I may have made a mistake, I saw a deal that was amazing. I bought a 20" MH 175w with 2x24w CF for a 30g reef tank that i'm going to be starting. Unfortunately I didn't research this enough judging by the feedback that I'm getting from everyone on here. I'm just looking to see if anyone has any good experience with these, or if they are just POS. I'm already thinking about sending it back and I haven't even got it yet. Any help would be appreciated.
Odyssea products....
- Thread starter brettmc
- Start date
Well for mine since its a 175w HQI the only manufacturers of these specific bulbs are odyssea and people have told me that the light they put out isn't good quality. Also people have told me that they do not have good longevity ballast wise. Then thats what people have told me, I'm not for sure yet since it hasn't come in the mail.
keckles
New member
There is a reason they are so cheap. 
I think I have had more systems fail than succeed in my store. Now, I just don't buy them.
I would at least check it out when you get it in the mail and see if everything is working. Then, you may want to contact the company you purchased it from or the manufacturer to ask about a warranty.
I think I have had more systems fail than succeed in my store. Now, I just don't buy them.
I would at least check it out when you get it in the mail and see if everything is working. Then, you may want to contact the company you purchased it from or the manufacturer to ask about a warranty.
beaker77
New member
I had one catch fire after about 4 months of use. Luckily I was home when this happend.
Read what other RC users are saying about them
Read what other RC users are saying about them
noodles9987
New member
This post is a little long. Sorry, but it's just my 2 cents.
i did quite a bit of looking before I bought my 48" 542 watt odyssea with dual 175 mh and 2 x 36" 96 watt pc's. it shipped with the 2007 model ballast.
i kept comming up with the same problems. i couldn't find any really good info on the web about aqua traders/odyssea. I think the biggest concerns are fires (I could never find any info on these actually catching fire. It was always someone who knew someone who had experienced a problem), and the rated wattage. Apparantely 175 watt de bulbs don't exist. However, the price was very low. And, I am cheap. So, I placed my order and I waited 1 week. I just got my unit on Friday and it was 360.00 with delivery.
The unit appears solid. I mean solid. Those damn chinese. They have actually done a pretty good job with this light. There is a ton of venting on the housing (top and sides) with metal/mesh grates. Cosmetically, there are a couple of nicks in the metal pieces around the lights (they powder coat the metal stock, then cut in on a miter saw or something and they use these as filler pieces. I am talking about 2 or 3 very small nicks in an area that no one will ever see.
The problems: 1. there was only 1 fan installed (the web site said "fans", not "fan". And there is a place for a second fan. So, I assume there should be 2 of them). 2. No customer support. I tried to e-mail and also called a few times prior to delivery without any success. The 800 number was always busy (even at 4:00 a.m. San Fransico time, so I suppose the phone is off the hook). And, good luck calling the store direct. The phone is always busy.
Any way, I did the math and I took a chance. You can spend over a grand on some fixtures. And, most of these are also made in China. I can buy a new dual electronic 175 watt ballast for 129.00 and the unit will still be less expensive than any retro or full fixtures available.
About the lights:
The unit shipped with 20K bulbs. The color isn't bad. However, I did place an order for 38.00 with another vendor so that I could replace the pc's with 10K day light bulbs. The ones that shipped with the unit are way too blue. Aqua traders had these cheaper. However, I had to place an order for other stuff, so I figures I would avoid additional s/h charges.
Total cost: 398.00 with new pc day light bulbs. I should say in conclusion that I really wanted a aqua medic unit. However, I just couldn't justify the expense.
i did quite a bit of looking before I bought my 48" 542 watt odyssea with dual 175 mh and 2 x 36" 96 watt pc's. it shipped with the 2007 model ballast.
i kept comming up with the same problems. i couldn't find any really good info on the web about aqua traders/odyssea. I think the biggest concerns are fires (I could never find any info on these actually catching fire. It was always someone who knew someone who had experienced a problem), and the rated wattage. Apparantely 175 watt de bulbs don't exist. However, the price was very low. And, I am cheap. So, I placed my order and I waited 1 week. I just got my unit on Friday and it was 360.00 with delivery.
The unit appears solid. I mean solid. Those damn chinese. They have actually done a pretty good job with this light. There is a ton of venting on the housing (top and sides) with metal/mesh grates. Cosmetically, there are a couple of nicks in the metal pieces around the lights (they powder coat the metal stock, then cut in on a miter saw or something and they use these as filler pieces. I am talking about 2 or 3 very small nicks in an area that no one will ever see.
The problems: 1. there was only 1 fan installed (the web site said "fans", not "fan". And there is a place for a second fan. So, I assume there should be 2 of them). 2. No customer support. I tried to e-mail and also called a few times prior to delivery without any success. The 800 number was always busy (even at 4:00 a.m. San Fransico time, so I suppose the phone is off the hook). And, good luck calling the store direct. The phone is always busy.
