DIY T5 HO Hyrid LED Fixture

djstud · Feb 27, 2022

After looking at the cost of the T5/HO Hybrid fixtures I have decided to build my own. I enjoy DIY projects and have done a lot of them over the years. I purchased my first saltwater aquarium in 1983 while attending college. I have been in the saltwater aquarium hobby for over 38 years. I have a 150 Tall Aquarium that I am using as my Display Tank. It measures 48" long x 24" wide x 30" tall. I am currently running two 48" Orbit Marine IC LOOP LED's along with two Geismann T5's. I plan on suspending the new T5/HO Hybrid fixture from the ceiling. I am also going to purchase two more T5's for this project.

I had an 8 ft. 1" x 10" in my shop that I was not using. My plan was to build this fixture the same size as the tank (4' x 2'). I started by ripping the 1" x 10" into pieces that were wide enough to frame the lights. This will give me enough strips to start the build.

djstud · Feb 27, 2022

I am using corner clamps to frame up the light fixture. I also put a couple of cross braced on it to make sure that it did not twist. I am using torx head finish screws for this part of the build. The cross braces are narrow enough so that the lights do not show below the framework of this fixture.

I had a sheet of fiber board left over from another project. It is smooth on one side and textured on the other. I cut it to the proper size to place on the top of the fixture. The smooth side will be on top with the textured side underneath. There were a few screw holes that I filled with wood putty and sanded. This is to be expected since this sheet was used. I used a skill saw to cut this to size. I then sanded all of the edges along with the screw hole where the putty was. I also roughed up the smooth side with sandpaper so that the paint would stick better.

I used finish nails to attach the fiber board to the framework making sure that everything was perfectly square. This photo shows how it turned out with the bottom side facing up. I placed one of my T5 fixtures inside to show how it will sit and to make sure that it fits properly. I use T5 fixtures that I purchased on Amazon. They are a "Sun Blaze" Brand T5 fixture and are not made exclusively for aquariums. They are less expensive than the aquarium ones but work just as well.

djstud · Feb 27, 2022

I used a spade bit to drill holes in the ends to allow for the cords. Not sure how I am going to hide these but will figure something out later. I will probably build some end caps to cover the cords. I sanded the entire thing including the inside of the holes. I thought about getting rubber hole inserts, but they turned out pretty good once that were sanded so probably won't do that.

I painted the entire hood with the same black paint that I used on the Aquarium Stand so that it would match. I painted both sides black. The textured side looks pretty cool with the black paint on it. I then put a coat of Polyurethane on the top and the sides. I think that it is looking pretty good so far.

djstud · Feb 27, 2022

I have ordered 2 pair of the Orbit Marine Bracket Light Clips for this project. These are originally for use with the Current USA Dual Arm Mounts, but they will give me a way to mount my Orbit Marine lights down the center of the fixture. They cost me $22.98 at the Current USA website.

I ordered 2 more of the "Sun Blaze" Brand T5 Fixtures off of Amazon. I already have 2 of these on my Display Tank. I want to run 4 in this fixture. I will not be using the hanging hardware that comes with these lights. They will be attached directly to the T5/HO Fixture.

I ordered 2 more of the Geisemann T5 Actinic Bulbs off of Amazon. This will give me the 4 that I need.

I found this Suspension Hardware on Amazon. I like that they have a place to screw the ends to the T5/HO Fixture on the lower ends. Most of them do not have this since they are designed for specific LED T5/HO Fixtures. There are 2 pair of these which will give me an extra pair for a future project. They cost $17.11 at Amazon.com which a pretty good price. They are also rated for more than enough weight.

Once all of my supplies arrive, I will put the finishing touches on this project and get it suspended above my Reef Tank. I will add to this post at that time. Let me know what you think so far.

djstud · Mar 3, 2022

I think that it turned out pretty good. I have four T5/HO and 2 Orbit Marine IC LOOP LED's. I did decide to add the rubber grommets on the ends which cleans it up.

Here is how it looks from the front. Current USA recommends running the Orbit Marine lights 6 inches above the tank so that is what I did. This should leave me just enough room for tank maintenance without having to remove the light hood.

This is how it looks from the end. You can see the rubber grommets where the cords come through. This was not a very expensive project compared to what the T5/HO Hybrid LED Light Fixtures cost. It also looks very professional which was what I was going for.