Helios Lighting?

osueyedoc

osueyedoc

New Member
hey everyone,
quick question. anybody ever heard anything, or used, helios lighting systems. my buddy offered to sell me a very slightly used 48" with 4-36w bulbs...two daytime, two actinic for $200. i've been looking online (to find their price new) for an hour and haven't found any sites that sell them, or even the manufacturer's site. should i take this as a bad sign...or is it a good deal.
thanks for any input.
-jeff
setting up:75G
FOWLR
 
krux

krux

Member
if you post your email, i can mail you the url for hello lights, or you can type that into a search engine to get it (there is no "s" at the end of hello).
that is assuming he is giving you the incorrect brand name and thats what he meant.
from the sounds of it, unless you are talking about a sweet oak canopy with those lights in it, i think you can do a lot better.
 
hkgar

hkgar

Member
It is "Helios". I have a 36 inc with four 36 watt bulbs that I bought new from my LFS for about $236. They have had a real problem with the ballasts. I am on my 4th or 5th ballast, the store has been very good about switching out a new ballast for the bad one. i understand that they are now shipping new and imploved ballasts. I also understand that the 48 inch was not a problem and it was only the ballast for the 36"
 
osueyedoc

osueyedoc

New Member
thanks hkgar,
any chance you have a website or anything for Helios so that i can get some more info before i buy. do you think i should go with it or not?
-jeff
by the way, i was in cape coral last week for a wedding...beautiful weather compared to this ohio stuff!
 
osueyedoc

osueyedoc

New Member
thanks again.
however, i couldn't get the site to run. i'm going to look at the lights a little more closely tonight (he's letting me try them for a few days). i don't know much about lighting so i want to research it a much as i can before i waste my money. what's your opinion on this setup. do you think it is a good buy for a 75G FOWLR tank? i know it's practically brand new...he used it for a week and then went out and bought some $600 metal halide setup!
-jeff
 
hkgar

hkgar

Member
I do like my lights and the style. Like I said, the problem seems to be with the ballast. Check with the LFS that sold them to see if they will stand behind it.
I used to live in Columbus - Worthington actually, from 1984 to 1989. Reallly enjoyed it, but you couldn't get be back up north now. IToo many grey skies. Sun shines every day here.
Back to the lights, 144 watts isn't very much lighting for a 75 gallon. You should probably aim to have at least 300 watts for you tank.
 
osueyedoc

osueyedoc

New Member
hkgar,
i looked at the lights closer last night and it seems like it is actually a 4x55...so 220 watts. i have to talk to the guy who bought them (he's gone on residency for a while) to find out where he got the light...maybe a problem getting parts or service in the future.
i just might forget it though unless he gives me a better price. he want's $200, but online i found a new coralife aqualight 48" 4x65...260watt with two cooling fans built in the unit for about the same price.
on a side note, how was the move to florida? while my girlfriend and i were down there two weeks ago we discussed moving down once i'm done with school (2 years). of course, everyone that we tell that to back here says, "oh, you don't want to move there. the people that live there don't like how hot it gets and florida is just a better place to visit then to live." is that true, or is it just ohioans way of justifying not living in paradise?
thanks for all the help.
-jeff
 
aquaboogie

aquaboogie

Member
i have the ballast problem too. the lfs where i bought the set from actually has about 50 ballasts handy to swap for the defective ones. ive swapped 4 ballasts already. 2 in the same day
that alone tells how reliable they are.
 
bullshark

bullshark

Member
I think the Heilos lights are AWESOME looking. WAY better than the normal lights that come with the All Glass Tanks.
I will be getting the 48 soon enough.
hkgar, sure about the 48's vs. the 36's ballast?
 
hkgar

hkgar

Member
osueyedoc
My wife says that we live in PARADISE and we will never leave. Yes it is hot -but is never cold- you just have to live with 90+ weather for four or more months a year. My wife loves the heat and everything is airconditioned and even though the electiric is high in the summer there is no heating bills in the winter.
COME ON DOWN YOU WILL LOVE IT!:cool:
 
fishnerd02

fishnerd02

New Member
I am on my 3rd Helios Ballast in the past month month. The Fish store has been swaping them for "new" ones, but it is a major inconvenience. I had one for a year with no problems, but the recent ones are all horrible. Only 1/2 the ligths will turn on, or none. The lights are great, but the ballast is horrible. Does anyone know of a good alternative that will work, with the same connectors? I don't care if they are swapping them when they break, I'd like one that actually works!
 
fishnerd02

fishnerd02

New Member
Wow, almost a year since my last post and I have the same problems. NEVER GET HELIOS. Its China's way of getting back at us for winning the cold war.
 
divetroop

divetroop

Member
Osueyedoc,
Type Commodity Axis in any search engine and you should get a link to Commodity Axis, but with the dotcom at the end. Lots of info a Helios lighting. Good luck.
 
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