# Odyssea lights review?



## irbenson (Jun 14, 2010)

Just wondering if anybody has first hand experience with these. 48" 2x54watt t5ho for 65 shipped...lowest price I can find for a t5ho fixture.


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## Higher Thinking (Mar 16, 2011)

I have the 48 inch quad T-5HO from them and it seems quite perfect for my 75 gallon with pressure CO2 and ferts. Some say that the reflectors are really poor, but it is almost a mirror image reflection. The only problem is that each bulb does not have individual reflectors which does reduce light output. As far as quality, mine gets a little warm on top but nothing serious. Like I can place my hand on it long term. It doesn't come with suspending capabilities unless you rigged something yourself, which is certainly possible.


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## psalm18.2 (Oct 16, 2010)

Good to know as I too am considering buying. Price is great.


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## Buff Daddy (Oct 19, 2010)

I have had their quad 48" T5HO for 6 months now. Got it for <$100 shipped from aquatraders.com Their twin light 48" T5HO is cheaper than the price you quoted above with free shipping from the same site.


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## Jerrayy (Mar 16, 2011)

I have the 36 inch 39wx2 T5HO fixture
There is nothing bad to say about these fixtures for their amazing price
(even though i bought it locally for almost triple the price than on aqua traders)


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## im2smart4u (Dec 7, 2010)

I have the 24 inch 2 bulb Odyssea fixture on my 25 gallon tank. Works fine and is great for the money. Oh, and if you want to hang it, they do have a hanging kit for most of the lights on aquatraders.com, so you don't have to DIY.


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## h2oaggie (Feb 28, 2011)

I also have a 24" 2x24 W T5HO Odyssea fixture I like. The bulbs it came with are crap, but considering the price I was surprised it even had them.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

I have the 4x24w t5ho odyssea fixture for over 8 months or so now and love it. 
Swapped the stock bulbs(recommended) for zoomed ultra/flora sun's and called it a day


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## jeffvmd (Apr 16, 2010)

Can it be used with just a single bulb on?


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## JamesHockey (Nov 10, 2010)

Yessiree 


My name is James the picture nazi, coming to you from my iPod using tapatalk


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## jeffvmd (Apr 16, 2010)

Does it have 2 separate switches for each bulb?
If just 1 switch for both bulbs then it could run in just a single bulb?
I'm tempted to get 1 to replace my current lamps for my 20 long.


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## Justindew (Mar 19, 2011)

No there is only one switch you would have to take out one of the bulbs to run one bulb.


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## Fishwhore (Apr 26, 2011)

I use 2 36" guad bulbs fixtures.with moon lights led. I like the light esp the price. I run 2 39w bulbs on in both fixtures in my 125g during the day via timer. The other 4 bulbs is hooked up to my wireless switch.They hAve 3 switches. 2pr bulbs per switch and 1 for leds. 

I like the lights but.admit bulbs arent that great.


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## supermoto (Jul 27, 2010)

I have to 4 bulb 18" fixture. Not one complaint, I love how 2 bulbs are on one cord and 2 an another. Getting amazing growth. Have it hung 6" about the lip of the tank.


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## Sd760 (Apr 25, 2011)

Are they only sold on aquatrader I need a light asap


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## supermoto (Jul 27, 2010)

Only ever seen them there, keep in mind they come setup for a reef tank


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## Justindew (Mar 19, 2011)

Ebay as well


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## johnny313 (Apr 15, 2011)

supermoto said:


> Only ever seen them there, keep in mind they come setup for a reef tank


the also sell the fresh water plant version with 6500k bulbs


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## do00ber (Dec 17, 2010)

I just bought this fixture about 3 weeks ago..(The 2x24W 24")Ive been extremely happy with it, i've opened it and the only negatives are the stock bulbs(free but still crappy) and the reflector is a group reflector rather then individual..Im running on a 20L so the reflectors dont really make a difference. I've just ordered 2 new bulbs and with that everything should be perfect. 40 Shipped cant be beat and even though it says it can extend max to 30" my legs extend well past the edges of my tank..

I say go for it


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## prjct92eh2 (Apr 8, 2008)

Another positive feedback here. Running the 36" 4X39W. No individual reflectors, but for the price that's not a surprise. Has LED moon lights and two individual switches for the T5's. Running a current pink bulb, Geisseman (sp) Midday, and two of the stock 6700K bulbs.


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## labgeek (May 16, 2011)

wtf.... wish i had seen this before I bought my fixture

half the price for twice the light :/ and free shipping


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## tharsis (Oct 9, 2009)

+ 1000000 

running the quad light on my 75 gallon tank, and just got a 20" quad for my 10 gallon reef tank. They are great lights for the price, as long as you know their limitations.

But even with the reflectors and stock bulbs, I am getting great growth from my plants.


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

How much ios this fixture? 

I would urge you to check out catalinaaquariums.com and see how much their comparative light cost. I have two of their fixtures and they have been running bulletproof for a few years with not even a single hiccup.


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## Woody0229 (May 19, 2011)

I bought mine from aqua traders its the 24 in planted tank one it was like 48 dollars shipped and everything and there super nice i like mine a lot and recommend it.


