Ice Cap reef illuminations

Anyone have any input on the Ice Cap reef illuminatons fixture (HQI)? I'm looking for a new metal halide and my budget is about $1000. Would love a Giesemann but i don't have quiet that much money to spend. Any advice would be appreciated...... thanks

 

even though icecap is nice you do have some cheaper options.
You can build your own (best way for customization)
You can buy one from odyssea and upgrade the bulbs and ballasts with icecap stuff (total is about 400-600 after upgrade)
There are other brands that will be slightly than an icecap fixture as I feel their fixtures are slightly overpriced

 

Odyssea's fixtures are quite good. I recently got one of their MH fixtures. No problems with it thus far. Their MH ballasts kinda suck. Change them out for Ice Caps and it's a great fixture.

 

i don't odyssea kinda scares me. All I've ever heard about them is that they catch on fire and stuff

 

If you can, go with a retrofit, but some folks don't like the look of a canopy.

 

Most of those stories are rumors spread around on the net. I don't know anyone that has had an odyssea brand MH burn up (or any kind of lighting actually) .

 

Personally I would just hang some lumenbrites above the tank, no canopy. And get some nice electronic ballasts

 

Lumenmax elite reflectors with some lumatek ballasts and HQI bulbs is what I am ordering soon for about $650.

i also have an odyssea fixture, t5 4x54W and the ballasts did have to be replaced. also upon replacing the lights seem 'brighter' so i think the ballasts they use are junk to keep the overall price point down.

total agreement with dingo, fixtures are too dang overpriced for what you get.