Anyone using these lights?

[leeweber85]

PC ballast ^

Actinics only

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<br>actinics and daylights^

 

[blange3]

Has anyone purchased the 48" T5 HO 2 x 54W light? Besides the bulbs, how do these lights perform? Can they be mounted in a hood? Thanks.

I bought one to see how it works but didn't get a chance to figure out mounting possibilities, it stopped working after 3 days. I was using the supplied legs.

Tried to contact AquaTraders by phone and e-mail, kept getting told the right person wasn't in and they would get back to me. After 2 weeks there was still no progress and I disputed the charge and filed a better business bureau case.

When I finally did get a return authorization I found out that return shipping was going to cost me $39 for my $49 purchase.

Can you say HelloLights?

 

[Ebisan]

Woot this thread keeps coming back. My fixture is now over 6 months old and I just replaced the bulb. The old Phoenix 14K 150W DE bulb didn't look as bright when new so I thought it might be time. The fixture and ballast has been working great. Fans collected some dust but a quick shot of compressed air cleaned them out. Here's an updated pic.

 

[Ebisan]

double post

 

[bullfish]

I haven't had a chance to read this entire thread, but I do have a few questions. Sorry if this may have been brought up before. I have a 30" tank and of course it is hard to find a fixture that fits it well. I am curious as if the legs on the 36" fixture slide in so they fit a 30" top? I would guess that each leg would need to slide in around 3". If they don't would be be difficult to mod the legs so they would fit? Anyone with any pics of the legs close up?

If someone could help me out here, I would appreciate it.

thanks

 

[Ray J]

try a 24" hood and center it in the middle.

 

[bullfish]

try a 24" hood and center it in the middle.

From what I see aquatraders doesn't sell the 24" fixture anymore. All they sell is the 17" or the 36".

 

[leeweber85]

I'm not positive. But I think my 48" fixtures legs slide all the way to the middle

 

[Shadowramy]

Just recieved mine today. Everything looked good, no color shifts that I could see.

I may not be the best quality in the world, but it is alot better than what I could build on my own.

Getting the legs on where kinda tricky. The direction did not do a real good job of explaining it.

Anyone have a problem with getting their legs on?

 

[s3aL]

You mean how they are wobbly? To fix that you just get 4 washers and put them inbetween the fixture and the legs.

 

[leeweber85]

Yes, I also had trouble with the legs... the directions were useless. I still don't know if I put them on correctly or not. They're wobbly but still work.

 

[bullfish]

I'm not positive. But I think my 48" fixtures legs slide all the way to the middle

Hmm.. well.. if the 36" fixture does that, then I would be golden. I would try to contact aquatraders.com. But from what I heard, they don't really return e-mails.

Can anyone chime in on the 36"

 

[Hispaniola]

I sent Aquatraders an email and they answered it in 5 days.

 

[bullfish]

Still looking for some word on the 36". There has to be someone here that has bought it.

 

[jayel]

The halides came in a ballast box with a switch for them and for the moonlights with only 1 power cord.... I was really bummed about this because there's no way to put them both on timers. I fixed this by rewiring a second power cord (a little confusing with all there wiring)

How did you you do this?!? I am so intersested and really wanted to do this but then i opened the ballast box...It is a mess of wires. Could you tell me or show me pics of how you did it?

 

[modemfox]

When i opened the big black box that came with mine it had 2 Blue Wave 4 Ballasts in it. I purchases their upgraded 48" Metal halide / power compact unit. I am actually very surprized by this! Mine has 2 175 watt 20000k MH lights and 2 96 Watt Power Compact actinics. I am very happy with the purchace. Oh and the ballast for my PC's is the same one pictured above in a previous post.

 

[modemfox]

Yes, I also had trouble with the legs... the directions were useless. I still don't know if I put them on correctly or not. They're wobbly but still work.

The legs are confusing because the brackets are already on the tracks. All 4 of the brackets were on the power cord side so i had to slide them where i wanted them and then screw the legs onto them.

And for the other person that asked "YES" The 36" untit will adjust to fit a tank as small as 20Gallons. actually i beleive it could adjust to 24". The only thing i see a problem with is the width of the unit. It comes with a hanging kit as well so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[leeweber85]

When i opened the big black box that came with mine it had 2 Blue Wave 4 Ballasts in it. I purchases their upgraded 48" Metal halide / power compact unit. I am actually very surprized by this! Mine has 2 175 watt 20000k MH lights and 2 96 Watt Power Compact actinics. I am very happy with the purchace. Oh and the ballast for my PC's is the same one pictured above in a previous post.

Are you serious???! Are those electronic ballasts then? I'm mad because I never saw that option! how much more did it cost?

you should post some pics!

 

[bullfish]

The legs are confusing because the brackets are already on the tracks. All 4 of the brackets were on the power cord side so i had to slide them where i wanted them and then screw the legs onto them.

And for the other person that asked "YES" The 36" untit will adjust to fit a tank as small as 20Gallons. actually i beleive it could adjust to 24". The only thing i see a problem with is the width of the unit. It comes with a hanging kit as well so that shouldn't be a problem.

How do you think the width of the unit might be a problem?

 

[modemfox]

Because the legs on at least my unit when strait are 14 inches from side to side. On my 55 Gallon I had to modify the legs to make them fit on 12 inches of tank depth.