Cheap lighting HQI... to good to be true?

[ensquire]

Grizz,
Did you buy the external or internal ballasts ?
I have been looking at these myself recently and like the cost.
I am thinking of upgrading from my cheapo hagen fixture on my 36 gallon.
The 24" expandable looks about right for the tank, but I don't like the external fan and have never had external ballasts before.

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I bought 2 - 48" 250w & 1 - 36" 150w fixtures from Aquatraders recently and my experience was great. Shipped out right away and arrived quickly but I did change out the bulbs with some better one's.

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by ensquire

Grizz,
Did you buy the external or internal ballasts ?
I have been looking at these myself recently and like the cost.
I am thinking of upgrading from my cheapo hagen fixture on my 36 gallon.
The 24" expandable looks about right for the tank, but I don't like the external fan and have never had external ballasts before.

The ones I got are external ballast for both MH and T5s, I like the external fan that goes above the MH bulb, very quite and can be put an a timer so that they come on with the MH.

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by ensquire

Grizz,
Did you buy the external or internal ballasts ?
I have been looking at these myself recently and like the cost.
I am thinking of upgrading from my cheapo hagen fixture on my 36 gallon.
The 24" expandable looks about right for the tank, but I don't like the external fan and have never had external ballasts before.

Get a 36" inch for your 36 gal tank.
some pple say that expendeble legs are little week and whole fixture goes down about 2" inch when you expend it. or get a new version with 4 legs

[ensquire]

Originally Posted by RuGlu6

Get a 36" inch for your 36 gal tank.
some pple say that expendeble legs are little week and whole fixture goes down about 2" inch when you expend it. or get a new version with 4 legs

Tank is only 30" wide and in a corner so they won't fit unfortunately.
There is a glass cover that the fixture can sit on or I can build something to hang it with.

[toytech]

After eading this post and having one of my crappy coralife lights die on me i decided to get a new 4 bulb t5 light from aqua taders. Picked up my light to day , they had sent me the 2 bulb light . I emailed them right away and within 30 min they emailed me back with a ups sticker to put on the box and have it sent back to them and my new light is already in the mail .I did plug in the light for s and g`s and i have to say it looks really good , even with the cheapy bulbs (the atinic bulb is super blue ). So all in all for a cheap chinese product based company pretty good customer service and so far there products look pretty damn good .

[The Grizz]

Originally Posted by ensquire

Tank is only 30" wide and in a corner so they won't fit unfortunately.
There is a glass cover that the fixture can sit on or I can build something to hang it with.

Go with a 24" fixture, I am sure that there would be enough coverage.

[Edmonton newbie]

aqua traders has the 30 inch fixture that wouldnt fit???

[ensquire]

oops

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by ensquire

No , they don"t have any 30" fixtures. They have the 24" and 36" and I can't fit the 36" is just too big. So I ordered the 24" expendable MH. And I picked up 2 Icecap HOT5's Actinic and a deepwater while in Edmonton yesterday. I was very impressed with the stores I was in while there. But more on that later. About a 1000.00 later. Lol.

Yes they Do have 30" fixtuers.

http://www.aquatraders.com/30in-Meta...ht-p/54262.htm
.
Fixture Configuration:

1x External Quick Connect 250W Electronic HQI Metal Halide Ballast
2x Internal Twin Output T5 Electronic Ballast
4x Power Switch on Fixture (2 for T5, 1 for LED, and 1 for Cooling Fan)
1x Power Switch on HQI Ballast
2x Power Cord (1 for HQI and 1 for T5)
Non-Corrosive Powder Coated Aluminum Housing
1x Built In Heavy Duty Cooling Fan
Glass Cover for HQI
Acrylic Lens for T5
Highly Polished Reflector
Set of Mounting Leg
FREE ITEMS w/ Metal Halide System Purchase

1x Odyssea 250W DE HQI Bulb 15000K

4x Odyssea 24W T5 High Output Bulb Actinic Blue

4x Dual Bluemoon LED