lights

[clone]

would it be to much light if i used 2-400w se 14k's on a 18" tall tank?
the dimensions are 30x36x18.
i plan on it being sps domanate with a few clams and zoas,maybe some watermelons
any knowledge is great

[RayAllen]

2-250 watts would be more than enough for any SPS you want. 800 watts of light on that size tank would be overkill and the heat would be a major issue.

[edawgm]

I don't know if some will agree with this chart but I found this last night on Vivid Aquariums web site. It is a chart for buying Hamilton and JBJ lighting.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x319/edawgm/hamiltonandJBJlightingchart.jpg

http://www.vividaquariums.com/aquariumLighting.asp

[caferacermike]

The zoas and water melon shrooms may not appreciate it. I think it might be a bit much for that size tank. 2x 250 in lumenarcs should suffice. I run 2x 250 on a 75g and have had great luck.

[clone]

ok thanks guys i guess now i have to find someone to trade me.

[caferacermike]

If you need to use them, run them a little higher than normal. Should work out well, but understand you are spending almost twice as much on electricity an hour than you'd need to. Maybe your frags would grow twice as fast and offset the cost? 2x 400W = 800W. That's almost an entire Kilowatt per hour of run time. Here at my house I'm locked in for 5 years at $0.145 per KWH. So running that would cost you nearly $115 a day @8 hours or would add $35 a month to your electric bill (That's what my lighting costs me for my 75g as with my actinics I have nearly 800W.)