need help on tank lighting

[sudsy]

Ok i have a 58 gal oceanic reef, right now i am using 400 watts of vho's and 120 watts of pc's, well i would really like to change my lights over to metal halide, so i am wondering if i could use a single 400 watt metal halide to light my tank, i would keep two of the existing vho's for actinics, and scrap the pcs. would this be ok my tank is 36" long and i think like 23" deep, would it be too much light for softies and lps's which i mainly keep or no? Would i be better off using dual 250 watts, also what bulb K do you recommend, and which ballasts? Thank You for your Help Mike

[crrichey]

Well, most metal halide fixtures are rated for a 2'x2' area, so you would have intense lighting in the middle, and it would be darker on the outsides. At 23" deep, I would run the dual 250 watt metal halides along with a couple of your existing vhos IMO. As for K recommendations, 10K seems to popular, and it gives of a nice, bright, "white" light.

[tanker]

IMO, I think you need one bulb for every 24inch of tank length.

All corals do better with more light. If upgrade just acclimate coral to new light (start with lights higher, then move down,-- slowly work back to light up to "time" light is on, ect.).

[sudsy]

thanks for the replies, anyone else have any imput,