Help with T5 bulb selection

[kien]

Originally Posted by cooper

Hi there

Right now am using 2 Current Actinic and 2 Giesemann Pure Actinic. I like how my corals look under these bulbs but I wonder if there is anything better than what I currently use.

Oh, and one more question...these bulbs have been there for over 2 years. How often are these T5 bulbs suppose to be changed? There is nothing wrong with the corals or tank in general. Everything is thriving and looks healthy so I wonder if I should really change the bulbs or stick with what I have.

Thanks

T5s are a funny thing. There are people out there who will change them out every 3 months while there are others who will swap them out when they burn out (after years of use). I've seen reef tanks with both approaches. So as to your question, "when are they supposed to be changed?" It all depends who you ask!

It sounds like there's nothing wrong with your setup now as everything is "thriving" and "looking good". It sounds like you just want to experiment a little, in which case look for that group of people who dump their bulbs after 3-6 months (you can usually get them for very cheap) and try their discarded bulbs out to see if you like them. Just because I like 22K T5s doesn't mean you will. I personally hate the fuji purples, but that doesn't mean that they are a terrible bulb or that you won't like them :-)