DIY Wooden Canopy Qestion

[volitan]

I just posted this in the reef tank room, but I'm not getting many replies. I'm in the process of building a new canopy for my 75 gallon reef tank. I have a 4-bulb icecap VHO ballast. I plan on mounting the bulbs to the underside of the canopy lid with coralife lamp clips. I have one actinic, two 50/50's, and one daylight bulb. My questions are 1. What order should I configure the bulbs in (blue-50/50-white-50/50)? and 2. What is the recommended distance you would suggest to use between the bulb and the surface of the water? Thanks

 

[volitan]

Anyone?

 

[javajoe]

My Lighting: 1 x 40 watt actinic, 1 x 40 watt 20,000k daylight, (coralife ballast)
1 x 110 watt Super Actinic, 1 x 110 watt Actinic White (URI bulbs on a icecap 660 ballast)
I plan on ditching the coralife ballast and lites when i can afford buy the VHO bubls.
I made a DIY hood, using a section of vinyl gutter- sounds sheesy, but looks fine. Gutter is upside down, notches to fit on the top of the tank and hold it steady, and reflective tape inside the gutter. attatched the bulb clips with heat heat glue fom a glue gun. has worked fine for me.
with 4 VHO bulbs, i would use 2 Super Actinics (blue), and 2 Actinic White URI bulbs (they are nice cause they have reflectors on th inside of the bulb) i would alternate the blue and white. not sure with the bulbs you are using what i would do. as far as how far off the water, my bulbs are about 2 inches of the surface, but i dont think it matters too much- i may have to move them a little farther away when summer gets here

 

[volitan]

Thanks, Javajoe. I was starting to get deperate. I am about to go polyeurothane the canopy and start mounting the lights. Iwas starting to think I was just going to have to wing it.

 

[javajoe]

Glad to be of assistance--- i love DIY stuff, saved us a lot of money, PLUS it give you a lot more satisfaction!