Lights LED's or MH now WHAT THE HECK

[Doug]

I never said run 150,s all the way. I said the same as Brad, which ever you choose, use the same for all 4. IMO, four 400,s is over kill, unless the tank was 30in. deep or something and/or you run a high "K" bulb.

My vote is still for running 4- 250w fixtures. I would also guess your pair of 400,s would also been enough for some situations, depending on how much coral, for the 8ft. or if the length increase is more for the fish. I wonder if one did the ends of the tank with little or no rock so the corals are lower and the light can reach them and only have corals that can handle lower intensity out there.

The running the pair of 400,s may work. I dont know. It covers 5ft. no problem now, correct. If you go to three 400,s to get more coverage, then its 1200w so thus I would then go to the four 250 bulbs @ 1000w.

Even four 175w Iwasaki bulbs is 700w plus some good actinics to give it some colour, so I would just stick with the 250w. Once a year get a good boxing day sale on 4 bulbs. Again, I would only go with a 4 bulb coverage if that 8ft. tank is going to be end to end corals. Which it likely is.