help deciding on either 400w DE or 250w DE

[Urchinhead]

Hello and thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I am at wits end on this.

I have a 39G CADlights Pro tank which is 24"L x 20"W x 20"T. I am currently using a 24" 250w MH Outer Orbit fixture that is on the 3" legs and am not getting the performance I would like from it. It doesn't cover the entire tank with the MH light evenly and it doesn't seem to penetrate all the way to the bottom. I have to keep all of my sps corals in the top 1/4 of my tank and within the center 1/3 of it or else they turn brown.

I have a PFO 250/400w DE pendant that I would like to use and need to decide the following:

1. Do I use it as a 250w? And if I do will I get better performance and penetration and if so how much better?
2. Do I use it as a 400w? If so what bulb should I use? Hamilton 14k, Icecap 14k, or Coralview 14k? (I am going with 14k because I will no longer have the actinic lights I have with the OO)
3. Which ballast should I go with? The Icecap or the Lumatek? This question applies to both the 250w and 400w ballasts.

Thank you again for your advice and help.

[CarlosS]

Hi fishhead2:

I think you should go with 250w. 400w is too much light for your volume and tall tank.

I have a friend that is obssesed with SPS and his tank is more or less like your is. He 250w bulbs and his corals are wonderfull.

Talking about ballast, I just have experience with Icecap, and I can tell you that these ballasts are very good. I don't know about lumatek ballast.

[Urchinhead]

Thank you Carlos!

[CarlosS]