Lighting Placement in Hood??

[Plastic Plant Botanist]

OK, I got one 55w PC and one 25w flour. bulb that I need to retrofit in a hood. To give me some space up front to do regular chores, I guess I need to place the bulbs as far back as I can in the hood.....
My question is, in what order should I place them?



PPB.

[over_stocked]

Is the hood made already? If not build a hood that allows one light to lift up with the lid and one to face down so you can see while working in the tank.

[Plastic Plant Botanist]

Originally Posted by over_stocked

... build a hood that allows one light to lift up with the lid and one to face down ...

No it isn't built yet, I am still planning it out. Having one light lift with the cover is one of the options stirring around the think tank. Another is mounting them on slides.....

If I mount the small wattage 25w in front and the higher wattage 55 in back, would that be better than mounting the 55 up front and the 25 in back? I am not the most experienced with plants and I can see hypothetical advantages and pitfalls with both setups. Which of these setups would be my best bet?

PPB

[over_stocked]

THe slides idea might sound great on paper, but I think the potential for failure would just be too high for me. I don't use anything electrical near my tanks that isn't in a fixed position.

Make sure that the full front of the hood and a good section of the top lift open. Otherwise it is just a pain to work on the tank. I've built 5 or 6 hoods and the only ones ive been happy with were built this way.

[Plastic Plant Botanist]

This hood (and the next) will be hood 5 and 6 that I build.... and all of them had the front and a good portion of the top lift up.... So not much problems in that departement.
The problem is that depending which one should be in front will depend on exactly what I do for the light setup. My 25w flou. bulb happens to be 1/4" wider than the interior space I have inside the hood to install it in. That means I will need to "dig some channels" in the side walls of the hood to fit the bulb with end caps in..... Thus my dilemma on which bulb I should install where.
I did consider enlargeing the hood, but then I am not too sure about the actual look it will have with my stand, so I am looking for an alternative. I am remaking the hood since my old one was broken when I moved.....

I'll just keep on thinking on it and hope I end up choosing the right choice.

PPB

[Coltonorr]

First
What size tank is this?
I'd say your bulb placement is going to depend on what you want to grow. if your not into growing grasses and higher light foreground plants I'd place the 55 watt in the back for stems which as a general rule IMO grow better under higher light