# DIY: T5HO for a 6' long tank



## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

This is a continuation of the following thread:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/...jects/36323-80w-t5s-opening-the-box-from.html

My goal was to make a completely waterproof, rustproof, and nice looking fixture. My inspiration were the T5 lights made by D&D Aquarium Solutions but I didn't like the bulky looking piece of metal between the 2 reflectors. I guess it houses the ballast but I prefer to have remote ballasts - for safety reasons and also to make the fixture above the tank very lightweight:
http://www.deltecaquariumsolutions.com/lighting.php
http://www.paraquatics.co.uk/en-gb/dept_22.html

I will add comments to each picture in the next few days. For now here's the Picasa album with all of them:
http://picasaweb.google.com/ddasega/GiesemannT5S

--Nikolay


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

for some reason i can't view the larger version of the pictures, but i like what i see so far. can't wait to see the finished product!


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

What you see on the Picasa web album is actually the finished product. The tubes capped with white caps just sit on the tank rim and on the center brace. Every light is very, very lightweight because the ballast is remote.

Ask me if you want to follow what I did and if something is not clear from the pictures. 

I decided to not give a detailed written explanation on how exactly I did things because the pictures show it all plus people either stick to the 70's style canopy or go for hanging lights. Actually nothing stops mounting what I made in a canopy or haning it from the ceiling.

--Nikolay


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## freydo (Jan 7, 2006)

i was able to view the pictures through IE. i was trying to view with firefox, so things are peachy. but how's about a full photo of the light fixture over the tank?

and you're right, i didn't need a written explanation as the pictures were more than sufficient. great job!


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## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

Looks good Niko. Do these rest on top of the rim of the tank or are they hung somehow? I've seen similar setups, only with a square bar in the middle. I like the minimalist look they have.


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## aman74 (Nov 13, 2006)

Is that a shower curtain rod?

Nice project...would love to see the whole fixture and on the tank.


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## phidelt85 (Mar 15, 2007)

Do you have specifications for the ballasts. I'm trying to build a T5HO fixture for my tank, and am trying to find specs for the ballasts I can use. Can they be found at Home Depot, Lowes, or any other non-aquarium based store?


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## niko (Jan 28, 2004)

Freydo,
The lights just rest on the sides of the tank (the white caps that are seen on the pictures rest on the left and right rim). There is also support in the middle from the center brace of the tank. I will post a picture tomorrow but there is nothing exotic about it. Imagine placing a fluorescent light on top of your tank.

Aaron,
The lights just rest on the tank. As I mentioned before - you can suspend them or attach them to a canopy. If you like the minimalist look they will look good either way.

Aman,
Yes the aluminum tube used is a shower rod. I choose it because it has looks similar to the reflectors (the aluminum finish), it's very easy to cut/make holes in, and it's extremely light. Also all the wires are hidden inside it. I'll post a picture of the whole thing tomorrow.

Phidelt,
I used Fulham Workhorse ballasts, model 7 (known as "Workhorse 7"). You can't buy them from Home Depot or Lowe's. A local light supply company may have them. Reefgeek has the lowest price on them though:
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Parts_&_Accessories/Ballasts/Power_Compact_Fluorescent/

If you don't need a total of 220W of light (that's what the Workhorse 7 provides) you can use Workhorse 2, 3, or 5.

You can also use an IceCap ballast, but it will overdrive the bulbs a lot - I think from a 80W bulb the IceCap can squeeze 120W!. The bulbs will be much brighter but also there will be a shift in the spectrum of the light - meaning that everything that the Germans designed the bulbs for goes to hell. Overdriven bulbs also run hotter and have a shorter life. The Workhorse ballasts overdrives the bulbs too but not a lot from what I can judge.

If you have money to blow you can buy ballasts specifically made for T5HO bulbs. The benefit is small size and very light weight (could be hidden easily in the light fixture) and also a bit longer bulb life.
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Parts_&_Accessories/Ballasts/T5_Fluorescent/

Maybe John P. will chime in with some great finds for cheap dedicated T5HO ballasts.

If you have missed it check out this post that may explain my amazement with the Giesemann Midday T5HO's. There is a mistake in the post - the crypt grew to it's current size in less than a month (not about 45 days as I wrote). It basically doubled in size since March 08:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/showpost.php?p=292081&postcount=12

--Nikolay


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## phidelt85 (Mar 15, 2007)

Thanks, Niko, I spent a couple hours searching through the web until I got smart and logged into APC and found it right away. I truly appreciate your quick response.


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