T5 Light Life

[moohampshire]

I have T5 lighting with a Ice Cap ballast. They are 39W lights 34" bulbs and I have three of them. Lately the lights have not been lasting more than one to two months at most. I have two CPU computer fans in the hood. The first set of lights when tank started lasted about a year. Any idea of why the lights are having a very short life.

[Michigan Mike]

What bulbs are you using? What changed? VHO bulbs are much better @ being overdriven than T5.
Its fairly known that overdriving T5 bulbs shortens the usable life of bulbs.

[rtparty]

More than likely, not enough cooling. Ice cap ballasts are terrible on T5s. I'd sell the ballast and get a couple spec T5 ballasts and a fourth bulb.