Question with DIY lighting in my hood

The question I have is, I'm going to build a Hood/Canopy for my 75G tank and the Dims on the canopy are 49''w x 19''d x 14''h. I was putting the Ice Cap 660 VHO lights in with 4-110w Atinics and 2-175 20K MH in the middle 10-12 inches off water and using 4 fans 2in and 2 out to release heat. Is this too many VHO's (4) or should I used only 2 or 3? Because I'm worried that the 4 VHO's wont fit along with the 2 MH, but I think it will fit. ( I hope )

 

If you are going with 20K bulbs then 2 VHO Actinic's should be enough. The MH's will be blue enough as it is.
BTW, what made you go with 175's instead of 250's?
There are more bulb choices with the 250's and there isn't that much price difference.
Enjoy,
Jim

 

Ok, but if I did put the 4 110W VHO atinic's in instead of 2 it wont hurt anything will it? Cuz if it would'nt hurt anything, I'd rather just put it in now during construction rather than later.
Also the reason why I decided to go with 2-175 20K MH's is because I went to a friends house today and he has a 55G with 2-96 PC and a 1-175 20K MH and he grows everthing that I would want to, it looks awsome, and another reason why I thought to go with the lower was the heat issue not the cost cuz your right there is not much differance in cost. But if you disagree than let me know cuz I really don't have a clue on what I'm doing with this stuff other than building the stand and hood. LOL... Like I said though I would rather do it right the first time. Jeff

 

All you will need is just two VHO 4 will just get in your way..

 

Alrighty than, it going to be 2 110W VHO Atinic's and 2-250W 20K MH's with 4 fans 2 in and 2 out and light will be 10-12inches off water. I hope it does'nt heat me up too much.. And your sure that the 250 MH wont burn up anything. and id they did could I use the same ballasts but get 175's?

 

You'll be fine with 250w bulbe. You may have to acclimate your corals if they haven't been under that much lighting in the past but they will thank you for it later on.

 

No worries
Proper acclimation is the key. With the 250's I can't think of anything that you couldn't keep.....The 175's will work also, my point was the cost and if you change your mind later to try and keep more light demanding corals, (see what I mean)
Also the ballast for a 250 and a 175 are supposed to be different and not interchangeable. Not that some one hasn't tried and had moderate success, its just that it can and usually does shorten the life of the bulb.

Jim

 

Don't know if you have a ceritain mfg of bulb picked out but I and a have 14k SPS (South Pacific Sunlight) bulbs and they are the cats a**. Tangster hooked me up with them and I even had a local friend around here pick them up too after he seen my tank....8) Nice bulbs!

 

How do you acculmate new corals into your tank that are'nt use to that light? Is there a way the shield the light? Because I dont have anything yet other that a couple mushrooms and 1 softball sized Green star polyp, and of coarse a few fish & LR.

 

Time and Distance...........
lights on 8 hours per day gradually increasing time per day every week or so until you are around 10-12 hours a day.
Distance from the top of the aquarium. Start at 15 then lower one inch per week to where you want them. If, you can move your lights up or down.

Jim