# Budget T5HO lighting whos the Best bang for the $$?? Please step in and share.



## Jaguar (Oct 13, 2011)

Fishneedit was my go-to budget conscious choice. But when I went to order, they were out of daylight color bulbs and while their customer support was very nice and prompt, they have a bit of a language barrier and they did not understand that I was asking WHEN the bulbs would be in, they just kept saying "sorry we have none" so I never did find out LOL. 

I needed the fixture ASAP so I ended up investing in a DIY LED kit and couldn't be happier with it. I'm glad I went this route in the end, TBH.


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## jimko (Aug 17, 2007)

I've been getting away with aquatraders stuff, but they have had their issues in the past seems to have gotten better with time. Prices are unbeatable.


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

Odyssea is OK but in reality basic Catalina t5 fixtures are not that much more money.


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## NWA-Planted (Aug 27, 2011)

jimko said:


> I've been getting away with aquatraders stuff, but they have had their issues in the past seems to have gotten better with time. Prices are unbeatable.


+1 on the odysea, yes you get what you pay for, buy you don't pay much and get a product that works quite well.

One of these days when I have the money to drop on like the 300 gallon tank I want, will probably invest in some nice lights 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2


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## 2in10 (Feb 8, 2011)

If you don't mind a little DIY work you can get a very high quality 2 bulb set up from Hellolights.com for a little over $100.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

lipadj46 said:


> Odyssea is OK but in reality basic Catalina t5 fixtures are not that much more money.


I'm not sure about that. Let's look at tanks like a 90 gallon or tanks that are taller like that. The catalina 4 bulb fixture is over $200 - $250. Where as i believe the oddysea is not over $100. Yes there is a difference in quality but that's not what this thread is about. 

I see lots of people on a budget asking for help with lights. The higher end stuff is what they are always pointed to. But its nor within their reach. So i think it would be cool for them to have a reference to be able to use to make a decision on what to get to fill their needs. 

So does the oddysea lights put out a decent par for what they cost?


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

If you want low cost lighting there are several ways to go, depending on what size tank with what proportions you are lighting. For tanks that are less than 16 inches high, and that are 24 , 36 , 48 inches long, you can use T8 lights and get good low medium intensity. For tanks that are lengths that don't match ordinary fluorescent bulb lengths, you can use screw-in CFL bulbs, selecting a wattage that gives the light intensity you want.

You don't really need T5HO lighting until you get to tanks that are 20 inches high or higher. At those heights it takes too many T8 bulbs to get the lighting you want.

Some T5HO lights aren't really HO powered lights - FishNeedIt is a good example. Four bulb FishNeedIt lights are a good choice for 18-24 inch high tanks, assuming that they will have good reliability.

Then, there are several hydroponics T5HO lights, but I don't have PAR data on them. They look like they would give very nearly as much light as expensive T5HO lights, based on their reflectors.

Finally, there is this: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 which I keep wishing someone would try, just to see how good they are.


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## jhunt (May 7, 2010)

If you're patient you can get really good deals on eBay. I recently bought a practically brand new 4x39w Tek for $102.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Thanks hoppy for the input. This is the kind of info I was hoping to see. 

Btw as others have mentioned. What's your feelings or thoughts on the oddysea brand stuff? Is it higher out put then the fishneedit stuff ? 

Never saw that light from home depot. I may just have to toss that 4 bulb set up on my 90 gallon and see what happens for a month or two. Could be a nice alternative for some people.


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## Dave6265 (Nov 18, 2011)

I'm happy with my Zoomed setup... I have mine 22" over the substrate, and all my plants are doing well.


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## antiquefloorman (Oct 8, 2011)

Hoppy said:


> If you want low cost lighting there are several ways to go, depending on what size tank with what proportions you are lighting. For tanks that are less than 16 inches high, and that are 24 , 36 , 48 inches long, you can use T8 lights and get good low medium intensity. For tanks that are lengths that don't match ordinary fluorescent bulb lengths, you can use screw-in CFL bulbs, selecting a wattage that gives the light intensity you want.
> 
> You don't really need T5HO lighting until you get to tanks that are 20 inches high or higher. At those heights it takes too many T8 bulbs to get the lighting you want.
> 
> ...


