Should you replace your bulbs sooner than 1 year???

[tetra73]

I know an aged bulbs can cause algae. Well, how bad it is if everything else is fine with your tank? I just changed all of my bulbs today. One is close to 12 months and the other is about 10 months. Since the beginning of summer, I am experiencing a sudden but controlled outburst of BBA and hair algae. Usually on my crypts. I had a very nice 6 months of algae free tank. CO2 level is at yellow and using EI dosing of course. I added some iron supplement to help out my chainsword narrow leafs. It is working.

Is a 40g tank with 78w of H5TO light. Light is at least 6" above the water surface.

[Hoppy]

I have seen data that strongly suggests that T5HO bulbs will last around 2 years before they lose a significant amount of their brightness. And, I can think of no way for older bulbs to cause algae - if anything they will show a lower brightness, so there will be less light and less algae problems.

[tetra73]

Originally Posted by Hoppy

I have seen data that strongly suggests that T5HO bulbs will last around 2 years before they lose a significant amount of their brightness. And, I can think of no way for older bulbs to cause algae - if anything they will show a lower brightness, so there will be less light and less algae problems.

Thanks.

[tetra73]

Forgot to mention that one of my 6500k Ultra Sun Zoo Med bulbs shows blackened on one end. This bulb is only 10 months old.

[jnatelborg54@gmail.com]

Hoppy,
Orlando from GLF says that you are the man, so I really don't need to change my T5 HO bulbs at the one year mark? I hope so cause their not cheap!
Jimbo.

[Hoppy]

One trap we often fall into is to assume that the bulbs being sold today are as good as those sold 5 years ago. They may not be. Light bulbs seem to get much less reliable and long lived as they get cheaper and easier to buy. I think the best idea would be for someone with access to a PAR meter to take PAR readings on their bulbs every few months to see what today's bulbs do. Then, of course, report the results for all of us to see.

[ugn]

If the plants are happy, why change anything?

[flight50]

Originally Posted by ugn

If the plants are happy, why change anything?

That's the way I see it. I don't buy bulbs unless they burn out. Its a given that over time they will lose brightness. I bought a cheap ebay 260w reef fixture back in 08' for my 55g moderately planted while using pressurized co2 (yes that's alot of light I know) but algae really wasn't an issue. It was hung 12" and I only got GPA on the glass and anubias.

I am still using the same fixture on a 29g but with two bulbs out. I haven't changed one bulb yet. However this is a low tech tank. I dose seachem, no co2 and have a descent bio load. Other than spotted algae on my anubias and rocks I still don't have algae problems from not changing the bulbs.