VHO's lighting question

[AussieExoticCorals]

My VHO's just has is first b-day and I ran them 8 hours a day, my question is, it is necessary to change out Super actinic VHO's? I know some people run them till it dies, and is VHO's only for viewing pleasures?
don't they also provide suppliement to the corals as well?
I also run dual 175w MH 6 hours daily.

How often do you change your VHO's and MH?
thanks for your input.

Regards
G

 

[reefman72]

Ithink the life span on VHO bulbs is one year along with your metal halide bulb. They will still illuminate but they loose the spectrum,or lumans I believe. You may not notice it but the corals will, also it is recomended not to change all bulbs at once let your corals adapt maybe one bulb per week.

 

[SaraB]

I change out my VHO's annually as well.

 

[roktsintst]

I also change my bulbs out every 12 months...

 

[Saltysteele]

if only using vho's, they're good for a total of about 6 months. the actinics, being they don't give off useable light, can go till they die??

if you're using them for your viewing pleasure, and photosynthetic needs are met by your halides, i don't know that it would harm anything to run them till they die, imo