Ebay Halide lights systems.

[Tazman282]

I know there are much better systems out there but how bad could they be? I mean is it the bulb or the fixture, or the ballast that makes a big difference? Just looking for opinions as I am new to Saltwater but definitly want clams eventually but don't want o break the bank and its a roll of the dice on used. Thanks for any info you provide.

 

[slitherbomb]

I'm thinking of buying one as well. The one I was looking at was 2x 250w mh with 4 39w t5hos. It was about $250. It even comes with 4 power cords so you can use it with a timer! Really tempted to get and will probably get it in the end lol

 

[Luky]

I recently got one off ebay for $250 shipped. 150w HQI MH + 2x96w actinic CF + 4x blue LED. It has a built in fan, four cords and four switches so you can set up individual timers.

Overall the fixture is pretty decent quality. A weak point is the mounting of the legs. It uses 4 aluminum U shaped piece in the channels with a screw through the leg and screwed into the Aluminum piece. 3 of the 4 stripped the first time I tried to set it up. I drilled out the hole in the leg and the aluminum pieces slightly, then used some stainless screws I had and ground the sides of the heads down to the width of the threaded shaft (think T shaped). This allowed me to fit them from the inside of the aluminum U brackets then fit the legs onto the screw and install a washer and nut to hold them tight. This made the legs very sturdy when they were tightened down.

The other issue I ran into is that after 10 days the MH bulb will not stay lit. It runs for like 20-40 minutes and shuts off. I sent the seller an email (and he responded right away) and he thinks the bulb has an issue so he is supposed to be sending me a new one. We'll see if I get it this week and if it solves the problem. I am worried it may be a ballast issue (this is my first MH light so I don't know). I will post a follow up on what happens...

 

[slitherbomb]

I recently got one off ebay for $250 shipped. 150w HQI MH + 2x96w actinic CF + 4x blue LED. It has a built in fan, four cords and four switches so you can set up individual timers.

Overall the fixture is pretty decent quality. A weak point is the mounting of the legs. It uses 4 aluminum U shaped piece in the channels with a screw through the leg and screwed into the Aluminum piece. 3 of the 4 stripped the first time I tried to set it up. I drilled out the hole in the leg and the aluminum pieces slightly, then used some stainless screws I had and ground the sides of the heads down to the width of the threaded shaft (think T shaped). This allowed me to fit them from the inside of the aluminum U brackets then fit the legs onto the screw and install a washer and nut to hold them tight. This made the legs very sturdy when they were tightened down.

The other issue I ran into is that after 10 days the MH bulb will not stay lit. It runs for like 20-40 minutes and shuts off. I sent the seller an email (and he responded right away) and he thinks the bulb has an issue so he is supposed to be sending me a new one. We'll see if I get it this week and if it solves the problem. I am worried it may be a ballast issue (this is my first MH light so I don't know). I will post a follow up on what happens...

I think that the ballast is overheating. Is there any circulation?

 

[Tazman282]

As far as circulation in general, I ended up buying a used Hamilton and will be installing this week. Should I incorporate a fan for he ballast in order to keep it cool.

Also the light I purchased is set to hang from the ceiling. It has two 250 wt halides, how high above the tank should it hang.

Thanks for any info.

 

[Luky]

I think that the ballast is overheating. Is there any circulation?

The ballast is just sitting inside the stand with plenty of free air around it. It is just warm to the touch (maybe 110F) on the finned aluminum heat sink. I have left the stand doors wide open and I even tried pulling it out of the stand and letting it sit on the floor in front of the tank. No change in performance. I also keep the doors to the stand propped open slightly with a piece of clear 3/8" tubing so some air can flow through the stand.

 

[SAAVE853]

I have had one of these ebay fixtures (2 x 250w MH & 4 x 65w Atinic) for about a year now and it works great. It does heat up a bit so i reccomend pointing a small fan at the light itself.....mine is under an a/c vent so it keeps cool.

 

[needmorecowbell]

If they have the same price and specs as aquatraders.com then do NOT buy them. There have been many reports that they have caught fire and the one I bought also almost caught my house on fire.

 

[slitherbomb]

If they have the same price and specs as aquatraders.com then do NOT buy them. There have been many reports that they have caught fire and the one I bought also almost caught my house on fire.

That's not true at all. Those stories of people's house almost catching on fire have no proof and have no sources at all. As for your house almost catching on fire, I don't know if it's true or not.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I'm quite sure my house is true as there was smoke throughout my house and the battery was fried. One of the threads that I posted on was a big discussion about it with iDreamsaltwater. I do not know if the reviews were true or not but I don't understand why someone would make it up. But if you know that they in fact are lying, then my apologies. I also should state that mine was not a halide but a t8/ led system. Here is a picture of it

 

[slitherbomb]

How many power cords did it have? The newer models(after 2009 or so) they started to make these fixtures with multiple power cords. The stories of people's house burning on fire and whatever had single power cords.

 

[needmorecowbell]

Mine had 2 power boxes that I think merged into one cord. I think I remember something about the multiple cord thing though.

 

[Luky]

Just posting a follow up. Been having problems with my $250 ebay fixture and will probably return it if I can.

The MH bulb that came with it stopped working after about 10 days. It would light up for about 20min to two hours then shut off. The seller said it was a bad bulb and would send me a new one (still waiting three weeks later...). I went out and bought a made in japan Phoenix 14000k 150w DE MH bulb off Amazon for $45 and installed it. Worked fine for 10 days... today it will not light up. When I hit the switch on the ballast, about 3 seconds later the inner bulb glows for about 3 seconds and then goes out. I also tried the original bulb that came with it with the same results. WTF? Is this bulb bad too? Is the ballast making the bulbs go bad? Is the ballast bad (which is what I am thinking)?