I am going to see how it works. Let you know


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## mach_six (Sep 12, 2005)

Home Depot has T5 HO fixtures now but limited to 24" and 48", just search for T5 High output

$25 for a 24" T5HO strip.
$90 for a 2x24w 
$130 for a 4x54W

Never tried it but that 24" T5 HO strip is cheap. Looks like the same company that made it for the Current ones a while ago.


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Aquaticfan said:


> Thanks hoppy for the input. This is the kind of info I was hoping to see.
> 
> Btw as others have mentioned. What's your feelings or thoughts on the oddysea brand stuff? Is it higher out put then the fishneedit stuff ?
> 
> Never saw that light from home depot. I may just have to toss that 4 bulb set up on my 90 gallon and see what happens for a month or two. Could be a nice alternative for some people.


I don't have any PAR data on Odyssea lights, and they improved them not too long ago, so the newer ones may be better. I just don't know how much light they produce.


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## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

I picked up some of the new ones a few weeks ago. I've had several Odyssea lights in the past - most were ok, one died a little prematurely. They have improved quite a bit. I have 2xT5HO with aqua floras installed. The reflectors fall in the middle category based on the description in Hoppy's sticky. They are flat on top and angled on the sides. From a few degrees off center you can see 3 images of each lamp, while from directly below you can see 2. The end caps slide over the entire metal cap of the lamps and the leads are completely splash-safe. I have yet to see how it does over water, but they are considerably better built than in previous years. Packaging was better too.

The acrylic protector does slide out if you tilt it on end, but for $60 shipped? Win. 

I'm sure some brave soul could retrofit better reflectors, but I'm not sure that the height of the fixture would accommodate anything that would make much difference. It'll get you by until you can afford a Catalina.


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

I really like my Odyssea. Great for the price

Sent from my HTC Evo 4G


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## jimko (Aug 17, 2007)

I was reading the review for the 4 ft T5HO bulbs sold at HomeDepot and it appears the bulbs don't fit all units and they only guarantee that they fit their fixtures. Not sure if it's true the other way around where their fixture doesn't fit the bulbs we buy. The plus is the bulbs are only 10 bucks for 6500K. Plant bulbs go for 20-25 something bucks.


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## mach_six (Sep 12, 2005)

jimko said:


> I was reading the review for the 4 ft T5HO bulbs sold at HomeDepot and it appears the bulbs don't fit all units and they only guarantee that they fit their fixtures. Not sure if it's true the other way around where their fixture doesn't fit the bulbs we buy. The plus is the bulbs are only 10 bucks for 6500K. Plant bulbs go for 20-25 something bucks.


I haven't looked in my local HD for these fixtures or bulbs. But if they don't fit at least you have an easier time return them.


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## kroner19 (Mar 18, 2012)

I bought a 48" 3x54w T5HO from Catalina and I'm very happy with it. Cost about $170 shipped with all 3 bulbs included and is more than enough light for my 55gal at 22" above the substrate. And I only run 2 of the 3 lights for now until I get adjusted to the new light.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

kroner19 said:


> I bought a 48" 3x54w T5HO from Catalina and I'm very happy with it. Cost about $170 shipped with all 3 bulbs included and is more than enough light for my 55gal at 22" above the substrate. And I only run 2 of the 3 lights for now until I get adjusted to the new light.


We know Catalina Works.. BUT They arent what id call a budget light. This is just one fixture they sell at a fair price, In fact its probably their most sold. I would put it on the higher end of budget. Most of their others are more then double of what most budget lights cost. If you look at the Odyssea 48 inch 4 bulb T5HO its less then $100. Just wanting to keep this to the budget builders if possible.. Quality is different for sure. Just looking to get info out to help those needing to have to save a few bucks.


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## Frau Frankenstein (Jul 22, 2010)

I have a Hydrofarm 2 ft 4 bulb T5 HO fixture hanging right next to a very nice Catalina T5 HO 4 ft fixture, same tank, same time period, same results, and I think i bought it new 1.5 yrs ago for under a 100.00 on Amazon.... quick google and this popped up, I have no complaints, and my fixture came with a 6+ ft power cord.
http://www.greners.com/i/grow-lights/fluorescent-grow-lights/brand/hydrofarm.html


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Frau Frankenstein said:


> I have a Hydrofarm 2 ft 4 bulb T5 HO fixture hanging right next to a very nice Catalina T5 HO 4 ft fixture, same tank, same time period, same results, and I think i bought it new 1.5 yrs ago for under a 100.00 on Amazon.... quick google and this popped up, I have no complaints, and my fixture came with a 6+ ft power cord.
> http://www.greners.com/i/grow-lights/fluorescent-grow-lights/brand/hydrofarm.html



Thats some great info Frau. 

