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Looks good. You will be happy you switched to mh. I did the same thing a few months ago and have been very happy.

I didn't want to put holes on the side for fans because knowing what a poor planner I am, I feared I would make holes only to regret making them elsewhere and then having to live with the mistake since redoing the canopy is not an option. I decided if I need fans I would place them somehow inside the canopy which has an open back. I have yet to add fans though.

Based on Pictures #6 & #7, I'd have to say that I appreciate that is was "made in America." hehe

It looks really good, especially for your first project. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Did you add holes for cooling fans, or did you have something else in mind?

I recently purchased some torch coral frags and while they were in quarantine the tissue was lifting off the trunks. However, after a few days it settled down and the corals looked better.

Thanks Melev, The heads are still fully extended but the tissue has receded up to the heads. Let's see what happens.

Without pictures, it's hard to say. I've seen tissue recede after the new polyps have formed. If that is unhealthy, I don't know because I've not seen them in nature. What I've observed over the years is bare skeleton for the base, and tissue on the polyp heads.

Sorry my parents are in Puerto Rico and took the camera along with them. Like I said, if you were to look at it, it would appear it's fine because it's polyps are fully extended, except the parts of the base where the tissue has receded.

I'm not running carbon right now, but I'm doing regular water changes FWIW.

Pictures would help. As long as the polyp's head still has tissue on the outer area, that's a good sign. Have you tried running carbon actively through a phosban reactor?

Not my words but here is a description. +1 on Shaving brush.
Shaving Brush

Shaving Brush Plant, Penicillus capitus, grow in sandy substrates via rhizoidal "root balls" or holdfasts. Its elongated stalk and green grass-like upward branches make a nice contrast against other natural decorations and corals in the home aquarium. Like the Halimeda Plant and like Coralline Algae, the Shaving Brush incorporates a hard Calcium Carbonate skeleton within its living tissue. This Caribbean-Atlantic native is functional in that it helps in the removal of organic nutrients because it consumes many waste by-products in the home aquarium. This easy-care marine plant does well in a variety of conditions. Medium light and water-levels should suit it fine. Calcium and iron will definitely be beneficial in overall health and in growth.

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_...314&pcatid=314

It eats invertebrates, I was told it leaves corals alone; so far it hasn't touched anything. Already I've seen it circling my hermit crabs, but it can't get to them because of their shells. Like some wrasses they sleep burrowed in the sand; I just finished checking it out and all I saw was it's mouth peeking out from the sand lol. It didn't pay much attention to the food I gave him but at LFS he ate live brine shrimp that they fed him in front of me.

That algae looks like "shaving brush" algae. http://www.seaslugforum.net/penicillus.htm

That wrasse is very pretty. What can you tell us about it?

Sorry to hear about your fish. I'm really attached to fish so I'm making sure that my next tank is covered on the top. No more jumpers for me. Ever.

The polyps extending out show that it is indeed alive.

this coral actually has a light skin color. I'm going to change bulbs soon so I'll post pictures.

So would that coral color up under stronger light and with more Cal. and Mag.?
I thought when they lost their color they were dead .
Sorry I am still newb.

That pretty much sums up why I'm going with what I have.

I had a really hard time deciding what to go with. So many opinions and brands, I was going nuts.

Went back to MHs mainly because of personal preference. The shimmer adds another dimension of aesthetics that T5s don't. I also wanted to have faster growth, was disappointed with what I had.

And VHOs for supplement of course!

What was the reason you went back to MH?

Love new equipment, shiny and ready to use.

You can't go wrong with Icecap!

Ahh, fun question. LOL

As far as the claims made, I tend to read what Sanjay posts, the lamps have a lot to do with it as well.
For Example...
Ushio 10K DE, running an M80 ballast, PPFD of 84.
Ushio 10K SE running on a M58 Ballast, PPFD of 118.
But....
EVC 10K DE, running an M80 ballast, PPFD of 147
EVC 10K SE, running on a M58 ballast, PPFD of 95

So yeah, its all in the details.

Right now, Im back to SE lamps. Mainly because Im trying the Dual-Arc 10K/20K lamp from ReefBright.

With the current setup, I wanted a smaller pendant so I could get my large meat-hooks in the tank as much as possible without having to move a large fixture. Problem there, no supplements, have to choose between growth, and looks. The dual arc worked perfect, I get 10K growth during the day, and 20K looks at night when Im home actually looking at the tank.