How much light will I need?

[Manny]

I have finally finished my stand and got all the plumbing done. Now I need to get the lighting done. My tank is 24"Lx24"Wx25"H. It has an external overflow so none of the tank dimentions are taken up by the overflow.

My question is how much light will I need to keep SPS and some LPS and a few softies. I was thinking that I would use a 400watt DE flourecent combo but I can't seem to find any 400watt, only 250watt. Would a 250watt be enough for a 25" deep tank. I would like to stay with the DE due to heat issues.

[Ruth]

I think for a tank that size you will be fine with 250W lights. I have never noticed a difference in heat between DE and SE but I have never really tested that. 400W lights get very hot and I am not sure they have come out with a 400W DE bulb yet although I do know that they were in the works.

[Manny]

The reason that DE bulbs are cooler than SE bulbs are that they have the UV glass between it and the water, therefore not as much of the heat gets to the water.

[zulu_principle]

The fixtures with the 400watt de should be out the later part of this year.

Hamilton makes a DE 400.

So, what type of chiller are you going to run ? :)


Wendell

[Ruth]

If you are running 400W lights on that size of a tank I don't think it is going to matter that much if they are DE or SE it's going to get HOT.

[Manny]

Will a 400watt light ad more heat than two 250watt lights. I already have two 250watt SE lights and if the 250watt lights are going to be cooler than I will just use those.
I am hoping that I will not have to run a chiller. My tank that I have at my old house tops out at about 82 and my new place is much cooler as it never gets direct sunlight.

[StirCrazy]

seeing as you are running a 2'x2'x2' cube you can use one 250watt HQI fixture and you will have all the light you need.

Steve

[TheReefGeek]

If you already have a 250w SE, why not just use one of those?

Build a little hanging fixture with glass or acrylic on the bottom, and a fan and vent hole, and heat should not be an issue.

[G1GY]

If you already have a 250w SE, why not just use one of those?

Build a little hanging fixture with glass or acrylic on the bottom, and a fan and vent hole, and heat should not be an issue.

Whenever you add glass or acrylic to a fixture you are adding a filter. Same deal when you use a glass top. :)

[TheReefGeek]

Yes, it decreases the light a bit, but compared to overheating your tank it is worth it IMO.

[G1GY]

Yes, it decreases the light a bit, but compared to overheating your tank it is worth it IMO.

Probably better off to just run a small computer fan between the the fixture and the aquarium to push the heat away. This will allow to keep the full benifitof the light. :)

[TheReefGeek]

Worth a try, it might not be enough though.

[StirCrazy]

Manny, If you already have the SE set up then use one of thoes, if you want to upgrade the punch then change the ballast out to a HQI ballast and run your SE off of it.. you will get more light than a DE. you could always build a hanging pendant to keep it about 8" off the water and run a small fan accross the top of the tank to remove heat.

Steve

[G1GY]

Worth a try, it might not be enough though.


This the way I keep my sumpless 90 from overheating with the 2 250 watt 10k's and 2 96 watt actinics beating down on it fron 6 inches away. :)

You'll get more evaporation (FREE COOLING!!!!!!!!), but topping up is cheap and easy to do. :)

[Manny]

I have decided to go with one of my 250watt SE lights. I will get a computer fan to blow over the tank to help keep the heat away. Thanks for your input.