Couldnt tell by the pics but what are the reflectors like? Are they just like the Catalina?


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## TerriM (Feb 4, 2012)

Thank you for this topic! I am looking to upgrade my lights and the prices I've been seeing are a lot more than I want to spend. Then the choices are so confusing, LED, T5, T5HO then start talking PAR and ..... my head starts to spin. So this is a great discussion for people like me. I want something effective for my first try at planted, but I really don't want to spend a lot of money. (Already did that with plants and Co2 and substrate)


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

I thought it was a topic that might help others who when on a budget and can't buy the best can at least buy something decent they can afford. T5ho being probably the most popular planted tank light. I hope more people share experiences and options with what worked for a budget.


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## Higher Thinking (Mar 16, 2011)

Aquaticfan said:


> Thats some great info Frau.
> 
> Couldnt tell by the pics but what are the reflectors like? Are they just like the Catalina?





Frau Frankenstein said:


> I have a Hydrofarm 2 ft 4 bulb T5 HO fixture hanging right next to a very nice Catalina T5 HO 4 ft fixture, same tank, same time period, same results, and I think i bought it new 1.5 yrs ago for under a 100.00 on Amazon.... quick google and this popped up, I have no complaints, and my fixture came with a 6+ ft power cord.
> http://www.greners.com/i/grow-lights/fluorescent-grow-lights/brand/hydrofarm.html


I have the HydroFarm 24" two bulb HO setup. I got it off Amazon for 73 shipped. It has steel construction throughout so it is much sturdier than the typical plastic lights. I also have an Odyssea 48" 4 bulb HO and if I did it again I would choose the HydroFarm lighting. It runs much cooler and the Odyssea does not have a warranty whereas the HydroFarm has a 5 year warranty on ballasts and a one year warranty on craftsmanship. Definitely can't go wrong with a warranty like that.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Higher Thinking said:


> I have the HydroFarm 24" two bulb HO setup. I got it off Amazon for 73 shipped. It has steel construction throughout so it is much sturdier than the typical plastic lights. I also have an Odyssea 48" 4 bulb HO and if I did it again I would choose the HydroFarm lighting. It runs much cooler and the Odyssea does not have a warranty whereas the HydroFarm has a 5 year warranty on ballasts and a one year warranty on craftsmanship. Definitely can't go wrong with a warranty like that.


I guess when I was asking about the reflectors was if each bulb had its own reflector, aluminum or steel, and if the shape of the reflectors were similar to the Catalina lights?

But great info you gave. It's nice to know where these,lights stand.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Anyone else with any input or thoughts???


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## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

I'll post my pics of my Odyssea light tomorrow! Been a bit busy the past few days.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

theblondskeleton said:


> I'll post my pics of my Odyssea light tomorrow! Been a bit busy the past few days.


Cool looking forward to seeing them.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

How many of you out there have used or thought about using T5HO Hydro grow lights instead of regular Aquarium plant lights??


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## lipadj46 (Apr 6, 2011)

Aquaticfan said:


> How many of you out there have used or thought about using T5HO Hydro grow lights instead of regular Aquarium plant lights??


You can use any light fixture you want many just buy T5 fixtures from home depot.



Aquaticfan said:


> Anyone else with any input or thoughts???


I have both and odyssea 2x54w 48" fixture and a Catalina 2 bulb 36" fixture that I got lucky and got it like new for $75 shipped.

Comparing the 2 the odyssea has a big external power supply, a single plastic reflector for both bulbs and only one on/off switch so the bulbs cannot be turned on independently. Also the housing is has a rough finish and is hard to keep clean. The Catalina has switch for each bulb, an internal ballast/power supply, the ballast can support HO or NO bulbs, there are metal reflectors for each bulb and the housing is smooth and easy to keep looking nice. The catalina bulbs are better too.

