When to switch out bulbs

Paco1l1d · 03/19/2009, 07:41 AM

Hey all, back when I was using my power compact system I was swapping out my bulbs every 6 months like clockwork. but since I upgraded to T5 and then later to metal halide Ive kinda slacked off. Not because Im lazy mind you haha, more along the line of I dont quite know when the bulbs will lose their par output. Like I said before im using T5 and metal halide so I would like to know after how long bith of these are expected to lose their power. Neither are being overdriven so just the standard usage. The halide is a double ended 250W if that helps

Crawf71 · 03/19/2009, 08:02 AM

T5s seemed to last me about 18months. I tend to replace halides every 8-10 months.

Sugar Magnolia · 03/19/2009, 08:02 AM

There was an article I read recently that showed that MH bulbs lose the most PAR during the first 6 months, and then slowly lose PAR between 6-18 months. So, what I got from that article was to either replace them around 6 months or leave them be for 12-18 months. My phoenix 14K is about 12 months old and while I know the color spectrum has shifted, and I am at a much lower PAR than I was, the shift is so gradual that it's not really noticeable. Once I put a new bulb in, it's always immediately obvious how dim the old bulb had gotten. I'm getting ready to rebulb now.

Let's see what others opinions are.

Paco1l1d · 03/19/2009, 05:01 PM

Sugar Magnolia: you wouldnt happen to have a link to that article would you? Some thing I would be very interested in reading

03/19/2009, 07:41 AM	#1
Paco1l1d Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: mars Posts: 321	When to switch out bulbs Hey all, back when I was using my power compact system I was swapping out my bulbs every 6 months like clockwork. but since I upgraded to T5 and then later to metal halide Ive kinda slacked off. Not because Im lazy mind you haha, more along the line of I dont quite know when the bulbs will lose their par output. Like I said before im using T5 and metal halide so I would like to know after how long bith of these are expected to lose their power. Neither are being overdriven so just the standard usage. The halide is a double ended 250W if that helps __________________ <'}}}}}>< Current Tank Info: 90 starfire cube colorful stick tank, 5 gallon fuge, 10 gal sump

03/19/2009, 08:02 AM	#2
Crawf71 Registered Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Columbus, OH Posts: 169	T5s seemed to last me about 18months. I tend to replace halides every 8-10 months. __________________ Chris Current Tank Info: 120g display, 20g sump, 40g refugium. 2x250w DE 14k phoenix

03/19/2009, 08:02 AM	#3
Sugar Magnolia Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Northern VA Posts: 17,691	There was an article I read recently that showed that MH bulbs lose the most PAR during the first 6 months, and then slowly lose PAR between 6-18 months. So, what I got from that article was to either replace them around 6 months or leave them be for 12-18 months. My phoenix 14K is about 12 months old and while I know the color spectrum has shifted, and I am at a much lower PAR than I was, the shift is so gradual that it's not really noticeable. Once I put a new bulb in, it's always immediately obvious how dim the old bulb had gotten. I'm getting ready to rebulb now. Let's see what others opinions are. __________________ Adrienne The only thing to fear is fear itself....and spiders.

03/19/2009, 05:01 PM	#4
Paco1l1d Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: mars Posts: 321	Sugar Magnolia: you wouldnt happen to have a link to that article would you? Some thing I would be very interested in reading __________________ <'}}}}}>< Current Tank Info: 90 starfire cube colorful stick tank, 5 gallon fuge, 10 gal sump