aquatrader

[sirreal63]

I am all for saving money and am frugal too. I am also cautious with things that have potential for disaster. We can justify our expenses any way we want but what it boils down to is can we justify losing our homes because of a cheaply made component? How will our families feel when we have to tell them the 300 bucks we saved cost us our home? To me it isn't worth it.

Sockets are not sockets, I'll snap a pic of the sockets that come on an Odyssea T5 fixture if we the storms let me tonight. One look at them is enough to make anyone worry. Sockets for our country have a rating that is substantially higher than is needed...but that is for a reason. Are the import ones the same knowing that they were made to be much less expensive? I doubt it and the ones on my T5 fixture prove that.

You do get what you pay for.

 

[jgb21_98]

thanks for all the feedback, has anyone heard of the newer Odyssea lights catching fire?

 

[plyr58]

I work in a large LFS part time and have seen pics of Coralife units that have caught on fire. For what its worth, saltwater and electrical components don't exactly mix great. Any product can catch on fire. The aquatraders unit had its problems in the past but it doesn't seem to have the same problems anymore.

 

[smoothdog]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12413613#post12413613 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jgb21_98
thanks for all the feedback, has anyone heard of the newer Odyssea lights catching fire?

Here's a better question, has anybody actually had an experience with one of the new ones catching fire? I did quite a bit of research/investigation on these before buying one and I lost count of the "I had a friend" and "I heard of a guy" stories I saw. I only ever actually saw one incident where the actual owner reported a burnt up ballast. It was the old model and didn't even catch on fire, a capacitor fried and heated up the tar in the ballast and created a bunch of smoke but never actually burst into flames. I think there were some limited problems with the old model and like any bad news it spread like crazy and because they were so inexpensive they got labeled as "cheap trash". If they had cost $1000 or more it would have been labeled as "initial production problems" and when the new model came out no one would have thought twice about it.

There is a huge thread about this fixture here:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=12407447#post12407447
I have read this entire thread and can only think of 2 reports of problems with the new model, both of them were problems with a ballast going bad after a short time and it's generally agreed that the ballasts on these are not high quality but i don't recall either of them even smoking when they went out. I think 2 actual reported problems on a thread that's been active over a year is a pretty good track record.

 

[ReD_GatOr]

<a

For some reason, some hobbyists feel you need to spend $900+ on a fixture to get a "quality" light. [/B]

this is so true which is so sad... spend the extra cash for some nice corals or a bubbleking skimmer:eek1:

 

[abulgin]

Smoothdog, thank you for this. I read the entire thread as well and totally agree. Out of 7 million posts, I think I read 3 that actually had a problem personally, and most of those were with the bulb not firing--NOT the unit catching on fire.

Sirreal, although I do not disagree with you that, in general, you get what you pay for, I have found over the years that manufacturers in this hobby screw hobbyist day in and day out out of billions of dollars using scare tactics and claims that you can't live without their product, and your comments about fire and locusts just further that. Grounding probes and "reef safe" medication are just two of many examples. Is the X-Flo XF6-2.5 Foam Fractitioner a great skimmer worth every penny of its $569.99 price tag? Probably, but does that mean I need it? Does that mean I can't get by with an EV-180 for $300? Hell, I use a Coralife Super Skimmer that was $150--do I regret buying it? Sometimes, but it does a good job.

Let me close by just saying this--any company that makes, and any distributor who distributes, a product for distribution in the US that does not comply with US safety standards and burns a house down is going to be sued by consumers and prosecuted by the US Attorney's Office. Plain and simple. Aquatraders/Odyssea have been around long enough . . . If you haven't already, read the thread on this site stated above from start to finish. There is a big difference between manufacturing carrot water and slapping "reef safe ich cure" on it and manufacturing a light that contains components that don't meet US standards and, thus, pose a fire hazard.

 

[sirreal63]

My ARO ballasts are made in Korea...the difference is they are UL listed. You will not find that on any Aquatrader product. I am not saying you cannot get fixtures from there that work, I am saying it is a gamble, some people choose not to gamble.

No doubt that people are being taken advantage of by people selling products in this hobby but that ich medicine does not have the potential to cause you or your family harm.

I have read the thread...read it when it first started and have seen with my own eyes an Odyssea light that had the ballast burn up from that capacitor. I can assure you not everyone who has had problems with these fixtures reports it here.

It is what it is, cheaply made import products that are made to be cheap. If you think that the products coming out of China are acceptable quality start watching the news. Products tainted, made with lead based paint for childs toys, products made with date rape drug components for children's toys, pet food that kills our dogs. If you think for one minute that that the people who make Odyssea products care one bit about your family and your safety you are sadly mistaken.

You are right there is a big difference between manufacturing carrot water and slapping "reef safe ich cure" on it and manufacturing a light that contains components that don't meet US standards and, thus, pose a fire hazard. One has the potential to harm and the other doesn't.

