mh lights? when to change?

turtle · 01/19/2009, 03:41 PM

i have a Mh light over a 24 in deep tank what is the normal change out time frame? thanks in advance

reefpimp#1 · 01/19/2009, 03:47 PM

12 months is what i do. some say less some say more.

areze · 01/19/2009, 03:56 PM

the spectrum changes alot in the first 3 months, settles in relatively well after that.

12 months is a pretty arbitrary time based on the actual output over time, but seems an easy enough rule of thumb. you could probably make a case for keeping them as long as 2 years though.

Jefe12234 · 01/19/2009, 04:42 PM

I agree with everything areze said. I waited around 18 months to change my bulbs last time and may go longer this time. Unless you notice a decline in the light quality or coral growth, there's no reason to change them at any specific time. Just be aware that the longer you wait, the more carefully you should acclimate corals to new bulbs. I prefer to raise my canopy up on wood blocks and gradually remove them over a couple of weeks.

Garage1217 · 01/19/2009, 04:59 PM

I change mine at 1.5-2 years. I have never personally witnessed a bulb at 1 year or less that warranted a change. Only real way to tell is to keep track of the par with a meter, or wait until they do not turn on anymore hahaha

iamwrasseman · 01/19/2009, 05:02 PM

same here, im in the 1 1/2 to 2 yrs range . havent noticed any problems

Goodwood · 01/19/2009, 05:08 PM

1.5 years for me.

Salty Prata · 01/19/2009, 06:46 PM

Turtle I think an important question here is, what kind of bulbs are you using?

ganjero · 01/19/2009, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Garage1217
I change mine at 1.5-2 years. I have never personally witnessed a bulb at 1 year or less that warranted a change. Only real way to tell is to keep track of the par with a meter, or wait until they do not turn on anymore hahaha

What type of corals do you keep? Do you ( or somebody else that changes bulbs every 2 years) have pictures of their tanks?
Im just asking because like you I dont have a PAR meter and I would like to see tanks that use mH bulbs for more than a year.

OwenInAZ · 01/19/2009, 09:53 PM

I figure, wait until your corals stop growing or lose their color. Or if you begin to see otherwise unexplained nuisance algae.

Garage1217 · 01/19/2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by ganjero
What type of corals do you keep? Do you ( or somebody else that changes bulbs every 2 years) have pictures of their tanks?
Im just asking because like you I dont have a PAR meter and I would like to see tanks that use mH bulbs for more than a year.

Man trying to dig up some pics of my nano... The corals were under an approximatley 1.5 - 1.7 year old AB 150w 20K bulb. Everything in that tank was stunning and healthy! I actually still have that bulb sitting in a box *LOL* Waiting for more use if I ever have a 150w need again. I actually bought it used from a guy that said it had right at a year on it.

Check back with me in 22 months when my current bulbs are about 2 years old, I am quite confident I will still be running them

manuelink · 01/20/2009, 12:25 AM

also depends to the ballast! and you can wait 2 years to change it! if you got a good electrical ballast

01/19/2009, 03:56 PM	#3
areze Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 4,048	the spectrum changes alot in the first 3 months, settles in relatively well after that. 12 months is a pretty arbitrary time based on the actual output over time, but seems an easy enough rule of thumb. you could probably make a case for keeping them as long as 2 years though. __________________ current tanks:240g of wallet draining capacity.

01/19/2009, 04:42 PM	#4
Jefe12234 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: MN Posts: 885	I agree with everything areze said. I waited around 18 months to change my bulbs last time and may go longer this time. Unless you notice a decline in the light quality or coral growth, there's no reason to change them at any specific time. Just be aware that the longer you wait, the more carefully you should acclimate corals to new bulbs. I prefer to raise my canopy up on wood blocks and gradually remove them over a couple of weeks. __________________ Serenity now!!!

01/19/2009, 04:59 PM	#5
Garage1217 GET OFF MY LAWN Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Globally Posts: 5,863	I change mine at 1.5-2 years. I have never personally witnessed a bulb at 1 year or less that warranted a change. Only real way to tell is to keep track of the par with a meter, or wait until they do not turn on anymore hahaha __________________ No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness ~ Aristotle If we knew what it was we were doing, it would not be called research, would it? ~ Albert Einstein I'm just as bent as ever. Hellishly so ~ Captain Jack Sparrow Current Tank Info: Systems and goodies by Lee-Mar / Coralvue / Neptune Systems / Jager / Spectrapure / Cree / Meanwell + more! Last edited by Garage1217; 01/19/2009 at 05:09 PM.

01/19/2009, 05:02 PM	#6
iamwrasseman Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: syracuse Posts: 7,003	same here, im in the 1 1/2 to 2 yrs range . havent noticed any problems __________________ This hobby certainly can put you in some weird positions ! Dave Current Tank Info: 40 freshwater,25saltwater 2000 gallons ,enough tanks for an army ?

01/19/2009, 09:53 PM	#10
OwenInAZ Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 2,409	I figure, wait until your corals stop growing or lose their color. Or if you begin to see otherwise unexplained nuisance algae. __________________ Owen Professional Bacteria Geek "Ree... cy... cling?" "One day it's a bowl full of cherries, one night I'm suckin' on lemons and spittin' out the seeds" Current Tank Info: 90 gallon tall reef

01/19/2009, 03:41 PM	#1
turtle Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: N.Y. Posts: 38	mh lights? when to change? i have a Mh light over a 24 in deep tank what is the normal change out time frame? thanks in advance __________________ Lasciate ogni baldanza voi che entrate Current Tank Info: 54 gallon, 40gallon sump, 100lbs live rock, and 75lbs sand

01/19/2009, 03:47 PM	#2
reefpimp#1 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Fort Wayne, IN Posts: 730	12 months is what i do. some say less some say more.

01/19/2009, 05:08 PM	#7
Goodwood Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Destin, Florida Posts: 700	1.5 years for me.

01/19/2009, 06:46 PM	#8
Salty Prata Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 123	Turtle I think an important question here is, what kind of bulbs are you using?

01/20/2009, 12:25 AM	#12
manuelink Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: monterrey, mexico Posts: 149	also depends to the ballast! and you can wait 2 years to change it! if you got a good electrical ballast __________________ Im the Sun Current Tank Info: 45 gallons with sump of 10gallons