Current USA-Nova Extreme Pro T5HO

i found a Nova Extreme Pro for $200 bucks online. I think it is a pretty sweet deal. It is a 20" and is only a couple months old. It has the individual light deflectors too. I can also get it delivered!!!! I am waiting to hear back on how old the bulbs are and will post more later! Any thoughts, comments or heresies would be much appreciated!

 

Well im new to the hobby within the last couple years but this is what I have seen thus far. "Current-USA" from a manufacturing standpoint and reliability has been seemingly poor. Fact I was at the LFS the other day explaining to the store owner how the ballasts blew on mine, and he said and I quote "We replace Current-USA ballasts regularly for our customers that seem to have trouble with them and we do not even carry them anymore as a result"

Im not sure if their ballasts are sensitive to line-current shifts or something but their ballasts seem to die ALOT. Id like to know their overall turnover rate on ballasts but im sure they wouldnt give that information out

On the other hand there are plenty of very happy people with their Nova setups. With lighting you get what you pay for. Im on my third upgrade now in a year timespan. I have learned my lesson TWICE now. Research, research some more, take a few days to think about your purchase, and then buy. I was more-so impulse buying before...

The amount of horror stories I have read though I basically went with another manufacturer. I havent done much research on anyone else beside IceCap, ATI, and Sunlight Supply which all three appear to have a higher quality control on their products.

 

You can get 1 new for $230. So maybe try to get them to come down on the price. $200 for a used 1 isn't that great of a deal.

 

yea i only paid 350 for mine new and its a 48", i have had no problems with mine after 15 months?

 

I have the NEP 36" on my tank. I like it and would buy another fixture from Current if I ever build anything under 24" deep again. I ditched the stock bulbs for ATI's, UVL and GE before it even went on the tank though.

 

Keep in mind that it's very hard to find 18" bulbs though. 24 inch bulbs are much easier to find.

 

pgoodsell, where might i find one of these fixtures for $230?

 

ok so. i talked the dude down to 150. He said the fixture and bulbs are only 3 months old. He also was going to include two brand new actinics bulbs with it. He was also going to deliver it to me for an extra $25 on top of the $150 sales price. So i guess were looking at a 3 month old, used fixture in great condition with two extra brand new actinics for $175 delivered? I am going to try to get him to sell and deliver for $150 tops. Than i think it would be worth it? Any thoughts guys?

 

I like my Nova Extreme fixture, it's a 6x54W unit I payed $230 for it used. The current USA bulbs ARE crap. I found out when I put in a new set of Geismann's last night just how crap the current bulbs are and how much geismanns rock!

 

is it really hard to find t5 bulbs to fit a 20" nova extreme fixture?