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View Full Version : Sfiligoi or Giesemann?


charcharodon
02/27/2008, 03:09 PM
Which would you choose? Product quality and aesthetics are paramount. Price is irrelevant.

xenon
02/27/2008, 03:10 PM
Sfiligoi by far.

Their reflectors are huge compared to the Giesemann fixture!

mr294
02/27/2008, 03:28 PM
Reading Fliger's experience with his Sfiligoi and Sfiligoi customer service was enough to convince me not to buy one

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1101643&perpage=25&pagenumber=6


http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1165619

saltysupply
02/27/2008, 03:53 PM
I have no experience with sfiligoi, but from my experience giesemann dosen't have good CS either which is why I am choosing not to carry them anymore. I would go with sfiligoi as Aquarium Obsessed should be able to take care of you with those.

gcarroll
02/27/2008, 04:09 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11958483#post11958483 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by charcharodon
Which would you choose? Product quality and aesthetics are paramount. Price is irrelevant. Price is the biggest difference between the 2. So if that is irrelevant I would say it's too close to call. Based on graphs that I have seen, the Giesemann has a more uniform light spread than the Sfiligoi (comparing the Giesemann Spectra vs the Sfiligoi Infinity XR6). The Sfiligoi has a lumenarc style reflector which looks to be a better design but just because the reflector looks like a lumenarc does not mean that it performs like one. I would not expect the greatest customer service in the US since neither company has reps in the US. I am sure that both fixtures have excellent performance #s.

gcarroll
02/27/2008, 04:10 PM
..

charcharodon
02/27/2008, 04:19 PM
Sfiligoi vs. Giesemann: 2 - 1 - 1.

That is always the issue with imported products, isn't it? No matter how exceptional their initial quality, they are essentially worthless without congruous customer support. Hmm.

gcarroll
02/27/2008, 04:27 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11959065#post11959065 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by charcharodon
Sfiligoi vs. Giesemann: 2 - 1 - 1.

That is always the issue with imported products, isn't it? No matter how exceptional their initial quality, they are essentially worthless without congruous customer support. Hmm. I think so but Giesemann is carried bu Marine Depot so I suspect that there is a larger presence of their products in the US than Sfiligoi. I have heard that dealing with Phil at xeniainc.com is a quick way for solutions to Giesemann issues. He is the North American Distributor. I am currently planning to get a Giesemann Spectra.

Casshern
02/27/2008, 05:06 PM
I have a solesingle, I don't like its tiny reflector at all. The material is extremely cheap and flimsy as well. I wouldn't settle for anything less than the rx series but those are huge.

I've also had a giesemann nova2, much more solid but reflectors were hammertone. Im going to buy a giesemann infiniti as I got to see one upclose at an lfs, it was solid

gcarroll
02/27/2008, 05:44 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11959417#post11959417 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Casshern
Im going to buy a giesemann infiniti as I got to see one upclose at an lfs, it was solid Glad to hear that as the Spectra I am ordering is the mogul based halide version of the Infiinity.

loweryster
02/27/2008, 07:38 PM
Proud owner of a Eco 230, Infiniti and next will be a Spectra. Wouldn't touch that Sfiligoi spaceship with a 10' pole.

Giesemann for life;)

Canadian
02/27/2008, 09:23 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11959120#post11959120 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
I think so but Giesemann is carried bu Marine Depot so I suspect that there is a larger presence of their products in the US than Sfiligoi. I have heard that dealing with Phil at xeniainc.com is a quick way for solutions to Giesemann issues. He is the North American Distributor. I am currently planning to get a Giesemann Spectra.

Dealing with Phil is like smashing your head against the wall for hours on end in an attempt to get rid of a headache.

