# Odyssea 36" Quad light fixtures with LED's...my experie



## biglove (Jan 4, 2010)

Had been wanting to upgrade from standard flouro lights but had been agonizing over the cost to go with HO fixtures. Found the lights and was a bit wary; but, thought I would give them a try. Had previously purchased another brand HO dual light setup but was dissapointed in the output and the cost was too high.

Hoping my experience can help someone else who might be looking for an economical solution!

I have had two of the Odyssea 36" QUAD light setups with digital timers for about two weeks now. Build quality is certainly better than I had anticipated! Especially for $105 each with shipping included. The shipping weight for 2 lights was 24#s. Boxes were thick and light fixtures were double boxed. Splash guards had protective white adhesive sheet. Fans on the units are completely silent and even with all four bulbs on X 2 units, they run far cooler than my standard output and then the "trial" dual HO fixtures were running. I could not be happier!!!

Each of these four bulb units is massive. 8+inches front to back! Included LEDs are very bright! Actinic and 10K bulbs are not the highest quality; but, for the price, I will run them for 6 months and replace as usual with another brand of bulb. The actinics are blindingly bright but the included 10K bulbs are a bit weak. Neither has any problems reaching the bottom of my 125 gallon tank, 29 inches deep.

I inquired of customer service about replacement legs as I wanted to modify the stock legs and they were prompt in their response.

I felt like I was taking a gamble buying these lights and certainly feel like I got a GREAT deal!

Pics of the unpacking and the lights:









Double boxed:









Digital switch/timer (and they sent extra batteries!):









Quad light holders/reflectors/splash shield/LEDs:









T5 connections:









LED close up:









Top of unit with one of two fans. Also has open port for heat escape. Sturdy aluminum:









End of unit (sorry so grainy)"









Both units in place on 125 gallon tank. Only the 10K lights on:


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

I have a quad 48" t5HO fron odyssea and like it. I paid $90 shipping included and bulbs. Can't beat the price.


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## inurocker (May 9, 2011)

I just got the same 36" and your right really hard to beat it.


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## TrashmanNYC (Dec 10, 2007)

Very nice. It has blue LED's as well?


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## biglove (Jan 4, 2010)

TrashmanNYC said:


> Very nice. It has blue LED's as well?


Yes, 3 sets of 2 LED's in each fixture.


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## inurocker (May 9, 2011)

TrashmanNYC said:


> Very nice. It has blue LED's as well?


Yes 3 set of 2 blue LED's, 3 separate timers and 2 dead quite fans. Very nice for $105 all in.


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## Jarryd330 (Sep 14, 2011)

There's a 3 bulb one under my Christmas tree. Wish I could open it now. I may run it in conjunction with the cheap 50/50 t8 setup I have now. Glad to see the quality is good.


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## Xand3r (Dec 21, 2011)

I bought a 36" 117 w, and I got it today but it's making a strange sound, it's like a whistle, and when I turn them off they produce a different sound is that normal? are they quiet when you turn them off?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

Xand3r said:


> I bought a 36" 117 w, and I got it today but it's making a strange sound, it's like a whistle, and when I turn them off they produce a different sound is that normal? are they quiet when you turn them off?


For the first month or maybe a bit less mine popped and settled after I turned it off. I think this was the metal expanding. It went away after that.


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## inurocker (May 9, 2011)

Xand3r said:


> I bought a 36" 117 w, and I got it today but it's making a strange sound, it's like a whistle, and when I turn them off they produce a different sound is that normal? are they quiet when you turn them off?


Don't sound right at all. I have the 156 quad and No noise other than when the timer relays click on and off. I would contact the seller about this ASAP.


