Actinic Bulb Life

jpierson77 · 03/30/2006, 06:06 PM

I have a fixture with the sun pac dual actinics. Whats the life span on these bulbs. Anyone know about how long they last before they change spectrums? I hope they are not like my HQIs and only last six months!

Ti · 03/30/2006, 07:06 PM

pc?

Reefmaniac1 · 03/30/2006, 07:17 PM

Actinics (more specifically all flourescent lamps) don't shift spectra. What happens to them is that over time the amount of lumens that the lamp puts off drops. With actinics (on a proper ballast) though, it's more a matter of "does the color still look good to me".

03/30/2006, 06:06 PM	#1
jpierson77 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Fort Collins, CO Posts: 202	Actinic Bulb Life I have a fixture with the sun pac dual actinics. Whats the life span on these bulbs. Anyone know about how long they last before they change spectrums? I hope they are not like my HQIs and only last six months!

03/30/2006, 07:06 PM	#2
Ti Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Bay Area Posts: 7,927	pc? __________________ Hair algae is my Macro algae.

03/30/2006, 07:17 PM	#3
Reefmaniac1 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Durham, NC Posts: 2,580	Actinics (more specifically all flourescent lamps) don't shift spectra. What happens to them is that over time the amount of lumens that the lamp puts off drops. With actinics (on a proper ballast) though, it's more a matter of "does the color still look good to me". __________________ "Stupidity is not necessarily punishable by violence. Although, there are days when I wish it were." - Solomon Short Current Tank Info: None due to disaster...and moving.