Odyssea Metal Halide System

[2OceanLovers]

Does anyone have any experience with this brand of lighting. I found a site that sells them really cheap for metal halide. What's the consensus on these things?

http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp?Pa ... ProdID=337

Thanks for all the help.

[Village Idiot]

The consensus is that if you replace the ballast (very inefficient) and the bulbs (very yellow) you have a pretty good light. Me, I'd rather have a light that left the factory already put together well (see my sig).

[db_triggerfish]

You should read this very long thread. People have different opinions on it, which is normal, but i would go with the opinions of those that own one, and have posted pictures and their experience.

Here is the start of the thread then it splits twice i think:

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1037172&perpage=25&pagenumber=1

[db_triggerfish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10050480#post10050480 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Village Idiot
The consensus is that if you replace the ballast (very inefficient) and the bulbs (very yellow) you have a pretty good light. Me, I'd rather have a light that left the factory already put together well (see my sig).

The bulbs are only yellow with stock ballast and 10K, several people have posted the before pictures and after installing new quality ballast and 10K bulb are crisp white no yellow. You should read the long thread on it.

[Village Idiot]

I read the long thread...I was very close to buying one until it came out that the ballasts were junk. If you look you'll see I posted a few times in that long thread.

This is how I figured it: $359 for a 2x250 MH fixture, $100 bucks or so for new bulbs, maybe $100 more for a good ballast. If I want to convert the PC's to T5, even more money.

I got my factory-refurbed Aquatinics (with T5's, not PC's) fixture (a Lexus compared to the Odyssea Kia) for $500 (bulbs included) delivered. Seems like a no-brainer.

[MusMusculus]

I own the 24" version.

I have run it for a month completely stock. It came with actinic compact flourescent bulbs (actinic blue 460nm, I think) and a 15000K MH.

BAd: The intensity of the MH looks a shade lower than I expect for a 250w MH, and others have found their ballasts to acutually be putting out approximately 160-170w rather than 250. Also, the fan is somewhat loud.

Good: The MH light is white with a hint of blue. The potential loss of wattage doesn't bother me--I only have a 20" deep tank and I don't want all the extra heat right now anyway :p . If I buy a better ballast, I will still have paid hundreds less than any comparable light. The fixture itself is decently built, and the ballast runs very cool. The noisy fan keeps the light very cool--it really doesn't need to push as much air as it does. I may replace it this weekend with one of the spare ones I have sitting around. The LED nightlights are very nice (I have never had them before).

I am satisfied with my purchase. For $160 I have a light that is currently very usable (my rose coral is really loving it) and I can modify by adding a new ballast if I eventually need more power for a deeper tank.