T5'S TILL THEY DIE, ANYONE???????

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

As I was changing out, a completely burned out, actinic T5 bulb just now, I asked myself a question. I wonder if anyone else runs their T5 bulbs till they actually go out. lol. Rather than replace at some arbitrary time. This last Bulb had been over two years. And the other five are still doing fine in a 6 bulb sun power ati lol.

I have found that they generally don't all go out at the same time, so I am kind of in this varied state of bulb life constantly. some new some half old some on their way out. rather than replace all at once, run a while and then replace all again. and repeat. maybe i'm just being a super cheapskate or lazy even, but I haven't really seen any major issues with corals doing this. Same goes for halide bulbs even. 2-3 years is not a pipe dream. although I have never ran a halide but till it went out.


I don't know, Anyone else push their bulbs as far as they can possibly go before replacing them?

 

[HairyGary]

I think BRS did video a while back and it was 18 mos before T5s starting losing their PAR power. I change mine out every year. I start buying bulbs on Black Friday and usually burn them in with old T5 fixture in January and replace all at once in my fixture on my DT.

Don't know if I could risk waiting until they literally burn out. LOL. You are a brave soul my friend.

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

I think BRS did video a while back and it was 18 mos before T5s starting losing their PAR power. I change mine out every year. I start buying bulbs on Black Friday and usually burn them in with old T5 fixture in January and replace all at once in my fixture on my DT.

Don't know if I could risk waiting until they literally burn out. LOL. You are a brave soul my friend.

lol. yeah truth is I was never all that great at keeping track of when I put them in. so I didnt have much else to go by.

 

[Sidsreef]

As I was changing out, a completely burned out, actinic T5 bulb just now, I asked myself a question. I wonder if anyone else runs their T5 bulbs till they actually go out. lol. Rather than replace at some arbitrary time. This last Bulb had been over two years. And the other five are still doing fine in a 6 bulb sun power ati lol.

I have found that they generally don't all go out at the same time, so I am kind of in this varied state of bulb life constantly. some new some half old some on their way out. rather than replace all at once, run a while and then replace all again. and repeat. maybe i'm just being a super cheapskate or lazy even, but I haven't really seen any major issues with corals doing this. Same goes for halide bulbs even. 2-3 years is not a pipe dream. although I have never ran a halide but till it went out.


I don't know, Anyone else push their bulbs as far as they can possibly go before replacing them?

i got T5's and LED combo. T5 is still today the best lighting. people switch to just LED but when i did that i missed the coverage.

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

i got T5's and LED combo. T5 is still today the best lighting. people switch to just LED but when i did that i missed the coverage.

totally agree on that. coverage with t5 is by far the best you can get if you ask me. all the nooks seem to get light.

 

[piranhaman00]

setting up a 6x4 , running 16 48” bulbs, plan to run for 18-24 months

 

[Sidsreef]

setting up a 6x4 , running 16 48” bulbs, plan to run for 18-24 months

I change my bulbs every 9 months

 

[kalare]

I have an ati 6 bulb with bulbs in it well over 4-5 years old. The are no longer corals in the tank so I don't care but I would definitely not leave bulbs in till they burn out as it could take many many years, years where the bulb output would be substantially less than ideal. They're cheap, just replace in a schedule and you'll know. Whether 12 or 18 or even 24 months, better than waiting till they're out.

 

[tigre44]

As I was changing out, a completely burned out, actinic T5 bulb just now, I asked myself a question. I wonder if anyone else runs their T5 bulbs till they actually go out. lol. Rather than replace at some arbitrary time. This last Bulb had been over two years. And the other five are still doing fine in a 6 bulb sun power ati lol.

I have found that they generally don't all go out at the same time, so I am kind of in this varied state of bulb life constantly. some new some half old some on their way out. rather than replace all at once, run a while and then replace all again. and repeat. maybe i'm just being a super cheapskate or lazy even, but I haven't really seen any major issues with corals doing this. Same goes for halide bulbs even. 2-3 years is not a pipe dream. although I have never ran a halide but till it went out.


I don't know, Anyone else push their bulbs as far as they can possibly go before replacing them?

I have an ati 6 bulb with bulbs in it well over 4-5 years old. The are no longer corals in the tank so I don't care but I would definitely not leave bulbs in till they burn out as it could take many many years, years where the bulb output would be substantially less than ideal. They're cheap, just replace in a schedule and you'll know. Whether 12 or 18 or even 24 months, better than waiting till they're out.

I do the same thing but I do mark installation date on the bulbs. I get about two yrs to a bulb

 

[Cichlid Dad]

I have only run t5 lights. I'm new to reefing, started in July last year. I'm now getting ready to change my bulbs. I'm interested in what is the longest you should run your light. Sounds like you can go a year and a half. I'm running a 6 bulb 4 foot over a 90 mixed Reef. I'm following this thread

 

[Subliminal]

The tank I just set up for fowlr has a t5 hood. The guy I bought it from said that they were the original bulbs. Gotta be pushing ten years.

 

[StatelineReefer]

... I've got 38 months on my T5's, but they're literally only supplemental lighting. My halides do the heavy lifting.

 

[fastest302]

I tend to change out my bulbs between 9-12months but I only run my 5hrs of the day and the rest is with 32hds and orphak bars

 

[pasquale petrovia]

I run 2-8 bulb 39W ATI hybrids on 6' tank and have let them go 18 months on SPS only tank with no issues in the last 4 years. I watch my corals every night and take reference pics for coloration and overall growth and health.

 

[spsick]

Actinics have a mean dropoff in output after 9-12 months in my Sunpower. It’s just you Adam.

Weirdo

 

[Miami Reef]

I think every 2 years is a good goal.

 

[Richyreefer]

If you want consistency, you should change them before the output declines as shown in the BRS videos. Like with your other parameters, you should try to keep your major parameters like Alk, Ca, Mg, nutrients, Flow, and liighting as steady as possible. If you have a par meter you can pick one spot in your tank to test monthly and replace the bulbs when the output goes down by more than 10%.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I run them on 24-month cycle. Replace in pairs few weeks apart.

If you dont care about output dropoff they will run much much longer.

 

[Battlecorals Verified Sponsor]

Actinics have a mean dropoff in output after 9-12 months in my Sunpower. It’s just you Adam.

Weirdo

Actually, yes, I agree with you on this. I noticed that my actinic look pretty much look off as in dark, no light compared to the others at all and I keep telling myself I need to change those. lol

 

[BZOFIQ]

Actinics have a mean dropoff in output after 9-12 months in my Sunpower....

How much of a drop off (percentage wise) and where is your data coming from?