Thoughts on Ebay Fixture?...

[gobytron]

http://cgi.ebay.com/48-Metal-Halide-250-T5-HO-Aquarium-Light-LUNAR-MOON-/180346137920?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item29fd77ad40

It looks pretty.
I think it's obvious it's no giesemann but the construction looks solid and all the materials seem pretty quality.

Anyone have or have seen one of these in action?

I haven't asked about ballasts, it looks like they may be internal though...:cry:


Thoughts?

[dsaundry]

Pretty sure the ballast's are external, I bought a similar fixture a few years back off ebay and have had no real problems other than a ballast that got a little to much water on it. Check around though as a lot of different prices for the same unit may be available.:biggrin:

[gobytron]

Hmm...
I'll drop them a line and see if the ballasts are in fact external.

Was the fixture you purchased the same or just similar?

Thanks for the input...

[BlueWorldAquatic]

I have seen that style before. A LFS here carries a similar Chinese made product.

Few things to consider, especially for lights. Are the UL or CSA rated? Especially if there are a few seperate sources of heat, if a fire is started will you be covered by you insurance?

What about warranty?

I have always personally been an avocate of "You get what you pay for"

Just my personal opinion.

Ken - BWA

[gobytron]

Spoken as I would expect any LFS to...lol

I appreciate the info, and those are all valid questions which I hope someone can help to enlighten me on through this thread.

These have been around for a while, so I'm hoping there is a canreefer with some real insight.


I remember when the Bubble Magus first came out and everyone thougt they were a pos based on their country of origin and price point...now they are getting to be pretty commonplace...

I think that you do get what you pay for, but I also know that most companies want you to pay as much as possible for what you get:mrgreen:

No harm in trying to find a good deal I think.


And as a wide note, would any sane Insurance company cover a fire due to aquarium electronics?
regardless of certification of the fixture or equipment being used?

[BlueWorldAquatic]

Insurance companies are not stupid, think of it when a care is stolen due to owners stupidity (going into a store leaving it running unlocked), but they don`t refuse the claim.

Actually if the product is certified, and has gone through testing, and you use in the way it is intended without modification. They will cover it.

You will also notice if you call your insurance company about putting in a large fish tank. They will tell you as long as it is NEW they will cover damages of flooding.

This way they can go after the manufacture if there are any issues. I have actually dealt with insurance claims for some of my customers.

I have been hobbies for over 30 years, and a LFS own for only 1. Those were personal opinions and experiences, not professional.

One of the things that I have noticed in this profession, you will find that most Euro products are far more superior than N.American. Let it be in design, manufacture, or research.

Depending on the product, a close second is the US and Japan, they don't just steal designs then copy them with cheaper materials and methods of manufacture. They actually will reverse engineer the product to find how to make it better.

I have seen too many Chinese products in the past, and have found that most WILL be an inferior product, with the odd exception.

Ken

[gobytron]

Well, here's to the odd exception.
:mrgreen:

[BlueWorldAquatic]

If you don't care about quality, you can deal directly with the suppliers.

http://www.reefshops.com/sunsun-hld-1250e-2-x-150w--2-x-54w-t5ho--moonlight-fans.html

The light is even 1/2 the price than the ebay one, and shipping is only 100 more. So you actually end up saving another $200.

But is it worth it?

ken

[gobytron]

Is it worth it?

Ken, that is EXACTLY the question I have posed in this thread.

Do you have any information besides the price and origin of this unit that would actually define this fixture as low quality and wwould thus justify saying to deal directly with the manufacturer if I don't care about quality?

Now, can anyone offer any experience based insight?

P.S.
I care about money as much as I care about quality:wink: but if you or anyone can actually tell me why this fixture is a pos, I would be all ears...or eyes as it were.

[bvlester]

Insurance companies will void your house insurance if the item that causes a fire is not CSA approved. There have been some cases of products like fridges and dryers sold from Costco a few years back that caused fire and the people were not covered. because the products back then were USA approved but not CSA approved. Insurance companies find any way out of paying if they can. That is why you have to Waite until the cause of the fire is found out before they start paying anything out in most cases

As far as the light it is your choice and you have to consider all your options. There has been a few good lights for sale on here in the resent months. Have a look at them.

Bill
Bill.

[gobytron]

Thanks Bill.

[dsaundry]

The fixture I got a few years ago was with pc not t5, but it has worked well for me. The ballasts used to be a very big issue but they have corrected those problems a few years back. Ask them about the ratings, they are usually pretty honest, btw when one of my ballasts went I picked up a new one from j+l..no problems. Wherever you decide to go, ask all the questions and weigh all the factors accordingly, warranty, shipping, after sales service, etc. There are also a lot of Canreef members who are upgrading..so there are some great fixtures for sale on this forum as well.
As for getting what you pay for, that isn't always the case, I have spent some big bucks on some things and they were overpriced junk, some of the less expensive stuff I have purchased is going strong...just do your homework and ask questions. Almost all Lfs are going to discourage sales unless it is with them, thats just business, try going to Ford and asking them what the new Chev's are like. The fact is that whether you go ultra high end or low-ball for equipment it is usually available online, sometimes more and sometimes less.......

[howdy20012002]

about this CSA and insurance.
I went through a house fire a couple of years ago with no cause really known.
I had fish tanks throughout my house and no once was it discussed about things being CSA approved.
does anyone know for a fact this to be true, or is this one of those wife's tale.
has anyone actually read their insurance policy about this??? I would, but I don't know where mine is..lol
I personally bought a odyssea cheap made in china light 4 years ago and it still working fine.
so i dunno.
if you can afford the better quality..go for it.
as said, you get what you pay for.
however, if you can't afford better, IMO, even the cheaper ones will still let you see your fish and grow your corals.
just my 2 cents
Neal

[viperfish]

If you don't care about quality, you can deal directly with the suppliers.

http://www.reefshops.com/sunsun-hld-1250e-2-x-150w--2-x-54w-t5ho--moonlight-fans.html

The light is even 1/2 the price than the ebay one, and shipping is only 100 more. So you actually end up saving another $200.

But is it worth it?

ken

They do sell some cheap products but there are some good deals to be had on there. I ordered my Bubble Magus storage containers much cheaper than anyone around here is selling them. I also got a quote on the BM 180CS for $320 shipped. I haven't seen anyone around here even come close to that!