The 48" odyssea is $70ish for the 2 bulb (last I checked) and the Catalina is $130 (for the 3 bulb). In the long run I would save my money and get the better light. That being said the odyssea gets the job done.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

lipadj46 said:


> You can use any light fixture you want many just buy T5 fixtures from home depot.


I understand this, but the question was if anyone was using any of the fixtures already built and set up for hydroponics (spelling). I've seen several on line with 5 year warranty for ballast, individual reflectors, on off switches, with bulbs and more for under $100. 





lipadj46 said:


> I have both and odyssea 2x54w 48" fixture and a Catalina 2 bulb 36" fixture that I got lucky and got it like new for $75 shipped.
> 
> Comparing the 2 the odyssea has a big external power supply, a single plastic reflector for both bulbs and only one on/off switch so the bulbs cannot be turned on independently. Also the housing is has a rough finish and is hard to keep clean. The Catalina has switch for each bulb, an internal ballast/power supply, the ballast can support HO or NO bulbs, there are metal reflectors for each bulb and the housing is smooth and easy to keep looking nice. The catalina bulbs are better too.
> 
> The 48" odyssea is $70ish for the 2 bulb (last I checked) and the Catalina is $130 (for the 3 bulb). In the long run I would save my money and get the better light. That being said the odyssea gets the job done.



I have both a Catalina set up and cheaper fixtures not Odyssea though. So i understand the differences as do most people. Not everyone has it in their budget to be able to spend what those lights cost. I thought it would be helpful to those that can to get a comparison of lesser expensive lighting that can get the job done. I'm sure everyone wishes they could afford the best or top notch stuff. It's like co2. Some folks have to buy aquatech or miluwakee or other budget minded products. 

I was hoping to get info for a guide/help into buying budget lighting.

Thank you for your comparison of the 2.


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## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

Sorry for the delay on the pics. My n ew tank showed up the other day, so I've been busy setting it up. Here is a shot of the Odyssea 48" T5HO 2x54W light fixture.










As you can see, the reflectors are not great. Do not judge based on the brightness of the picture. The exposure compensation of the shot is very low so that you can see some detail in the fixture. You can see from slightly off-center that 2 images of each of the lamps are visible, but from directly beneath, one image would be concealed. Not super efficient, but it does provide "fair" reflection according to Hoppy's chart in the sticky. The other consideration is ballast efficiency, and I have no comment there. I only have one fixture to judge it against, and that is my old retrofit with a Workhorse 7 ballast.

I currently have two of these fixtures hung over a 120P at a cost of $119.98 from seller tonsofgoodies on eBay. No plants yet, so I cannot yet judge by pearling, growth, or other plant-based observation.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Well I figured I do some sort of test/review on a grow light set up. They are made by FLUOROGROW. 

The unit I just ordered is a 4 bulb 48" unit. 

http://www.fluorogrow.com/index.php/premium-grow-light-fixtures/evergreen-4-4.html

Looks to have polished full individual reflectors, Good quality 5 year warranty ballasts. dual on and off switches but single power cord. I plan to alter that later to dual. If this light works well I will also paint it a different color then green. lol.. But Ended up finding a great deal for it with bulbs 4 x 6500K for $99.85 shipped. 

Who knows maybe it ends up being a great light with good output. I plan to try it on my 90 gallon. running EI and pressurized Co2. Maybe a local club has a par meter I can use.


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## kadium (Jun 25, 2012)

After reading a few of your posts, I found this possible new fixture for me. http://www.ecogrow.com/t5-2ft2tube-designer-system-p-271.html, It's 24 x4 6500 for $73 with warranty and all that good stuff. Only thing is that I can't see the reflector and it doesn't state if it has more than one light switch.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

kadium said:


> After reading a few of your posts, I found this possible new fixture for me. http://www.ecogrow.com/t5-2ft2tube-designer-system-p-271.html, It's 24 x4 6500 for $73 with warranty and all that good stuff. Only thing is that I can't see the reflector and it doesn't state if it has more than one light switch.



Nice find. I do believe that one has individual aluminum reflectors. 

Love the input.