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## silentdave (Mar 16, 2008)

I ordered a 4 bulb 48" on Tuesday and it showed up Wednesday morning! Seems like a nice enough light especially for the price, and I've never had anything shipped free arrive the next day.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

bsmith said:


> How much ios this fixture?
> 
> I would urge you to check out catalinaaquariums.com and see how much their comparative light cost. I have two of their fixtures and they have been running bulletproof for a few years with not even a single hiccup.


The Odyssea's are roughly half to 1/4 of the price of Catalina's, the 2bulb odyssea is around $50 shipped(Catalina is $100 to start not including Moonlights, remote control and legs which can be ordered at an additional charge), and the 4bulb odyssea is around $80 shipped or $225 from Catalina.


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## Sd760 (Apr 25, 2011)

Question. Odyssea only carries 30 inch PC fixtures I think it was 165w PC fixture. I originally am looking for t5ho should I go for the 36 inch and just hanve the over hang?


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## prjct92eh2 (Apr 8, 2008)

Sd760 said:


> Question. Odyssea only carries 30 inch PC fixtures I think it was 165w PC fixture. I originally am looking for t5ho should I go for the 36 inch and just hanve the over hang?


The 24" has extendable legs that will reach out to 30". Up to you whether the light will spread enough.


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## h2oaggie (Feb 28, 2011)

I have the 24" T5HO on a 30" wide tank with no issues. The light spread is more than adequate, and would be even better if I were to suspend it above the tank a bit.


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## Sd760 (Apr 25, 2011)

Thank u


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

I have one of the older ones that kinda look like the coralife PC fixtures, it's ok. Not the best, the bulbs that come with the tank suck a lot and so do the reflectors. 

You get what you pay for I guess.

Let me give you an example of what I mean.

I tested the PAR for a catalina 3 bulb t5ho fixture at 24 inches above substrate, using the catalina stock bulbs. Catalina is supposed to be better than odyssea too. Anyways, it put out about 60umols of par I think at the substrate. 

Compare this to a sunlight supply TEK fixture w/ Giessman bulbs. Only 2 bulbs, at 30 inches above the substrate, gave the same PAR. That's a lot of electricity savings there. 

Adds up over time. Something to consider when going w/ the less efficient brands


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## tharsis (Oct 9, 2009)

I haven't calculated it but it would probably take many years of running the TEK fixture to recoup the $200 difference in fixture price. 

Just curious...do the TEK fixtures come with the Geissman bulbs? How different would the PAR values have been if you used geissman bulbs in the catalina fixture?

EDIT: OK I am obviously bored haha, assuming a 48" fixture at 54 Watts running for 8 hours a day with $0.15/kwh, the difference in electricity cost between them is ~$23/year.


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## IWANNAGOFAST (Jan 14, 2008)

That's true that there's a huge price difference between the 2 brands. I don't know how the geissman bulbs would perform in a catalina fixture. I ended up selling the catalina before I had to replace the bulbs and I switched to LEDs and haven't looked back. 

If you guys go w/ odyssea, I would most def. change the bulbs though.


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## tharsis (Oct 9, 2009)

It wouldn't hurt to change the bulbs but it certainly isn't necessary. Ultimately it depends on what you want to get out of your tank. 

I have good growth with the stock bulbs, it is possible that I could get better growth with better bulbs but honestly I am happy with them. 

Here is a pic of my tank from a couple weeks ago:










I am not growing the most demanding plants at the moment but I am seeing good growth out of my alternanthera reinecki and I just added some more plants (limno aromatica/hygro wallichi/staurogyne repens) a few days ago so I will wait and see how they grow.


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## Sd760 (Apr 25, 2011)

Thank u for the pics.


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

Ah yeah I didn't think about a pic, here's today's FTS, I'm using paintball co2 with the 4bulb odyssea fixture using zoomed ultrasun and florasun bulbs, 13hr photoperiod, I only run 4 bulbs for about 4 hours though.


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## irbenson (Jun 14, 2010)

Is there a possibility that weaker bulbs/crappy reflectors are a GOOD thing? I'm new to planted tanks and haven't even ordered the fixture yet(although I plan to), but 4xT4HO bulbs on a 75 seems like overkill. The sticky'd thread on light says 1 bulb is medium light.


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## tharsis (Oct 9, 2009)

I actually bought the 4 bulb fixture for that reason.

I wanted high light and I figured that with the single reflector and stock bulbs, the 2 bulb fixture wouldn't be enough. 

I started running the 4 bulb fixture over my tank and quickly discovered however that i couldn't balance it with CO2 without gassing my fish. So I am now running an 8 hour photoperiod with 2 bulbs and a 4 hour burst in the middle with all four bulbs. I feel that i have a good balance now and my algae is at bay.


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## PamAndJim (Sep 15, 2010)

Do the Odyssea lights still use proprietary bulbs? I bought a used one a while back and the T5HO bulbs had different ends on them, so I sold it.


