Lighting help!!

[reef_guru]

figure out how to brace that hood somewhere else so the center brace isnt in the way. possibly use a couple pieces of 3/4 x 1 1/2 from front to back. you could also diy your own lighting scheme inside that hood, you will need fans either way. i have two on top blowing air out and one on each side with one in and one out. the two on top pull the heat out since heat rises. and the side two are for circulation. hamiltontechnologies makes a good reflective hammer tome with 99% reflectivity, sold in sheet upto 72" long. some sheet metal, a little wiring, some fans, bulbs, ballasts and your set. see, wasnt that easy.

[Viper3166]

thanks for the info have looked into that company and they seem to be the lighting company to go with, is there a reason you are steering me away from what the guy from aqua cave quoted?? are reflectors or pendants not a good solution??i was going to start either just two of the lumenarc or lumenbright reflector with the ice cap 400w ballasts and 14k bulbs. or what about Reef Star 400W HQI Metal Halide System by Hamilton Technology?? then add the compact pc lights and the 3rd mh down the road?

[reef_guru]

everybody has there own opinion, i gave you mine and the lfs guy gave you his. if your a diy the hamilton reflective sheets will work, if your not a diy the individual pendnants will work. your gonna need some type of reflector either way. what matters are the light requirments for the specific corals placed in the tank. its up to you how you want to do that. remember the footprint is 2x2 for mh in the tank, so with a 6 foot tank you will need 3 mh and on a 4 foot tank only 2 mh. you said you wanted to do it right the first time. are you sure you want to go ripping into that hood later on down the line to put more lights in.