Remove center brace?

[RobbAdams]

I was at Quickgrow South on Tuesday, and he said that their bending shop got "shut down" the best thing I saw was a perpendicular shade for $50, that I should be able to make fit with some tin snips.

I think if I remove the brace a pependicular type should work OK, just not sure what I will do for Actintic supplimentation?

Any thoughts on how far away a PC bulb should be from a 175 watt SE Bulb?

Has anyone ever gutted a coralife fixture and "retrofitted" it into a canopy?