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my octo skimmer over 20 years old, with multiple pump replacements,, my Jagar heater 25 years old . My ocean revive 6 years old and still running.
Hello all.
i have a question.
how long do you expect an item to last?
if you buy an led light that you spent 500-800$ on do you expect it to last 1 year? 5years?
or a return pump that cost 300-500$?
just curious of what your expectorations are with the price of items on your tank.
I should have clarified in my original post. Let’s assume the owner is doing regular maintenance. A friend of mine bought a kessil a350 from me years ago that I got in 2012. He is still using it and it is still growing coral. Can of air every other month or so to blow it out.I would expect that the fancier it is and the more it can do. That it would probably last less More parts to break.
My eheim pump is old as dirt. Maybe 8 years now? And I bought it used those 8 years ago and it keeps going. It has never needed a part but it also is not controllable or fancy. Just robust.
I would expect vortech to not last as long as Tunze. An older kessil to have issues if it wasn’t opened up and cleaned. I would expect a ATI sunpower fixture to outlast leds.
Not always about money but about brand and build.
I just think 1000 dollers for a light with a one year warranty shows how well it’s made . I understand the 1 year warranty but to me it shows you how well it’s made and like other electronics in the hobbie . I also done get how not to many thing are water proof
Expensive LED lights I expect at least 10 years out of warranty. Metal Halide ballasts rarely burned out, and corrosion if placed properly above a tank could be controlled. LED's are rated for 5000+ hours and assuming the other components are built for the test of a saltwater aquarium (and they should be considering money dumped into R&D) they should last a very long time. My AI 26's are pushing 10 years now, they do break when I drop them into the tank (twice now, lol) But can not blame that on AI.Hello all.
i have a question.
how long do you expect an item to last?
if you buy an led light that you spent 500-800$ on do you expect it to last 1 year? 5years?
or a return pump that cost 300-500$?
just curious of what your expectorations are with the price of items on your tank.
I should have clarified in my original post. Let’s assume the owner is doing regular maintenance. A friend of mine bought a kessil a350 from me years ago that I got in 2012. He is still using it and it is still growing coral. Can of air every other month or so to blow it out.
I paid 350$ for that light and it’s been in operation since 2012. To me it has exceeded its life expectancy.
there are some other products out there that barely make it to the 1 year warranty and yet people continue to buy them. So I just wanted to know under optimal circumstances what is your expectation. And just maybe if enough people chime in maybe some manufactures will see this post
It seems to be with jebao pumps that it is luck of the drawl. I have purchased 3 different ones and all failed in a few months. Other people I know have run them for years with out issue. It also appears to me that the driver/controllers of most manufactures seem to be were the problems occurExpensive LED lights I expect at least 10 years out of. Metal Halide ballasts rarely burned out, and corrosion if placed properly above a tank could be controlled. LED's are rated for 5000+ hours and assuming the other components are built for the test of a saltwater aquarium (and they should be considering money dumped into R&D) they should last a very long time.
I used to buy nothing but expensive pumps, in the 90s and early thousands they were built with much more quality, or seemed to be. I use Jebaos now and expect around 5 years, but can easily be dissapointed. I have Eheim pumps from the 90s that still run great, can not say the same for some of the more modern pumps with expensive tags.
Yea, they aren't the best quality but the work and when ordered thru amazon a faulty one is a simple return.It seems to be with jebao pumps that it is luck of the drawl. I have purchased 3 different ones and all failed in a few months. Other people I know have run them for years with out issue. It also appears to me that the driver/controllers of most manufactures seem to be were the problems accrue
I agree that things are not made to last anymore. And in my experience the more “ efficient” something becomes the more problems they seem to have.I expect eveything to break because nothing is made to last anymore.
Every day PAST warranty is a miracle now days.
I bought my tank used and it's from now defunct Tenecor- it's a bow front 109 from 1997, and my "utility pump" is just as old, some ugly grey thing, but the bugger works! back even in the 90's stuff was made 10X better then today.
Also spending more money doesn't mean you are going to get more life out of it.
I do like 24/12V systems for the lower risk of voltage leak, but the controllers and power supplies needed to run them are the weak link.I agree that things are not made to last anymore. And in my experience the more “ efficient” something becomes the more problems they seem to have.
I do think that by spending more money it should last longer but your right that isn’t always the case
Not to mention, apps that stop working in 2 years, or if you have a modern phone, or when the company changes to a new line or goes belly up.I don't think that mostly people realize when they are buying tech and not an aquarium product. There are products that are made to last - lots of them... but most of them are not super techy. You can still get US, Italina, German and Japanese made aquarium products that will last a long time.
You can still get Askol block pumps, Iwaki, PanWorld, Eheim stuff, Tunze, T5 and MH lights... all that can last decades.
If you are buying tech, then some of that cost is for coolness, development, apps, etc. ...actually, most of it probably is. Have reasonable expectations.