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## FishyPirate (Mar 1, 2007)

I'd call the seller and talk to them about the noise and maybe ask for a replacement. I've had my 48" quad with timer up and running for a week now after getting recommendations on the forum for a best bang for the buck light. I like mine a lot, it looks nice, is almost silent (fans make a very small hum, very small), timer works great, moon lights look great. So far so good. It has 2 Actinic and 2 10k bulbs. They look good but it is a bit to blue for me, I'm thinking about replacing one of the Actinics with a powerglo maybe? What do you guys suggest?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

FishyPirate said:


> I'd call the seller and talk to them about the noise and maybe ask for a replacement. I've had my 48" quad with timer up and running for a week now after getting recommendations on the forum for a best bang for the buck light. I like mine a lot, it looks nice, is almost silent (fans make a very small hum, very small), timer works great, moon lights look great. So far so good. It has 2 Actinic and 2 10k bulbs. They look good but it is a bit to blue for me, I'm thinking about replacing one of the Actinics with a powerglo maybe? What do you guys suggest?


I am going to order 1 10000k and one 6500k to go along with two power glo bulbs. I am interested to see this combination.


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## FishyPirate (Mar 1, 2007)

What combination are you running now? Right now I'm running the 2 stock 10k and 2 Actinics. Just a small bit to blue for me. I like some blue, but not as much as its got now, when I turn the lights off in the room the room turns blue. BTW are you running yours laying flat or with the stands they provided? I cant decide which I like the best that way either. I may try just replacing one of the Actinics with a Powerglo and see what that does. Let me know how your combination goes.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

FishyPirate said:


> What combination are you running now? Right now I'm running the 2 stock 10k and 2 Actinics. Just a small bit to blue for me. I like some blue, but not as much as its got now, when I turn the lights off in the room the room turns blue. BTW are you running yours laying flat or with the stands they provided? I cant decide which I like the best that way either. I may try just replacing one of the Actinics with a Powerglo and see what that does. Let me know how your combination goes.


Same bulbs you are. I have had this setup for 4 months or so and the actinics are still going strong but the 10000k are fading a bit and it has become a bit too blue. I would rather be more blue than yellow but still too blue.


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## inurocker (May 9, 2011)

I just put a flora sun in place of one of the actinic bulbs looks very natural now. Was to blue before.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

inurocker said:


> I just put a flora sun in place of one of the actinic bulbs looks very natural now. Was to blue before.


How many of these did you use and in what combination? What is the K rating of these bulbs?


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## inurocker (May 9, 2011)

Only used one. I replaced one of the stock actinic bulbs.
From back to front
Actinic
10,000K
Flora Sun
10,000K

It's a 5000K Zoo-Med Flora-Sun. Mainly a plant growth bulb very pink on its own but it plays very nice in this combination. Color on the fish, plants and rocks looks really good now to me.


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

inurocker said:


> Only used one. I replaced one of the stock actinic bulbs.
> From back to front
> Actinic
> 10,000K
> ...


I might try that.


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## biglove (Jan 4, 2010)

Well, it has been six months since I have had these lights and still loving them with only one exception.

The LED's don't last. There are three sets of dual moon LEDs in each unit and I have replaced them all twice or more. HOW can LEDs NOT last?! Most LEDs are rated for 30K-100K hours of use. These obviously are not.

The price of replacements was cheap and the shipping was free though. Is a bit frustrating that such good lights at a great price suffer this problem.

Now the replacements have gone up $2 and the number sent is cut by half for that amount.

Will be buying LED strips off Amazon to replace when these LEDs go out.


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## chinds78 (Jun 22, 2011)

13razorbackfan said:


> I have a quad 48" t5HO fron odyssea and like it. I paid $90 shipping included and bulbs. Can't beat the price.


That's a steal! Where'd you order it from?


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## 13razorbackfan (Sep 28, 2011)

chinds78 said:


> 13razorbackfan said:
> 
> 
> > I have a quad 48" t5HO fron odyssea and like it. I paid $90 shipping included and bulbs. Can't beat the price.
> ...


PM me and I will give you the link....


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## Narwhal72 (Sep 26, 2006)

If you buy some new LED strips do not place them between the lamps. Heat from the lamps prevents the LED chips from cooling properly and they overheat and burn out. Place the LED's on the front or rear edge of the fixture and they will cool more efficiently and last longer.

LED's do not emit radiant heat like incandescent or fluorescent lighting but they do emit a lot of conductive heat which needs to be wicked away (usually with a heat sink) in order to prevent the chip from overheating.
Andy


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