Blue wave VII prices?????

A

abwalker

New member
A question for those who know ballasts from ballasts....

I'm not sure is this is the right forum, or if perhaps it belongs in the vendor experiences section.

I have been looking into 250W DE ballasts for my new tank and I like the Dual 250W hqi Blue wave VII made by Sunlight Supply.

I'm curious because I have found TREMENDOUS variation in online prices for this item. Could there be two different models (old style vs. new?) or something available?

The only difference I see, is that the more expensive sites are the heavy hitters in the online options. Theres certainly something to be said for using a reputable, well-known company, but $200?? There must be something else going on here.

Any ideas?

Here is just a spattering of prices, but these two price brackets are reflected across the web:

Group One:

Marine depot SL1173: 479.99 http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=SL1173

Reefgeek.com :442.95-462.95 (standard vs ds-dp)
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/Me...lue_Wave_Ballasts/Blue_Wave_VII:_2-250W_HQI_w!_DS-DP_by_Sunlight_Supply

Premium Aquatics: 442.95
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merc...ode=SB-BW7-250D&Category_Code=sunlightballast

Group two:

bestgrowlights.com: 249.95
http://www.bestgrowlights.com/site/403863/page/434382

addictiveaquatics.com: 269.99
http://storefront.addictiveaquatics...ual_250_watt_HQI_style_ballast-10894-238.html

dtpetsupplies.com: 239.99
http://www.dtpetsupplies.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=3902

New around here.... starting a build thread soon....
Abby
 
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Here's the deal.......

Sunlight Supply raised their prices about 3wks ago. It just so happens that the larger online retailers are typically the first to raise their prices since those are the vendors that have the most turnover, and Sunlight Supply seeks them out first for price increases. It will slowly trickle down to the other retailers as well. HTH
 
Sunlight Supply would probably be a better person to ask that, however I'm assuming it's mainly price increases in raw materials. Ballast manufacturers have had price increases all across the board in the last year or so, and Sunlight has been one of the last ones to raise theirs.

Thanks,
Jeremy
 
Ya but a $200 price increase because of raw materials? There has to be more to it than that.
 
Great.....now I'm stuck with a pair of sunlight supply reefoptixIII 150w DE fixtureswhich I just built a custom canopy for....and had not purchased the ballast (blue wave 7) for yet. Damn. Wish I had known about this insane price increaselast month. Come on; $200 bucks overnight?!! I can by an entire new fixture with bulbs and ballasts for that price! If anyone out there knows of another ballast that will work with these fixtures, please let me know. As far as Sunlight Supply goes, it's been nice doing buisness with you.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9614494#post9614494 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by firefish44
Great.....now I'm stuck with a pair of sunlight supply reefoptixIII 150w DE fixtureswhich I just built a custom canopy for....and had not purchased the ballast (blue wave 7) for yet. Damn. Wish I had known about this insane price increaselast month. Come on; $200 bucks overnight?!! I can by an entire new fixture with bulbs and ballasts for that price! If anyone out there knows of another ballast that will work with these fixtures, please let me know. As far as Sunlight Supply goes, it's been nice doing buisness with you.
Click to expand...

Cut the plugs and get pfo plugs/ballasts.

I hope pfo doesn't try to rape the aquarium hobbiest like sunlight supply is now doing. :rolleyes:
 
Thanks Mike....So it's just the plug configuration that is different in the reefoptix? I'll have to check out PFO prices.

Which Union are you with, btw?.....IAFF L-2892 here.
 
Buy some bare ballasts and a cheap tool box to mount them in, save yourself some money. :)

$200 dollar increase......break out the lube!
 
I'd like to do that, I've already built the stand and suspended hood from scratch; I just didn't want to rewire the cords to the Reefoptix..they have that odd prong configuration that I suspect only fits in bluewave ballasts.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9614681#post9614681 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Aquaticman74
Cut the plugs and get pfo plugs/ballasts.

I hope pfo doesn't try to rape the aquarium hobbiest like sunlight supply is now doing. :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

I agree with Aquaticman74 on PFO ballast. It work very well and doesn't have much problem. I have been using SLS ballast for years and finally i decided to go with PFO. Same spec, more power, less $$$.
 
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