t5 life span

[dv3]

so i have heard that t5 bulbs last 18 months on average ...but know i wonder if act's run 12 hours and whites run 8 hours ...which one is that lasts for ~18months?

[VWD]

They may make the claim the bulb last for 18 months. Don't really mean it's ideal to wait that long. Things like the amount of hours you run every day. I would still change them out every 12 months at the most.

[dv3]

I remember reading a thread on that other site where the guy tested his par and it didn't start to degrade substantially untill about 18months ...but i don't remember all the specifics

[Salty O'Shen]

since i enjoy seeing my wife's reaction to purchases for the tank, i'm changing mine at 12 mos anyway. I think that it can't hurt anything but my wallet and it's constantly sore anyway

[crvz]

first, actinics have pretty low PAR output to begin with when compared to bulbs in the 10kK to 14kK range, so you're not really relying on them for output but color. So I wouldnt worry about replacing actinics early. I'd push replacement out to 18 months at the earliest, especially if you're not over-driving them with Icecap ballasts.

[Twitterbait]

depends on hours and what you are using them for. you can use them a long time if it just for supplemental color. If your using them to grow coral then you will need to replace them about every 12 months to avoid issues.

[dv3]

seems like there should be a more clear cut answer for something like this ...but like everything else in this hobby everyone has there own opinion ...just have to decipher who is right now

[raskal311]

I believe with an 8 hr/day run time they loose about 20% of par after 10 months. I would replace them after 8 if your going to run them 12hr/day.

[Seamore]

I think it depends on the bulb K and if you overdrive the bulbs. On my 75G w/Icap ballast about 9 months max on high Par bulbs 12 months on actinic. On the reg ballast Frag tank 12 months on high Par and 18 months on actinic.

[raskal311]

I spoke to icecap about this very subject and they said there really isn’t much of a different in bulb life with their over drive ballast. But then again what was said does look very good for them so I’m not sure if I want to believe that statement.

[jenglish]

Originally Posted by crvz

first, actinics have pretty low PAR output to begin with when compared to bulbs in the 10kK to 14kK range, so you're not really relying on them for output but color. So I wouldnt worry about replacing actinics early. I'd push replacement out to 18 months at the earliest, especially if you're not over-driving them with Icecap ballasts.

Chris, don't you have a PAR meter? I was thinking that you did. I just wondered what you saw in PAR decline since you overdrive IIRC