Ebaying Aquarium Parts, Pro or No?

[Crazylikeafox]

Putting together a buying list for my 300g reef and I have noticed significant price savings from ordering products off of ebay. Specifically the RO/DI units and Refractometers available through Ebay. These products have no brand name but appear to be very well manufactured, the sellers have near 100% positive feedback, and the products are moving in huge volumes.

The price savings are significant (several hundred dollars from my LFS), and also significant savings beyond the high volume retailers such as petsolutions or DRs Foster and Smiths.

Is their any reason to assume that the products available on Ebay would be of less quality?

Feedback from personal experiences or side by side testing would be greatly appreciated.

-Charles

Links:
Refractometer
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-SALINITY-RE...20755QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp1742.m153.l1262

Cheap O RO/DI
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Reef-6st-10...343499576&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1318

Super RO/DI/UV
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...o=CRX&its=S%2BI%2BSS&itu=ISS%2BUCI%2BSI&otn=4

TDS Meter
http://cgi.ebay.com/In-line-Dual-TD...322181226&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66:2|65%3A15|39%3A1|240%3A1318

 

[tgunn]

I bought an AquaSafe RO/DI unit off eBay very similar to those units.

A couple things to note about these types of setups:
- 100 GPD membranes are not idea for reef use. They produce more by letting more junk through in the produced RO water. This means your DI resin will exhaust quicker. Get a unit with a 75GPD membrane; they aren't any noticeably slower in my opinion and the quality of the produced water is better.
- The horizontally mounted DI canisters are horrible. My aquasafe unit came with one like that. The problem is that the water just made a channel along the top of the canister, and didn't really use the di resin elsewhere in the canister. You need to get a refillable cartridge that installs in a regular 10" filter housing; similar to the one shown in this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvaNSP_LP0w

 

[HookedonReef17]

The only thing i could tell you is to READ THE FINE PRINT. i have had mixed experience. Some times the items in the picture are not what i have received and check feed back. Also i don't buy anything from overseas anymore.. I've been burned more then once. But i did get my Refractormeter off of ebay.

 

[yannicksjh]

Only thing i bought off ebay was a couple 36" T5 fixtures. The Fixtures do work great and the bulbs seem descent. I'm only using them for extra color (actinic and fiji purple) and mornig and night as i have MH for my regular lighting. Anyways, they were supposed to be 39Watts each fixture, but when i tested them they were both 29Watts. So i would be carefull about any light, ballast or bulb on ebay.

 

[Crazylikeafox]

Thanks for the comments. I have pulled the trigger on an auction for a bulk reef supply RO/DI unit and bought the refractometer.

The tip on the vertical DI was very helpful and I was able to make a more informed decision, thanks again.

-Charles

 

[ordy1]

I've bought a ton of stuff on ebay to satisfy my hobby's lust for more crap.

I purchased one of those "Six" stage Ro/Di setups. It came with a 5 micron sediment, carbon block, and coconut carbon filters. A 100 gpd membrane and those small Di units that sit sideways on top of the setup. Used it during initial setup and six months later I upgraded the whole setup with a Dow 75gpd membrane, a one micron sediment, as well as a one micron carbon block and coconut carbon filter. I also purchased a full size (10") canister and Di media.

There are some really good deals out there especially if you're a do it yourselfer.