Jump to content
Premium Aquatics Aquarium Supplies

Odyssea reflector question


Braxis

Recommended Posts

I just ordered the Odyssea 20 inch 72watt t5ho fixture after reading alot about it on several forums. That being said please no save your money or it is going to eat your dog and burn the city down comments.

 

What modifications have you done to your reflector for the odyssea to make it more effective?

Link to comment
Just be careful man, from what I've heard those fixtures can eat your dog and burn your city down.

LOL twice!

 

 

It would make a great starting point for a DIY LED project

Maybe later when I am out of school and gainfully employed :)

Link to comment

I'm curious about how it works out for you because I think I am going to order that fixture too. What size tank do you have it on? What do you have in your tank?

Link to comment

I have that fixture and there are two options

 

Either buy ice cap reflectors 2x36 in. and cut them in half to fit each individual bulb.

 

Or buy t-5 vho bulbs from nanotuners and you wont have to buy reflectors.

 

I am running the stock set up over my planted tank and it works great. This fixture has the best moonlights on any fixture I have ever had, not those wimpy single moonlights that current has but very bright dual moonlights.

 

When people say that these fixtures are crap its usually because they are upset that they spent there money on a tek t5 fixture and feel that because a tek fixture is really expensive it must be good.

Link to comment
I'm curious about how it works out for you because I think I am going to order that fixture too. What size tank do you have it on? What do you have in your tank?

I have a 35 gallon hexagon tank. It is 23 long 20 wide and 24 deep. Right now I have two 28 watt pc bulbs for the total of 56 watts. Right now in my tank I have a misbar percula, black ocellaris, clown goby, firefish, turbo snail, nassarisus, and mushrooms.

Link to comment

How deep is your hexagon? T5s don't have the best light penetration. Is your rockwork tall enough to allow the corals to be closer to the light?

Link to comment
When people say that these fixtures are crap its usually because they are upset that they spent there money on a tek t5 fixture and feel that because a tek fixture is really expensive it must be good.

I am all for saving money, but also for getting good value. A company that has a questionable record for Customer service and QC wont get my business. Especially when a lot of their QC issues in the past caused fires. Link You can spend twice the the money on a FNI fixture and get better ballasts, better endcaps, and the comfort of knowing your house will not burn down.

Link to comment
How deep is your hexagon? T5s don't have the best light penetration. Is your rockwork tall enough to allow the corals to be closer to the light?

I am doing mushrooms and marcos I have talked to the guys at reef cleaners he said that I should be fine with that light for most of the macros. I might at a later time use the fixture for an led build. And the t5 has better light penetration then the power compacts that I have and the mushrooms are doing good.

 

 

 

 

 

The odyssea mh pendant would have been better for that tank. You should be able to keep softies near the top.

MH will cost to much for me to run right now.

Link to comment
I am all for saving money, but also for getting good value. A company that has a questionable record for Customer service and QC wont get my business. Especially when a lot of their QC issues in the past caused fires. Link You can spend twice the the money on a FNI fixture and get better ballasts, better endcaps, and the comfort of knowing your house will not burn down.

Its always amazing that when people give links to quality problems with these fixtures they give links that are over 3 years old. I have yet to see any recent issues and odyssea just upgraded the look of there lighting and are using external ballasts. The fni is also a good option. However the nova extreme fixtures that I had would get hot and did not come with external ballasts. External ballast are key to the life of the fixture.

 

Remember I have actual experience with there new fixtures. The only people who can have a useful opinion on these fixtures are people that own the new fixtures. This company seems to be working hard to improve there quality, so they shouldn't be punished for there past issues as long as they are improving them.

Link to comment
Remember I have actual experience with there new fixtures. The only people who can have a useful opinion on these fixtures are people that own the new fixtures. This company seems to be working hard to improve there quality, so they shouldn't be punished for there past issues as long as they are improving them.

You are right. I do not own one. Nor will I ever. The ballasts look like crap and so do the end caps.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=262290

 

This isn't that bad, but it certainly makes me nervous. The end caps are polystyrene, and not ceramic, polycarbonate, or any other material that is commonly used in the lighting industry. If everything runs the way it's supposed to, they will be fine. If they overheat, or short, they will catch fire, as they aren't self extinguishing.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

When people say that these fixtures are crap its usually because they are upset that they spent there money on a tek t5 fixture and feel that because a tek fixture is really expensive it must be good.

 

Likewise, Defensiveness could be justifying a bad purchase.

Link to comment
You are right. I do not own one. Nor will I ever. The ballasts look like crap and so do the end caps.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=262290

 

 

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

 

Likewise, Defensiveness could be justifying a bad purchase.