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## fplata (May 20, 2012)

+1 on catalina aquarium


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

fplata said:


> +1 on catalina aquarium


Yes. A very good light. But not a budget built light. Looking for info on budget minded solutions for people that maybe can't afford the good stuff like Catalina or tek or other higher dollar products.


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## JasonG75 (Mar 1, 2011)

Hoppy said:


> Finally, there is this: http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053 which I keep wishing someone would try, just to see how good they are.


 
WOW Hoppy you know I actually ALMOST picked that up last week. It wasnt in stock. I will let you know IF that changes.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

If you do Jason I bet lots of folks would love to hear how it works out.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

T5HO hydroponic fixture. Reviewed a thread and bought 2 of them. 48T5HO single bulb alum reflector units (included 65K bulb) and were $49 shipped.
Sun blaze 41 supreme


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

wkndracer said:


> T5HO hydroponic fixture. Reviewed a thread and bought 2 of them. 48T5HO single bulb alum reflector units (included 65K bulb) and were $49 shipped.
> Sun blaze 41 supreme


Do you have a link? Thanks for the info.


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## wkndracer (Mar 14, 2009)

Aquaticfan said:


> Do you have a link? Thanks for the info.


Using two of these on my stainless racked 55g tanks.
Google brings up dozens of online store hits in the horticulture, hydroponic listings. About $41 - 50 on all the pricing. The only thing I don't like is if the ballast dies it's a mini within the channel of the refector but hey for the price???


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

wkndracer said:


> Using two of these on my stainless racked 55g tanks.
> Google brings up dozens of online store hits in the horticulture, hydroponic listings. About $41 - 50 on all the pricing. The only thing I don't like is if the ballast dies it's a mini within the channel of the refector but hey for the price???



All things are give and take. Each has positives and negatives. But being able to use something that works for a budget is a good deal. 

Thanks for pointing this one out. 

Would love to hear if More people have used any of the Hydroponic/Horticulture grow lights for their planted tanks and what their experiences were. 

It seems as many of them look like what youd get at Catalina, Individual full aluminum reflectors, Decent ballasts in some cases. Dual or triple power switches. Decent construction. But for a bit less. So it really makes me wonder. The light I just ordered to try out on one tank is a 4 bulb T5H0 48" unit. Cost me less then $100 shipped. 5 year warranty. Comes with quality ballast and individual full rolled polished aluminum reflectors. As well as 4 x 6500K bulbs. I hoping to have some sort of info on how it does over the next month. I was thinking of trying a couple different manufactures on a few different tanks just to see where most these types of lights stand. 

Does or can anyone point out any negatives to using lights like this for our tanks vs the grow light stuff they do? I wouldnt think it matters.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

No others with experiences using horticultural or hydroponic lighting sytems? 

I also read in earlier posts that Odyssea had done some changes/improvements, what did they do that makes them better then the older models?


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Well my light showed up today I ordered. Its actually pretty nice. Im quite happy how its working. 

Will post some more info on it soon.. But let me say WOW its bright.


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## benjaminleebates (Mar 27, 2012)

I'm buying from a hydroponics/greenhouse website. Many do not come with bulbs and nearly none have decent reflectors. If price is an issue, DIY what you can. I google shopped what I needed "T5HO fixture" and the length. Then sorted by price. With shipping (watch shipping), I am getting a 1 bulb T5HO 24" for $30. I am making my own reflector by using aluminum flashing, but using polishing compound to make it into a highly polished surface and painting white the entire inside of the new hood that I am building.


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## stevenjohn21 (May 23, 2012)

I just bought a 20" 4x 18watt T5HO from aquatraders for $50 including shipping..... the pictures of Glosso speak 1000 words about this product !

DAY 1









DAY 25


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## malady (Apr 6, 2012)

I dont trust odysea garbage

not ul listed
and my ballast caught on fire
I have a bunch of hydroponics light and they all are made for hanging which is convenient try looking on htgsupply


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## jeremyTR (Mar 21, 2012)

My light from Odyssea is working great. It was probably your fault it caught fire or you're lying. I've never felt the unit get that hot.