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## prjct92eh2 (Apr 8, 2008)

nope. regular T5's. Here is my 4X39W 36" with 2X stock 6700K, 1 Current pink, and 1 Geisseman Mid Day









Moon Lights


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## DvsDev (Dec 7, 2010)

I'm running the 4x54w on my 75g and I'm pretty happy so far, whipped out the Actinic bulbs, replaced them with a power-glo and a life-glo bulb and threw away the splash guard (for cooling reasons).
I have glass on top of the tank and the fitting is sitting 2" above that, I would say I have more than enough lighting for what I am growing.


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## Kfrey (Jun 20, 2009)

Since the bulbs share a reflector, would it be better to get the 48" 4 bulb or get the 48" 2 bulb and maybe get better bulbs. i want to spend about $100 for a light for my 55 gal and would want to know which to get, the 4 bulb unit comes with leds. i dont have plants in the tank now but it will become a planted tank once i have everything set up


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## metallicanick78 (Apr 26, 2011)

Just placed an order for the odessya 4 x 80w 72" t5 ho. Ill probably get them in 2 weeks lol but Ill let you all know how I like it. Its replacing a 1 x 37w 48" over my 6ft tank LOL. I think they will be a little better.


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## tharsis (Oct 9, 2009)

Kfrey said:


> Since the bulbs share a reflector, would it be better to get the 48" 4 bulb or get the 48" 2 bulb and maybe get better bulbs. i want to spend about $100 for a light for my 55 gal and would want to know which to get, the 4 bulb unit comes with leds. i dont have plants in the tannok now but it will become a planted tank once i have everything set up


I got the 4 bulb over my 75 gallon for that exact reason, but quickly realized that running all 4 was way too much light. I now run two bulbs with a midday burst of all 4. 

That being said, I am glad I got the 4 bulb because it gives me a little more versatility with my photoperiod.


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

I have the 4 bulb 36" fixture. It is very low quality and the reflectors are laughable at best. If you're looking for an inexpensive setup, I'd suggest the fishneedit. My 4 bulb oddyssea is seriously only slightly brighter than my 2 bulb fni, yeah, its really that bad.


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## tharsis (Oct 9, 2009)

hmm are you talking about the older or newer model? I would hardly say that the reflectors are laughable in the newer fixtures. They are not individual reflectors but they are polished aluminum which reflect the light really well. 

For $100 I have been able to grow pretty much any plant that I want, not too shabby.


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## prjct92eh2 (Apr 8, 2008)

Speaking of reflectors, has anybody tried using one of these clip on reflectors in their unit?
http://www.hellolights.com/36singlelampparabolict5reflector.aspx


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## prjct92eh2 (Apr 8, 2008)

xmas_one said:


> I have the 4 bulb 36" fixture. It is very low quality and the reflectors are laughable at best. If you're looking for an inexpensive setup, I'd suggest the fishneedit. My 4 bulb oddyssea is seriously only slightly brighter than my 2 bulb fni, yeah, its really that bad.


Fishneedit's "individual" reflector is what i would call laughable, plus the 4 bulbs are rarely in stock


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## VadimShevchuk (Sep 19, 2009)

i bought a DNI light fixture 8 months ago (24" 4x24w bulbs) for 99 shipped and its still running. The reflectors aren't the best, but i use only 2 bulbs on my 37 gallon and it grows plants just fine. I still think people are going overboard with lighting. 3 bulbs with a tek reflector evenly spaced on a 90 gallon should be able to grow like every single plant. Just look at tom barr's tanks.... I went fishneedit because i heard alot less failure stories on their fixtures then aquatraders.


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## prjct92eh2 (Apr 8, 2008)

I think the overall consensus is that neither the Fishneedit or the Odyssea provide the light output efficiency that the higher end brands do because of their inferior reflectors, but they are still capable of growing plants at a very good price point.


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## Uptown193 (Apr 25, 2011)

What is a good light for a 10 gallon heavily planted tank?


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## orchidman (Dec 15, 2010)

i think im going to get the 24" 2 bulb. but im not sure wether i should order with 2 6500k bulbs, or one 6500k and one pink. i think the single reflector and not perfect bulbs will benefit me. because im worried that it may be too much light with 2 bulbs


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## Mr_Bubbles (May 10, 2011)

i just got the 2 bulb fixture - 48", I have only had it running a day, it's sitting on top of the tank right now (not raised), and based off what people are saying here do you think this is good for a 55 gallon tank or should I raise it some? I'm running pressurized co2 and about to start dosing ferts on a daily basis using EI method. Suggestions? As for the fixture, it seems decent to me, but I'm a newb, the price is definitely great. I also see you guys knocking the bulbs? How are the stock bulbs inferior and what benefit would getting replacement bulbs serve me? Sorry for the questions, but thanks!


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## Sd760 (Apr 25, 2011)

Excellent questions. Also is there anything u can do to modify the reflectors productivity? Diy examples? Thanks


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## labgeek (May 16, 2011)

I just got the 4x18W 20" light and couldn't be happier. The LED moonlights on it are a very cool feature. I guess we'll have to see how the plants grow for a full review.

I think at $50 shipped its unbeatable. Time will tell though.


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