Lighting question: How often should they be replaced?

Ephraim · #1 10-07-2009, 04:29 PM

i change my white bulbs every 6 months, but you can still get decent performance out of them up to 10 months if you have them fan cooled. I find that i can notice a difference in the intensity of the light at 6 months by eye so thats why i change mine at 6. actinics i change when they burn out, they give off little usable light, if any, for the corals anyways.

shrimpchips · #2 10-07-2009, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ephraim

actinics i change when they burn out, they give off little usable light, if any, for the corals anyways.

A lot of the 'blue' bulbs now actually have a fair amount of PAR.

Your could always use a PAR meter to track the output of the bulbs, but I suppose that wouldn't catch any spectrum shift.

The recommendation seems to be around the 9 - 10 month range. 6 if you're made of light bulb money.

Evil Guppy · #3 10-07-2009, 10:04 PM

I waited about 14 months before changing out my bulbs.

I didnt realize how dull they had become until finally changed them. All of the corals seem to be doing much better now. I'll probably do as others have suggested and will change the white bulbs every 9-10 months and will keep the actinics for 15 months or longer.

On a somewhat related note, what is everyone doing with their old T5's. Are there any places that we can take them for recycling?

Doug · #4 10-08-2009, 12:05 AM

I wonder what ever happened to the 18 months T-5,s were suppose to give us.

Skimmerking · #5 10-08-2009, 02:36 AM

ya really 18 months ROLMAO on my TEK system remember Doug i lost color on about the 6-8 month

shrimpchips · #6 10-08-2009, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asmodeus

ya really 18 months ROLMAO on my TEK system remember Doug i lost color on about the 6-8 month

Same here - I just replaced my bulbs yesterday, and I had forgotten what "crisp white" light was....I was used to dull yellow...