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

[ensquire]

Im running mine Odyssea-24in-Metal-Halide-with-T5-Extendable-Serie-p/54244.htm as it came from the store. The only thing that I would change would be to put individual reflectors for the lights. Guess that could be a mod, LOL Very happy with it so far
I'll follow along and watch your progress.

[The Grizz]

I changed out all my bulb in both the 48" fixtures I got because the color was crappy. Also had an issue with one of my T5 ballast's, it went up in smoke. I contacted Aquatraders and they are sending me a replacement, hope it gets here soon as it been almost a month since I sent them the fried ballast.

[ensquire]

Hey Greg
What bulbs did you change to ? For my T5s I have a Icecap Actinic and a 14k Deepwater ready to go in and I bought a 10 k, 14k and a 20k DE but just the cheap ones from Ebay. will start playing with them when I decide whats moving where when my tank is ready,

[ensquire]

Double

[The Grizz]

I put in some 15k MH & 12k T5's. Still have to put in my dimmable T5's yet.

[RuGlu6]

Originally Posted by ensquire

Im running mine Odyssea-24in-Metal-Halide-with-T5-Extendable-Serie-p/54244.htm as it came from the store. The only thing that I would change would be to put individual reflectors for the lights. Guess that could be a mod, LOL Very happy with it so far
I'll follow along and watch your progress.

They have a new model line now that comes with individual reflectors.
I will post my opinion when fixture arrives.

http://www.aquatraders.com/PhotoGall...&PhotoNumber=3

[The Grizz]

I hope they have updated the T5 ballast as both of mine fried. First on over a month ago, sent it back to them on May 5 & just received the replacement yesterday. As my tank is 8' long there was no sence running just ons fixture with T5 so I shut it down, when I got the new one yesterday I plugged them both back in and with in a few hours the second ballast fried up. I am not happy about this at all but I think I will either build my own ballast or order 2 of the newer style ballasts.

I say new style because the replacement I received is much smaller & is built different internally. I will post some pics shortly.

[milano07]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I hope they have updated the T5 ballast as both of mine fried. First on over a month ago, sent it back to them on May 5 & just received the replacement yesterday. When I got the new one yesterday I plugged them both back in and with in a few hours the second ballast fried up. I am not happy about this at all but I think I will either build my own ballast or order 2 of the newer style ballasts.

You know that they say...."you get what you pay for"

Hard to expect top quality when paying next to nothing for this kind of lighting.

[The Grizz]

I don't know about you but $500+ is not cheap, I don't have jars of money hidden around the house.

[milano07]

Originally Posted by The Grizz

I don't know about you but $500+ is not cheap, I don't have jars of money hidden around the house.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend anybody. These 36" 2x150HQI + 4x39w T5s and LED's or 48" 2x250HQI + 4x54w T5's and LED's go for for $240 dlls and that's practically giving them away for free. When one pays $239 for one of these fixtures it's hard to have high expectations. A similar good quality fixture would cost you at least 3 times that amount but you know that you are getting a reliable product and not a cheap Chinese fixture.