nelson_crn March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 Since I'm someone who always worries about things being Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnguyen4007 March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 I personally have never used it, but I've heard it from other people on other forums such as discus as a hobby who regretted of owning any of the Odyssea's product. If you want to get a sense of what you should get, ask the folks here what they use and why and use their input as a guide so that you buy exactly what you need and not waste your money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishyTim March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 I have heard they have had fire problems.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveoutlaw March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 After all of the stuff I've purchased in this hobby (quite a bit of stuff) I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
djcerna March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 +1, wait and pay for a quality product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treesprite March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 I have seen a couple postings in the past of people saying essentially that those fixtures are "flimsy", which says nothing at all about the quality of the light that is produced. The majority of people who make broad negative statements about Odyssea products have never used them, they just assume that a lower price means a crappy product. Odyssea's customer service is practically non-existent and is slow, and that alone might be a reason to not purchase something as crucial as a light fixture from them. It took them 2 weeks to respond to an e-mail I sent about a broken part, and the response was a no comment/no question e-mail with the tracking number for the new part (they replaced it no questions asked). If that had been a light fixture I would have ended up with a dark tank and dead livestock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelson_crn March 8, 2009 Author Share March 8, 2009 So my skepticism was justified....I figured it would be. I'll just stick with my original plan of saving for a Tec 8x54w T5. Thanks for everyone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 I have heard they have had fire problems.. Their first MH fixtures had a problem with the ballasts overheating and catching fire. The newer models have an electronic ballast that does not have the reported problem. However, the newer 250W ballasts seem only to deliver 175W to the bulb with another 75W being "reactive" power (for a total of 250 VA). The basic fixture is a knock-off of a Coralife Aqualight Pro. The last reports I've read are that the many serious hobbyists buy the fixture and immediately upgrade the MH ballasts to something like Ice Caps. This works well. There is quite a thread (over 3000 posts) available to you for research on Reef Central if you wish to read more: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.p...mp;pagenumber=1 This post is only 2 long, but gives the same info I've already given you. (That is, the stock ballast is not all that it could be while the fixture itself is not unreasonable.) http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthre...ghlight=odyssea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overklok March 8, 2009 Share March 8, 2009 I own the Odyssea fixture 2x250 MH, 4x65PC 4xLED. I also own a Coralife fixture that is almost exactly the same 2x150MH 2x95PC 3xLED. The Odyssea light housing is constructed out of the same materials as the Coralife. The Odyssea light is constructed well and is identical in strength to the Coralife fixture. The difference is the metal halide ballasts, they do not power the lights to their full potential. I replaced the underpowered ballasts with PFO ballasts. I have taken apart the Odyssea light and it is contructed well with no loose fittings. The Odyssea light is only CE certified, the Coralife fixture is both UL and CE certified. You can do the math for replacement of the ballasts, you will come out cheaper. There will be compromises, but I think it is a good fixture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sikryd March 9, 2009 Share March 9, 2009 After the added price of 2 icecaps you are in the ballpark of a good light. I ended up selling mine and going with the T-5 setup I already had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnybv March 9, 2009 Share March 9, 2009 After all of the stuff I've purchased in this hobby (quite a bit of stuff) I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. + 100 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawnboy March 9, 2009 Share March 9, 2009 I had the older 175 watt fixture and upgraded to the 250 watt when they can out, The lights are made good, but you will be very disapointed when you put a par meter on the lights. You tank will be much brighter with a better light. I now have the Aqua Medic light and things are growing much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Origami March 9, 2009 Share March 9, 2009 I had the older 175 watt fixture and upgraded to the 250 watt when they can out, The lights are made good, but you will be very disapointed when you put a par meter on the lights. You tank will be much brighter with a better light. I now have the Aqua Medic light and things are growing much better. And that is why people have upgraded their ballasts. The metal halide ballasts on the stock light under drive the lamps, only delivering 175 Watts or real power to them. (It's easy enough to see this if you put a kill-a-watt meter on one of these ballasts because you'll find that it draws 175 Watts.) If you look at the fixture as a mechanical component that houses and protects the wiring and the lamps, you're primarily concerned with the materials used, quality of construction, and ease of maintenance. While there are other internal components that are factored into this, including fans, fluorescent ballasts, and switches, but these have not been the focus of hobbyist concern for this fixture. The concern for the newer model with electronic ballasts has been the inefficiency (poor power factor) of the ballast which results in lower PAR and differences in the color that lamps put out. Some hobbyists who seem pleased have reduced light demands simply run a different bulb at the lower PAR to get the color that they want. Others, who have higher light demands and wish to use the published literature on lamp output and color for predictability of lamp performance, upgrade their ballasts and buy specific lamps. For these people, the Odyssea fixture is simply that - a fixture to mechanically support the lamp and wiring - and their performance is just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesbuf March 9, 2009 Share March 9, 2009 I had a 24" version of the Odyssea single 250watt MH and dual PC actinics. It was nearly identical to the Coralife fixture, except for the ballasts of course. I completely agree with Tom's assessment. I personally don't think the actual light is poorly made. The ballasts are the issue. If you have extra ballasts laying around, then one of these fixtures would be perfect for you. I'm waiting for them to finally replace the power compact actinics with T5 bulbs. I would actually consider buying that light from Odyssea if/when it is available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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