Sent from my HTC Evo 4G


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## malady (Apr 6, 2012)

jeremyTR said:


> My light from Odyssea is working great. It was probably your fault it caught fire or you're lying. I've never felt the unit get that hot.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Evo 4G


why would I lie?
helping others take precaution instead of living in ignorance.
obviously this is not the case with every light but is possible none the less I had two ballasts go bad right away just by plugging them in, one started smoking and melted in half, want pics?

anyways I'm just unlucky enjoy the light


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

malady said:


> why would I lie?
> helping others take precaution instead of living in ignorance.
> obviously this is not the case with every light but is possible none the less I had two ballasts go bad right away just by plugging them in, one started smoking and melted in half, want pics?
> 
> anyways I'm just unlucky enjoy the light


How long ago did you have this issue? You do know that Odyssea has changed some things recently? 

Id like to not hear bashing but experiences. yours included. I just know ive also hear tons of folks with positive and good experience from products others have not. Odyssea being one of them. Anything made by human hands has the ability to go bad. Its the nature of things.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

benjaminleebates said:


> I'm buying from a hydroponics/greenhouse website. Many do not come with bulbs and nearly none have decent reflectors. If price is an issue, DIY what you can. I google shopped what I needed "T5HO fixture" and the length. Then sorted by price. With shipping (watch shipping), I am getting a 1 bulb T5HO 24" for $30. I am making my own reflector by using aluminum flashing, but using polishing compound to make it into a highly polished surface and painting white the entire inside of the new hood that I am building.


Thats interesting as my experience with the new light I just got is a hydroponics/greenhouse light fixture. Its quality is actually quite good. Individual good quality aluminum reflectors like seen on the upper quality brands of lights and mine came with bulbs. Free shipping. Im more then happy.

And less the $100 for a 4ft 4 bulb set up.


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## stevenjohn21 (May 23, 2012)

Before i bought the Odyssea i looked up reviews and yes i saw bad ballasts and a rare amount even melting or catching flames however these were all 3-5 years ago. I would hope the company had a recall or at the least fixed this problem now. Ive not seen many bad reviews on the product within the last 1-2 years which makes me believe the problem has been sorted. I have also noticed that the price of these products have gone up slighty $10-$25 depending on size....this also makes me believe the ballasts have been upgraded which in theory should now be safe.


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## theblondskeleton (Aug 28, 2009)

Yeah bad stuff happens, guys. Sorry to hear about the fire, that really stinks. Especially right when you plugged it in. With the older Odysseas, that sort pf thing seems to have happened more frequently. Again, I've had both the old and new models, and the newer ones are certainly better constructed. I had an 18" CF that went sour on me within a year and a half, and a 2x24" T5HO that is still running fine. Being reasonable, I think that if your expectations match your budget you will be quite satisfied. However, do not buy one expecting it to last as long as a more expensive fixture. Do not expect it to be free of flaws. Do not expect it to julienne fries or fold your laundry. You might convince a Catalina to do so, but like a good maid, she demands a higher rate.

Bottom line: if you have a temporary need for an inexpensive light, or a need for a backup fixture, Odyssea is one inexpensive way to go. Will it grow plants? Yes. Will it last forever? Probably not. Will it meet your expectations? If you are a reasonable person, probably. Asking for different anecdotal experiences will likely end up the way this has: the most positive and the most negative opinions getting the most airtime, solving little but creating much drama. Fun, but not very useful. 

Like most other data, it falls into a normal curve, otherwise Odyssea would be out of business by now.


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## Sugardaddy1979 (Jan 16, 2012)

Any opinions on the fish need it lights?


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

I see the Catalina Light fixtures being dismissed as not being a budget light. I have to disagree. The single T5HO 24" fixture is $50, while the 36" fixture is $65. There is no other quality, single bulb, T5HO Fixtures in this range. The SunBlaze Fixtures look inviting, and you can get them for around $30-$40, true. But they only have 2' and 4' models, where the Catalina has a 36" model. If I had a 2' or a 4' tank, I would probably look into the Sunblaze units. But with my 30" 29 gallon, I would probably be more comfortable with the 36" Catalina.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

True, these 2 lights by Catalina are reasonable. But they kinda fall into a class of their own. Outside of these two lights you will find most everything Catalina makes is outside of budget lighting, thus why not classified as budget light.. But these two lights do add something more to the list. Thanks for mentioning them. There are lights with 2 and 4 bulb set ups for 39 to 70 dollars. 

