Aquatraders clarification

[Jonthefishguy]

There has been a thread that has been going around on the quality of the no name brand that they sell on their website. Currently the rumor that has spread in here and possible other forums is that they have shotty workmanship and they have been known to catch fire.

I have just spent a 20 minute conversation with a member of their staff at Aquatraders. I have explained to them the rumors about their product that their lights fixture ballasts/units as a whole have a tendency of catching fire and wanted an answer to this claim. I did not say where it was being posted but she confirmed that they have heard of these rumors and how they get started on the net is something they find themselves hands tied but was wiling to share that even with these claims, it has not hurt their sales.

I asked if this particular product was EVER sold under a different name including JEBO. I asked if this product was/is Odyssea. The answer to both was no. That it was a non brand name. She stated she has been with the company for just over a year now and has not heard such claims of ballasts/lightsystems catching fire but could not say for certain that it wasnt possible. I also contacted two vendors of mine and since they had not heard of such a scenario, advised me to contact my two manufactures of ballasts, BLUE LINE & ICECAP. All four admitted that it was possible (because anything is possible, especially since ballasts do have plastic parts in themand it is electrical) have not heard of ballast causing fires. They all stated in their own way that unless there was saltwater creep, the harness was not pushed in and caused arching, or that their was water that landed on it and caused a short, the likely of it causing a fire is still slim.

I also asked AT what the percentage was of returns of their light systems. She stated that she did not have that off hand but gave me a name, number, email for that information. I shall update when they give me the percentage.

[tony]

moved to vendor feedback forum

[princer7]

While I cannot attest to the fire hazard, I did purchase one of their halide / PC light fixtures a few years ago. I hope their customer service and quality has improved since.

The halides had a magnetic core and it went out within a few months of purchase. There was an odd smell that was given off but no flame. I tossed the balasts and replaced them with Icecaps.

I contacted Aquatraders before gutting it and their warranty involved me shipping a 48" long light fixture to China on my expense and hope it came back. :thumbs_down:

[caferacermike]

Ok allow me with my "insider" information to help mangle your misinformation to help further confuse the situation. Most of the Jebo/Odyssea equipment does not have the name screenprinted anywhere upon it. The manufacturer sends a tiny little plastic decal that the vendor may or may not decide to attach to the fixture. Same thing with the "UL" stickers. In fact I guarantee you this for a fact as I know of a couple of vendors that use their own "brand name" stickers instead of the Odyssea name tag. More facts? The boxes that the products come in do not have any brand name on them at all. In fact they are just brown with a vague description of what is inside. No instructions either. My friend began to have a printing company print up some high gloss instruction booklets as to how to use the light and also a nice label for the box that he would wheat paste to the plain brown box. He also had some puffy labels printed out to affix to the fixture. In the end he camouflaged crap. A polished turd.

For the life of me I cannot fathom why with so much proof and explanation that people wish to "defend" this crap. Why not just let it go away? Why is it that people hate the idea that maybe someone that has been dealing with tanks for over 28 years and specifically saltwater for over 5 years (much longer with some of the other members) could possibly offer up the truth that can actually make the difference between success and failure? Do you get a kickback from AT? Would you defend a YUGO with the same vigor?

It's business like this lately that have been sucking the out life and enthusiasm I have for the hobby. This will be my last post about these problem products, not just the lights are garbage but the entire line of filters, leaky tanks, cheap bulbs, horrible "skimmers", etc etc.... If you choose to waste your money feel free. I'll sit back and have a good laugh when I hear you crying about your problems at the LFS.

[Jonthefishguy]

with so much proof and explanation that people wish to "defend" this crap.

It's business like this lately that have been sucking the out life and enthusiasm I have for the hobby.

Obviously someone is a bit touchy about the situation.....

First off, what proof. Nearly all I have read about this apparent issue with this brand is hear say (my friend sold this/that and he said it sucks). No actual fact has been brought to light showing that this particular website is in fact selling faulty equipment. I am not defending this product. I personally made a call to seek an answer from the company instead of the believing rumors, or jumping on board the "DONT BUY THIS BRAND, IT SUCKS" band wagon.

Second, no one sucks the life or enthusiasm of this hobby. If you lost your life/enthusiasm, then either you let it go, or you never had it. As a matter of fact, it is people like me who go that extra mile to attempt to get to the truth instead of believing a rumor.

Think of a rumor was spread negatively about your store. Lets say the rumor was: My friend said that the dead fish that X store is selling tested positive for cyanide. And then someone else said, "yeah, my friend said that too," and so on and so on. I am sure you would want yourself/someone to help clear any/all misinformation up on the matter rather than just letting your reputation fly by. Now, if it were true thats a different story. All I am tryign to do, is get the other side of the story as there are ALWAYS two sides.

[BIGBIRD123]

I agree with both of you on some parts.

Mike...
In know for a fact about the "crap". I owned a Jebo that caught fire and just recently "trashed" an identical light that was smelling of smoke that was IDENTICAL but with an Odessy label. I mean this was the very same light completely to the "T".

Jon...
I appreciate people that will go the extra to try and get the correct info but the person you talked with "only been there just over a year now" may not be privy to past problems and some of the pertinent questions she directed you elsewhere.

Steve

[Jonthefishguy]

That is why I will speak to this person and ask the answers that I had asked before. I am simply attempting to put a definative end to this issue. Who in fact is AT and what/were (brand) are they selling? When this happens, we will all know the answer came straight from the company and nothing else.

[jrsatx20]

Ok allow me with my "insider" information to help mangle your misinformation to help further confuse the situation. Most of the Jebo/Odyssea equipment does not have the name screenprinted anywhere upon it. The manufacturer sends a tiny little plastic decal that the vendor may or may not decide to attach to the fixture. Same thing with the "UL" stickers. In fact I guarantee you this for a fact as I know of a couple of vendors that use their own "brand name" stickers instead of the Odyssea name tag. More facts? The boxes that the products come in do not have any brand name on them at all. In fact they are just brown with a vague description of what is inside. No instructions either. My friend began to have a printing company print up some high gloss instruction booklets as to how to use the light and also a nice label for the box that he would wheat paste to the plain brown box. He also had some puffy labels printed out to affix to the fixture. In the end he camouflaged crap. A polished turd.

For the life of me I cannot fathom why with so much proof and explanation that people wish to "defend" this crap. Why not just let it go away? Why is it that people hate the idea that maybe someone that has been dealing with tanks for over 28 years and specifically saltwater for over 5 years (much longer with some of the other members) could possibly offer up the truth that can actually make the difference between success and failure? Do you get a kickback from AT? Would you defend a YUGO with the same vigor?

It's business like this lately that have been sucking the out life and enthusiasm I have for the hobby. This will be my last post about these problem products, not just the lights are garbage but the entire line of filters, leaky tanks, cheap bulbs, horrible "skimmers", etc etc.... If you choose to waste your money feel free. I'll sit back and have a good laugh when I hear you crying about your problems at the LFS.

I just want to shed some truth on the lights. I bought them n they smelled my house up like a oily/burning smell. there is a place that sells them here in sa tx if u want to know pm me as I won't just put the name up