 

 

This is not suppose to be a my light is shinier then your light :P But how to make my light shinier. :lol:

 

Also I want it to be constructive not bashing one light or the other. Besides I have already bought the light and it is shipping out tomorrow. So lets keep it constructive and civil ;)

Link to comment

I bought a used fixture off of CL and put some UVL -R bulbs in. I think it works great and my corals are growing. I have nothing else to compare to but so far I am happy.

 

Plus I had one of thier MH t5 combo on my BC29 for almost a year and was very happy with that.

 

good luck

gg

Link to comment

Apparently the actinics will be fine but I would order two of t-5 vho daylight bulbs from nanotuners right away because the stock white bulbs arent the brightest.

Link to comment

About the only option you have is upgrade to some UVL bulbs with built in reflectors from Nanotuners.

 

I just gutted my Odyssea 4x 24" fixture and put it into a Wood Hood with GLO individual reflectors. This would be your only other option.

 

and buy the way I have 3 Odyssea fixtures and have been quite happy with them.

Link to comment
This is not suppose to be a my light is shinier then your light :P But how to make my light shinier. :lol:

 

Also I want it to be constructive not bashing one light or the other. Besides I have already bought the light and it is shipping out tomorrow. So lets keep it constructive and civil ;)

Fair enough.

 

Maybe I shouldn't post while I am having a bad day at work. I'm not trying to bash you, your light, or anybody/anything else. I am concerned about those end caps though. I would put it high on my list of replacements. Maybe none have failed yet, maybe none ever will. IMO, that would be great. But their is a reason why no other manufacturer cuts that corner for saving a buck.

 

How to make your light shinier:

First, If you read the review that evil posted, He dissected one of the ballasts. Due to the design of the ballast, it is not very efficient and probably putting out less that the stated wattage. You could replace the ballasts with workhorse 5's (iirc) and get some of those UVL lamps with the internal reflectors. The gains from the ballasts come in two separate ways. First, the WH5 ballast is current regulated and will control the lamp much better. This will prolong the life of the lamp, maybe even going 50% longer between lamp replacements. Second, it will drive the lamp a little harder, adding more PAR to the tank. I think that the gains from adding some sort of reflector to the back would be negligible because there is not enough room to add a proper reflector such as a Tek or Icecap.

 

I'm sorry if I came off as a #### earlier. :blush:

Link to comment
Fair enough.

 

Maybe I shouldn't post while I am having a bad day at work. I'm not trying to bash you, your light, or anybody/anything else. I am concerned about those end caps though. I would put it high on my list of replacements. Maybe none have failed yet, maybe none ever will. IMO, that would be great. But their is a reason why no other manufacturer cuts that corner for saving a buck.

 

How to make your light shinier:

First, If you read the review that evil posted, He dissected one of the ballasts. Due to the design of the ballast, it is not very efficient and probably putting out less that the stated wattage. You could replace the ballasts with workhorse 5's (iirc) and get some of those UVL lamps with the internal reflectors. The gains from the ballasts come in two separate ways. First, the WH5 ballast is current regulated and will control the lamp much better. This will prolong the life of the lamp, maybe even going 50% longer between lamp replacements. Second, it will drive the lamp a little harder, adding more PAR to the tank. I think that the gains from adding some sort of reflector to the back would be negligible because there is not enough room to add a proper reflector such as a Tek or Icecap.

 

I'm sorry if I came off as a #### earlier. :blush:

That sounds a starting point would you replace the lamps first or the ballast

No problem we all have our days B) sometimes I have 2 or 3 in the same day and won't notice till the wife stomps on my foot :lol:

Link to comment
That sounds a starting point would you replace the lamps first or the ballast

No problem we all have our days B) sometimes I have 2 or 3 in the same day and won't notice till the wife stomps on my foot :lol:

I would replace the lamps. The UVL lamps have internal reflectors and dont waste nearly as much light. Like mentioned earlier in the thread(and according to evils numbers), start with the daylights.

Link to comment

While you can upgrade the fixture to perform better, you have to ask yourself if the money is better spent there, or in a different fixture that would perform better than the Odyssea even after mods.

 

Reflectors are pretty much out, as the bulb spacing is too tight. UVL T5's are an option. WH5 ballasts would be nice too. If you want to keep the two power cords, then you need 2 ballasts. That's $70 by itself. Add in some new bulbs and that's more than the price of a 24" 4 bulb Fish Need It fixture, that will perform better, and will have more options for bulbs. I know that's not what you wanted to hear, but it may affect how you approach this.

Link to comment
For what he is trying to keep I think just replacing the stock white with daylight bulbs should be good enough.

I think that is the route that I will go and when I want to upgrade I will retrofit leds in the fixture.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...