# Hellolights.com, CoraLife and Loch Ness Monster



## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

In the age of call centers in India and clueless "Sales Assistants" in USA, good customer service is as common as a Loch Ness Monster in home aquaria. This is my story:

One fateful day this mid-August I rip my eyes off the computer screen and try to find some respite in the fantasy of my 36G. It sort of looks a bit too dim. Blah, just what I need, another task on my never ending list.

Looks like one of the two CF 65W lights is off in the ~8-year-old 24" CoraLife. Oh well, another $25. I check the plug, I check the switch - no more life from that b..ch. A virgin one replaces black. I check the plug, I check the switch - it's still as bright as my financial ditch.

I take the fixture apart. All of it. I put it back, no spare parts. I scratch my head and check the web - $60 for CoraLife branded ballast. I scratch my head and check the web - $130 for a brand new identical CoraLife. I do the math: $25 x 2 new bulbs + $60 ballast. Not bad. I check the credit card, I check the web: $130 - check; freshwater - check, 2 power cords - check, 2 switches - check. In goes $130 to Hellolights.com. I bought a CoraLife from them before.

Two days later I have the box with shiny-new CoraLight. I plug it in and life is good. I check the lights, I check the switch (x2), I check the plug (x1) o..O. I scratch my head. I forge ahead with Hellolights <[email protected]>. Reply comes back: I checked the light, I checked the web, I checked the box, I checked my stock - you only get 1 power cord. Manufacturer changed the specs. Sorry.

Ouch. What are my choices? Oh, what can I do? Please help... Dan da man of Hellolights.com offers a) full refund b) a list of other choices c) a new 're-designed' CoraLife Lunar Aqualight for the same price I paid (that's a ~$40 price difference he is eating), with free freshwater 65K x 2, and free shipping back and forth. I take the c). I have two working bulbs, *3* cords, 2 switches, AND 2 lunar lights. Oh, Thank You, Dan!

Poor Dan. Less then 2 weeks later one of the brand new bulbs burns out. Hellolights <[email protected]> again. 2 days later - a new replacement bulb at no charge.

Little that I knew that my life just entered the sad, the ugly, and pathetic "CoraLife" period. But that's another story.

As far as Hellolights.com and their man Dan go, they have *earned* my business. Twice.

Thank you for letting me vent. Cheers.


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## Seattle_Aquarist (Mar 7, 2008)

Hi OVT,

+1 for Customer Service!

I too appreciate excellent customer service and the two times I have had issues with Marineland equipment they have made me 100% happy. Great customer service is sometimes hard to find but when I get it I appreciate it!


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## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

You might have guessed it: <2 weeks later one ballast dies in the NEW CoraLight fixture. I have no guts left to call on Dan again. Instead, I spread the whealth and call CoraLife direct. After some back and forth, they ship me a new replacement blast free of charge. I do receive the ballast in a week, but it's for the wrong fixture. :frusty: Another call, another 7 days, another new ballast. The new 24" CF AquaLight with the new ballast has been working fine ever since.

But another brand new 're-designed' 36" T5HO CoraLife Moonlight AquaLight is yet another longer story. Ditto for the 2 out of 3 new CoraLife PowerCenters.

The CoraLife's Tech and Customer Support is trying hard. But how many DOAs can one customer suffer from the same company?


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

If this 24" Coralife dies and you want to go to square pin PC's, check out the Current USA Orbit 2x65w. It is wider than your Coralife and its reflector will stand up with AHSupply's. AHSupply used to sell side-by-side PC reflectors. The one for a 2x36w will drop right in. I did this with the 30" model. I'm sure a 24" model is the same.

24" Orbit: http://www.aquacave.com/24-2x65w-orbit-pc-fixturebr-by-current-usa-886.html


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## OVT (Aug 26, 2010)

Good advise, but I had to go with CoraLife because of space limitations: the light sits on top of a 36G CORNER, giving me about 1" of with and depth tolerance. It was also ~$40 cheaper then the 24" 24" 2x65W Orbit PC Fixture that would fit and CoraLife is a freshwater model. I also wanted to stay with straight-pin bulbs as I have other fixture using the same bulb type and length.


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