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04/30/2009, 03:41 PM | #1 |
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Location: Orange County CA
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How to know when to change your bulbs
I bought a used sunpod with 2 150w 14k bulbs and I am wondering how to know when to change your bulbs. The guy i bought it from said the bulbs were fresh in Dec but how could I ever really know?
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04/30/2009, 03:57 PM | #2 |
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I think most people just search the net for a reasonable average length of time to wait before changing their bulbs, or watch their tanks and change bulbs when coral growth slows down (and algae growth speeds up).
As far as I know, the only way to tell whether the bulbs were actually changed in December would be with a light meter of some sort. Even then, you would probably want a known new bulb of the same model for comparison. If you can find a known new bulb, maybe from a fellow reef-keeper, you could also compare the light they put out. Our eyes aren't calibrated like a meter, but they can spot things like "That one is much more red than the other one," or "This one is much dimmer than that one." There are always some differences between two lamps, but if they're both brand new bulbs of the same model, the difference should (hopefully) be too small to see.
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Later, KarlBob Current Tank Info: No tanks for now. Starting over in Austin sometime next year. |
04/30/2009, 04:04 PM | #3 |
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The answer is you can't tell when buying used unless you got a reciept. My advice is to plan on changing them in the next month or so.
If you try to run them out too far, it will encourage algae growth. I fell into this trap & have been fighting algae for two months now. |
04/30/2009, 04:09 PM | #4 |
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Location: Orange County CA
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ya my algae growth has increased and my water parameters are still good. I got them checked at the LFS 2 days ago and everything checked out. My flow was really bad up until two days ago when I added a K3 and that has helped things. I change 5 gallons out once a week so I guess my next investment is going to be new bulbs. Guess my skimmer will have to wait.
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04/30/2009, 06:08 PM | #5 |
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I find if I run my halides 8 hours a day and the attinics 10 hours then I need to change the halides out a 12 months and the attinics at 9 months.
I've tried the guessing time before looking for algae and low coral growth---each time it takes a lot longer to stabilize your tank again if you stretch out the bulbs. Bying used--just replace the bulbs and then you know you are good for 9-12 months
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I prefer my substrates stirred but not shaken Current Tank Info: 150gal long mixed reef, 90gal sump, 60 gal refugium with 200 lbs live rock |
04/30/2009, 06:21 PM | #6 |
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Ya i hear ya but right now I dont have a paying job. I bought the tank as a bare bones FOWLR and I am slowly upgrading to a reef tank just taking it slow for the moment. I am a full time student taking 21 units and I work in a neuroscience lab as a volunteer. Hopefully I get a job I just applied to at the hospital. Right now I am working 20 hours a week with units being my only pay. If I get the hospital job my tank will be very happy
Last edited by gaucho30; 04/30/2009 at 06:26 PM. |
04/30/2009, 06:58 PM | #7 | |
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Quote:
oh man i feel ya. im broke too and its about time i change my bulb...its been a year for me. no algae here but stuff surely doesnt grow fast plus the bulb looks dimmer. thing is i should change the ballast to a better one and the bulb since they are both stock odyssea. ebay has some "cheaper" stuff but honestly if you ask me i have trouble parting with a 20$ these days...let alone 50 or a hundred. to answer your question...from what i know when you get around the 1 year mark with MH its about time to look for good deals. i may be wrong
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i just cant think of any phylosophical, deep, critical thinking quotes right now. Current Tank Info: 29g Reef, 75g FOWLR |
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04/30/2009, 07:40 PM | #8 |
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about 1 year is pretty much all you can expect from a MH bulb. T-5 is roughly 18 months and Pc's are 12-18. VHO T-12 are 8-12 i think.
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A new beginning........... JIM Current Tank Info: 5g standard softie/zoa tank, just starting a 20H |
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