Bulb life

[Anonymous]

Saw an ad in a magazine for URI VHO bulbs that claim a "usefull" life of 6000 hours. This is the first time I have ever seen a number placed. Most reefers I talk to change their bulbs every 6-8 months (as I do). but 6000 h? Even if I ran the lights for 12 h a day, that would mean 500 days of "usefull" light.

What is everyone else's opinion?

1) Keep to my normal schedule and change 'em 2X a year.
2) Go a year w/ one set and see what happens.
3) Split the difference and get them every 9 months.

And don't tell me to go Halide!

 

[Anonymous]

I'd go a year with them. That's what I do.

 

[Anonymous]

What is everyone else's opinion?

1) Keep to my normal schedule and change 'em 2X a year.
2) Go a year w/ one set and see what happens.
3) Split the difference and get them every 9 months.

And don't tell me to go Halide!

Do you have an electrinic ballast? I have only heard those kinds of numbers for the AquaSun on an Icecap ballast. I don't believe it's true for the SuperActinic and I also believe that the Actinic phosphors in the Actinic White won't last much more than a year either.

If you're running a magnetic ballast I'd suggest getting an electronic ASAP it will pay for itself fairly quickly just in bulbs. Magnetic ballasts eat bulbs fast.

I replace my bulbs based on the change in LUX from my meter. Aquasuns last about 24-26 months and Actinics last about 13 in my experience. I run all my flourescent bulbs off of IceCap 660's.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry,

Running an Icecap 430.

Have:
1 - 48" True Actinic
1 - 48" Actinic White
1 - 36" Actinic White

 

[Anonymous]

With that specific setup I see no reason to change bulbs more often than once a year.

I would also recommend not changing them all at once, but space bulb changes evenly throughout the year, ie. 1 bulb every 4 months.

 

[Anonymous]

... but space bulb changes evenly throughout the year, ie. 1 bulb every 4 months.

Just to keep the intensity levels equil?

What is the reasoning behind this?

 

[Anonymous]

... but space bulb changes evenly throughout the year, ie. 1 bulb every 4 months.

Just to keep the intensity levels equil?

What is the reasoning behind this?

New bulbs operate at about 120% of their normal luminosity. So when you change them all at once they get a lot more light than normal which can stress some corals, and then at about the time they adapt to the higher light intensity it drops again which can also stress some corals. It's much better in my opinion to just give them a more stable amount of light year-round.

 

[Anonymous]

Gotcha.

Brains always seemed pissed off when I changed all the bulbs before. Now I know why!