Odyssea Lights

AGM1 · 01/08/2010, 10:29 AM

Hi, Im looking to get some new lights and was wondering about the odyssea metal haldies and t5 fixtures. They are quite inexpensive, but im worried that may relate to their quality. Are there any problems with their ballasts, light output, durability, etc?

Thanks

Butterz · 01/08/2010, 11:29 AM

Get what you can afford. Most of the time, you get what you pay for when it comes to lighting.

I made the mistake with my MH that's a lower brand. It worked, but didn't have the look that I hoped for.

rgonzalez · 01/08/2010, 11:40 AM

Agreed. You get what you pay for. What are you wanting to keep in the tank?

dawaterboy · 01/08/2010, 11:49 AM

Your going to get a mixed review with that brand. A lot of people will say they are 100% junk. Some will say they are great if you change the bulbs. Some will say you need to change out the ballasts, and bulbs. Some will say they are fine straight out of the box.
I would look for a more expensive used fixture. It seems like people are either getting out of the hobby, or upgrading, so you can always find sweet deals on equipment.

kzickovich · 01/08/2010, 12:30 PM

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...=odyssea+light

dawaterboy hit the nail on the head. I have the 250w with t-5 on one of my tanks I like it so far. I did change the bulbs also

longdangler · 01/08/2010, 12:42 PM

I have had no problem with mine. Had it over a year. Yes the ballasts aren't the best. They don't put out the full 250 but they work. You will find when you go to upgrade bulbs that those ballasts won't fire all bulbs. I have replace my ballasts and bulbs both and still have way less money in it than most of those other fixtures.

Still happy with it.

gtfourmn · 01/08/2010, 01:28 PM

I have a buddy with the 250 MH fixture and from what I can tell, it's not a bad fixture.

cuda70bill · 01/09/2010, 07:22 AM

I have their power compacts and seem to work fine also heard alot of good things on that fixture for the price. I agree that get the fixture change the bulbs, look at reefgeek.com for some quality bulbs

pico1966 · 01/09/2010, 07:46 AM

i bought them and my corals are fine,actually real good.i have no complaints,IMO you can spend the big bucks but how much more will you gain?? just my thoughts

Jeepsrkool · 01/09/2010, 09:36 AM

Check around on the internet. I read an article that they are made overseas and do not have a UL seal ??

bnicholson · 01/09/2010, 09:41 AM

I bought the 48" 716W fixture, and I'm pretty happy with it for the price. I'd probably want to change out the bulbs but you can't complain too much when it was the third of the price of any comparable fixture.

newtank · 01/09/2010, 09:56 AM

I would challenge the convention "you get what you pay for" as an absolute. Especialy from what I have seen in this hobby too many items are overpriced simply due to the premium nature of the hobby. It's true that the earlier iterations of the Odyssea fixtures were troublesome, but the chinese are figuring things out pretty quickly. (just think of what people said about Japanese cars in the eighties) I have one of the newer 72" Halide fixtures I bought used for $300, stock everything and I love it, more importantly my coarls love it. Going on 7 months and no problems at all. I even found a new 48" Odysea T5 for my sons tank for $98, the coral life was $400. Granted I have not changed any bulbs yet, thats coming so we will see how that goes, but when I stop to think about the fact I have saved around $1,000 on lighting that new Acan colony seems justifyable, and plus I have the lights for it!

doryrocks · 01/09/2010, 10:11 AM

^ I agree. I have the 4x54w fixture over my 55gal for almost a year and keep just about everything. no problems with the ballast/wiring. (I do wish that they came with true individual reflectors though)

rale2001 · 01/09/2010, 10:19 AM

Check in the lighting filtration thread and there's a thread dedicated to odessa MH nobody says they have any major problems

Jonny Roks · 01/09/2010, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawaterboy

your going to get a mixed review with that brand. A lot of people will say they are 100% junk. Some will say they are great if you change the bulbs. Some will say you need to change out the ballasts, and bulbs. Some will say they are fine straight out of the box.
I would look for a more expensive used fixture. It seems like people are either getting out of the hobby, or upgrading, so you can always find sweet deals on equipment.

+111!!!!!

