Tank Maintenance - Lighting Replacement

[Origami]

It's never to early to plan, is it?

 

 

 

What is the generally accepted replacement time for Power Compact and MH lighting? I'm recalling 6 months and 1 year, respectively, but would like the input of others who've done this a time or two. Thanks.

 

 

 

Tom

Edited October 12, 2007 by Origami2547

[jamesbuf]

Depends on quite a few factors. What kind of bulb, how many hours you run then, what ballast you use. Magnetic ballasts usually overdrive the bulbs, so they put out more PAR but the bulb life decreases. Electronic usually fires it specific to the bulbs manufacturer, so the bulb lasts longer.

[Origami]

Thanks for the reply. So how do you know when to change them?

 

My HID lamps are double ended HQI MH, 10,000K, 150W, on 8 hours per day, off 16 hours.

 

CF's are 96W actinics, on 12 hours per day (2 hours before and after the HID).

 

Does that help bracket the question of performance expectation?

Edited October 13, 2007 by Origami2547

[Guest IridanDC]

It looks like you and I have similar light setups and we were wondering the same thing. I know that the atinics are in need of replacement on mine and i was wondering if anyone could tell me if it's realy beneficial for the corals to have 420 and 460 NM lights. Marine Scene just sold me a combo bulb and I'm trying to decide if I'm goi to get a second to matchi it and then perhaps dual 420s for the other two bulbs.

 

Opinions? (Also would like to hear when folks think that various bulbs should be replaced.

 

 

Thanks for the reply. So how do you know when to change them?

 

My HID lamps are double ended HQI MH, 10,000K, 150W, on 8 hours per day, off 16 hours.

 

CF's are 96W actinics, on 12 hours per day (2 hours before and after the HID).

 

Does that help bracket the question of performance expectation?

[Origami]

Having no definitive response, I've put the CF's on a 1-year maintenance replacement cycle and the HQI's on a 6-month cycle.... for now, at least.

[jamal]

i have the same lighting as well and i just replaced my bulbs after a year as it was starting to spur nuisance algae. i would say either get a par meter or just replace the pc's at 6 mths and the mh's at 1yr. once you realize the lights are causing problems the animals are stressed by the changed light spectrum