 

[abulgin]

That was my point--and not only that, but that no one is going to get prosecuted for selling carrot water, while someone will for knowingly manufacturing and selling a product that poses a fire hazard, which is why I'm sure aquatraders fixed tha ballast problems that existed with the old magnetic ones they used to sell. Look, I'm not totally disagreeing with you--I realize that these fixtures are not high end stuff. My only point is that for $359, they can and do work well and, while they may not contain the highest end components, I seriously doubt that the components in fact are a fire hazard any more than the components in many other fixtures OR some of the gerry rigged fixtures that many hobbyists make and run day in and day out.

 

[sirreal63]

If you read the entire thread on Aquatraders you know they have closed up shop and moved several times. They are only in it for the money and can close up and move easily.

Just don't be fooled into thinking this is good quality stuff...it isn't.

This is a T5 endcap from a fixture I took apart. Note it is not waterproof and the screws are rusting. The plastic is hard and brittle and you have to be careful with them.

As far as getting sued...there is no one to sue if your house burns down. Aquatraders is only re-selling a product, they are not the manufacturer. It is nearly impossible to sue a company in China unless you are loaded with money to begin with.

These products can be made to work...if you understand the limitations of them. Problem is many do not and think they got a great product at a great price. Fact is they did not and it is up to those of us who know better to stand up and help educate those who do not understand what they are buying.

 

[serpentman]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12415262#post12415262 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sirreal63
As far as getting sued...there is no one to sue if your house burns down. Aquatraders is only re-selling a product, they are not the manufacturer. It is nearly impossible to sue a company in China unless you are loaded with money to begin with.

I second this. Anyone can sue anyone, however, good luck in filing suit in China. Also, I wouldn't necessarily count on Uncle Sam to protect you. Anyone recall the whole lead paint fiasco?

 

[abulgin]

Trust me, the law would permit Aquatraders to be a defendant in a suit.

You might find it interesting to check out Aquatraders on the Better Business Bureau. Shockingly, there is no mention of any product exploding or killing small school children. http://goldengate.bbb.org/WWWRoot/Report.aspx?site=99&bbb=1116&firm=62623

You showed us a T5 endcap. Show me your MH unit.

It's clear that you hate Aquatraders and Odyssea. Okay, that's your right--so don't buy the products and your house will be safe forever. So far, I can't say I hate them or that the MH unit sucks. I have taken mine apart and inspected the wiring and sockets. They all look and feel fine after 5 months of use.

Just so you can stop worrying about me, my tank is surrounded by a James Bond like sprinkler system that uses an infrared heat sensor and will shower the tank at the first sign that the surface temperature of any component of my fish tank exceeds 192.984 degrees.

 

[abulgin]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12415386#post12415386 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by serpentman
I second this. Anyone can sue anyone, however, good luck in filing suit in China. Also, I wouldn't necessarily count on Uncle Sam to protect you. Anyone recall the whole lead paint fiasco?

Remind me who became sick or was killed by this lead paint??

Trust me, I don't trust Uncle Sam to protect me. Although he may not keep bad products from getting in here, he sure does take action when a family of 4 is wiped out because of a product that makes its way here, when that product is a known fire hazard.

We're all taking a risk by even having a fish tank, period. How many people don't use GFI outlets for all of their components? How many people gerry rig lights? How many people mod UL listed products to make them non-UL?

 

[waif]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12414757#post12414757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sirreal63
My ARO ballasts are made in Korea...the difference is they are UL listed. You will not find that on any Aquatrader product. I am not saying you cannot get fixtures from there that work, I am saying it is a gamble, some people choose not to gamble.

No doubt that people are being taken advantage of by people selling products in this hobby but that ich medicine does not have the potential to cause you or your family harm.

I have read the thread...read it when it first started and have seen with my own eyes an Odyssea light that had the ballast burn up from that capacitor. I can assure you not everyone who has had problems with these fixtures reports it here.

It is what it is, cheaply made import products that are made to be cheap. If you think that the products coming out of China are acceptable quality start watching the news. Products tainted, made with lead based paint for childs toys, products made with date rape drug components for children's toys, pet food that kills our dogs. If you think for one minute that that the people who make Odyssea products care one bit about your family and your safety you are sadly mistaken.

You are right there is a big difference between manufacturing carrot water and slapping "reef safe ich cure" on it and manufacturing a light that contains components that don't meet US standards and, thus, pose a fire hazard. One has the potential to harm and the other doesn't.

75% of america is made in china now. Thank walmart...you as well as most others including people in canda (i'm not from here i only live here for school) keep complaining you want cheaper products, then complain when you get "cheap" products. It's our own damn fault.
Cheap and high quality do not go hand in hand, i don't care who tries to tell you otherwise. Loose wires? people are paid peniies they don't care. etc etc...blah blah