I have a Current brand t-5 fixture and I was wondering your experience on the bulb life. Current says this-"The average life of T-5 tubes is 2 years, with the blue/actinic spectrum lamps lasting up to 18 months" in their bulb description here: http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113907
Will they really last this long or should I replace sooner?
tia
Mike
That is my suggestion as well as like Micah said the lights will last that long but the spectrum change will cause problems. I change my VHO bulbs every 6 months. Another factor that plays in here is how often they are used. I run mine 12 hrs a day while someone that runs theirs 8 hrs a day will get a few more months out of them than me.
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Thanks for the responses. I wish I could justify spending $90 and get this light meter- http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113762
But I can get a couple corals and make myself believe I saved some $ by not buying the meter.
Anyway thanks again for the answers. My blue bulbs are on for a 12hr duration and are 10 months old. I believe I will be barganing with the lfs guy or ordering bulbs very soon.
I think you might have answered a problem I'm having with hair algae. I'm also using a HO T-5 for about a year now not having changed the bulbs. I'm going to check the phosphate level before I replace the bulbs. Someone else told me I should try feeding Omega 1 all vegetable diet if it is a phosphate problem.