01/08/2010, 10:29 AM	#1
AGM1 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 141	Odyssea Lights Hi, Im looking to get some new lights and was wondering about the odyssea metal haldies and t5 fixtures. They are quite inexpensive, but im worried that may relate to their quality. Are there any problems with their ballasts, light output, durability, etc? Thanks

01/08/2010, 11:40 AM	#3
rgonzalez Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Scottsdale Posts: 892	Agreed. You get what you pay for. What are you wanting to keep in the tank? __________________ DSA 105 Current Tank Info: 105 DSA

01/08/2010, 01:28 PM	#7
gtfourmn Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Blaine, Minnesota Posts: 67	I have a buddy with the 250 MH fixture and from what I can tell, it's not a bad fixture. __________________ Oceanic 50 Gallon Current Tank Info: Oceanic 50

01/09/2010, 09:41 AM	#11
bnicholson Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Sunshine Coast, BC Posts: 31	I bought the 48" 716W fixture, and I'm pretty happy with it for the price. I'd probably want to change out the bulbs but you can't complain too much when it was the third of the price of any comparable fixture. __________________ _______________________________ 120G Saltwater with 50g Sump 90G planted South American cichlid tank 30g planted frog & newt tank

01/09/2010, 09:56 AM	#12
newtank Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Peru In Posts: 319	I would challenge the convention "you get what you pay for" as an absolute. Especialy from what I have seen in this hobby too many items are overpriced simply due to the premium nature of the hobby. It's true that the earlier iterations of the Odyssea fixtures were troublesome, but the chinese are figuring things out pretty quickly. (just think of what people said about Japanese cars in the eighties) I have one of the newer 72" Halide fixtures I bought used for $300, stock everything and I love it, more importantly my coarls love it. Going on 7 months and no problems at all. I even found a new 48" Odysea T5 for my sons tank for $98, the coral life was $400. Granted I have not changed any bulbs yet, thats coming so we will see how that goes, but when I stop to think about the fact I have saved around $1,000 on lighting that new Acan colony seems justifyable, and plus I have the lights for it! __________________ Just because you can... doesn't mean you should. Current Tank Info: Newest new tank- 300G DEEP

01/08/2010, 11:29 AM	#2
Butterz Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Iowa Posts: 174	Get what you can afford. Most of the time, you get what you pay for when it comes to lighting. I made the mistake with my MH that's a lower brand. It worked, but didn't have the look that I hoped for.

01/08/2010, 11:49 AM	#4
dawaterboy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: waterford, mi Posts: 214	Your going to get a mixed review with that brand. A lot of people will say they are 100% junk. Some will say they are great if you change the bulbs. Some will say you need to change out the ballasts, and bulbs. Some will say they are fine straight out of the box. I would look for a more expensive used fixture. It seems like people are either getting out of the hobby, or upgrading, so you can always find sweet deals on equipment.

01/08/2010, 12:30 PM	#5
kzickovich Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Zion Il Posts: 959	http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...=odyssea+light dawaterboy hit the nail on the head. I have the 250w with t-5 on one of my tanks I like it so far. I did change the bulbs also

01/08/2010, 12:42 PM	#6
longdangler Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Omaha,NE Posts: 224	I have had no problem with mine. Had it over a year. Yes the ballasts aren't the best. They don't put out the full 250 but they work. You will find when you go to upgrade bulbs that those ballasts won't fire all bulbs. I have replace my ballasts and bulbs both and still have way less money in it than most of those other fixtures. Still happy with it.

01/09/2010, 07:22 AM	#8
cuda70bill Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: LaGrange , Illinois Posts: 98	I have their power compacts and seem to work fine also heard alot of good things on that fixture for the price. I agree that get the fixture change the bulbs, look at reefgeek.com for some quality bulbs

01/09/2010, 07:46 AM	#9
pico1966 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 103	i bought them and my corals are fine,actually real good.i have no complaints,IMO you can spend the big bucks but how much more will you gain?? just my thoughts

01/09/2010, 09:36 AM	#10
Jeepsrkool Moved On Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: OHIO Posts: 130	Check around on the internet. I read an article that they are made overseas and do not have a UL seal ??

01/09/2010, 10:11 AM	#13
doryrocks Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 51	^ I agree. I have the 4x54w fixture over my 55gal for almost a year and keep just about everything. no problems with the ballast/wiring. (I do wish that they came with true individual reflectors though)

01/09/2010, 10:19 AM	#14
rale2001 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Memphis, Tn Posts: 429	Check in the lighting filtration thread and there's a thread dedicated to odessa MH nobody says they have any major problems