400 or 250 watts on a 24" tank

[rareform]

I have a 100 gallon corner tank with 400 watt 14k bulb and it seams to be bleaching everything I had a 20k bulb at first every thing did ok my question is in a tank 24" deep should I be using 1 or 2 250 watt bulbs or just go with the 20k 400 watt?

 

[Kbra]

im using 2 x 250w 14ks on my 24" 80gal and everything is working out great. Its a mixed reef, Pics in the member reef forum...

 

[rareform]

So is 400 watts to intense for a 24" deep tank?

 

[mikedege]

My friend has a 100G 24" deep corner tank with 400W and its doing great! But its mostly SPS.

-mike

 

[JOSE CASAS]

You really do not need any more than 250w in you your tank. Now if the tank was deeper or wider and you had to raise the light pretty high then maybe but if you are bleaching the corals it is way too much light hth.

 

[lowbudget]

400 too much 250 for a 24 high tank is more then enough

 

[JOSE CASAS]

I just typed that lol ^^^^^^

 

[lowbudget]

yeah i know im just confirming it. lol im gonna come over to your house on xmas morning and pick up my gift from you thank you first jose. you the best

 

[JOSE CASAS]

yeah i know im just confirming it. lol im gonna come over to your house on xmas morning and pick up my gift from you thank you first jose. you the best

lmao.

 

[IEreefmaster]

If I were you I would go with two 250s. You will get better light distribution and your tank, will look much better. I am having this problem right now, I have a 36" current orbit series light and it only has 1-150w mh and I don't like the distrubution of light. my tank is 36"x24"x16" so about 60gallons.

As for which bulb is better, as people are saying it seems like it depends upon what corals you are trying to keep. If you are going to keep SPS corals then a stronger light probably won't impact them as much. If you are keeping softer corals then a stronger light will probably burn there skin. Also, as someone said, look for bleaching. If the corals are bleaching then obviously they are unhappy and you will need to make adjustments.

Biggest factor I think you will run in to will be heat. Make sure you have a good size chiller as a 400w halide puts of a tremendous amount of heat. 2 - 250s will as well.

Good luck!