please help out with diy light questions

I know when I was looking at getting a light set up from coralife with the mh, c.f. and moonlights for a 48" it was with in a very close figure as if I were to buy the whole thing already put together. LIke almost the same price.
As far as the canopy I would rather make my own just because I like it better than what you get at the store and you can do it the way you want too.
Just make sure you go with the retrofit kit with the canopy the lights will sit better under the canopy. Unless someone has taken a light sitting on the tank and make a canopy around it? I dont know how you could do that though.

to be completely honest to get a good set of halides then you supplimental lighting whether pc vho or t5 the the wiring ect by the time you get the full set up that you want you will have spent about a grand either way..if you are looking into the coralife pro fixture i highly reccomend starting off with the 250 w mh HQI this is the highest wattage for the pro lighting mh that coralife carries at this time..any less and you will be wanting an upgrade ..do your lighting right the first time this will eliminate the cost and desire to upgrade later..you will save alot of money doing it this way.you will btw love the coralife pro unit ..
this was my 120 before i upgraded to a 300 gal

the 3 pics are of the differnt lightings that the coralife pro has mine was 150 hqi mh
50/50 pc
hope this helps make your descission easier for you..