400w MH over 75g tank. Overkill???

[blood_hound]

Need opinion about this since I dont want to spend to much money on lighting im thinking of just using my old 400w MH system over my 75g tank.

[DanG]

how deep and what are you keeping? It's going to throw a lot of heat, do you have good AC or a chiller? Auto top off to handle the evaporation?

[CLINT]

A friend of mine has a 400 over his 72 bowfront and it's been good for him.Clint

[blood_hound]

Still setting up the tank its atleast 2' deep, planning to put acro's and different kind of softies. no auto top off but if really needed will set-up one and I have a old chiller I can use for cooling. so do you guys think 400w will be ok.

[wickedfrags]

What are the dimensions of the tank? Is it a 4' long tank? What are you planning on using for a reflector - this can impact how effective the MH lighting will be.

[Chowder]

I have a hamilton 400w de and a 250w de over a 65 gallon. I have heat issues in the sense that a run a chiller all year round and go through about 8 gallons of water a week due to evaperation. I do have good colour and growth thou.

[dreef]

Here's my american buddy Phils tank,just a hair over 56 gallons,lit with a 400.He a zoa shroom ric guy and he blasts em with light and everything loves it.

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...5&pagenumber=1

[kadaytar]

I had 1x 400 Watt, 1x175 Watt MH's + 2x96 Watt URI VHO actinics over a 36"x18"x18" tank. I ran two fans one blowing inside the hood other one outside. I didn't have a chiller and didn't have any heat isues. If you use a Luminarc reflector probably one 400 Watter will be good for 24"-30" but if your tank is longer and wider you may need other bulbs.

[tang daddy]

I'm running 65g 400w mh with 36" canopy air hockeyfan rigged to cool the bulb it was fine until last week tank was sittin at 30+ had to get a chiller so I think it would be fine since you have all the equip and if you mount it a foot off the tank better light spread.

[blood_hound]

ok thanks guys.