Any way, I did the math and I took a chance. You can spend over a grand on some fixtures. And, most of these are also made in China. I can buy a new dual electronic 175 watt ballast for 129.00 and the unit will still be less expensive than any retro or full fixtures available.
About the lights:
The unit shipped with 20K bulbs. The color isn't bad. However, I did place an order for 38.00 with another vendor so that I could replace the pc's with 10K day light bulbs. The ones that shipped with the unit are way too blue. Aqua traders had these cheaper. However, I had to place an order for other stuff, so I figures I would avoid additional s/h charges.
Total cost: 398.00 with new pc day light bulbs. I should say in conclusion that I really wanted a aqua medic unit. However, I just couldn't justify the expense.
ReefXpert
New member
I bought one last April and have been using it since with no problem. However, after reading all the "fire" warning posts, I only turn them on when I am at home during the evening. I got it because it's cheap, and I didn't have many fancy corals at the time. But I am planning to get a Lumen Max 3 soon. By the way, damn Chinese people are cool
I bought an older version 1x150DE + 2x18W PC from an LFS at a lower price than any online store. Used it for six months without a problem. I guess I'm one of the lucky users. I'd replace the stock bulb with the Phoenix 14K if I had SPS, but the nano had mostly LPS and softies, so the light was adequate.
I recently sold the nano setup along with the light.
I recently sold the nano setup along with the light.
Yea, my plan is, for one, definitely get renters insurance when i start to use it, and two if I start to have probs with it, i'm going to look into getting new ballasts and replacing the bulbs. Because the set up still works perfectly for what I want. Also, for extra protection i thought about placing the ballasts on top of bricks and build like a mini fire box, just in case ya know.
UrbanSage
New member
mr pink floyd
New member
hahah i had to deal with that guy on the phone too... i couldnt understand him!
well ,y 36" "175" MH is fine, only problem was one wire was disconnected in ballast
hood fan is loud, switched it out for a 3 in comp fan, works better and is SILENT
another kid in my club reccommended me to them, he said they are crappy, but he loves his, and i love mine too
once i get a job, i will upgrade to an aqualight!
it is not really a 175 watt bulb, read the ballast, it says 150 watts, nsd i know people who run 150 watt bulbs in there, same size as a 150 too
the glass sheild is UV protective, which makes me happy
the ballast is also kind of loud, just needs some foolign with, i need 2 more small comp fans and the ballast will be silent
if you are in a money fix, i reccomend it, if not, get the aqualight!
noodles9987
New member
Hey mr. pink. Are the fans 12 watt? what was the wattage of the computer fans you purchased? or, are they all the same???
ShilohPSU
New member
Odyssea Ballasts
Odyssea Ballasts
Sorry for the long post, but I'm a new member and wanted to set the stage.
I had a 30 gallon fish only tank for about 4 years and decided to get into some soft corals. So i looked around and bought a 192w 36" jebco odyssea power compact. This light was a lot better than the original lighting and my fingerleathers grew like crazy. I've had no problems with this light and for under 100$ it was more than worth it.
This summer I picked up a used 55 gallon for 115$ with a stand, hood, and some extras. I couldn't turn down a deal like that. I decided that I wanted to go all out and set up a reef tank. I did a lot of reading and decided to go metal halide. I looked around and found out that most 48" MH and T5 setups cost 500 - 600$.
Then I came across the offer that I could not refuse - A brand new Odyssea 384W HQI MH & T5 setup for 220$ and 80$ shipping. I had no prior problems with the 36" PC and really liked it, so i expected the same results for the 48" MH setup. Everything looked very nice - the light fixture was solid and the ballast appeared to be good quality as well. I plugged it in and everything lit up and worked perfectly.
I kept turning it on and off to show different people and noticed that the MH lights didn't always fire right away and sometimes one would come on and the other would take 20 seconds before it lit. I figured that it was no big deal, and configured the digital timer. Everything was fine and had been working well for about two months, until today. I noticed that my T5 actinics weren't working. So I tired to get them to fire and they won't. They're not burnt out and I'm sure that it's the ballast.
I looked around to see if I could buy a replacement ballast and that's when I came across this thread and found similar ones saying the same things. Here are my real questions:
Can you buy another odyssea mh-150 ballast w/ digital timer?
Are there other ballasts that will run my MH and T5's? The one I have has 3 cords - one power, one for the MH, and one for the T5's. They have 3 prong male/female connectors.
If I get another ballast, will i have to cut off the plugs and wire them myself? Do they make any others with a digital timer? This is no problem i've wired many electronics in cars - amps, head units, gauges, tv's, dvd players, ect.
