How often to replace light lamp

[hoangtin18]

I have aquatic life light fixture for 2 years but my light still working good. Manufacture recommend replace lamps 12-14 months. Do I really need to replace them every 12-14 months? There a lot of money to replace all lamps. Also how long can you keep spare lamps without using them? Please help

[shifty51008]

Pc bulbs i would replace around the 10-12 month area.
T5 bulbs around 14-16 months as long as they are properly cooled
mh bulbs around 18-24 months

[MizTanks]

I ran the same fixture for 3yrs. Replacing lamps every 8-10 months. Never heard of anyone running them longer than that.
Number 1 reason why I switched to LED's.

[Ron Reefman]

I ran t5 bulbs (10 of them spread over 4 tanks) for a year and MH bulbs (6 of them spread over the same 4 tanks) for 2 years.

I switched to leds and between electricity (aquarium fixture use, chiller run time and house A/C run time) and bulb replacement, my savings over 2 years more than paid for 6 led fixtures ($1300).

[hoangtin18]

Pc bulbs i would replace around the 10-12 month area.
T5 bulbs around 14-16 months as long as they are properly cooled
mh bulbs around 18-24 months
What's pc bulbs?

[hoangtin18]

Thanks , what happen if you don't replace lamp? My fixture come with luner night light, do I need to replace that too? If you go with LED light you still need to replace bulbs sometime too correct and they are expensive too aren't they

[theatrus]

What's pc bulbs?

Power compacts. If your bulbs aren't just straight cylinders and feature any bends or loops, you have a power compact.

[theatrus]

Thanks , what happen if you don't replace lamp? My fixture come with luner night light, do I need to replace that too?

This is likely an LED, so no.

If you go with LED light you still need to replace bulbs sometime too correct and they are expensive too aren't they

LED emitters do have a finite life and will drop in output linearly over time, but that usable lifetime is probably in the 10+ year range.

A new better fixture (in some way) will come out in 5 years and you'll upgrade anyway ;)

[shifty51008]

If you dont change bulbs (other than leds) then the spectrum of the bulb will change which will promote more algae growth and less what the corals need to thrive.

Btw the spectrum isnt enough to see with the naked eye which is why there are guidlines on when to change out the bulbs

[hoangtin18]

This is likely an LED, so no.



LED emitters do have a finite life and will drop in output linearly over time, but that usable lifetime is probably in the 10+ year range.

A new better fixture (in some way) will come out in 5 years and you'll upgrade anyway ;)
If I switch over to led lights what are your recommend best type of LED lights with low price for 90g tank.

[hoangtin18]

My fixture have 4 difference type of lamp do I need to replace all of them? Please help

[shifty51008]

Only should have to change the daylight bulbs, i never worry to much about bulbs used just for dusk and dawn effect.

[theatrus]

My fixture have 4 difference type of lamp do I need to replace all of them? Please help

What bulb types do you have? What colors? Is this an Aquatic Life 4 bulb T5-HO?

If you are swapping T5HO bulbs, I personally use all ATI bulbs. A common white would be the Aquablue Special, with Blue Plus bulbs for the blue end. The range is diverse so this isn't the only option.

[azjohnny]

If you dont change bulbs (other than leds) then the spectrum of the bulb will change which will promote more algae growth and less what the corals need to thrive.

Btw the spectrum isnt enough to see with the naked eye which is why there are guidlines on when to change out the bulbs

+1

This happened to me when I ran Halides, I waited to long and the bulbs color shifted to a red and caused a lot of GHA to grow. I didn't notice it with the naked eye but did when I had taken some pictures of the tank, the lights had a purple look

[azjohnny]

If I switch over to led lights what are your recommend best type of LED lights with low price for 90g tank.

A good bang for buck LED light is the Reef Breeder Super Lux. I have 3 over a 180. You don't have a lot you can do with them except set the timer and the output of the blues and whites. I have a FOWLR with a large RBTA and some Kenya Trees.

I have the blues set @ 50% output and the whites at 30%

I do have them set up front to back instead of side to side, I do have a little bit of shadowing

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/

[hoangtin18]

What bulb types do you have? What colors? Is this an Aquatic Life 4 bulb T5-HO?

