2000 hours on my halides...too much?

kware · 03/06/2009, 05:32 PM

Actually my halides have around 2100 hours on them now. Is it time to replace them. Is there a way to tell if they are bad. They still look ok. They are the odyssea 15k lights. Will bad lights do harm to corals?

greenmonkey51 · 03/06/2009, 05:35 PM

You should still have a good 3 months on them. Although you can change it anytime now.

luther1200 · 03/06/2009, 05:39 PM

They won't directly harm them, but they won't provide the intesity that the corals need to thrive. They will still look normal to the eye, but they will be worn out after about 10-12 months. You could buy a PAR meter and check them I think.

kware · 03/06/2009, 05:40 PM

Is there any way to tell if they're bad? I had them on for 9 hours a day for 7 months I just reduced the photoperiod to 7 hours a day.

Eel-byte · 03/06/2009, 05:54 PM

I get about 2400's on my Hamilton 14k's before replacing them.

hypernesia · 03/06/2009, 06:05 PM

You should try and replace halides every 9 months as a rule of thumb just to be on the safe side
I agree with Luther1200
Although they may look no different ( to the naked eye)from the first day you bought them. They have definitely changed spectrums.

kware · 03/06/2009, 06:11 PM

I have definately noticed my zoas aren't reproducing as quickly as before. My frogspawn hasn't been looking good lately and I haven't been able to figure out why. Maybe bad lights.

kware · 03/06/2009, 09:15 PM

bump

crvz · 03/07/2009, 09:06 AM

Visually it can be challenging to determine how the output of the bulbs has changed. The best bet is to get a PAR meter and measure output when they're new (well, after they've burned in for a couple weeks), and then every couple months afterward to see if there's much output loss.

Few people do this, though, and most go with the 9-12 month replacement.

03/06/2009, 05:32 PM	#1
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	2000 hours on my halides...too much? Actually my halides have around 2100 hours on them now. Is it time to replace them. Is there a way to tell if they are bad. They still look ok. They are the odyssea 15k lights. Will bad lights do harm to corals?

03/06/2009, 05:39 PM	#3
luther1200 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: NJ, shore Posts: 4,376	They won't directly harm them, but they won't provide the intesity that the corals need to thrive. They will still look normal to the eye, but they will be worn out after about 10-12 months. You could buy a PAR meter and check them I think. __________________ Matt, 65G reef tank Current Tank Info: 65g reef, mix of sps, lps, few softies. Hoping to upgrade within the year.

03/06/2009, 06:05 PM	#6
hypernesia Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 291	You should try and replace halides every 9 months as a rule of thumb just to be on the safe side I agree with Luther1200 Although they may look no different ( to the naked eye)from the first day you bought them. They have definitely changed spectrums. __________________ Astropyga Magnifica Current Tank Info: 220 reef

03/07/2009, 09:06 AM	#9
crvz Team RC Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: houstonia Posts: 7,989	Visually it can be challenging to determine how the output of the bulbs has changed. The best bet is to get a PAR meter and measure output when they're new (well, after they've burned in for a couple weeks), and then every couple months afterward to see if there's much output loss. Few people do this, though, and most go with the 9-12 month replacement. __________________ -Chris- You don't win friends with salad. "Look! They're trying to learn for free!" ... "Use your phony guns as clubs!" Current Tank Info: rectangluar? wet?

03/06/2009, 05:35 PM	#2
greenmonkey51 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,092	You should still have a good 3 months on them. Although you can change it anytime now.

03/06/2009, 05:40 PM	#4
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	Is there any way to tell if they're bad? I had them on for 9 hours a day for 7 months I just reduced the photoperiod to 7 hours a day.

03/06/2009, 05:54 PM	#5
Eel-byte Premium Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: Duluth, Mn Posts: 1,508	I get about 2400's on my Hamilton 14k's before replacing them.

03/06/2009, 06:11 PM	#7
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	I have definately noticed my zoas aren't reproducing as quickly as before. My frogspawn hasn't been looking good lately and I haven't been able to figure out why. Maybe bad lights.

03/06/2009, 09:15 PM	#8
kware Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: upstate ny Posts: 645	bump