400 or 250 Watt MH ????????

[jtravis2]

My tank measurements are 36" long, 20" front to back and 20" high. I have a wooden canopy with two fans, one blowing air in the other sucking air out. I originally started with a 400 watt MH (mogul base) with a PFO PS magnetic ballast. When I recieved my first PG&E bill I almost @#$% my pants! So I put a 250 watt MH (mogul base) with an electronic ballast on and my PG&E, electrical portion of my bill, dropped about $70, much better. The only problem is I think the 400 watt illuminates the tank better. I also have one 95 watt VHO actinic and 1 95 watt VHO 50/50 with a 1/10th HP chiller.
I want to keep a mixture of SPS, LPS, clams, and fish is 250 watts sufficient or do I need the 400 watt?
Thanks
Jim

[GSMguy]

what reflector?

[nyvp]

I use 250w on my 30" deep tank save your money and enjoy the growth,

[GSMguy]

you have good reflectors if i remember correctly nyvp?

[BONDQ]

You don't state your bulb distance to water, but at 20" deep I'd stick to 250W. But, I would recommend that you have 2 each for 36" of width. This initially might seem like "over-kill", but trust me this will help increase growth and make the light more even across the tank.

Place each bulb 12" in from each side.

Obviously, the brightest area will be the very center (since the light from each bulb will overlap), so you can place corals that need the most light there.

Your power consumption will be only 100W over the 400W and IMO will produce a better finished result.

I have a 300 gallon tank that is 30" deep with a 5" DSB. My lights are 13" from the water and I run 4 each 400W MH for 1,600Watts total.

[jtravis2]

I'm embarrased to say that I don't know the make of the reflector, but I will find out and post. The MH bulb is approximately 7"- 8" above the water and the sand bed is 1"- 2".

[EnderG60]

yeah definitly depends on the kind of 250 and reflector.

My tank is about the same as yours(36x18x21) and i had a 250w SE 10k xm on there nice but to white so i put a hamilton 14k on there nice color but no growth.

Now I have a 400w SE 20k xm on there with a luminarc style reflector and I love it. With all the fans running I dont even need a chiller, but it would probly help.

Try out some 250w DE bulbs in a PFO style pendent and you should be fine.

[jtravis2]

I'm using an XM 20K bulb with a PFO elctronic ballast. The 20K is on the bluish side so I run a 95 watt VHO 50/50. I have two VHO's run by a PFO electronic ballast, one acticnic and one 50/50, I'm considering switching the VHO's out for T-5's.

[jtravis2]

I have a Spider Light Reflector.

[GSMguy]

switch to a lumenarc or sls lumenmax II and a 250w and you should be fine