48" Odyssea T5HO Trio, Information?

[Daximus]

48" 162W T5 HO Trio Deluxe Light Fixture w/Built-in Digital Timer (FW/ Planted)
http://www.aquatraders.com/ProductDe...uctCode=52315P

Reg Price $89.90



Does anyone have this, or any experiences with it? Three T5H0s, don't they normally come in pairs due to ballast design? So am I just crazy or would they not be driven at true HO wattage?

Three T5HOs, built in digital timer, and LED nightlights!? Seems waaaaaay to good to be true for $90. What are your thoughts gang?

Heck, they have 72" ones for $150, something has to be wrong, lol.

[5BodyBlade]

Me personally, bought and returned. Not quality on any front. For a tight budget, very good. But if you want quality it's not in this package.

[chansman]

I have the 36" model...it's decent. That's the same price I paid from mine as well.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/li...-117w-led.html

[Da Plant Man]

I have a 4' 4bulb one. Its good. It certainly isn't the best, but it gets the job done. I also have the 2' 2 bulb one, its also pretty good. Fishneedit is better if you can swing it, but I still recommend this one.

[Daximus]

Cool cool, kind of what I was expecting. Nothing special, but workable...I'm cheap.

Do the LEDs function decent?
That's one of the things I'm interested in.

Oh, and can it run on just two, or one bulb, I really don't need all three?

[OverStocked]

I'm more interested in this one.... http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Reef-Bright-p/56215.htm

Anyone know anything about it. Appears to have 54 x 1 watt led. Better than the average led fixture, particularly in that category.

[Daximus]

Originally Posted by OverStocked

I'm more interested in this one.... http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Reef-Bright-p/56215.htm

Anyone know anything about it. Appears to have 54 x 1 watt led. Better than the average led fixture, particularly in that category.

Interesting. I'm not fully sold on the LEDs as good plant lights yet (though I know it's possible). I just like the idea of being able to turn on some blue LEDs in the evening so I can sort of see my fish in the dark. It's more of a "mood" I'm looking for in my basement over anything useful or practical, lol.

"Brown Chicken Brown Cow"

[OverStocked]

I have no doubt that LED's work just fine for plants. It is just a matter of whether the fixture is high enough wattage/efficient emitters.

The 3 bulb fixture will put just about any 48" tank into super high light, btw. It is all or nothing with the bulbs unless you can unplug or remove a bulb. No switch.

[Daximus]

Originally Posted by OverStocked

I have no doubt that LED's work just fine for plants. It is just a matter of whether the fixture is high enough wattage/efficient emitters.

The 3 bulb fixture will put just about any 48" tank into super high light, btw. It is all or nothing with the bulbs unless you can unplug or remove a bulb. No switch.

I hear you...wish I had the money to test all this stuff out.


Thanks for the heads up, I know that this 3 bulb T5HO light would ruin my 90, lol...I'm just hoping this fixture will operate on one or two bulbs. Anyone know?

I'm in no hurry, my T8 shoplights are doing great, but those blue LEDs keep calling me, hahaha

[Daximus]

Originally Posted by chansman

I have the 36" model...it's decent. That's the same price I paid from mine as well.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/li...-117w-led.html

Thanks, read through that thread...sounds like you got a turd? Glad it all worked out. Question...does it function with less than three bulbs? Like can I pull out one or two and still use it? I don't need three HOs on my tank, lol

[xxbenjamminxx]

I have been looking at this light myself but can decide between this one and the 4 bulb one for my 75g. From what I have read you can turn on 1 bulb, 2 bulbs, all 3 bulbs and/or the leds. Like 1 bulb on 1 switch, the other 2 on another and the leds on a separate one as well. Thats what I liked about it, but wanted to make sure the 3 bulb one would be enough light to grow whatever I want with co2 and all that jazz.

[OverStocked]

Originally Posted by xxbenjamminxx

I have been looking at this light myself but can decide between this one and the 4 bulb one for my 75g. From what I have read you can turn on 1 bulb, 2 bulbs, all 3 bulbs and/or the leds. Like 1 bulb on 1 switch, the other 2 on another and the leds on a separate one as well. Thats what I liked about it, but wanted to make sure the 3 bulb one would be enough light to grow whatever I want with co2 and all that jazz.

3 x t5ho will grow any algae you want..... YOu'll be chasing light all day long....

[Daximus]

Originally Posted by xxbenjamminxx

I have been looking at this light myself but can decide between this one and the 4 bulb one for my 75g. From what I have read you can turn on 1 bulb, 2 bulbs, all 3 bulbs and/or the leds. Like 1 bulb on 1 switch, the other 2 on another and the leds on a separate one as well. Thats what I liked about it, but wanted to make sure the 3 bulb one would be enough light to grow whatever I want with co2 and all that jazz.

Well, I dug around on the interwebs last night, and this forum and found out a little bit of information. The 3 bulb setup can be ran with 1, 2, or all 3 bulbs. I would expect the 4 bulb fixture to do the same. This can be achieved by removing bulbs, not switches from what I read. The rub with these lights from what I gather is the ballasts. Don't expect full T5HO power from these setups, and the bulbs that come with them might be shat. Taking this into consideration I still think they might be a decent buy, sure, not full T5HO maybe, but at literally hundreds of dollars less than some other fixtures I can deal with being a few watts shy.

Insofar as reliability, mixed reviews. Some say they go for years, some have had them die after a few months and had to do some custom ballast work. Even after replacing the ballast those folks reported they were still under budget as compared to some of the other "proper" fixtures out there. All that said, you get what you pay for. One of the reasons these are so cheap is they only come with a 30 day warranty. The website selling them is very upfron about their operation. They ship in bulk from China and sell them basically as is. If they arrive not functioning properly they will replace, but if they die four months down the road you're on your own. At that piont you just have to decide if you are feeling lucky, lol. Again, read reviews of people using them for years, and some others who said they dies in months.

Oh, not sure if this matters to you, but I don't think the 4 bulb fixture comes with the night time LEDs, which is one of the selling points for me. Here is the sight where I have been looking over them at...http://www.aquatraders.com/aboutus.asp

Me personally...I think I'm going to take the plunge. I can afford a $90 gamble.

[xxbenjamminxx]

The 4 bulb one does come with the LED moonlights. And the point of it being underdriven is what made me think about getting the 4 bulb light instead. From what I have read there is 3 buttons on the timer and 3 "channels" that can be programmed separately. One is for the LEDs, one is for one bulb, and the 3rd is to drive the 2 remaining bulbs, whereas the 4 bulb ones is 2 on one, 2 on another, and LEDs on the 3rd. This is what I read from the downloadable version of the Owners manual. I will try and see if I can find it again to post a link.

[Gtdad2]

For true T5HO on the cheap, you can't go wrong here. http://www.ahsupply.com/54watt.htm I DIY'd a housing out of white pvc raingutter w/endcaps from Lowes. One benefit here is that I was able to mount the ballast externally, away from the bulbs, to extend bulb life. One 54w over my 55g had to be suspended 10" above my glass tops for what I consider med. light. Does not help much with the moonlight, though. You could easily DIY that on the cheap, as well, for what you'd pay (+ a little work) for the less quality lights. Plus, you end up with a superior product. Just food for thought from a fellow cheapskate. LOL