Light positioning in canopy

[cmatt3]

I am going to build a DIY stand and canopy for my new tank. The lighting system I am looking at is the Coralife Lunar Aqualight 48" (4x65W bulbs Power Compact w/ lunar lights). Is this a good light for the money? I am not really overly interested in and reef or coral propagation, I am more intested in a FOWLRLS tank. Would these be a good value for my dollar? Would they support any invert life? That would be a bonus. I don't have the money for a MH set-up so this seems like a good alternative. Alos how high should I build my canopy to hold these? I have read that you don't need a glass cover if they are around 12" over the tank. If this true? I was planing on making my canopy about that hight, would it work?
Thanks
Chad

 

[bawood]

If you're not doing reef or coral you don't need special lighting.
Only animals with zooanthele(I know I spelt it wrong) algae in their skin need the lighting because it causes the photosynthetic algae to produce sugars which the provide sustinance for the animal.
For FOWLR you could use NO lights if you wanted. Invets like a cleaning crew would be fine. Other inverts like corals/anenomes/clams would not be okay.
The lights you mentioned seem good in my research, I have a Coralife ballast in my setup now and I plan on adding the 24" 2*65 watt retrofit to my custom hood.
I'd say with pc's there is no need to go 12", they run cooler than MH and aren't prone to breaking like the MH. Also your water normally isn't to the top of your tank.
I think my single pc is about 6" from the water level. My hood is 8" tall with about a 1" of overlap on the aquarium.