Odyssea Light Question

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Ok so I know this always comes up. But I found a deal on an odyssea fixture. It comes w/ stock everything but if I upgraded to the Ice cap ballast would it be as good as other fixtures? Are there any prob w/ it other than crappy ballast?

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

ballast and bulb's are the problems with them from what I remember.

 

[indydog1]

yep ballast is big one. mine got too hot and melted the insides.

 

[jdmcivicek9]

to many threads on here about odyssea but the gist of it is all the old fixtures are crap and the new ones there comming out with are pretty good quality except for there ballasts and bulbs...me personally i own one and love it but i replaced my ballasts with icecaps and also just ordered phoenix 14k

 

[kau_cinta_ku]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13070490#post13070490 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jdmcivicek9
to many threads on here about odyssea but the gist of it is all the old fixtures are crap and the new ones there comming out with are pretty good quality except for there ballasts and bulbs...me personally i own one and love it but i replaced my ballasts with icecaps and also just ordered phoenix 14k

just wondering, what is the point of buying one if you need to replace the ballast and bulbs anyway. whats left. just the plastic housing. so why waste the money in the 1st place.

just my .02

 

[nick063]

i bought some power compacts from odyssey and after awhile the wires shorted out and they started giving me some nice shocks! :mad2: so long story short spend the extra money on a quality name its worth it in the long run!!

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

I agree w/ you Kau but they guy is selling his for cheap so after replacing the bulbs/ballast i still am saving money and I have a 30 inch tank w/o a hood so my options on lighting are somewhat limited.

 

[phenom5]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13070520#post13070520 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kau_cinta_ku
just wondering, what is the point of buying one if you need to replace the ballast and bulbs anyway. whats left. just the plastic housing. so why waste the money in the 1st place.

just my .02

That's what never made sense to me. It's like saying...this car is great, the engine's shot and will have to be replaced, and the transmission's shot and you'll have to replace that too, but other then that, the car is in great shape.

 

[jdmcivicek9]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13070520#post13070520 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kau_cinta_ku
just wondering, what is the point of buying one if you need to replace the ballast and bulbs anyway. whats left. just the plastic housing. so why waste the money in the 1st place.

just my .02

because even after you replace those things it still cost less than the coralife fixture that its modeled after...plus the icecap ballasts probably are better than the stock coralife ones anyway...and its not like you wont have to replace the bulbs in that fixture just because it costs more...ive kept my bulbs for around 8 months now and am just replacing them because i want bluer bulbs...and because its about time anyway...but the new fixtures are actually really reliable.

 

[adamsaranluke]

I think that for beginners, the Odyssea is a good fixture. If you decide to stick with the hobby long term, then you can make the investment (which to some of us less fortunate reefers is a huge one) for a higher quality light system. It'll give you time to build experience and knowledge and also to decide what type of setup you want to be stuck with forever. I bought one because the price was unbelievable. The unit gets a little warm but I just attached a computer fan to an old Radio Shack AC adapter that was lying around from some toy or phone or tv antennea, who knows. I have not had any problems with the ballasts but I wouldn't know a high quality ballast from a low quality ballast so I cant say if they're any good or not. I am not in love with the way they make my tank look and bulbs are almost expensive enough to make me save the money I would spend on new ones, and put it toward a new T5 fixture. I have had this light for almost 6 months now and I have decided that when I upgrade it will most likely be to a DIY T5 system incorporating ice caps and individual reflectors for 6 bulbs.

The preceeding is in no way based on any factual information and should not be used by anyone to form any opinions or make reality based decisions. It is most likely nonsense and may be harmful to your intellegence. Please disregard any and all information contained in this post. This post will self destruct.

 

[RyanMcLaughlin]

Well I am 15 w/ limited funds and a limiting size tank. The only metal halide pendant w/ PC supplementation is the sundial and is like 400 w/ the 250. The others are all about the same price. This has cooling fans, led, pc, and mh for 100 bucks. I buy a 125 dollar ballast and like 75 on bulbs. So i am saving 100+ dollars. It seems like the smartest choice for me.

 

[CoralCaps]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13070676#post13070676 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by phenom5
That's what never made sense to me. It's like saying...this car is great, the engine's shot and will have to be replaced, and the transmission's shot and you'll have to replace that too, but other then that, the car is in great shape.

Good way to save money if you don't have to pay someone else to do the work. $500 car with a blown engine, drop a couple hundred in it, and it runs great. Better than paying $3000. Been there, done that, saved over $1200.

Same thing here. Some people just like to mod things and save a little cash.

 

[thebradybunch]

I have a 36" fixture and love it. I replaced my ballast a couple months after I got it and it helped, however if I had stayed with the stock ballast I would have been fine as well. Even after replacing the ballast you are still several hundred ahead of the game. Also since you have limited funds you can buy the fixture and then save up your money and get the ballast later when you have more money.

 

[markeo99]

got 2 a 48" with icecaps love it just baught a 72" with no ballasts cheap and icecaps are in the mail I love em