That is all.

gcarroll
02/27/2008, 09:33 PM
I got a 24hr response to my questions and the answers were very detailed.

mcliffy2
02/27/2008, 10:42 PM
I ordered a Sfiligoi Stealth from AO, which will arrive with my tank in a few weeks. Granted AO only carries Sfiligoi so take that in consideration, but according to them, Geissman just copies Sfiligoi and considering the Matrixx came out some time after the Stealth, and is strikingly similar, there may be some truth to this. For my money, I'd rather have the innovator than immitator, if this is this case. I think Fliger ordered his somehow directly and I think the customer service will be better from AO.

jpa14
02/27/2008, 10:46 PM
what size stealth did you get and what size tank mine tank comes from AO tomorrow im going with the xr6 400watt

Canadian
02/27/2008, 11:09 PM
Wait until you have the product in hand and need to deal with a warranty issue, then see how quickly the replies come. The ensuing chaos is unparalleled - he can ship an item and have no clue when it was shipped or what the tracking number is - an organizational disaster. I'm sure he's overwhelmed as the Rowa, Giesemann, Deltec, and Tunze rep but the quality of customer service is incredibly weak. Run a search for xeniaservice and you'll see I'm not the only person who has had "problems" with xeniaservices.

Treg
02/28/2008, 10:24 AM
I had absolutly no issues with Phil, pre or prior to receiving my product. Trust me, I put the guy thru the ringer too. I'm not one to spend $3k without asking a lot of questions. I wanted to know every detail of 2 different fixtures. At the time there was very little information about them on RC. 1/2 the time I was emailing him he was in Germany. I had custom add ons to my fixture and Im sure it was all a PITA for him. Then on top of that, I had my LFS place the order thru him instead of me directly.

I had a tracking # sent out right away, received my fixture with 2 broken T5 bulbs. He give my LFS credit for those two bulbs so I could just run and pick them up. I added an external moonlight to my fixture and a temp probe. Giesemann in Germany didnt ship those with the fixture so he had those dropped ship to me, right away. I received a bill from UPS for a customs fee a month later and with one email to Phil it was paid.

I met him at Macna 3-4 months later and he remembered every detail. Very friendly guy.


Either company you go with, I would order it thru a reputable dealer for a little insurance. These things cost too much money to get screwd around like Fliger did.

mcliffy2
02/29/2008, 01:04 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11962488#post11962488 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jpa14
what size stealth did you get and what size tank mine tank comes from AO tomorrow im going with the xr6 400watt

I got the 12x54w, lets see some pics of the tank.

Graf-X
02/29/2008, 06:27 AM
couple of threads for your read...

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1328106

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1320702

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=1316170

Notturnia
02/29/2008, 07:25 AM
well.. Sfiligoi is 30 km far from my home..
i have an ACLS 250/400/250 plafo i bought directly from him as i know him well enough..

still thinking about what to do in the new tank but if i'll run the MH bulbs i think i will get again ACLS to run my buls.. they make noise.. enough.. but i can hide the units.. but they provide a longer life then many other electronic ballast and it's kool to see the sunshine in the tank.

if any question tell me.. i can try to ask him or get a solution..

btw. i'm not a sfiligoi addicted nor a customer service.. but if i can help i'll try to..

;-D

charcharodon
02/29/2008, 07:49 AM
Thanks to everyone for your replies and input. Since it is essentially a dead heat, I'm going with two Sfiligoi Infinity XR6 400 watt. Their past problems with ballasts have essentially been eliminated by using Ice Caps and I believe I can expect excellent customer service from will. From a standpoint of scale on a 72"x 30"x 29" tank, the Sfiligois are again the better choice.

taxman95
03/02/2008, 08:36 AM
I have the Sfilgoi XR6 on my new tank and love them.

As I haven't seen the Giesemann I can't do a comparision.

Due to the small size of my fish room, I was concerned about heat build up from the lights, but there is none and my heaters are actually being used to keep the temp up at night.

Yesterday my LFS was over working on the plumming for the tank and they commented on good the Sfilgoi looked even though they don't sell them and are Giesemann dealers.

Also my experience with Will from AO has been great.

GSMguy
03/02/2008, 10:09 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11959711#post11959711 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by gcarroll
Glad to hear that as the Spectra I am ordering is the mogul based halide version of the Infiinity.

no worries there the Gmann is built really well Greg.

i cant wait to see your tank in few months with all these changes you are doing.

What is your lighting setup now?