If you are swapping T5HO bulbs, I personally use all ATI bulbs. A common white would be the Aquablue Special, with Blue Plus bulbs for the blue end. The range is diverse so this isn't the only option.
Yes aquatic life 4 bulb t5-ho if I use ATI what bulb would I substitute for all ATI to match with aquatic life 4 bulb white, blue and purple
A good bang for buck LED light is the Reef Breeder Super Lux. I have 3 over a 180. You don't have a lot you can do with them except set the timer and the output of the blues and whites. I have a FOWLR with a large RBTA and some Kenya Trees.

I have the blues set @ 50% output and the whites at 30%

I do have them set up front to back instead of side to side, I do have a little bit of shadowing

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/

+1

This happened to me when I ran Halides, I waited to long and the bulbs color shifted to a red and caused a lot of GHA to grow. I didn't notice it with the naked eye but did when I had taken some pictures of the tank, the lights had a purple look

[hoangtin18]

Only should have to change the daylight bulbs, i never worry to much about bulbs used just for dusk and dawn effect.
As you said I don't need to replace effect light blue and purple correct so all I need to replace are daylights lamp correct

[hoangtin18]

A good bang for buck LED light is the Reef Breeder Super Lux. I have 3 over a 180. You don't have a lot you can do with them except set the timer and the output of the blues and whites. I have a FOWLR with a large RBTA and some Kenya Trees.

I have the blues set @ 50% output and the whites at 30%

I do have them set up front to back instead of side to side, I do have a little bit of shadowing

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/
I have a 90g tank 1 will work? I have live rocks and some LPS corals

[theatrus]

As you said I don't need to replace effect light blue and purple correct so all I need to replace are daylights lamp correct


The blues and purple contribute in a major way to your light output.

The purple may be either an actinic or something similar to the ATI "Purple Plus" - the bulb should be marked.

[mav3rick478]

I have a 90g tank 1 will work? I have live rocks and some LPS corals

I would get 2 and run them front to back like azjohnny.

[shifty51008]

As you said I don't need to replace effect light blue and purple correct so all I need to replace are daylights lamp correct

Because your useing t5's you will want to change all your bulbs. I wasnt sure what type of lights you had so i was just guessing. Some people run seperate bulbs just for their dusk/dawn effect. For your t5 setup all 4 bulbs are gonna contribute to your daylight even if you have seperate switches to turn of your white bulbs

[Bpb]

My goodness. Of course people you've got to change your blue bulbs. Those are your growth bulbs. You don't see corals with massive photosynthetic absorption peaks in the yellow green and red ends. It's mostly in the blue and violet. This range shifts faster than any other with bulb age. Replace all bulbs every 10-12 months. Space out each bulb swap by a week. As in one day replace the first bulb, a week later replace the next...so on. To avoid photo shock to corals and having to mess with your photoperiod. If you don't have corals then don't even both with it. Just keep them till they burn out.

For 4 bulbs get on marine depot and order yourself 2x ATI Blue+ 54 watt bulbs, and 2x ATI Coral+ 54 watt bulbs. Stagger them blue white blue white

[hoangtin18]

My goodness. Of course people you've got to change your blue bulbs. Those are your growth bulbs. You don't see corals with massive photosynthetic absorption peaks in the yellow green and red ends. It's mostly in the blue and violet. This range shifts faster than any other with bulb age. Replace all bulbs every 10-12 months. Space out each bulb swap by a week. As in one day replace the first bulb, a week later replace the next...so on. To avoid photo shock to corals and having to mess with your photoperiod. If you don't have corals then don't even both with it. Just keep them till they burn out.

For 4 bulbs get on marine depot and order yourself 2x ATI Blue+ 54 watt bulbs, and 2x ATI Coral+ 54 watt bulbs. Stagger them blue white blue white
Do you need purple bulb?

[hoangtin18]

Look like there a lot of money changing all bulbs every year . I already bought 4 aquatic life bulbs. Maybe next year I will upgrade my light fixture with LED light. Anyone know any LED fixture work good for 90gal tank with good price