Is a 400W XM 10k SE too intense for a 21" deep SPS tank?

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/29/2006, 07:17 PM

Thinking of using a single 400W XM 10k or 20k pendant and vho supp.
Tank is 36"L x 18"W x 21"H - 58g Oceanic - No Center Brace

Thanks for any help....

DrBDC · 12/29/2006, 09:50 PM

Hope to see some people come on with some pics and opinions too.

E-A-G-L-E-S · 12/29/2006, 11:06 PM

anyone use a single 400W XM 10K on their set-up? if so, what size?

ACBlinky · 12/30/2006, 12:26 AM

Yep... well, not a single bulb, but I'm using 400W 10K XMs. I've got 2x400W SE XM 10Ks on my 90g, combined with 2x54W HO T5 actinics and LOVE the colour -- it's like crisp, bright sunlight. Sorry I can't post a pic now (the lights are out as it's the middle of the night), but I can try to get one up tomorrow. It may not help too much anyway as my camera doesn't usually do justice to actual colours; it's an old 'point and shoot' model that does everything automatically and it tends to show things less blue than they actually appear.

In answer to your first question, I don't think a 400W 10K is going to be too intense for a 21" deep tank (my tank is 24" deep), but it will be quite bright. SPS will love it, and as long as you acclimate anything less demanding like softies or LPS they'll probably be just fine -- my tank is primarily softies so far (lots of zoas, palys, yellow polyps, leathers, Florida rics, yumas, shrooms, GSP and one little acan) and everything seems happy as can be basking in the sun

joeycadre · 12/30/2006, 12:58 AM

i have a 250 se 14,000k hamilton over my 18" deep cube. it works fine for my sps. i would think a 250 10000k would be plenty for you.

Creetin · 12/30/2006, 06:12 AM

I had them, My sps loves them, My zoa's not so much. Well blues all mine turned brown. The sps loved them though.
I like the color.

geoxman · 12/30/2006, 06:20 AM

I use 400w 20k on a tank that is less than 11 inches tall-all softies and they love it. good luck

12/29/2006, 07:17 PM	#1
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	Is a 400W XM 10k SE too intense for a 21" deep SPS tank? Thinking of using a single 400W XM 10k or 20k pendant and vho supp. Tank is 36"L x 18"W x 21"H - 58g Oceanic - No Center Brace Thanks for any help.... __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/29/2006, 09:50 PM	#2
DrBDC Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Ballwin, Missouri Posts: 10,358	Hope to see some people come on with some pics and opinions too. __________________ Some drink at the fountain of knowledge, some just gargle, but most are rabid. Current Tank Info: 180g sps+75 softy/lps on one system tunze's, seio's, mjmods, aquacontroller w/add ons, 2X400 XM10000 and 3X160 vho actinic, 110g sump, 110 frag tank, Geo Beckett and other stuff

12/29/2006, 11:06 PM	#3
E-A-G-L-E-S Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lehigh Valley, PA Posts: 7,038	anyone use a single 400W XM 10K on their set-up? if so, what size? __________________ Smug Egotistical Contemptuous It's difficult to get a man to understand something that his salary requires him not to.

12/30/2006, 12:26 AM	#4
ACBlinky Premium Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Peterborough, ON, Canada Posts: 4,954 Blog Entries: 20	Yep... well, not a single bulb, but I'm using 400W 10K XMs. I've got 2x400W SE XM 10Ks on my 90g, combined with 2x54W HO T5 actinics and LOVE the colour -- it's like crisp, bright sunlight. Sorry I can't post a pic now (the lights are out as it's the middle of the night), but I can try to get one up tomorrow. It may not help too much anyway as my camera doesn't usually do justice to actual colours; it's an old 'point and shoot' model that does everything automatically and it tends to show things less blue than they actually appear. In answer to your first question, I don't think a 400W 10K is going to be too intense for a 21" deep tank (my tank is 24" deep), but it will be quite bright. SPS will love it, and as long as you acclimate anything less demanding like softies or LPS they'll probably be just fine -- my tank is primarily softies so far (lots of zoas, palys, yellow polyps, leathers, Florida rics, yumas, shrooms, GSP and one little acan) and everything seems happy as can be basking in the sun __________________ "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the sea." - Isak Dinesen Current Tank Info: 150g mixed reef, 30g sump/refugium, LED lighting, 100lbs LR, coral beauty, flame angel, blue & yellow tangs, gobies, damsels, 6-line wrasse, lawnmower blenny, dottyback, clown pair, rabbitfish, shrimp, crabs, CUC.

12/30/2006, 12:58 AM	#5
joeycadre Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: jackson Posts: 1,371	i have a 250 se 14,000k hamilton over my 18" deep cube. it works fine for my sps. i would think a 250 10000k would be plenty for you. __________________ "it's not the heat, it's the humility" Current Tank Info: 90 gal. sps mostly. bubble master 200. pci cl-300 chiller

12/30/2006, 06:12 AM	#6
Creetin Limestone Cowboy. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In a little place i like to call a little place. Posts: 4,552	I had them, My sps loves them, My zoa's not so much. Well blues all mine turned brown. The sps loved them though. I like the color. __________________ If only common sense was common. Current Tank Info: 300 gal marineland deep

12/30/2006, 06:20 AM	#7
geoxman Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: in my office Posts: 3,848	I use 400w 20k on a tank that is less than 11 inches tall-all softies and they love it. good luck __________________ "Why do you necessarily have to be wrong just because a few million people think you are?" F-Zappa Current Tank Info: an ice cube tray with brine shrimp in each cubicle