A short time back, Jake Adams over at Reef Builders wrote an article about IceCap, Inc. falling behind in the aquarium lighting race due to not creating new and innovative products. Instead, they were re-badging Chinese made products and relying on older aquarium technology like VHO lighting, as he put it. The notion about IceCap going out of business also came up in the article, but seeing as how they’ve been a strong force in this industry for years, I sort of wrote it off as speculation. I do realize that today’s aquarist is quickly moving away from older technology, favoring more energy efficient lighting instead. However, I suspected IceCap would be able to respond to market pressures, not to mention I’ve been hearing rumors about their progression with LEDs. IceCap makes great products used by many aquarists, myself included. Many of their ballasts (both fluorescent and metal halide) have been flying off of store shelves for years, so I wasn’t sure where all the speculation was coming from exactly.
In my typical weekend boredom, I was browsing the online aquarium communities and came across several interesting comments on some of the IceCap sponsor forums throughout the various forum sites. A few people were asking about the company’s status, with a few chiming in with grim news. Some have claimed that phone calls and emails go unanswered, and others make the bold statement that the company has gone under. Not wanting to believe the speculation, I then went to IceCap’s website for answers, but found the domain to be suspended. There is some text on the site that reads:
Please stand-by while we perform routine account maintenance.
We will return soon. Thank you!
This text could mean virtually anything at this point. A minor issue may have occurred, a full site revamp may be in the works, or the grim possibilities are in fact a reality. I certainly hope IceCap isn’t going away, but that remains to be verified. If a representative from IceCap could chime in with some updates, it would greatly be appreciated.
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