Icecap 660 questions---

[javajoe]

Woohoo! I got an Icecap 660 ballast for christmas!
Now- here come the questions- all i have is the ballast, and end caps for 4 bulbs. This is for a 55 gallon tank 12 inches front to back, 48 inches wide. i built my own stand for it and it currently has a DIY lighting hood with 2 40 watt bulbs. the hood is just a vinyl rain gutter upside down with the NO bulbs mounted inside it. I have used a metalic reflective tape to reflect the light from the bulbs into the tank, and this has been fine for FO w/ LR/LS and a few crabs and a mushroom. Now i am adding the VHO lights so i can do the higher light corals.
What is the best way to do this?
Should i build a hood like the one pictured here?

I think i coudl actually build this- i built the stand for my tank and this seems a little less complicated. But what about refelction? there does not seem to be anything on these hoods for reflecting the light back into the tank.
Can i mount VHO bulbs in vinyl rain gutters like my NO- or is that going ot be too much heat?
Any other ideas are welcome-- i am trying to do this as low cost as possible.
Also- with 4 bulbs, what wattage and typs should i get? i want to get the highest ligth possible, as long as i have this ballast.
Thanks- and merry christmas all!

 

[chainsaw5vent]

you'll want to add several things. 1) four inch fan for air circulation/heat removal. 2) consider adding doors on the front of the hood for ease of feeding/ minor maintenance.

 

[mr . salty]

That design is very similar to the diy hood on my 130.For reflection,you could just paint the inside white.Or buy some reflectors,or line the whole thing with mirror.Paint is the cheapest,and works pretty good.But the reflectors are best.Although you would need to paint it anyhow...As far as feeding/maintenance,I don't see how it could be any easier through doors than it is by lifting the whole lid out of the way.That is how mine is and I LOVE IT...

 

[garyfla]

Hi
I used the PVC lumber that is used for fencing material.It is already finished white
and is highly reflective.It's also cheap and easy to work with.Comes in standard lumber sizes.I did put fiber glass screen directly behind the tubes to help dissipitate heat
Gary

 

[wastedincome420]

Well since I'm here I throw in my two cents
It IS best to use some type of reflecter.
But if you use URI bulbs its not as important because the URI's have a built in reflecter in the bulb From what I have heard URI makes the best VHO bulbs. Plus they work awesome with IceCap ballast's.
I have two 660's Plus a kool thing bout the IceCap 660 is that you can also use Power Compact bulbs with VHO bulbs(you will need to get different endcaps for PC's) Try going to IceCaps website to "read up"