whats your setup?

[Duane McDowell]

Not sure if this is at all helpful - I have a 30-gallon aquarium. I built a box with room for 5 compact fluorescents (screw-in types) with a plexiglass bottom. This keeps the heat from the bulbs off the plants, so I can put my real light-lover (Soph. coccinea) about 1" from a bulb without any burning. I'm using 5 60W equivalent bulbs for a space about 36" x 12". The Sophronitis is getting enough light (5 buds right now!). I'm keeping the little pleurothallids lower - the tops of the leaves are between 4 and 10 inches from the bulbs. I believe that the invention of the compact fluorescent is the singe innovation that has made it possible for me to grow orchids really well under lights in the basement. I can give them the light they really need without the light fixtures getting too ungainly.
Since the plants are insulated from the bulbs, I'm not too concerned about what happens to the heat from them. If I had a more conventional setup, I would probably do something similar - I'd box the light fixtures. Then I'd drill holes at one end and put computer fans at the other end blowing outwards. I'd have the fans blowing into collapsible drier vent hose that I would run out a window or connect to my existing drier vent. This way, I would have complete control over temperatures.
I'm probably excessively compulsive about this - my own collection is mostly cool growers... I have grown many types of orchids successfully using regular shoplight fixtures. I did them with two fixtures hanging over a 24" wide bench. I did fairly well with minicatts, Paphs, Phals and Pleurothallids.
Plants that need more light got more space between them so that more of their leaf surface area was exposed to the light. I also lifted them up closer to the tubes.
The best setup I had for this was one where I could pull a rope and lift the lights up off of the plants so that I could water. The best one I've seen had the benches themselves set up like drawers so they could be pulled out from under the lights. When I haven't taken this into consideration (my first few light setups), the plants in the back tended to get neglected...

[Call_Me_Bob]

well here is what i have concocted. i dont knwo if it will be enough for catts though, or dens or onc. top shelf is for phals bottom is for high light plants. i have the catts onc and dens about 2 1/2 inches away. and for future reference, i have four 34 watt 48" lights.

[Bayard]

If you can manage it, put 4 lights together side by side. You'll get plenty of light to grow paphiopedilums and phalaenopsis and maybe some other genera. Get a humidifier and a fan - those ballasts can throw a lot of heat!

[Call_Me_Bob]

Originally Posted by Bayard

If you can manage it, put 4 lights together side by side. You'll get plenty of light to grow paphiopedilums and phalaenopsis and maybe some other genera. Get a humidifier and a fan - those ballasts can throw a lot of heat!

thats how mine is set up. four bulbs above each shelf. but i dont know how i will be able to get enough light for the catts without buying a whole new set-up and spending loads of money