Replacing T5s

[CodyRVA]

Currently running a 6 bulb ATI fixture, bulbs are about to hit 12 months old and i'm about to replace them. How does everyone usually go about this. Specifically, do you replace all of the old bulbs with new all at once or do you replace them over time, every few days or so? Thoughts?

 

[Highgrade]

I replace 2 then then the other 4 about 1-2weeks later in my ATI 6 bulb fixture. You could replace them all and raise up the fixture also.

 

[CodyRVA]

I replace 2 then then the other 4 about 1-2weeks later in my ATI 6 bulb fixture. You could replace them all and raise up the fixture also.

Gotcha, I have the light suspended over a DBP 80G frag style tank, so its a very high light tank, only 16 inches deep I believe, very concerned with bleaching

 

[landlubber]

to save burning my corals i always replace only channel 1 on my ati 8-bulb. that way i can run them at 100% for the first 50 and then move on to the next 2. i never even ran channel 2 while doing this and my corals showed minimal effect during the change over.
the other nice thing is that if you want to space your replacement out and be even less evasive on the system you can just switch everything to auto after 2 bulbs get their 50 hours in and resume your lighting schedule until you're ready to burn more bulbs in.

 

[Y&Y Corals]

I would replace a bulb each week for less stress on corals

 

[landlubber]

I would replace a bulb each week for less stress on corals

you definitely could . i just went with 2 each time as they have to be run at 100% brightness for the first 50 hours and with the dimmable sunpower 8x54w i use running 2 bulbs at 100% and leaving the other 6 bulbs off actually results in a reduction of par that doesn't appear to damage my corals.

 

[CodyRVA]

Thanks for all the input. I don't have a dimmable fixture so I'll probably do a bulb or two a week