Shop light modification

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
E

ErikBirk

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Jun 20, 2010
8
0
0
Ohio
Hey guys I really want a good light for my aquarium but I'm strapped for cash right now. I only have a 3ft tank and I want t5 lighting for it. I have a t5 light from an old aquarium and have an idea to buy a shop light for over my tank and replace the fixtures in the shop light with the ones from my t5 light and just buy longer t5 bulbs for it. My question is, will it work? Is it even worth it if it did work, will I get the same performance out of the t5 bulbs doing this?

Thanks for any insight you can offer..
 
If the old T5 fixture is designed for a shorter lamp, the ballast may not have the proper wattage to drive a longer lamp. When you take apart the old T5 fixture, you'll have to read the specs on the ballast to see what it is compatible with. Also, the shop light will requre some modification. Shop lights are typically T8 or T12, and a 36" T5 or T12 are actually 36" whereas a 36" T5 is actually shorter, closer to 34"
 
gomezladdams;4251706; said:
Heres a cheap easy way that Ive been upgrading to t-5 lights on some of the non working hoods I have.
http://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/showthread.php?t=325095&highlight=diy+t-5+upgrade
Click to expand...

thats really helpful. i never knew t5 shoplights existed until i went shopping last night. unfortunately, lowes didnt have any that i could use. i plan on going to home depot and menards today. i also dont know why i never thought of mounting it inside the hood that came with the tank. that might be the most attractive option.

i would really love to have it suspended over my tank so i can lose the canopy and hopefully allow my lillies and pennywort to bud. do you think that would be easy to do?
 
ok thanks again for the great suggestion. i found a 34" double tube T5 fixture at home depot for about $30. it cant be used alone but your idea/guide of putting it in an old hood worked perfectly! it looks great, and was easier than i expected to accomplish. only problem is, the bulbs it came with are awful. i also need to make a reflector of some sort. im thinking just some aluminum foil.

does anyone know a good place where i can get some T5HO bulbs for a good price online? that leads me to my other question.. do HO bulbs require a special fixture? the one i bought doesnt say anything about high output. if not, ill want to get another fixture.

my new ultimate plan for the light is to buy another fixture and build a custom hood to house them both about 6 inches off the water. maybe fiddle with moonlight too.

07012010024.jpg
 
The home depot t5 fixture is definitely not high output. I'm not sure what would happen with t5ho bulbs in a standard t5 fixture, most likely they won't light up.
 
bob965;4255765; said:
The home depot t5 fixture is definitely not high output. I'm not sure what would happen with t5ho bulbs in a standard t5 fixture, most likely they won't light up.
Click to expand...
Yeah I figured HO bulbs specifically needed HO fixtures. This site http://www.specialty-lights.com/901895.html said its bulb was compatible with T5 electronic ballasts, no mention of HO for the HO bulb. That's what led me to believe I would be fine buying a HO bulb for my fixture.
 
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