I don't have any MH experience and especially with ballasts. I now have a thriving reef tank and can't really afford any down time without a light if i were to take apart the ballast and mess it up, so I came to this forum to get some options. I love the current ballast that I have because the digital timer can control the T5's and Mh independently. I run the T5's an hour before and after the MH lighting. I live in a huge fraternity house that caught fire and almost completely burnt down in 1966 and I definitely don't want to be responsible for a 40 year anniversary fire. I'd appreciate any options and advice that you guys can come up with.
Thanks. Craig
30 gallon: Coral beauty, damsel, lawnmower blenny, emerald crab, porcelain crab, cleaner shrimp, 15 blue leg hermit and turbo snails, green fingerleather, feather dusters, green long tentacle anemone, orange colony polyps, green colony polyps, 50lbs live rock, 192W PC lighting.
55 gallon: Flame angel, blue hippo tang, gold band maroon clown, orange firefish, lawnmower blenny, cleaner shrimp, 2 emerald crabs, 10 blue leg hermits, 5 scarlet hermtis, 6 turbo snails, purple sea slug, zebra urchin, 7" sebae anemone, 3" electric blue crocea, green fingerleather frag, orange colony polyps, green colony polyps, blue/grey millepora frag, blue/purple tip staghorn acropora frag, orange cap montipora frag, electric green mushrooms, yellow cucumber, 30lbs live rock, 20 lbs live sand, 48" 384W lighting combo: Two 150W 14k HQI MH and four 21W T5 actinic.
Odyssea Ballasts
Sorry for the long post, but I'm a new member and wanted to set the stage.
I had a 30 gallon fish only tank for about 4 years and decided to get into some soft corals. So i looked around and bought a 192w 36" jebco odyssea power compact. This light was a lot better than the original lighting and my fingerleathers grew like crazy. I've had no problems with this light and for under 100$ it was more than worth it.
This summer I picked up a used 55 gallon for 115$ with a stand, hood, and some extras. I couldn't turn down a deal like that. I decided that I wanted to go all out and set up a reef tank. I did a lot of reading and decided to go metal halide. I looked around and found out that most 48" MH and T5 setups cost 500 - 600$.
Then I came across the offer that I could not refuse - A brand new Odyssea 384W HQI MH & T5 setup for 220$ and 80$ shipping. I had no prior problems with the 36" PC and really liked it, so i expected the same results for the 48" MH setup. Everything looked very nice - the light fixture was solid and the ballast appeared to be good quality as well. I plugged it in and everything lit up and worked perfectly.
I kept turning it on and off to show different people and noticed that the MH lights didn't always fire right away and sometimes one would come on and the other would take 20 seconds before it lit. I figured that it was no big deal, and configured the digital timer. Everything was fine and had been working well for about two months, until today. I noticed that my T5 actinics weren't working. So I tired to get them to fire and they won't. They're not burnt out and I'm sure that it's the ballast.
I looked around to see if I could buy a replacement ballast and that's when I came across this thread and found similar ones saying the same things. Here are my real questions:
Can you buy another odyssea mh-150 ballast w/ digital timer?
Are there other ballasts that will run my MH and T5's? The one I have has 3 cords - one power, one for the MH, and one for the T5's. They have 3 prong male/female connectors.
If I get another ballast, will i have to cut off the plugs and wire them myself? Do they make any others with a digital timer? This is no problem i've wired many electronics in cars - amps, head units, gauges, tv's, dvd players, ect.
I don't have any MH experience and especially with ballasts. I now have a thriving reef tank and can't really afford any down time without a light if i were to take apart the ballast and mess it up, so I came to this forum to get some options. I love the current ballast that I have because the digital timer can control the T5's and Mh independently. I run the T5's an hour before and after the MH lighting. I live in a huge fraternity house that caught fire and almost completely burnt down in 1966 and I definitely don't want to be responsible for a 40 year anniversary fire. I'd appreciate any options and advice that you guys can come up with.
Thanks. Craig
30 gallon: Coral beauty, damsel, lawnmower blenny, emerald crab, porcelain crab, cleaner shrimp, 15 blue leg hermit and turbo snails, green fingerleather, feather dusters, green long tentacle anemone, orange colony polyps, green colony polyps, 50lbs live rock, 192W PC lighting.
55 gallon: Flame angel, blue hippo tang, gold band maroon clown, orange firefish, lawnmower blenny, cleaner shrimp, 2 emerald crabs, 10 blue leg hermits, 5 scarlet hermtis, 6 turbo snails, purple sea slug, zebra urchin, 7" sebae anemone, 3" electric blue crocea, green fingerleather frag, orange colony polyps, green colony polyps, blue/grey millepora frag, blue/purple tip staghorn acropora frag, orange cap montipora frag, electric green mushrooms, yellow cucumber, 30lbs live rock, 20 lbs live sand, 48" 384W lighting combo: Two 150W 14k HQI MH and four 21W T5 actinic.
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