PSA: Remember to clean your lights

[Crabs McJones]

Friendly reminder to clean your light fixtures regularly for efficiency and longer life :) this is my hydra 26 after only 3 months of use.

This public service announce has been brought to you in part by Crabs Mcjones - an associate of Glitter Inc

 

[Peace River]

Wow - that's crazy! Thanks for the healthy reminder! Can somebody put together the do and don't of light cleaning?

 

[TheHarold]

Good call! Dust glitter can be evil.

 

[TheHarold]

Wow - that's crazy! Thanks for the healthy reminder! Can somebody put together the do and don't of light cleaning?

I think as long as you use compressed air and a damp cloth, you’re pretty safe. But I wouldn’t suggest any liquid spray.

 

[DSC reef]

Friendly reminder to clean your light fixtures regularly for efficiency and longer life :) this is my hydra 26 after only 3 months of use.

This public service announce has been brought to you in part by Crabs Mcjones - an associate of Glitter Inc

Halides won't get dirty as quick as led ;)

 

[Breadman03]

Halides won't get dirty as quick as led ;)

Shots fired!

 

[Js.Aqua.Project]

I end up cleaning my 26HDs about every 2-3 months for the dust gathering on top, but my wife has a Prime HD over her Red Sea Nano that has to be cleaned monthly because there is a mesh screen covering the fan that seems to get covered in dust faster.

 

[andrewkw]

If you don't clean them they won't last. This may include voiding warranty of certain lights to open them up. My Kessil a350 is still going strong after about 7 years of use. About once a year I take my lights apart and clean them. It's a real pain but the dust that comes out of them is insane.

 

[Midrats]

You guys really need to moisturize. All that body ash will take out a fan-cooled light fast!

 

[WVNed]

At the very minimum put the soft bush on your sweeper and suck everything out you can from the fan openings once a month.

Oh you don't have a canister sweeper like old people do. I got a Bissell Zing for $50 and it has been very useful.

 

[link81]

Wow - that's crazy! Thanks for the healthy reminder! Can somebody put together the do and don't of light cleaning?

"Dont" use the dishwasher.....

other then that, i usually just use canned air, my air compressor or a vacuum with the brush attachment. With the compressor, i turn the air down to 30# or so. don't need the full 125 to blow off some dust.

 

[Peace River]

Does anyone spray the electrical connections with CRC QD Electrical Cleaner as part of the preventative maintenance process for their aquarium lights or other electronics?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Cant beat canned air for computers !

 

[Crabs McJones]

Cant be canned air for computers !

I fire up the air compressor in the garage and give them a good spray down. I have a psi regulator and a moisture filter on it to prevent any condensation or moisture getting blasted on the fixture :)

 

[Scorpius]

If you keep your house clean it keeps your lights from getting dirty so quickly. Shots fired. lol

 

[AngryMike2016]

I hadn't even thought to do this, so I went and checked my nine month old units. Promptly cleaned!

 

[Leslie Tabor]

If you keep your house clean it keeps your lights from getting dirty so quickly. Shots fired. lol

I am sorry, I have 3 dogs and a cat. NO amount of cleaning will keep my lights from needing a good scrubbing. o_O

 

[AngryMike2016]

I am sorry, I have 3 dogs and a cat. NO amount of cleaning will keep my lights from needing a good scrubbing. o_O

...I have six LARGE parrots...

 

[Urtie]

Compressed air in a can (far away from the tank) would be the absolute safest.

Air from a compressor could potentially deposit a tiny bit of oil on the fixture. I don't know how it would get in the tank afterwards, but I guess maybe if you touch the light, then put your hand in the tank.. Either way, theoretically bad.

Vacuuming causes a build up of static, which could make the controller in a LED fixture really sad.

 

[andrewkw]

...I have six LARGE parrots...

Feathers everywhere?