Anyone using these lights?

[Warboc]

I looked at that hanging kit and thought "No way in hell".

I have the instructions for the hanging kit though I believe. Did you get those?

[Ebisan]

I got the instructions on how to assemble it. Looks strong to me even my kit should be no problem for the 48". However, the instructions stop when you get to installing it from the ceiling. I will search some more. Google is my friend.

[BIGGUN]

As for the color difference, make sure the "nipple" of the bulb is in the up position on both bulbs. MH's usually take 100-150 hours to "burn in" and attain their true color and intensity.

When you buy bulbs in the future I would suggest looking at other brands. Maybe a local reefer or two has a 150 DE you could borrow and fire up in your fixture next to your current bulb. There's no better way to compare them. Oh, and don't use an 8-12 month old bulb to compare to yours. Try to get them as close to the same age as possible.

Kevin

[dave2184]

DEs only go in one way.

[BIGGUN]

No, they go in two ways. And have about 15 degrees of variation to each way .

Kevin

[chrisstie]

Just to answer someones question about shipping and what not..

We ordered online from the site and used Paypal for our lights\skimmer (we also got a cheap thermometor that will be fine for us as its pretty accurate and reads indoors\out)

Processing went through in a day and items arrived about 6 days later so it took just about a week to do.

We also had a UPS tracking number to track our stuff so we weren't in the dark going "will it come for real, is it too good to b true?"


We're still debating if the stand will hold all the weight of the tank and may reinforce it so we may or may not have water in it yet..

We live in orlando and are going to get a TBS package so once we do that i'll be able to start to give some feedback as far as the performance of the jebo skimmer- some google groups results and other feedback i've read here about them suggests they aren't your top of the line euroreef, but certainly get the job done for the price and are a lot cheaper than your crappy marineland petsmart brand.


Here's to good luck with our new setups and equipment *cheerS*

[onecrzyboi4u]

Well chrisstie i hope your equiptment works out.. i hope to get my lights in 2 weeks and mine work lol.. i been searchin and searchin for a good light.. i really didn't want to pay 400 dollars for a light i couldn't afford it.. i hope these guys work..

[dave2184]

Well mabey the 150s are different but I know for a fact my 250s will only go in one way due to the ceramic ends.

[Warboc]

The 150's in the fixture I have can go in a couple of ways and it is clear as to what he meant by the nipple of the bulb.

[BIGGUN]

Dave,

Aren't the ends on a 250 symetrical? The ends on a 150 are a straight edge with a contact in the middle. The bulb goes in the socket with the edge in a vertical position. So if when it's in place the nipple is on the lower half of the bulb you can take the bulb out rotate 180 degrees and put it back in. Then on top of that you can pivot the bulb in the socket until the flat edges hit the socket which gives you some relief in each direction.

Kevin

[dave2184]

Well you learn something new every day. I figured they were set up the same. I see know after looking at a few pics of 150 bulbs that they have round ends like a halogen. The flatened ends of the tube just keeps them from being compleatly rotated in the sockets.

Heres a pic of my 250 note the lugs on the ends just fit into the sockets the contact is a flat vertical piece that sticks out of the top half of the ceramic lugs and clips into the sockets. they can be installed to either end but not turned over. The nipple also sticks out of the side of the inner envelope not the top or bottom.

[BIGGUN]

Dave,

Are the ends on a 250 positioned so that the nipple is up all the time? Or does it vary?

Kevin

[dave2184]

Oops you posted while I was editing. See above post.

[dave2184]

here is a pic of a 250 outside of the sockets note the ends. You can also faintly see the nipple sticking out the side of the arc tube and the one on the outer glass on top.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/lamps-now_1826_9435949

[BIGGUN]

Ok, in the pic the nipple looks like it would be on the very top of the bulb, and the ones you are using are on the side. It must vary from company to company. As long as they're not on the bottom half of the bulb I believe they're fine.

Kevin


Hmmmm ....... I wonder if we're typing over eachother again?

[Ebisan]

I just finished hanging the fixture over my tank. Used the EZ-ANCHOR from Home Depot which is meant for ceiling applications and can support up to 90lbs. I learned about the EZ from a post in this forum. Easy to install. Coming from a PC fixture, the intensity from the MH is just amazing. However, I have one regret. Without a canopy, I get so much light bleeding through the sides that I can't enjoy my tank up close. Is there anything I can do other than build a canopy around the tank? I will take some pics soon.

[mjstech]

i have a 24" 2x PC fixture comming on 2-2-5. I'll post pics/review of it also for you guys to check out.

mark

[chrisstie]

Heheheeh I am envisioning aluminum foil wrapped all over your tank like back in the day when we'd wrap it around random things to keep out stray radio signals and the such.

We don't have a canopy either and will be using the legs so I am also interested in hearing how one manages to capture as much light as possible - even with a canopy i'm sure we could look into building one and see what we can do about angle-ing the light towards the tank..

So much heat near wood though scares me a little

[dave2184]

BIGGUN that is the bulb I am using. The nipple on the inner envelop is on the side if you look at the pic right under the L is the nipple the one on the top is from the outter shield glass. As to if different manufacturers place it differently I don't know. Every DE bulb I have seen it was on one side or the other.

[BIGGUN]

Thanks Dave!

Kevin

[mash2k]

I am seriously considering the 48" version with the MH/T5 combo.

What is the bottom line? Is this a great product with a low price that is worth the money?

I need lighting and this seems like it would be super for my standard 55 gallon. It is either this or two 175 watt MH bell pendants or a VHO retro which are old technology.

Should I buy it?

[Ebisan]

So far I really like the lights. However, I now need to slowly acclimate my tank inhabitants to the higher intensity. I kind of scared the fish and caused some of my corals to shrink. Haha. Here's a pic. Sorry for the quality. I took it with my cell phone. Will take better pics later.

[chrisstie]

If you are looking into getting lights i'd recommend these- we're doing it for our 55.. should have it setup with some water in it next week after Wednesday (busy schedule until then) so hopefully i can add pics of ours and then get some TBS rock going on after we get the water just right

[mash2k]

Chrisstie I have read this entire thread and am very tempted by these Odyssea MH lights but I am still a little wary. I am looking forward to your review on them.

[yessongs]

After 8 pages i have to ask, the MH fixtures does it say that the glass has UV protection?
Please dont tell me it would be against the law to sell it without UV glass.
I asked them this question and he THINKS it is, not sure though. He might have read it somewhere.