---Lighting
That's great that you have access to all of these lamps, but do you have access to the wiring, ballasts, and endcaps? There are several options for lighting and it all depends on what you want to keep.
For most LPS, Soft Corals, and other related animals (Zoanthids, Corallimorphians, etc) then you can suffice with some of the simplest lighting. Many tanks are still lit with Normal Output T8 lamps. But, they tend to be drab and not much growth. You have the option of Compact Fluorescent, but this is similar to Normal Output T8s; limited growth, limited Kelvin ratings, etc. The next step up is the viable Power Compacts. These little guys are pretty good at keeping a wide variety of corals, but is usually limited to shallow tanks. Power Compact's PAR ratings tend to be barely noticable when the depth reaches about 18-20". But, for many small tanks, Power Compacts are very acceptable and many have been able to keep much more demanding corals under them, but it usually is more difficult. Next step up would be the common T12 VHOs. These are quite simply the all around general lighting. While I don't prefer the pinkish hue that is cast by them, many people find this lighting to be great. It easily penetrates tanks that are about 24" deep. Many people keep a wide range of light demanding livestock in medium sized tanks with VHOs. Some people have wonderful success in very large tanks with VHOs. There is a local aquaculturist in Tulsa that does a great job with his ~200+g aquarium lit only by VHOs.
If you plan on keeping clams, anemones, SPS, etc, I would suggest going to a more powerful method of lighting. T5 HO are actually not that powerful. As you know, T12 VHOs put out more lumens than the same size T5 HO, but what the T5 HO has that the T12 VHO doesn't is a parabolic reflector. These little reflectors focus the light to a more intense source than the diffused glow of the T12 VHO. These babies are easily comparable to Metal Halides and some have said are better than them. But the Metal Halide, the powerhouse of lighting, is a great bulb. All the others mentioned thus far have been fluorescent bulbs. A Metal Halide is an incandescent bulb on steroids. The good part about these guys is one bulb covers a wide area instead of a long area, and burns at a wide range of colors. Though a bulb is labeled as a certain Kelvin rating, they burn heavily in other colors as well. Fluorescents on the other hand tend to burn at the color they are designed to be. But, this is countered by the ability to place several bulbs over a tank and choose what Kelvin rating suits your tank best.
Of course, the one lighting source that is the brightest, cheapest, coolest source is the Sun itself. Of course, not everyone has the ability to utilize the sun to it's fullest. And, I don't expect that you will be able to either. Many aquarists will tell you that sunlight causes algae blooms. This is all based on anecdotal evidence. In fact, what happens is the sun shines a color temperature that is more favorable to both algae AND corals. If you can limit your excess nutrients, then this source of light would be better for your tank. Of course, putting a tank in front of a window won't do the trick. But there are other experimental ways. SolaTubes are one such way to direct lighting to the tank from outside. There are also other forms of lighting that are coming into the hobby such as LED Lighting. A company is making a product called Solaris LED Lighting. While this is still new, I have no ability to help judge its usefulness, but it is also being compared to metal halides with many favorable options that go with it.
I hope that covers everything.
---Acrylic
What type of acrylic is it? Extruded or Cell Cast. One is better for building tanks than the other. I can never remember which though. I believe it's Cell Cast, but I could be wrong.