My question is how many people like to run multiple bulb set ups to get different color spectrum of light? 

I will have to check out the sunblaze stuff.

I do have a 29 gallon I'm needing light on. Looking to make it medium high to high light.


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## livingword26 (Oct 28, 2010)

Here's a link to a place that sells the Sunblaze T5ho's. The 2' and 4' singles are $40 and $50 respectively.

http://www.sunlightsupply.com/p-13097-sun-blaze-t5-ho-strip-light-supremes.aspx


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

livingword26 said:


> Here's a link to a place that sells the Sunblaze T5ho's. The 2' and 4' singles are $40 and $50 respectively.
> 
> http://www.sunlightsupply.com/p-13097-sun-blaze-t5-ho-strip-light-supremes.aspx



Thanks for the Link..


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Sugardaddy1979 said:


> Any opinions on the fish need it lights?



Its my understanding that the Fish need it lights may be more like T5NO output instead of T5HO. But this is only the chatter ive heard about them. I think putting a Odyssea vs the Fish need it light the Odyssea has more output. Better bang for the buck. But Again only what ive heard. others with more experience may know more.


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## Willamette (Jun 19, 2012)

Catalina 48 inch 3x54 HO is on sale for $139

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=1638

That's certainly bang for buck.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

It's a nice light. I just got my 48" T5HO 4 bulb unit with equally built quality, 5 year warranty, individual aluminum polished reflectiors, high lumens with good ballasts. For less then $100 shipped. 

I'm not knocking Catalina. They make awesome lights. But to buy the same light I got would be a lot more. I had thought about the 3 bulb Catalina for my 90 but went the route I did.


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## Willamette (Jun 19, 2012)

Meh. I realize its a budget thread...but value has to come into it as well. When the difference is that small you might as well buy the quality American product versus the cheapest thing you can possibly find, which has a dubious safety record and lacks a UL listing. Cheaper doesn't mean there is a better deal...very often, its just cheaper. 

Just the difference in the reflector designs is worth the slightly higher price of admission.

But, to each their own. My personal preference is to support the employment of my countrymen while simultaneously gaining a superior quality product. If it costs a bit more, I'm happy to pay it.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Willamette said:


> Meh. I realize its a budget thread...but value has to come into it as well. When the difference is that small you might as well buy the quality American product versus the cheapest thing you can possibly find, which has a dubious safety record and lacks a UL listing. Cheaper doesn't mean there is a better deal...very often, its just cheaper.
> 
> Just the difference in the reflector designs is worth the slightly higher price of admission.
> 
> But, to each their own. My personal preference is to support the employment of my countrymen while simultaneously gaining a superior quality product. If it costs a bit more, I'm happy to pay it.



Correct, the thread is about budget products... But for a reason. Some people maybe cant put up the bucks for the other at the moment. Not that they wouldnt like to buy the better light but for what its worth they cant afford it. Buying the better light might be the difference in affording Ferts or Filtration along with some lighting. I dont think things should be out of reach for everyone. Thats why having various different levels of cost is important. Value comes in many shapes depending on your budget. 

The current light I bought is a Made in the USA product. I can tell you at this moment as ive seen Catalina products in hand that what I bought is as similar or good as value/product as the Catalina lights im comparing to. Its UL listed, High quality Ballasts with 5 year warranty, Identical reflectors as the Catalina and has no history issues from my research. To buy something similar as i did for the light quality it would cost over $225 vs the $100 I spent. Thats not to say I wouldnt buy a catalina or other similar high quality unit. Im not knocking them in any way. Im just trying to point out that lots of folks have to operate in a budget that fits their means. I thought it an important and good idea to bring up the discussion of lighting that might help those people in that need. So far ive seen several posts by folks sharing lots of great ideas as well as products. Even some of the ones you or others might think are just cheaper have shown improvement on their quality.


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## Overfloater (Jan 12, 2004)

I have a fishneedit 4x39W t5 fixture and so far it been pretty good. I don't think there is better value for the money. It's not fancy and housing is cheap plastic. It comes with bulbs that seem to work fine but I recently purchased Giesemann bulbs to swap in. I've only had it 3 months so take this mini review with a grain of salt.


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## Aquaticfan (Oct 30, 2011)

Good to hear!!!


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