have a 175 on a la3 mini on my 40 breeder, and for a do over i would do 4 or 6 t5 instead, much better spread.
  #14  
Old 12/02/2007, 02:20 AM
reef rico reef rico is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 80
lol oct2274 ur a joke hahahaha!
  #15  
Old 12/02/2007, 09:56 AM
mile sq. reefer mile sq. reefer is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,174
I say get the 400w, no wait, 1000w would be best about 1" off the tank surface.
  #16  
Old 12/02/2007, 11:34 AM
oct2274 oct2274 is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Ahwatukee, AZ
Posts: 2,156
Quote:
Originally posted by mile sq. reefer
I say get the 400w, no wait, 1000w would be best about 1" off the tank surface.
agreed
  #17  
Old 12/02/2007, 07:00 PM
reef rico reef rico is offline
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 80
lol
 

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:56 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef Central™ Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2009