Advice on Lighting

[clarki]

:notsure: I recently upgraded from a 29 gal. reef tank to a 60 gal. It was a great deal on a set up at my lfs. It came with a canopy and it's really nice looking... Of course I didn't want the lights that came with it... so I bought a 48" light with 6 65 watt fl. bulbs.. 2 blue and 4 10ks.
That should give me amble light for soft corals and inverts right? (mushrooms, polyps, carnations.. nothing too difficult) My question is this.... the new light won't fit under the canopy due to the fan that sticks out on the side... (never thought of that)
I don't want to cut a hole in my canopy... will it be ok to put it on top? The top is cut out for glass... but I just left the glass off to give it less to go thru to get to the tank... there is also glass on the top of the tank... should I take that off too?
Need some advice here! :notsure: :help:

 

[kdfrosty]

I'd say that ideally you want this fixture as close to the water as possible without getting it wet. I'd say that as long as it's not more than 6 inches you'll be alright, but keep in mind that you are essentially weakening your light source the farther off the tank that you have it.

 

[harndog]

how tall is your 29 if it is 48 inches sounds like not very. then how tall is the canopy most legs for pc are 6 inches can't be much more than that. There are a ton of people incuding myself that keep 4x65w pc on 55 and 75 tanks and I have kept all softs and lps as well as a LTA for over 6 months now. all with no problems. I think you will be fine. Just no SPS clams or plates. good luck. My tank has been up a year. I also feed cyclopeeze and dose coral vite, iodine, stotyum and calcium.

 

[clarki]

The tank is the size of a 55 but a little taller to hold the extra 5 gal. But I think you're right.. the canopy is about 6 to 8 inches (I'll have to measure it) So it would be like having it on legs.... Thanks! You made me feel better! haha!
I really only plan to have mushrooms and polyps and zoos.... I have a ton of the grape sea weed stuff (not sure what it's called) and it's growing litterally like a weed!! I have to pull some out weekly or it would take over everything! It's pretty though...
Thanks for your input!