I was originally planning on getting their T5 set up but it was sold out as they are switching to new models. I had done tons of research on those in the last month or two. It had extremely good reviews from everyone with only one or two exceptions of the 20+ people i had found to own it. The only qualm was the lights were cheap, they worked just weren't top notch ATI sort of stuff. At $89 though you could replace the 4bulbs and still come out miles ahead. The metal halide i really hadnt read anything about until about 3 hours before purchasing it.
Some people have had issues with it casting a shadow down the center of the tank due to a bracket within the reflector. I don't know if they have since fixed that issue or if i got lucky but i do not have that problem. Beyond that i saw no complaints beyond those people saying they were not happy with the bulb. I like mine so far and will just wait a few months and replace it with a high quality name brand one when it is due for a change.
The fixture itself LOOKS fabulous. Its very slim and all aluminum. Only 2.5" tall. The fact the reflector is basically attached to the top part of the pendant is probably why many people crab about the heat. On other pendants it is taller so the bulb is further down from the top, so the top is cooler. It came with an electronic ballast.
It feels a little cheap when handling it, but it looks ultra modern/contemporary. In a few months i have full intentions of doing more business with them and buy some 2bulb strips to attach and use a actinic lights. If you didn't know you can lock their T5s and metal halides together easily.
It came with both hanging hardware and legs. I have it set up on legs for the moment. They are very cheesey and cheap. I'll be using the hanging hardware soon which is pretty nice. Good sharp looking brackets and easy to install. I just don't have tools in my college apartment to hang it from the ceiling.
**** In summary, my initial thoughts are for less than half the price of other metal halides out there I'm extremely pleased. If it holds up well over the coming months I'll definitely be a returning customer. Their people are very helpful and i had several email conversations. Usually would have a response from a real person within minutes of sending an email.