Another issue is that two days ago one of the PC actinic bulbs stopped working after exactly 1 month of running the fixture. I had noticed that it was dimmer, but thought they might be a 420 and a 460 actinic. Nope, just crap bulbs. I switched the bulbs around so I know it isn't the ballast... Again the guy promised to send me a new bulb, but after the MH not working again today I think I am going to return the fixture. I don't think just bulbs will fix it and would need to drop $150 for another MH ballast and $120 for new "good" bulbs. (maybe another $40 for a 2x96w PC ballast when that dies). Still cheaper than buying a "name brand" fixture but not sure if it is worth it...

 

[slitherbomb]

Just posting a follow up. Been having problems with my $250 ebay fixture and will probably return it if I can.

The MH bulb that came with it stopped working after about 10 days. It would light up for about 20min to two hours then shut off. The seller said it was a bad bulb and would send me a new one (still waiting three weeks later...). I went out and bought a made in japan Phoenix 14000k 150w DE MH bulb off Amazon for $45 and installed it. Worked fine for 10 days... today it will not light up. When I hit the switch on the ballast, about 3 seconds later the inner bulb glows for about 3 seconds and then goes out. I also tried the original bulb that came with it with the same results. WTF? Is this bulb bad too? Is the ballast making the bulbs go bad? Is the ballast bad (which is what I am thinking)?

Another issue is that two days ago one of the PC actinic bulbs stopped working after exactly 1 month of running the fixture. I had noticed that it was dimmer, but thought they might be a 420 and a 460 actinic. Nope, just crap bulbs. I switched the bulbs around so I know it isn't the ballast... Again the guy promised to send me a new bulb, but after the MH not working again today I think I am going to return the fixture. I don't think just bulbs will fix it and would need to drop $150 for another MH ballast and $120 for new "good" bulbs. (maybe another $40 for a 2x96w PC ballast when that dies). Still cheaper than buying a "name brand" fixture but not sure if it is worth it...

Metal halide bulbs turn off by themselves if they get too hot. As a starter fixture, it's great, but not long term. I never got one of these and instead went for the nova current extreme pro. It was $325 new from a seller on eBay. It's 6x39w and I honestly cannot complain about a single thing. If I can find the eBay username of the guy, I'll post it.

 

[Luky]

Yeah, I was considering that one as a replacement for the MH (Nova Extreme Pro T5). I see them for $312 + $8 shipping for a 36" on Amazon (from Marine and Reef). I put a wavepoint 36" 4x39w fixture on there until I can get it resolved... The guy at a LFS keeps pushing me to go for LEDs due to the savings in energy costs over time. He says they will pay for themselves in a year or two.

 

[slitherbomb]

I would be careful with LEDs. Not all can grow coral and the only thing they really have going for them is less heat and less energy. After the bulbs go out, you would need a new fixture, which is not good.

 

[Luky]

I just found some interesting LED fixtures from HK on ebay. They are enclosed metal channels sealed to IP65 rating (10L per minute water spray) 2" wide X 2.4" tall x 19.6" long and contain nine 3w LEDs. They can provide them with your choice of LED colors from 20k white to 405nm UV blue. They also show 36" and 48" models but they all have to be mounted in a canopy so I am limited to 33". I think they would fit inside the plastic cover/canopy that came with my tank. I was thinking maybe three of these with various LED colors in them (two primarily daylight and one with primarily blue for dawn/dusk effect). $98 a fixture shipped. I think 27 3w LEDs should provide enough light. Most LEDs like this will last many years (5-10 years) before you have to replace them. By then a newer/better technology will be out.

I will be in China again next month and am checking to see if the seller has a shop in HK I could visit to see the lights (I have done this on past trips, you can usually get it cheaper in person too).

 

[slitherbomb]

I don't trust it..... $98 a fixture is awfully cheap. Even the DIY fixtures are 3 times more than that.

 

[Luky]

Sorry but most people in the US have no concept of what things actually cost to manufacture. As consumers we get screwed on items we buy in the US because we have such a high standard of living. Heck, our "poor" people have cell phones and flat panel TVs. Do you really think a pair of jeans should cost $50? You can get the same quality in China for $5. I am a Plastics Engineer and have worked for electronics manufacturing companies for over 10 years working in Asia (I spent the last 6 years working in sourcing for a globa cell phone maker). The painted plastic case Verizon sells for $30 and the mall kiosk sells for $12 costs about $0.50 to make. The wall charger for your phone costs under $1 to make and they sell for $15-$20. The Li-ion cell phone batteries that they sell for $30-$60 cost about $2.50 from the manufacturer in China. For these lights the PCB is probably about $1. The surface mount 3w LEDs are probably not more than $2 each in manufacturing (they are $5.65 ea on digikey). Add a power supply, cord, lens, some wires, and extruded metal channel for $4. So call it $25 including labor, test and packaging. My estimates are probably high too. Still think $100 is expensive for one of these?

The fact that US companies are charging $700+ for an LED fixture is a joke. It is just what the market will bear...

Sorry, don't mean to lecture... I just have more direct experience with this than most and am not afraid of things made in China. There is crap and there is good stuff. Buyer beware. Many Chinese will lie, cheat and bribe. But many are honest. It is part of their culture. You just have to call them on it...

 

[slitherbomb]

Nonono, I definitely know everything I buy is 100% more than it should be, but I would be wary of LEDs anyways, unless other people have said it grows their coral. I don't know very much of led technology, so I wouldn't buy it myself, but if you know that it'll grow the coral you want, then by all means, buy it. I love that LEDs use a third of electricity less than my t5ho fixture does, and can be just as good, if not better.